Willow Smith has made a significant spiritual milestone by contributing to a devotional song, Govinda Nights, launched by singer Londrelle on the occasion of Janmashtami. The actress and singer, the daughter of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, articulated her experience in an Instagram post that was imbued with great respect for the bhakti tradition.
A Glimpse into Willow’s Spiritual Practice
In a series of images, Willow gave her fans a personal glimpse of her holidaying in the Hindu festival. She has been spotted doing aarti at an ISKCON temple, carrying a chanting bag, and standing next to a Radha–Krishna altar. Dressed in a scarf and Vaishnav tilak, she looked completely into devotional rituals.
The post also featured a photo of her chanting and playing the guitar, showcasing her fusion of music and spirituality. She posted a slide that showed her musings on the “signature patterns of vibration,” connecting sound to consciousness and spiritual awakening. She finished the post with the cover of her Govinda Nights album, showcasing her further venture into sacred music.
A Journey Through Devotional Sound
Willow has also explored Sanskrit chants and mantra music via work with Jahnavi Harrison, such as on the EP R I S E and the song Surrender (Krishna Keshava). The two artists’ creative relationship started at a Kirtan concert organized by Jay Shetty, further expanding her exposure to devotional sound.
Navigating Identity and Expression
Whereas Willow has adopted bhakti rituals, her family has followed different spiritual directions. Willow has also been honest about her own life journey—coming out as bisexual in 2019 and subsequently declaring herself polyamorous. More recently, a tearful selfie accompanied by an enigmatic caption raised alarm among fans, although she later posted about emotional healing and nature.
With Govinda Nights, Willow further infuses her spirituality into her artistry—providing an outlet for divine sound in contemporary music.
