From Neverland to the Indie Scene: Paris Jackson’s Musical Journey

Paris Jackson is an American singer, songwriter, model, and actress best known as the daughter of late pop legend Michael Jackson. Born on April 3, 1998, in Beverly Hills, Paris grew up largely shielded from the public eye alongside her brothers, Prince and Bigi, as her father tried to give them a private childhood despite his global fame. Despite being born into one of the most famous families in the world, Paris has spoken openly about how isolated her upbringing sometimes felt, as much of her childhood was spent inside the family’s Neverland Ranch and under heavy security. However, she has also described her father as loving, deeply involved, and determined to give his children as normal a life as possible despite global fame. Paris’ life changed dramatically in 2009 when Michael Jackson died suddenly while she was only 11 years old. His death placed her directly into the public spotlight for the first time, especially after her emotional speech at his televised memorial touched millions around the world. Following his passing, Paris and her brothers were raised primarily by their grandmother, Katherine Jackson, and adjusting to life without her father became an emotionally difficult period for her. As she grew older, Paris openly struggled with depression, anxiety, and the pressures of living under constant public scrutiny while being compared to her father, but she later began building her own identity through music, modeling, art, and acting. Rather than pursuing pop music like her father, she developed a darker indie-folk and alternative rock style that helped separate her from the Jackson family legacy, while her openness about mental health and self-expression has made her one of the more relatable and unconventional members of the famous Jackson family.

Four: Eyelids

eyelids is a soft alternative-folk song by Paris Jackson from her debut studio album Wilted, which was released on November 13, 2020, through Republic Records. The emotional track was written during a deeply personal period in Paris’ life and reflects themes of heartbreak, emotional exhaustion, vulnerability, and longing, fitting perfectly with the stripped-back, indie sound that defined the album. This track has garnered over 1.5M streams on Spotify and over 1.4M views on its official music video on YouTube. Unlike the pop style many expected from Michael Jackson’s daughter, “eyelids” leaned heavily into acoustic guitars, melancholic lyricism, and alternative folk influences, helping establish Paris’ identity as a serious indie artist rather than simply a celebrity child entering music. While the song was not released as a major commercial single and did not chart on mainstream music rankings like the Billboard Hot 100, it became one of the standout fan-favorite tracks from Wilted and received praise from critics and listeners for its raw honesty, haunting atmosphere, and Paris’ surprisingly delicate vocal performance. Music reviewers also highlighted how authentic and emotionally intimate the song felt, with many noting that Paris avoided trying to imitate her father’s legendary sound and instead embraced a more personal and unconventional artistic direction, which ultimately helped earn her credibility within the indie and alternative music scene.

FYI

  • Outside music, Paris Jackson also became known for modeling and acting, working with major fashion brands and appearing in film and television projects, but much of public fascination around her still comes from her connection to the Jackson family legacy. Even so, she has consistently tried to carve out her own path artistically and personally, embracing a more alternative, indie image that separates her from the expectations often attached to the Jackson name.

Three: Scorpio Rising ft. Andy Hull

Released on October 27, 2022, as part of her Lost EP, Scorpio Rising is a dark alternative-rock duet by Paris Jackson featuring Andy Hull. The song showcased a heavier and moodier sound compared to the soft indie-folk style of her debut album Wilted. Garnering over 1.3M streams on Spotify and over 171K views on its official audio on YouTube, “Scorpio Rising” explores emotional conflict, toxic relationships, vulnerability, and self-destruction, themes that aligned strongly with Paris Jackson’s darker artistic image and personal songwriting style. The collaboration with Andy Hull, best known as the lead vocalist of Manchester Orchestra, was widely praised because his gritty indie-rock sound complemented Paris’ emotional delivery perfectly, helping the song gain attention among alternative and indie music listeners. Although the track did not become a mainstream chart hit or appear on major Billboard charts, it received positive reactions from critics and fans for its cinematic atmosphere, mature songwriting, and noticeable artistic growth, with many reviewers highlighting it as one of the strongest songs from the Lost era. The song also helped further separate Paris from the expectations tied to the Jackson family legacy, proving she was more interested in building credibility within the alternative rock scene than chasing commercial pop success.

Two: Zombies in Love

Zombies in Love is the latest single by Paris Jackson, officially released on March 13, 2026, through Republic Records and Dragonflower Enterprises. The haunting alternative-rock track was co-written and produced by Linda Perry, best known as the lead vocalist of 4 Non Blondes, and serves as the first major release leading into Paris Jackson’s upcoming second studio album. It has garnered over 371K streams on Spotify and over 789K views on YouTube. Lyrically, it explores themes of toxic love, addiction, emotional dependency, and feeling emotionally numb within a relationship. Paris later revealed that the inspiration behind the song came from personal experiences before she became sober, giving the track a deeply vulnerable and autobiographical feel. The official music video, which Paris co-directed alongside Fidel Ruiz-Healy, gained attention for its emotional storytelling and social commentary, using a lonely delivery robot wandering through Los Angeles as a metaphor for isolation, modern disconnection, and emotional emptiness in today’s world. It received positive reactions from critics and fans for its cinematic visuals, mature songwriting, haunting atmosphere, and noticeable artistic evolution. The release also marked Paris Jackson’s return to solo music after a quieter period musically, further strengthening her reputation within the indie and alternative-rock scene.

Awards/Nominations

  • Paris Jackson has received recognition mainly for her work in modeling and entertainment rather than major music awards so far. One of her biggest career honors came in 2017 when she won the Emerging Talent Award at the Daily Front Row Fashion Awards, recognizing her rapid rise in the fashion industry.
  • She was also nominated for Model of the Year at the GQ Men of the Year Awards and has appeared on several major “most influential” and rising-star lists from fashion and entertainment publications. In music, although Paris has earned praise from critics for her alternative and indie-rock sound, she has not yet received major Grammy or Billboard-level nominations, as her music career is still relatively new and more underground compared to mainstream pop artists.

Discography

Paris Jackson has only one studio album and a couple of EPs.

  • Wilted (2020)

One: Let Down

let down is the debut solo single by Paris Jackson, released on October 29, 2020, ahead of her first studio album Wilted. The emotional alternative-folk track marked the official beginning of Paris Jackson’s music career and quickly became her signature song and biggest hit to date, introducing listeners to a much darker, softer, and more intimate sound than many expected from the daughter of Michael Jackson. This song has garnered over 2.5M streams on Spotify and over 4.5M views on its official music video on YouTube. “let down” explores heartbreak, emotional disappointment, loneliness, and toxic relationships. The song was praised heavily by critics for its raw honesty and atmospheric indie-folk sound, with many reviewers surprised by how confidently Paris avoided copying her father’s legendary pop style and instead embraced a more alternative and emotionally stripped-back direction. Although the track did not become a major mainstream chart hit, it remains Paris Jackson’s most recognized and commercially successful song overall, gaining millions of streams and helping establish her credibility within the indie and alternative music scene. The official music video also received attention for its cinematic visuals and emotional storytelling, further cementing “let down” as the defining song of Paris Jackson’s career so far and the track most associated with her transition from celebrity child to serious recording artist.

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