Will Smith is a man of many talents, and he won countless awards as both an actor and musician. He used to be a hip-hop sensation before conquering Hollywood, but does he secretly have a flair for classical music, and enjoys playing the piano?
Will Smith’s biography suggests that he learnt how to play the piano in his youth, and he also mentioned having one at home. It’s still unclear how skilled he is with this instrument since we only got to see him play it in one brief scene from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
Will Smith’s Piano Scene
If you’ve ever wondered if Will Smith can play a piano, it’s probably because you’ve seen him do it on the hit sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. His piano scene was featured in the very first episode of this beloved series, and he performed a rendition of Ludwig van Beethoven’s composition “Für Elise”.
The main point of this scene was to shift the dynamics between Will and his Uncle Phil. They had a tense relationship from the start because Will’s “flippant shenanigans” didn’t sit well with Uncle Phil, but hearing him play the piano showed the older man that they still have a lot to learn about each other.
This was the only time we got to see Smith play this instrument, since none of his other projects required him to do it again. At one point he was in early talks to develop A Star Is Born remake alongside Jennifer Lopez, and it’s highly likely he would’ve had to step up his game and learn to play an instrument for this project, but they never got it off the ground.
Will Smith’s Musical Background
Several of Will Smith’s biographies suggest that he learnt to play the piano in his youth. According to Will Smith: A Biography of a Rapper Turned Movie Star, his household was always filled with music and everyone knew how to play at least one instrument. Will’s mother taught him how to play the piano, but he was also a self-taught drummer. We never got to see him play this instrument on The Fresh Prince, but he had a blast admiring Jazz’s drumming skills.
In addition to taking piano lessons, Will Smith said there were always instruments around his childhood home so he learnt to play a little bit of everything. His family even formed their own little jazz band, but only played at home to entertain themselves. Will was in charge of playing drums, because he always loved music with the strong beat.
Will Smith’s Artistic Family
Will Smith grew up in a musical family, and he made sure that his kids do the same. The actor’s wife Jada Pinkett Smith took piano lessons in her youth, and their kids Jaden and Willow both found success as musicians and already released several albums. They also recorded numerous songs together, including “Summertime in Paris”, “PCH”, and “Find You Somewhere”. Jaden even did a remix of his Nicky Jam collaboration titled “Icon” alongside his dad.
It was important for Will and Jada to create a household where their kid’s creative endeavors would be supported. The Men in Black star told New York Magazine that they wanted their dream home to be “an artist’s haven” and that they have everything from art supplies and cameras, to musical instruments and editing equipment.
“Our whole dream for our home was for it to be an artist’s haven. There’s a piano with a microphone and a recorder right there to capture things right in the second… We are [serious] about how the microphone at the piano has to be on and the recorder has to be ready to go for when somebody gets an idea,” explained Smith.