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 Willow Smith attends The 2024 Met Gala© Jeff Kravitz

WATCH: Willow Smith excitedly meets beloved Nigerian musician Seun Kuti

In a video shared online, Smith greets Kuti and shares how much his music means to her


Maria Loreto
Senior Writer
JUNE 19, 2024 2:06 PM EDT

Willow Smith loves music. The artist and musician, who recently released her latest album “Empathogen,” recently met Seun Kuti, a beloved Nigerian musician who’s worked with incredible artists over the course of his career. An onlooker captured their encounter, showing Willow’s excitement and her desire for him to stick around and watch her show.

View post on Instagram
 

 The exchange took place at the Hollywood Bowl Jazz Festival in Los Angeles, where he had just performed. The post was shared by Kuti and shows a photo of the two smiling at the camera, and a recording of the encounter. In the clip, Willow is seen bowing to Kuti as he does the same. “I hope you enjoy the show!” she says. Then, as she walks off, she said, “You’re amazing!”

Kuti is the youngest son of Fela Kuti, a musician known as the king of Afrobeat, launching the genre to new heights. Kuti now has a lengthy career in music and is the leader of Egypt 80, the band that was started by his father.

“Amazing moment when Seun Kuti and Willow Smith met at the Hollywood Bowl Jazz in Los Angeles,” reads the post’s caption.

Kuti’s collaboration with Kravitz
View post on Instagram
 

Kuti has collaborated with all manner of artists, including Calle 13 and Lenny Kravitz. In a recent Instagram video, he shared the news that Kravitz would be producing his new album, showing the two working together in the recording studio.

“BREAKING NEWS!! Rock icon Lenny Kravitz will executive produce the highly anticipated new album from Seun Kuti & Egypt 80, together with Fela Kuti’s original producer and engineer Sodi Marciszewer,” reads the post’s caption. “The new album is expected to land next Oct 04 worldwide.”