Posted by Emily Exton on 07/02/2012 at 10:49 AM Videos

The Popdust Files: I Am Me, willow smith

Willow Smith drops the hair-bragging and Nicki Minaj apprenticeship for a little Avril Lavigne in her new video, “I Am Me.” It’s basically “I’m With You,” with Willow sitting atop a subway grate in the middle of steady traffic along New York’s East Houston Street, preaching about how she doesn’t need to be anything else but herself. In between contemplative crooning, Willow experiences the life of a busker, performing in her bowler atop a skateboard and offering to take photos with passersby in front of a colorful mural. All of her acts further prove that the “validation” of a certain person, music blog or total stranger means nothing to the daughter of Will and Jada, though we’re sure mom and dad are very proud that their little girl wants to play her keyboard in Washington Square Park with reckless abandon, rather than focus on cultivating her social status among classmates who are just starting to experiment with three-way calling and exclusive Facebook groups.

But just when you think Willow is getting a little too deep and mature for 11-years-old, she makes a hand heart gesture for the camera, quotes Sweet Brown and drops a “YOLO.” Yep, still a kid at heart.