Gavin Rossdale doesn’t believe his sons should be judged for being part of a well-known family. He recently shared his thoughts as two of his sons continue to explore music. Rossdale believes talent matters more than family connections in the entertainment industry. He also explained why he wants his children to earn success on their own.
Rossdale pushed back on ‘nepo baby’ criticism
During an appearance on Ross Golan’s And The Writer Is podcast on July 14, Rossdale addressed the growing debate surrounding “nepo babies.” He said people tend to focus too much on well-known parents rather than talent. “People talk a lot about nepo babies and stuff like that,” he said. He added that hard work and true talent will always matter most.
Rossdale pointed to late singer Jeff Buckley as an example of someone whose talent outweighed conversations about family ties. He said Buckley, the son of musician Tim Buckley, made a name for himself through his music. “You know, no one gave a s— about Jeff Buckley being a nepo baby. It just was so good,” Rossdale said. He added, “So I think that being good at stuff is the great equalizer and is the great thrust into whatever you’re doing.”
The singer also acknowledged that talent has to back up any opportunity. “However, if the quality is lacking, then yeah, that’s an easy jibe,” he said. Rossdale then spoke about his sons, Kingston and Zuma, who have expressed an interest in music. He said he wants them to succeed because of their own work.
Rossdale said one of his sons recently dropped out of school and chose not to attend college so he could focus on making music. He said the experience has been exciting to watch, even though his son does not want advice from him. “It’s like, I can’t give him advice about anything. He just does not want it,” Rossdale said. Even so, Rossdale said he still encourages him to keep singing, play guitar regularly, and take lessons because he knows how difficult a music career can be.
TELL US – DO YOU THINK CELEBRITY KIDS CAN EVER ESCAPE THE “NEPO BABY” LABEL?
