Inside Lourdes Leon's Tense Relationship With Her Mom Madonna

No matter how close you are with your parents, there will come a time when you spot an incoming call from them... and choose to ignore it. Because, even though you are a fully grown adult, your mom probably still sees you as her precious baby — and she's likely phoning you with some unprompted advice. And though this may annoy your mom, next time you can point out that even calls from the most famous woman are likely being dodged by her kid, too. At least, that's the vibe we're getting from Lourdes Leon, Madonna's eldest daughter.

Lourdes, Madonna's daughter with ex-partner Carlos Leon, recently dished to Interview Magazine about everything from her fashion career to growing up with her iconic mom — which, to be honest, sounds like it involved a lot more pressure than just the occasional nagging call. Considering Madonna's famously strict work ethic, it makes sense that she would hold her family to a high standard. But, did her parenting style negatively affect her relationship with Lourdes?

It's easy to get overshadowed by a well-known parent, especially if you decide to follow the path that made them famous. Luckily this won't be a problem for Lourdes Leon, who, while admitting to Interview Magazine that she "can sing," isn't too keen on joining Madonna in the music business. Instead, she's focusing on modeling — and making her own mark in the world.

It isn't surprising that Lourdes — who is the eldest of Madonna's six children — would choose to differentiate herself from her famous mother. In the Interview Magazine piece, she describes Madonna as a "control freak," noting that there was a "never-ending" list of things she wasn't allowed to do and that the singer locked her closet to keep Lourdes from borrowing her clothes. Yet, Madonna's controlling parenting style seemed to foster Leon's independence, who insisted on paying for her own college tuition, per Vogue. But while Lourdes wishes to succeed on her own merits, she acknowledges her mother's impact on the world, noting "how empowering to other women and ahead of her time she has always been."

To paraphrase one of Madonna's biggest hits, maybe Mama shouldn't preach.