Madonna’s Daughter Opens Up About Her Mom’s Strict Parenting And Not Getting ‘Any Handouts’

Apr 08, 2022 by apost team

Pop icon Madonna has defied the odds and broken boundaries throughout her multi-decade-long career. She is a singer, performer and a cultural icon. Madonna has given us plenty of hits, defining the course of pop music and ultimately giving her the moniker the "Queen of Pop."

Madonna was born on Aug. 16, 1958, making her 63 years old today. Originally from Michigan, the aspiring star moved to New York City in the late 1970s to pursue a career in dance before finally finding success as a solo singer. She has since released a plethora of No. 1 hits, including "Like a Virgin," "Like a Prayer" and "Vogue."

With each new era, Madonna has proven that she has the ability to constantly reinvent herself, something that has ultimately helped her career trajectory. She has also led countless tours, proving that she is a top-quality performer. 

However, great music and iconic fashionable looks are not the only cultural contributions that the star has given the world. Madonna is also a mother to six children, with a mix of both biological and adopted children, resulting in a diverse and talented family. Her children include Lourdes "Lola" Maria Ciccone Leon, Rocco Ritchie, David Banda Mwale Ciccone Ritchie, Chifundo Mercy James, and twins Stella and Estere Ciccone. 

Lola is like her mother in many ways, as she is incredibly talented. However, the two have had their share of tense moments over the years, to the point where Lola has even called her mother a "control freak." Read on to find out more about their mother-daughter relationship.

In a 2019 interview with Vogue, Madonna talked about how her two biological children, Rocco and Lola, took on some of her characteristics. When talking about Lola, Madonna said her daughter "is insanely talented." She said:

"I'm green with envy because she's incredible at everything she does — she's an incredible dancer, she's a great actress, she plays the piano beautifully, she's way better than me in the talent department."

Lola has kept a pretty low profile over the years, although she has shared moments of her life on her Instagram, as well as during interviews. She was also featured in the Sep. 2021 issue of Vogue. During her interview with the magazine, she explained how she paid for college at the University of Michigan's school of dance by herself. "People think I'm this talentless rich kid who's had everything given to her, but I'm not," Lola said.

Lola also spoke about her love of dance, which she no doubt picked up from her father, Carlos Leon, who currently works as a professional dancer in New York, according to Hello! Magazine.

"A teacher of mine made me understand movement in a whole new way. You're using your body to define the space around you — to change it. That's a very naked form of expression," Lola told Vogue.

When she spoke to Vogue in 2019, Madonna expressed some concern for her daughter and fame. She said:

"But does she have the same drive that I have? No. But she also has a mother, and I didn't. She grew up with money, and I didn't. So everything is going to be different. But what can I do? I can't fixate on it. I just have to do my best."

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In the same interview with Vogue, Madonna spoke further about how Lola's path is different from hers, not least because she has to prove herself as more than just Madonna's daughter. The music icon said:

"I feel social media plagues her and makes her feel like, ‘People are going to give me things because I’m her daughter.’ I try to give her examples of other children of celebrities like Zoë Kravitz, for instance, who have to work through that ‘Oh yeah, you’re the daughter of…’ — and then eventually you are taken seriously for what you do. You just have to keep going."

Nevertheless, Lola is forging her own path as a model and it also keeps her financially independent. In conversation with actress Debi Mazar — who has been a close friend of Madonna's since her early days in New York — for Interview Magazine, Lola said that she doesn't "have a specific goal" for now, but she did describe what she's focused on for work. She said:

"Financially, modeling is a smart decision. I enjoy being very hands on with the campaigns I do, so that I’m not just modeling, per se. I dance, I have a very specific sense of style, and I’m interested in aesthetics, so I like to incorporate all those parts of myself into my projects."

She even weighed in on her thoughts about acting, which her mother has also done extensively alongside her music career. Lola said:

"I don’t know how I feel about acting yet. I think it’s about finding a role that wouldn’t be too far off from who I am already. Honestly, actors really annoy me and I can’t be around them. As for music, I can sing. I just don’t care about it. Maybe it’s too close to home."

Although they have a lot in common, it's clear that Lola and Madonna have also had some conflicts with each other over the years. Lola opened up about her relationship with her mother during the same interview with Interview Magazine in Oct. 2021. She said:

"We don't get any handouts in my family. Obviously, I grew up with extreme privilege. There's no denying that. But I think my mom saw all these other kids of famous people, and she was like, 'My kids are not going to be like this.' Also, I feel like if your parents pay for things, then it gives them leverage over you. My mom is such a control freak, and she has controlled me my whole life. I needed to be completely independent from her as soon as I graduated high school."

However, Lola explained how she is protective of Madonna, and her feelings toward her mom have changed over the years as she has grown to respect Madonna for the "influential and amazing" woman she is.

"She's probably the hardest worker I've ever seen," Lola added. "I didn't inherit that, unfortunately. I inherited her control issues, but not her work ethic."

Madonna had also given her some advice prior to entering the industry. "She's very much like, 'Proceed with caution and think about what you want to be known for,'" Lola said. While Lola is multitalented, she is most known for her work as a model, although she isn't sure if she'll stick with it. "My mom is very insistent on making me think about what I want to be known for beyond my looks," she explained. "That's not what I want people to remember me by. It's not real." 

What are your thoughts on Madonna and Lola's relationship? What do you think about their respective careers? Let us know, and be sure to send this to your loved ones.