Kim Kardashian anticipated criticism over her daughter North West’s performance as Simba in The Lion King concert at the Hollywood Bowl last year. Recently, she addressed the backlash, defending North’s musical theatre debut against the negative reactions.
According to E! News, SKIMS founder Kim Kardashian addressed the backlash surrounding North West’s May 2024 performance in the latest episode of The Kardashians. During a confessional, Kim admitted she had anticipated the criticism long before it surfaced.
“She’s not Whitney Houston. Duh,” Kardashian directed at viewers who expected the then 10-year-old’s performance to be immaculate. North’s rendition of The Lion King classic “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King” was compared to that of her fellow Broadway-level cast mates, and received backlash for not being up to par. To those assuming the child was offered the role “because of her parents,” Kim assured:
“North is the moment. They want to see North West on a TikTok, on a this, on an anything. Because she’s a personality, a performer. And if anyone wants to hate on a child that is having the time of their lives, ‘F*** you.'”
Despite facing a wave of criticism, the mother-of-five remained incredibly proud of her eldest daughter for giving her best at The Lion King concert. She shares her children—North (11), Saint (9), Chicago (7), and Psalm (5) with her ex-husband, Kanye West.
“It’s such a proud moment as a mom to see your child have so much fun and not be nervous at all. She’s so proud of herself. She did such a great job. And anyone that is hating on a kid is just a hater—she’s not there to be Mariah Carey.”
