From plastic bag-induced PTSD to music as medicine, this is what being Michael Jackson's
daughter is really like!
On June 25, 2009, Michael Jackson, the legendary artist who was adored by fans across the globe,
passed away.
Paris Jackson was just 11 years old at the time.
In 2017, she revealed to Rolling Stone that at the time of his death, Michael was wearing
a rope and jade bracelet from Africa.
She said she would wear this bracelet all the time, and refused to take it off.
This personal, intimate way she honors Michael Jackson's memory is very meaningful to Paris,
who has even seen him in her dreams.
Paris told Rolling Stone:
"I feel him with me all the time."
Michael has stayed with Paris artistically, too.
When speaking with the Evening Standard about her first album, Wilted, she said:
"I think he'll always influence everything I do in some way, whether it's subconscious or intentional.
I was around that creativity all the time, so I'm sure I learnt a lot of what I have
from that."
In spite of the enormous fortune at his disposal, Michael Jackson made sure his children were grounded.
According to Paris, he made it a point to see that she grew up knowing her position
of privilege didn't make her any different than anyone else.
Michael taught Paris to be both humble and appreciative by understanding that not everyone was wealthy.
Paris was exposed to all aspects of the real world during her time with her father and
didn't always view life from a position of luxury.
During an interview with Naomi Campbell on No Filter, Paris candidly recalled her childhood
memories, and referenced how her father anchored her expectations about the world.
She revealed,
"My dad was really good about making sure we were cultured, making sure we were educated,
and not just showing us, like, the glitz and glam [...]"
Even when it came to simple teachings, Paris recalls Michael Jackson being truthful in
his approach.
Rather than sugar-coating things, her father would give her the real information and hard facts.
During an interview with Rolling Stone, Paris said,
"He wasn't like, 'Oh yeah, mighty Columbus came to this land!'
He was like, 'No.
He f—ing slaughtered the natives.'"
Paris Jackson credits her moral and ethical values to her father's emphasis on doing what
was right.
When Paris sat down with Willow Smith to film an episode of Red Table Talk, she opened up
about how impactful her father's influence still is on her today.
A viewer asked Paris about continuing her father's memory, to which Paris replied,
"I take the positive things that I learned from him, the good morals that I learned and
try and use them everyday.
Humility, compassion, tolerance, just being kind to other people, even if it's someone
that did you wrong, to pray for them and be kind to them, be kind to yourself."
Michael Jackson and Paris Jackson may not have shared the same natural skin color, but
they shared the same heritage, and Michael made sure Paris never overlooked that fact.
During a 2017 interview with Rolling Stone, Paris said,
"I consider myself black."
Speaking about how Michael reinforced her ethnicity, Paris recalled in the interview:
"[My dad] would look me in the eyes and he'd point his finger at me and he'd be like, 'You're black.
Be proud of your roots.'
And I'd be like, 'Okay, he's my dad, why would he lie to me?'
So I just believe what he told me.
'Cause, to my knowledge, he's never lied to me."
Of course at first glance, Paris didn't share the same physical appearance that her dad
had growing up.
As an adult, Michael Jackson visibly suffered a skin depigmentation issue called vitiligo,
as confirmed by his autopsy.
During her interview with Rolling Stone, Paris had this to say about her appearance:
"Most people that don't know me call me white.
I've got light skin and, especially since I've had my hair blond, I look like I was
born in Finland or something."
Michael Jackson was known to throw himself wholeheartedly into his music, and this powerful
personality trait has been passed along to Paris Jackson.
When Michael was preparing for a major event or was creating new sounds, he would work
tirelessly to master his craft.
Ahead of the 2012 Bad 25 documentary, E! News noted the incredible efforts the star put
forth to meticulously execute his choreography; he was known to stay up all night if that's
what it took to make everything perfect.
Now in her adult years, Paris tends to her music the very same way she watched her famous
father dedicate himself to his craft.
When faced with challenges in life, Paris often uses music as her outlet and gives it
all of her focus.
This was especially true during the spring of 2019 when it was revealed that Paris had
an experience which necessitated medical attention.
The press were relentless in their requests for more information, which added even more
stress in her life.
E! News reported that much like her father, Paris turned to music to soothe her soul.
A source claimed she was "throwing herself into" her craft, adding:
"She is very musically motivated and it's been therapeutic for her."
In her adult years, Paris is now able to understand and appreciate why her father went to great
lengths to conceal her identity from fans, and why he took measures to shield her from
the cameras.
Living life in the spotlight as the daughter of one of the most famous musicians in the
world, eventually took its toll on Paris.
She has addressed the unwanted attention from cameras that have surrounded her for her entire life.
The constant barrage of paparazzi became overwhelming for Paris.
During an appearance on Red Table Talk with her friend Willow Smith, Paris opened up about
her personal struggles with fame, saying,
"I experience auditory hallucinations sometimes with camera clicks and severe paranoia and
have been going to therapy for a lot of things, but that included."
Michael Jackson attempted to spare his children from the media frenzy by covering their faces
with masks and attempting to hide them, and Paris must understand the scope of his actions.
Paris told Willow Smith:
"I'll hear a trash bag rustling and I, like, flinch and panic."
"Is that from the paparazzi?"
"Yeah.
I think it's just standard PTSD."
Paris Jackson recalled her father opening up and discussing how difficult it was for
him to be thrown into the spotlight at a very young age.
Making music and performing took away from Michael Jackson's ability to experience his
youth, and he wanted more for his children.
Her interview with Rolling Stone revealed that as a result of his heightened awareness,
Michael Jackson worked hard to ensure Paris' life was as "normal" as possible.
Oprah asked Paris in 2012 if she felt that her father had hoped she'd live a "normal
life," and if such an existence was even a possibility.
Acknowledging that he did, Paris elaborated:
"He had his doubts.
I remember, he told us that when he was younger, he didn't really have a childhood.
Like, he would always be stuck in the studio singing while all the other kids were out playing.
And he wanted us to have that."
This normalcy included punishment when necessary.
Paris described the more fun everyday activities she pursued alongside her father:
"So a lot of times, we would go to Chuck E. Cheese.
Chuck E. Cheese and Toys 'R' Us were our favorite places to go."
Coming to terms with Michael Jackson's death has been a very difficult process for Paris
Jackson, but she is clearly dedicated to honoring his memory.
In 2018, at a celebration on his 60th birthday, Paris and her brother, Prince, accepted a
humanitarian service award from the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation on their father's behalf.
Over the course of her journey into adulthood, Paris became increasingly aware of the impact
Michael had on the world, and has continued to honor her father's legacy in a variety
of different ways.
People reported that in February 2022, Paris united with Prince for a very rare mutual
appearance in support of the Broadway show MJ: The Musical.
The siblings walked the red carpet in honor of their dad, and engaged in several media
opportunities designed to recognize the impact of Michael Jackson's musical contributions
in the world of entertainment.
The Broadway show centered around Michael Jackson's career achievements and opened at
the Neil Simon Theatre in New York City.
In a sweet Instagram roundup, Prince posed with his sister and uncles and wrote in the caption:
"It's truly an honor to be able to celebrate my father and family's legacy and it couldn't
be done without the hard work, dedication and overall passion that the team at @mjthemusical
have [...] Thank you for honoring my fathers music and legacy and continuing to spread
his message."
Paris Jackson opened up on No Filter with Naomi, sharing that her dad always encouraged
her to follow her dreams, even when that meant entering into the world of entertainment that
he had worked so hard to shield her from.
Paris said in the interview:
"I feel like every part of my childhood will always influence how I am today, whether it
was experiences or all of the music we listened to.
He loved classical music and jazz, and hip-hop and R&B, and obviously the Motown stuff, but
also radio's Top 40."
Paris has forged her own path and has released her own music to the world, most of which
she shares with her followers on Instagram.
Following her time in the group The Soundflowers, Paris released her first solo studio album
Wilted in 2020, and spoke to Good Morning America about how the support she received
from her father during her childhood was a source of strength and inspiration.
Paris felt the pressure of entering the music scene as the famous daughter of a music icon,
and relied on memories of her father's support to push on.
Paris said in the interview:
"No matter what it was we were interested in, at one point, I wanted to be an astronaut,
he was like, 'Do it.
Do it.'
With every aspect of life."