9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Paris Jackson defends decision to perform on dad Michael Jackson's death anniversary: ‘You don't pick date or city'
Actor and singer Paris Jackson is firing back at critics after facing backlash for her scheduled performance on the anniversary of her father Michael Jackson's death on June 25. Also read: Michael Jackson's daughter Paris was raped at 14, says her father was murdered
The musician-actor is part of a tour with Incubus and Manchester Orchestra, and the timing of the show has drawn flak from fans and social media users.
Paris, 27, defended her decision to perform on the anniversary of her father's death through Instagram. She posted a video on her Instagram Stories, which is no longer available on her profile. However, it has been widely shared across social media platforms.
'So people are mad again. This time, I think, I guess one of the tour dates I'm supposed to be going out on tour with Incubus and Manchester Orchestra happens to be June 25, which is a very negative anniversary for me in my life and my family,' Paris said in the video.
Paris, whom the late Thriller singer shared with ex-wife Debbie Rowe, along with 28-year-old Prince Jackson, went on to explain why she would be performing on June 25.
She added, 'So, what I guess I have to explain to these people is that not headlining these shows, you don't pick what date you perform or what time you go on stage to perform, or what city you perform in:.
She argued that people have a glamorised perception of life on tour, not realising the reality behind it.
Sharing the reality of the concerts, Paris shared, 'First of three also doesn't get a tour bus. You get maybe a sprinter van, which I've done before when I've got a band with me. But I'm not going to have my band with me this time. It's just me and my acoustic guitar and my sound guy, who happens to be my fiancé (musician Justin Long). So we're gonna be in a soccer mom van."
'This feels like (Incubus is) doing me a favour by bringing me out on tour. So (what), I'm gonna tell 'em, 'Sorry, guys, we can't perform on this date?' added Paris Jackson in her video.
The Hit Your Knees singer ended her message saying, 'F**k you'.
Paris is scheduled to perform in Nashville on June 25, 16 years since Michael Jackson died at the age of 50.
This is not the first time Paris has had to defend how she honours her late father following his 2009 death. In August 2023, she explained why she chose not to commemorate what would have been his 65th birthday on Instagram.
'Today is my dad's birthday and back when he was alive, he used to hate anybody acknowledging his birthday,' she said in a video at the time, adding, 'He actually didn't want us to even know when his birthday was because he didn't want us to throw a party or anything like that'. She slammed people who criticised her choice for not wishing her father.
