Will Smith is back. The Grammy-award-winning artist and legendary actor has released his newest single, ‘Pretty Girls,’ following his latest album, Based on a True Story.
Smith’s team describes ‘Pretty Girls’ as a “catchy, fun summer banger.” OmArr and Lexoskeleton produced the funky offering, and Conor Cunningham directed a wacky video accompanying the new track.
Speaking on Capital XTRA on June 13th, the actor and singer revealed that he did not make the new album in isolation. Instead, the King Richard actor sought advice from hip-hop heavyweights Kendrick Lamar and Jay-Z.
Detailing the specifics, Smith revealed that “Kendrick was like, ‘You have to say that thing that you’ve always been terrified to say.’ And Jay Z said, ‘Don’t even make music if you’re not going to be honest.’” This advice would help create a 14-track album featuring a variety of collaborators, including DJ Jazzy Jeff, Teyana Taylor, & Jac Ross and singles ‘Beautiful Scars’, ‘First Love’, ‘TANTRUM’, ‘Work of Art’ and ‘You Can Make It’.
Smith debuted ‘You Can Make It’ at the 2024 BET Awards with a fearless performance from the middle of a fire pit that was lit up with real flames. The singer subsequently hit No.1 on the Billboard Gospel Airplay Chart with “You Can Make It” featuring Fridayy and Sunday Service Choir.
The new single, ‘Pretty Girls’, centres instead around all the types of women Will Smith finds enticing. Lyrics include, “It don’t matter ’bout your complexion / There’s not a lot women not pretty to me,” and “Vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, lemon /
Alright, fuck it, I like women.”
Smith will embark on his first-ever headlining tour alongside the new album, branded the “Based on a True Story Summer Tour.” He will stop at major cities throughout Morocco, Europe and the United Kingdom. The headlining shows will begin on July 13th in Hamburg, Germany and wind through multiple international festivals including Mawazine in Morocco, POSITIV Festival in France, Dreambeach in Spain & BIG ART Festival in Italy.