Madonna’s daughter Lourdes Leon says she paid for college herself while denying she’s a ‘talentless rich kid’

Model features on cover of Vogue’s September 2021 issue

Lourdes Leon addresses claims she’s a ‘talentless rich kid' (Getty Images)

Madonna’s daughter Lourdes Leon has spoken candidly about her dedication to making it on her own while addressing public opinions of herself as a “talentless rich kid”.

The 24-year-old, who is featured on the cover ofVogue’s 2021 September issue along with seven other models, discussed her experience as the pop star’s daughter in the accompanying interview, where she revealed: “People think I’m this talentless rich kid who’s had everything given to her, but I’m not.”

Leon, the daughter of Madonna and her ex Carlos Leon, then went on to list the ways she’s independent from her famous mother, with the dancer explaining that she paid for her own college tuition and lives in Bushwick, Brooklyn.

Elsewhere in the interview, Leon addressed some of the other criticism she faces as a result of being in the public eye, such as social media comments from trolls about her choice not to shave her armpits.

Her response was simple, with Leon telling the outlet that her reaction is: “Yeah, come at me, bro.”

While speaking with Vogue, Leon also discussed her passion for dance, and how it was sparked by a teacher who made her “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,” Leon said.

The model, who has starred in campaigns for Stella McCartney and Marc Jacobs, briefly attended the University of Michigan before transferring to the dance conservatory at SUNY Purchase.

As for her hopes for the future, Leon previously told Vanity Fair that her goals include obtaining her driver’s license and “motivating a person or two” to realise their dreams.

“I would just like to be of use,” she told the outlet in April.

For the September cover issue, titled: “Generation America: The Models Changing an Industry,” Leon appeared alongside Bella Hadid, Kaia Gerber, Precious Lee, Anok Yai, Ariel Nicholson, Sherry Shi and Yumi Nu.