Michael Jackson's daughter Paris says she struggles with expectations of being music legend's child
29 July 2020, 11:26
The aspiring musician said she struggles with being compared to the King of Pop, as she carves her own career in music as part of the folk duo 'The Soundflowers'.
Michael Jackson's eldest child, Paris, has opened up about the pressures she faces being the music legend's daughter.
In a recent episode of her Facebook Watch series Unfiltered: Paris Jackson and Gabriel Glenn, the 22-year-old spoke about the expectation she feels people have of her as she's Jackson's daughter.
"My dad was the king of pop, rock and soul, but he didn’t do folk — which is funny, because I am, being a musician, which is expected, but I’m doing a genre that’s not expected," Paris explained.
"But I’m not gonna pretend it’s easy."
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In the new episode, which was published on Tuesday (July 28), Paris and boyfriend Gabriel Glenn are embarking on their first official tour as The Soundflowers.
But it's clear that Paris faces some anxieties before performing live.
"It's tough, because I'm baring my soul with my music," she tells the camera.
"It's very, very vulnerable. But I want to grow. I want to become a better musician every day. The best thing I can do is head out for tour."
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Speaking about the expectations his girlfriend and fellow band member feels, Gabriel says: "I'm sure there is pressure connected to everything that came before her, her father, and her whole family's legacy.
"But P's more than her last name is and who her father is."
Elliot Mintz, Paris' publicist, reveals in the show that she doesn't like to use her last name to attract audiences – something he admits would make his job easier.
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"That's not something she wants," Elliot says. "She wants to make it on her own."
Later in the episode, the publicist also adds: "She has very clear perceptions of what international fame implies.
"Her father is the greatest performance artist of our time. But all that money, all that attention, all that fame, all that power does not buy you a lifetime of joy and happiness."
