Petal Rock Black

Willow Smith dropped her seventh studio album, Petal Rock Black, as a surprise digital release on February 17, 2026. The project arrived through Three Six Zero Recordings in partnership with gamma without any advance singles or marketing campaign. This 12-track record continues the experimental jazz fusion direction established by her 2024 album Empathogen while pushing further into avant-garde and spiritual jazz territories.

Recorded between 2024 and 2026, Smith played most instruments herself while working largely alone with engineer Adam Schoeller present. She co-produced the project with Jon Batiste, who specifically produced the track Vegetation. The album features an eclectic collaboration list including funk pioneer George Clinton, who recites a devotional poem on the title track, saxophonist Kamasi Washington on Play, and Tune-Yards on Omnipotent.

Critical reception remains divided regarding this artistic reinvention. The Harvard Crimson awarded the album four stars, describing it as a work that deepens her artistry, while Pitchfork characterized it as restless and overly sprawled. Some listener discussions noted that the short, poetic songs occasionally suffer from thin arrangements despite the high-profile collaborators. [edit]