North West is following in the steps of her parents Kim Kardashian and Kanye West. The couple’s eldest daughter made her musical debut this past weekend at the Hollywood Bowl. North participated in the 30th anniversary celebration for the Disney film The Lion King. While it was a big moment for the family, not everyone enjoyed the performance.
Fans Blast North West’s Musical Performance
The anniversary celebration for The Lion King was a two-day, star-studded affair. Among the guests were the film’s original stars Jeremy Irons, Nathan Lane, and Ernie Sabella. Jennifer Hudson and Heather Headley also took part in the production, wowing audiences with their singing.
But the most-talked about moment from the event was North’s performance. On Friday, May 24th, the 10 year-old made her debut as Simba. Dressed in a lion costume, she sung “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King.”
The audience gave the young girl a standing ovation following her performance. However, once videos of her debut went viral, the criticism began. On a Reddit thread, fans blasted the performance and called North a nepo baby.
One user simply wrote:
This is the most nepo baby-ish thing I’ve ever seen. Ever.
One commenter was offended the girl was easily given the role:
Wow…Just because your parents are celebrities doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have to audition for the part.
Another fan felt sorry for the other kids who lost the role:
The only issue I have with this is that because of who she is, they take away the opportunity for someone who actually has the talent, worked hard and practiced to audition just to give it to someone for who they are.
While her performance was panned by online critics, North is getting praise from Jason Weaver. The actor was the singing voice of young Simba in the 1994 film and was on hand at the concert. Weaver shared an Instagram post voicing his support for the young singer. “What an honor it is to share the same stage with this young superstar in the making!!” he wrote.
Despite the criticism; it was a huge night for North, whose family was there to cheer her on. Proud mom Kim posted photos from the event showing her daughter all smiles with the rest of the cast. This is one moment the Kardashian and West family won’t forget.
