Smashing Pumpkins and Willow Smith Perform ‘Cherub Rock’
Story by Cat Badra, photo by Ken Settle
Watch Willow Smith and the Smashing Pumpkins perform together on the Pumpkins’ final 2022 tour stop
Willow Smith is one of the hottest musicians of the moment, and she’s collaborated with everyone from Travis Barker to Avril Lavigne. Now, Smith has shared the stage with Billy Corgan and the Smashing Pumpkins.
The Pumpkins invited Smith to perform the group’s 1993 single “Cherub Rock” during their headlining performance at Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles on Saturday (Nov. 19). The show was the final stop of the band’s joint “Spirits on Fire Tour” with Jane’s Addiction.
Smith, who makes music as simply “WILLOW,” walked onto the stage near the end of the group’s set after a short introduction by guitarist James Iha. Even though Willow is known for her strong vocals, she let Corgan do the singing and instead showed off her impressive guitar playing skills. Along with Corgan, Iha and Jeff Schroeder, WILLOW was the band’s fourth guitarist, proving that the guitar is certainly not dead in rock or alternative music.
After the show, WILLOW took to her Instagram page to post a collection of photos from the concert along with a caption with the “Who wants that honey” line from the track’s chorus. In another social post, she posted photos of her with Corgan and Iha during the set. View the posts and watch fan-filmed footage of “Cherub Rock” below.
It’s been known that WILLOW and the Smashing Pumpkins have something in common. Back in August 2021, Smith posted a video of her performing the “Cherub Rock” guitar riff. She also was a guest on Corgan’s podcast, “Thirty-Three,” in October 2022. Time will tell if this budding friendship will result in a proper collaboration, but it seems to be heading that way.
Smashing Pumpkins have been touring behind the release of “Act 1” of the group’s three-part rock opera, “ATUM.” The second installment of the 33-track set will hit stores on Jan. 31, and then the final installment will arrive on April 21. WILLOW’s most recent album is “COPINGMECHANISM,” which arrived in October via Roc Nation.
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