Lourdes “Lola” Leon is staying true to herself, taking care of her hair, and opening up about her life as Madonna’s daughter. In an interview with Interview Magazine published October 14th, the model reflected on how life has been in the spotlight for the last year and the advice Madonna has given her along the way. She also shared some insight on how Madonna was as a mom, “My mom is such a control freak, and she has controlled me my whole life,” Lola explained as to what encouraged her to become financially independent after she graduated high school.

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Lola recently opened up about how she paid for her own college tuition, which shocked many. Lola is aware she grew up with “extreme privilege” but said there were no handouts in the family. Plus, Madonna’s controlling ways made her want to become financially independent ASAP. “I feel like if your parents pay for things, then it gives them leverage over you,” she said adding, “My mom is such a control freak, and she has controlled me my whole life. I needed to be completely independent from her as soon as I graduated high school.” That doesn’t mean she still doesn’t steal her mom‘s clothes- when she can anyways. “Now there’s a lock on her closets,” Lola said. “When she’s not in the house, those things are locked tight, because I take everything I feel that I’m entitled to.”

With the experiences Madonna has had in the industry, she has plenty of advice to offer her 25-year-old daughter. According to Lola, she has encouraged her to ‘Proceed with caution and think about what you want to be known for.’ Working as a model, relying on your looks is something Lola says she knows can cause insecurity, and so does Madonna. “My mom is very insistent on making me think about what I want to be known for beyond my looks. That’s not what I want people to remember me by. It’s not real,” she explained.

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The Swarvoski ambassador said Madonna recently reminded her, “Remember, this s*** is not real. It’s not about the money or your face or how hot you look. It’s about what you’re bringing into the world and what you’re going to leave behind.” “That always shakes me awake when I get too caught up in everything,” the dancer said.

It’s undeniable that Lola has been working hard as she continues to collaborate with brands at the top of every model‘s bucket list but she still believes her worth ethic is nothing compared to her mom’s. “She’s probably the hardest worker I’ve ever seen. I didn’t inherit that, unfortunately. I inherited her control issues, but not her work ethic,” she told the outlet. This is an observation that came with time, “I’m increasingly able to recognize how influential and amazing this woman is, and how empowering to other women and ahead of her time she has always been. I didn’t fully comprehend that until I realized the importance of empowerment and what it means to be a woman,” the cover girl shared.