Kim Kardashian Says She Must 'Hold Back' North West as Teen Calls Starting Her Career Later the Worst Advice

Kim Kardashian says she has to 'hold back' her 13‑year‑old daughter North West as the teenager pushes ahead with her music career and 'all' she wants are 'forward‑facing projects'.

In an interview with The Sunday Times, published on 4 October 2026, Kardashian said she worries about exposing her children to fame and wants to ensure the opportunities North accepts are handled carefully.

For context, North is the eldest child of Kardashian and Ye, the artist formerly known as Kanye West. She released her debut EP, N0rth4evr, on 1 May 2026 through Gamma, and told Dazed in its autumn 2026 issue that she did not want to delay her career.

Kim Kardashian Tries To Slow North Down

Kardashian said North is more interested in attention than her younger siblings, Saint, Chicago and Psalm. 'North loves it a little bit more than the rest,' she told The Sunday Times. 'I hold her back. All she wants to do is forward-facing projects.'

Kardashian did not describe her approach as a ban on North working. She said the family is trying to preserve certain moments and avoid accepting every opportunity, so that North's exposure can be managed properly. '[I'm trying to] savour those moments and not doing everything that comes her way, so we can really make sure that we manage it the right way,' she said.

She also acknowledged her concern. 'I do worry about it,' Kardashian said. 'Each kid does what they're comfortable with.'

The remarks offer a look at the practical decisions behind a child's career in one of the world's most photographed families. Kardashian has spent much of her adult life being filmed, yet her priority now appears to be deciding which forms of visibility suit North at 13.

North West Rejects 'Waiting'

North has made her own position clear. Asked by Dazed about the worst advice she had received, she replied, 'To start my career later.'

She explained why. 'It's like, nah, this is my hobby, this is what I like to do, this is what I wanna do with my life,' North said.

The exchange highlights the difference between a teenager's ambition and a parent's instinct to slow things down. Kardashian is not saying North should abandon music. Her point is that the family should decide which projects are appropriate, and when.

Music is where that coordination appears most developed. Kardashian said she and Ye communicate more directly about North's music‑related work than about other opportunities. 'That is something that her dad and I have better communication about,' she said. 'We make sure we're aligned and that she's in projects that we both approve.'

Halloween Appearance Raises Questions

North was photographed at Universal Studios' Halloween Horror Nights in Los Angeles with blue hair, black lipstick and special‑effects make‑up around one eye designed to look like a wound. The look appeared to have a Halloween theme, though the precise date the photographs were taken has not been established in the available reporting.

The images emerged after Kardashian's comments about managing North's career, but they do not show whether Kardashian approved the specific look or responded directly to it. IBTimes UK therefore treats the appearance as a separate development, rather than evidence of a disagreement between mother and daughter.

Kardashian has previously spoken about supervising North's social media. In comments reported by BollywoodShaadis, she said North's TikTok posts are made from her phone and require her approval. 'North, if she ever posts a TikTok, it's on my phone, so she has to ask my approval, and then I post it,' Kardashian said.

That statement does not establish whether the arrangement remains unchanged today. It does, however, show that Kardashian has publicly described a role for herself in approving North's online output.

What Comes Next for North

North's interests are not limited to music. BollywoodShaadis reported that she is interested in making hats and jewellery, while being homeschooled in an arrangement Kardashian has described as allowing more time for creative interests and academics. Those details should be read as reported claims rather than independently verified facts.

What is clear is the tension at the centre of the story. North says she wants to work now. Kardashian says she wants to make sure that what North does now is right for her.