Willow is serious about earning her rock/metal stripes. The former pop star has been making huge waves within the heavy scene, most recently with the release of her riff-driven rock album Coping Mechanism, as well as by making numerous public head-nods to various rock and metal legends such as Primus, Lamb Of God and Deftones.
In a new Instagram post, Willow showcases her kinship for Deftones via a recording of her at a recent live show, ripping through part of their hallmark anthem, My Own Summer (Shove It).
Within the clip, the singer-songwriter asks the audience if they've heard of "that band the Deftones", before nailing the song's introductory, menacing riff.
Willow previously spoke of her love for Deftones during an interview with Kerrang! earlier this year, which saw her name the band as one who she'd most love to work with in the future. "I would love to sing with Chino Moreno from Deftones" she said, "He’s so amazing.”
The vocalist then went on to offer praise to other heavy bands who have inspired her recent album, stating: “I love Lamb Of God. I love Straight Line Stitch – they’re a great band. Also, the main singer of that band is a black woman, which I really, really love. Crowbar is an amazing band. Obviously Radiohead – I wouldn’t call them metal, but they were definitely a huge inspiration for this album. And I’ve been listening to a lot of Primus, and I love Les Claypool.”
In an interview with Guitar.com, Willow also expressed her admiration for Deftones while explaining what caused her to start releasing heavier music after an early career in the pop industry. "Rock has always been inspiring to me,” she said. “Ever since I was born, I’ve always been inspired by Deftones, Lamb Of God, Crowbar… But I think that when you start doing something at such a young age, your mind is still growing in a lot of different ways. Then you grow up and you understand [that] you need to really apply yourself in a way that you might not have thought of.”
Watch the clip of Willow playing Deftones' My Own Summer (Shove It) below:
