Model, choreographer, dancer and now singer Lourdes Leon is pop diva Madonna’s eldest child from a relationship with personal trainer Carlos Leon. The new media darling was the cover star of the latest issue of The Cut and gave a wide-ranging interview, as one would expect, about her burgeoning career and celebrity mother. However, according to Lourdes herself, growing up in the family of one of pop’s most iconic figures was not easy. Being so close to such a big star was a source of extreme insecurity for her. Furthermore, Lourdes claims to be the exact opposite of her mother. In various early interviews she has emphasised Madonna is a “control freak” – no cartoons, no partying.
“I have such high standards in terms of visuals, sound, character, humour, style – everything, because that’s what I’ve been exposed to all my life,” she confessed.
Lourdes always dreamed of being a normal kid, similar to her peers, but fate has decided otherwise. After graduating from high school (where she met her first boyfriend Timothy Chalamet, as the singer first told reporters), she had to move – she felt the paparazzi were watching her every move. She enrolled at Madonna’s alma mater, the University of Michigan, but only studied there for a year before transferring to a dance conservatory where she embraced the idea that normality is relative.
“I want to feel like I deserve something, not just got something for nothing. And, yes, there is an undeniable privilege, and I would be a fool if I didn’t realise it.”
As for music, Lourdes stressed that she didn’t believe until the last minute that she would ever seriously pursue it.
“I always felt like never, never, never,” she confessed.
But she met professional sound producers who took her to the next level, which led to the release of Lourdes’ debut mini-album “Go” on November 8 this year on the Eartheater Chemical X label. In recent years, she has thought more about fashion, regularly starring in ad campaigns for Savage X Fenty, Mugler, Marc Jacobs and other brands. However, according to Lourdes, a modeling career goes against the grain of what her mother taught her – namely that no one should be allowed to tell her what to do or how to act.
“Fashion is an art, and I really respect the field, but I can only play the game up to a point. If you’re a model, you go and do what you’re told. And to crack the system, you have to identify yourself as an artist, not as a model; then you can say what you want.” – She explained.
Note that Lourdes emphasises her financial independence in every possible way. According to Lourdes, she shares a rented flat with a longtime friend and remains amazed by how expensive life in New York City is. However, there’s no doubt that Lourdes is capable of much, having directed an Adidas by Stella McCartney commercial, starred in a provocative Victor Barragán look book and choreographed the music video for her friend Eartheater’s song ‘Joyride’.
