They share the same surname, but is Paris Jackson related to Michael Jackson in any way?
Paris Jackson is Michael Jackson’s only daughter, and his second child. She was born in 1998 to the late ‘King of Pop’ Michael Jackson, and his then-wife, Debbie Rowe.
Read on to learn more about Michael Jackson and his daughter, Paris Jackson.
The King of Pop
Since the seventies, Michael Jackson was a household name. He was arguably one of the most well-known personas in musical history. His talent, ability and sheer character was known around the world by millions.
His career spanned decades, and he was always in the news, and the charts. While his life wasn’t shy of a controversy or two, Michael Jackson was utterly adored by his fans all over the planet.
By the time of his death in 2009, Michael Jackson had released ten studio albums. He’d starred in a string of movies, and embarked on some of the best-selling tours of all time. His legacy was staggering, and he’d continue to be an enormously wealthy star long after his passing.
In 1998, Michael and his then-wife Debbie Rowe gave birth to their first daughter, and second child. She was named Paris-Michael, but typically went by just Paris. The naming convention came from the location in which she was conceived – in Paris, France.
When Michael Jackson passed away, Paris – and her half-brother Prince – were left in the custody of their grandmother. Jackon and Rowe had split many years prior, in 1999. Allegedly, Debbie Rowe couldn’t cope with the extreme exposure to publicity that the marriage brought her.
After their separation, the children were in the sole custody of Michael. As Paris, Prince and ‘Blanket’ grew up with their father, they too were at the centre of speculation and scandal. Michael would regularly shroud his children in blankets and masks to hide their identity from the press.
On one occasion, in 2002, Michael Jackson bizarrely dangled his youngest child, ‘Blanket’, over a hotel balcony. This balcony was on the fourth floor of the hotel, and would have been certain death for the child if he had slipped. This act was condemned and cast a huge shadow on Jackson.
You can see a short news clip of this event on YouTube below.
Only Daughter
At the time of the balcony event, Paris Jackson was a toddler, but ultimately shrouded from the public eye. Her father did his best to keep them masked, something Paris was reportedly grateful for later in life.
Paris herself was born into immeasurable wealth. She wouldn’t ever want for anything, given her father’s expansive and incredible estate and legacy. However, she did attempt to carve her own name as the years went on, following her father’s passing.
She experimented with film, television and music. As of 2018, she was a performer in a small band, who subsequently released their debut EP in June of 2020. She was also a prominent figure on social media, particularly Instagram.
Given that her father was the world-famous King of Pop, it makes sense she’d gravitate towards performance. Music was always a big influence in her life, but she was known for leaning towards rock more than pop. In an article in 2019, Paris explains: “I never actually went to prom – I skipped it to go see Metallica.”
However, her life wasn’t without struggle, even years after her relatively bizarre childhood. Paris Jackson struggled repeatedly with drug addiction, depression and suicidal tendencies. She admitted that by the age of fifteen, she’d attempted suicide several times.
In 2019, she attempted to take her own life once more and was placed under a psychiatric hold. Ultimately, she’d see similar controversy and spectacle as her father did many years prior. However, Paris Jackson would remain determined to make her own name and way in life as the years rolled on.