Willow on Studying Physics for 4 Years: 'It Made Me Believe in Magic'

The more you learn about the world around you, the less anything makes sense. But if you keep digging, well beyond the point at which most people would walk away from the whole endeavor, you just might land at a more enlightened place. Willow Smith knows this journey well, and she’s now elaborated on the “magic” she was able to discover along the way.

In a conversation with Yang Shi for The Creative Independent, the 2025 Grammys nominee was discussing the ability of great artists to craft work that “transcends” its form, citing Björk as an example, when she arrived at an inquiry about spirituality.

“I believe in magic,” the Empathogen artist said. “I studied physics for four years. It made me believe in magic. It’s wild how some scientists resist the idea that the world is beyond our understanding. The more I study science, the more I’m in awe of its complexity—it’s pure magic. Many great scientists feel the same, just like great artists. It all blends together. That’s why mad scientists often look like artists—just look at pictures of Einstein or others like him.”

This revelation, Willow explained, led to a larger reframing of the emphasis often placed on feeling “triggered” by something, or someone, in a negative sense. On the opposite end of the spectrum, she proposed, are what she’s taken to referring to as “glimmers,” i.e. moments of undeniable magic.

As always, the full interview is the best way to take all of this in. For those unfamiliar, The Creative Independent is a reliably inspiring resource for anyone leading a life structured around the cultivation, and protection, of creativity. The site also offers guides focused on making a living in such spaces, not to mention a large catalog of artist-to-artist conversations.

Next month, Willow stands to potentially win her first-ever Grammy. Her track “Big Feelings” is up for Best Arrangement, Instrumental and Vocals; the Empathogen album, meanwhile, is nominated for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical. When congratulating Willow on the nominations In November, Will Smith, who has four Grammys of his own, reflected on watching his and Jada’s daughter “suffer” earlier in her career.

“I am honored to be your daddy,” Will said at the time.