Willow Could Be the Smith Family's Best Hope

The Smith family has had a rough summer, with their father-son backyard project—wait, sorry, $135 million movie—After Earth failing miserably at the box office. But their dreams of becoming some sort of latter-day Barrymore clan are not dead just yet. A new possibility comes in the form of young daughter Willow's new summer jam.

The Smith family has had a rough summer, with After Earth, their father-son backyard project—wait, sorry, $135 million movie—failing miserably at the box office. But their dreams of becoming some sort of latter-day Barrymore clan are not dead just yet. Hope comes in the form of young Willow's new summer jam. The track is from Melodic Chaotic, ostensibly a duo per Vulture, though the video mostly highlights Willow. We've got Willow speaking in a British accent (very Nicki Minaj on American Idol), Willow getting pushed into a pool by a groups which includes her brother, Willow on a swing, Willow hanging by a fire. The song, "Summer Fling," has incredibly stupid lyrics ("It's just a couple months, but we do it anyway") but is also, well, incredibly catchy.

Whereas Jaden has followed his father's lead to big movie blockbusters (or would-be blockbusters), Willow has so far stuck to Will's earlier musical trajectory. Though, not musical musical; she refused to star in the remake of Annie that her dad is producing with Jay-Z. Even though Will told Willow that she'd get to hang with Beyoncé in New York if she did the movie, Will tells New York Magazine that his daughter told him: "Daddy, I got a better idea. How about I just be 12?" So that's pretty mature for someone whose megastar parent seems, despite what he may say, to desperately want his children to be famous.

And Willow may actually have talent, as Jason Lipshutz wrote in Billboard. After her "Whip My Hair" success, Willow released some overly produced tracks that went nowhere, but then last summer she put out the moodier "I Am Me" and this winter "Sugar and Spice," songs that seemed to indicate a new creative direction.  Lipshutz wrote of the latter track: "For the first time since 'Whip My Hair,' pop fans can see what Smith can become someday: a multifaceted performer with more attitude than fear."

Which could mean that Will is sitting somewhere, sifting through After Earth receipts and dejectedly thinking all is lost, until Jada puts on "Summer Fling," looks up to the sky, and says, "No, there is another."