Madonna’s Daughter Lourdes Leon Says She Was Raised To Be ‘Smarter Than’ A Typical Nepotism Baby

Jun 27, 2023 by apost team

Starlet Lourdes Leon pretty much grew up in the glamourous Hollywood scenery, being the daughter of one of the most revered pop musicians, Madonna. However, she actively worked on carving a niche for herself without forgetting her privileges. The young entertainer opened up about forging a career in the entertainment industry and knowing she deserved it while staying conscious of her position as a celebrity kid. 

Lourdes, who prefers to be called Lola, is a fashion model, actress, singer, and the oldest child of pop icon Madonna. Born Lourdes "Lola" Ciccone Leon, the star is the first of six children that her iconic mom welcomed through adoption and biologically. Lourdes is Madonna's daughter from her relationship with personal trainer turned actor Carlos Leon. 

Like many celebrity kids, Lourdes grew up in the public eye but kept a relatively low profile when showcasing her talent. However, her adult years saw her burgeon as a celebrity kid of many talents. Leon prides herself in putting effort into making a name for herself away from her mom's pivotal success.

It is safe to say that the youngster is like her mom in many ways. One of these is her penchant for pushing societal boundaries. In 2022, the star, who has been walking the runway for big-time fashion brands, appeared in the Calvin Klein Palace Skateboard campaign with her body hair on display. Lourdes showed off her armpit hair during the event. This gathered negative remarks on social media, but she remained unfazed.

Once speaking to Debi Mazar for Interview Magazine, Lourdes shared her thoughts on the role of social media. 

Lourdes recalled tapping into some of her mom's advice on how to handle the internet. The fashion connoisseur relayed that Instagram was "not real," adding that it was "the biggest lie of all time." She stated this in reference to the opinion that many do not live their authentic lives on the Internet. 

She stated how her mom told her what mattered the most was "what you are bringing onto the world and what you're going to leave behind." Lourdes mentioned, "That always shakes me awake when I get too caught up in everything." Over the years, the budding songstress built her public image on confidence.

While the world experienced Madonna's musical prowess and expertise in other fields, Lourdes saw her from the perspective of a mother who raised her kids the best way she could. In the same interview, Lourdes opened up on her formative years and her mother's approach to parenting. She relayed that they didn't "get handouts" in her family. 

Lourdes stated that she felt her mom observed other celebrity kids and decided she would raise hers differently. She described her mom as "a control freak" who controlled her all her life. The "Love Me Still" singer added that she wanted to be "completely independent" after graduating high school. 

Her penchant for independence played a huge role in the following years after high school. Speaking with Vogue in 2021, Lourdes revealed that she paid for her college education at the University of Michigan. This was said in contrast to how she felt people viewed her as "this talentless rich kid who's had everything given to her." 

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Speaking with The Cut, Lourdes emphasized her value regarding being a celebrity child. She made it known that she wanted to "feel like I deserve things and not just like I've been given things." The star went on by noting she was well aware of her position. Loudes stated: 

"And, yes, there's undeniable privilege that I'd be stupid to not realize. Nepotism babies are pretty awful usually, and my mom and my father raised me to be so much smarter than that."

During the extensive interview, she spoke about her endeavors in the entertainment industry. She opened up about how being so close to someone so iconic created self-doubt. She recalled being hard on herself for a long time. She noted that she has "such a high standard for visuals, audio, character, humor, style, everything."

Prior to launching her music career, Lourdes always felt like the music industry was something she would never explore. All that changed after she casually played a track she made, and burgeoning musician Eartheater was impressed.

On her modeling career, Lourdes relayed that her non-conformist ideals were in contrast to how the industry worked. She mentioned that being a model meant going in and doing as "you are told." This was not in tune with how her mother advised her never to let anyone tell her what to do. 

She added that it was termed disrespectful when she tried to have a voice. Lourdes relayed that to forge ahead and hack the system in the fashion world; it was better to identify as an artist rather than as a model.

Do you agree with Lourdes Leon's approach to building her career despite being privileged? What are your opinions on the nepotism baby label for celebrity kids? Let us know, and pass this piece on to others.