North West: ‘Music is what I wanna do with my life’

This story is taken from the autumn 2026 issue of Dazed, which is on sale internationally from September 10. Pre-order a copy of the magazine here.

North West was born to make headlines. When her parents, Kim Kardashian and Ye (FKA Kanye West), revealed her name six days after she arrived in the world, it became an instant cultural talking point. For days in the summer of 2013, everyone on the internet seemed to have an opinion: whether it was inspired or ridiculous, whether it was even a name at all. Thirteen years later, she is still sparking conversation whatever she does.

From attending the Met Gala while she was still in the womb to stealing the show at Paris Fashion Week at just six years old with the now-iconic line “What are thoooose? These are clothes!”, North has spent almost her entire life in the spotlight. A couple of years ago, she said she wanted to be a basketball player. That’s now a firm no. Instead, she’s gone full rock star, dropping her debut EP, N0rth4evr, at just 12 years old, and making a surprise appearance on stage with Molly Santana in May. As she raps herself on “W0ah”, North was “signin’ autographs in elementary”; it’s almost impossible to grasp how unique her version of childhood has been.

Released in May, N0rth4evr is a six-track mosh pit of rage rap, emo, hyperpop, alt rock and metal, sampling everything from Meg & Dia’s “Monster” to Kikuo’s “Love Me, Love Me, Love Me”. Maximalist production, buzzing synthesisers and jolts of electric guitar run through the record, while her signature Japanese tag, “ ノースちゃん (North-chan)”, announces one thumping club beat after another. Track titles like “H0w Sh0uld ! f33l”, “D!e” and “Th!s t!m3” tap into a specific strain of internet nostalgia, reading like relics from a long-gone Myspace bio and matching the intensity of a teenager deep in her feels. Even though every stage of North’s life has been photographed, filmed and broad-cast, she is remarkably open about what that experience has felt like. “Everywhere I go, feelin’ like the wrong way / I can’t even act my age,” she raps on the EP’s title track, before confessing that “I ain’t trustin’ no one, they all shady.”

But beneath all the fame and bravado, she sounds like any other teenager just trying to figure out who she is. I am meeting North properly for the first time in Calabasas, on the outskirts of Los Angeles, where her cover shoot is taking place. We’d crossed paths a few weeks earlier at the Vetements show in Paris, but the security bubble around her barely allowed for an introduction, let alone a conversation. At 4pm the studio’s garage door lifts and Kim’s Range Rover rolls in, with “Don’t read this and drive” written across its monoblock wheels. North gets out with a quick wave and sweeps into a side room in a Miku bathrobe for some final touch-ups, while Kim looks effortlessly on-the-go in grey sweats and a massive blinged-out Balenciaga bag. She stays with North throughout the shoot, present and protective.

North’s dressing room is packed to the max; full of big hats, wild sunglasses, neon grills and every imaginable spike, it’s a Tumblr-esque dream brought to life. At just 13, she has a look that is unmistakably her own: those blue twin tails, a mix of real and fake piercings and Rick Owens Geobaskets. But North has already made her case to her mum. “Everyone’s in love with boys, vaping and doing all kinds of bad stuff,” she says. “All I want is blue hair and piercings.” We wait as this hair – which is inspired by the Japanese virtual pop idol Hatsune Miku, and has fast become her signature – is perfected.

Gus Van Sant, the legendary auteur behind such films as My Own Private Idaho and Good Will Hunting, and our photographer for today, sits patiently, browsing a run of Kim’s own covers, precisely placed on a custom Rick Owens monolith.

When North finally steps on set in her first look, she has just one request: Babyxsosa on the speakers. She is clearly shy, but at the same time accustomed to being watched. Between takes, she cracks up with her mom, grills glistening as she laughs and her facial piercing stickers catching the light. She is, without question, the most self-assured 13-year-old I’ve ever met. But North is also, it turns out, a pretty chill person to talk to once everything is right. No filter, no handler jumping in, no answer that sounds coached – just North, deciding in real time what she does and doesn’t feel like getting into. Here’s what she had to say.

You came on stage during Molly Santana’s set [at Rolling Loud festival in Orlando]. How did that feel?

North West: It’s cool to show that females can connect through their music – because it’s always beef and stuff, and it’s never like that [with me]. I never wanna have beef with any girl, you know? Molly was the perfect person to do this with me because I’m her biggest fan for real. Last year at Summer Smash I was screaming at her set; it’s so crazy. I never thought that day would come.

You also made your first-ever solo music festival performance, at Summer Smash in June. How was that?

North West: Yeah, I wish I’d done it earlier, though. I’ve been ready.

How would you describe performing in three words?

North West: Fun, relieving and exciting.

Do you have any pre-show rituals before you hit the stage?

North West: I pray.

What are you currently obsessed with?

North West: Rehearsing every day. I used not to rehearse. I used to want to go out there and just see what happens. But I like dance rehearsing.

How would you describe your ideal day?

North West: I don’t know… I don’t like to rest a lot. I like to get stuff done. So maybe just going to rehearsal, and then going to the studio; that’s a perfect day. Or having a big show would be the most ideal day.

What’s the worst piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

North West: To start my career later. It’s like, nah, this is my hobby, this is what I like to do, this is what I wanna do with my life.

Who are some other female artists that you’re into?

North West: Bktherula. Baby Osama. Babyxsosa. I like all of them for real.

Where do you look for inspiration? Where do your references come from?

North West: Everybody I listen to. Everybody I like. I take little bits of their swag and just make my own swag out of it.

When was the last time you were starstruck?

North West: Lil Uzi’s Summer Smash set. It was crazy, and I got to meet them after… I cannot believe it even happened; I’m still starstruck.

What’s your favourite Lil Uzi song?

North West: I really love all of the Pink Tape. When I first heard it I was like, “Oh my gosh!” And people were hating on it for no reason. That’s what inspired my EP too. When I heard that, I was like, “Wow, this is life-changing.” I told him that Pink Tape changed my life.

So would they be the dream collaborator?

North West: Yeah, but also I wanna collaborate with other people.

What’s your favourite music video of all time?

North West: It’s called “Aishite (愛して)”, and it’s the song that I made right before the EP was coming out. It’s just such a powerful song, so I was like, “Oh, I gotta do a video for this.” It’s just my favourite, honestly.

What’s your go-to karaoke song?

North West: I be singing a lot of Katy Perry.

No way! What Katy Perry song?

North West: Last Friday Night.

Which fictional character do you identify with the most and why?

North West: Hatsune Miku. That’s just my twin for real.

What do you love most about her?

North West: Her blue twin tails, of course. That’s always the inspo. Blue hair or nothing? Maybe I’ll do black in it one day.

Piercings have kind of become your signature. What do you love about them so much?

North West: They just make you your full self. I really want to get my bridge pierced, but I’m not allowed.

What’s your holy grail fashion item?

North West: Well, I have a Michael Jackson jacket.

Wow! How did you get that?

North West: How did I get that? It was a gift from my mom. Also my [Rick Owens] Geobaskets.

What’s one thing we will never catch you wearing?

North West: I’d wear anything. A few weeks ago, I’d be like, “Oh hell no!” But now, after today, I’d wear anything for real. I like to try new things. But I do like to have my own style. It’s just easy.

If you could swap wardrobes with anyone either living or dead, real or fictional, who would it be?

North West: Honestly, I like my closet the best.

What is your most-used app?

North West: I be using TikTok and Pinterest. I like to make moodboards for my nails and my hair. But also I just be making it up; I gotta draw it too, ’cause there’s nothing on Pinterest. I can’t find what I really want for real.

What’s your favourite anime?

North West: Demon Slayer. But I watched that when I was younger. I don’t really watch a lot of anime now, or TV shows in general.

As well as rapping, you also paint. Do you still do that? What’s the last thing you painted?

North West: I haven’t painted in a while, but I think it was a sunset. I was really into painting sunsets. I paint for fun sometimes, but the paint I use always gets on my hands… like oil paints. So it’s not easy to take off.

If you weren’t an artist, what do you think you would be? I know you wanted to be a basketball player at one point.  Is that still on the cards?

North West: No, it’s not. What would I be? I still wanna work. I wanna work at, like, Starbucks next year. I think I can next year ’cause I’m gonna be 14, so… I think I can. I want to have a regular job, I guess.

What’s something you like to do but you’re bad at?

North West: I don’t like to do things that I’m bad at.

What’s something you’ve changed your mind about lately?

North West: I don’t know, like… [laughs] I’ve been the same my whole life.

What’s something you’re still figuring out?

North West: Maybe getting better at interviews?

This story is taken from the autumn 2026 issue of Dazed, which is on sale internationally from September 10. Pre-order a copy of the magazine here.

Hair Charli McGee, make-up Kiersten Harvey, nails Akemi Santiago, lighting David Katzinger, photographic assistants Mike Stein De Soul, Keith Bennett, styling assistants Moni Jiang, Tara Boyette, Miriam Ruvalcaba, Dharam Rana, Sam Perring, Malak Bedidi, Abigail Jones, production Kalena Yiaueki and Anastasia Solovieva at PENNY, production assistants Alexsa Durrans, Chad Unger, Cat Araujo, post-production Julia Pomodoro Laffite, Marco Giani, casting Greg Krelenstein at gk-ld, special thanks New School Represents