Kim Kardashian was in awe of her daughter North’s role in the Hollywood Bowl’s The Lion King concert.
“Kim couldn’t be more proud of North for her performance in The Lion King,” a source exclusively tells Us Weekly. “She knows it took a lot of courage to perform live in front of that many people. Particularly for a little girl her age, Kim thinks it’s remarkable and she’s so impressed.”
North, 10, who is the eldest child of Kardashian, 43, and ex-husband Kanye West, appeared as Young Simba at the Hollywood Bowl’s May 24 concert. In between showing clips of the 1994 animated movies, many stars came out to perform the musical numbers live. North sported a lion-inspired costume, taking to the stage to perform “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King” after an introduction from Jason Weaver. (Weaver was the original singing voice of Young Simba in the animated movie.)
North was joined by a slew of professional dancers and backup singers, nailing the entire number from start to finish. (An eyewitness previously told Us that North did not forget any of the song’s lyrics.)
The first source further notes that North practiced “for a long time” before the live show.
“North took this role very seriously and rehearsed for a long time so she could put on a show that she would be proud of,” the insider tells Us. “It was important to her to give a flawless performance and she walked away smiling ear to ear.”
North was supported in the crowd by both of her parents, as well as her siblings. Kardashian and West, 46, also share sons Saint, 7, and Psalm, 5, and daughter Chicago, 6. Kim’s sisters Khloé Kardashian and Kourtney Kardashian, as well as their mother, Kris Jenner, also turned up in the audience. Khloé, 39, and Kris, 68, sat with the Good American designer’s daughter, True, 6, and niece Dream, 7.
The Hollywood Bowl concert is not North’s first foray into the music industry. After performing at multiple sessions of West’s Sunday Services, the preteen confirmed in March that she is working on her debut album.
“[I want to be a] basketball player, a rapper,” North previously said in an i-D magazine cover story in October 2023, adding that she also plans to run Kim’s Skims empire eventually. “Well, when I was 7, I wanted to be a boxer. But now I don’t want to be a boxer.”
North continued, “I’m going to do art on the side. When I’m, like, 13, I want to walk dogs to make money to buy art supplies, because everything around here is so expensive. So a rapper, a basketball player, and I’m going to make artwork that I sell.”
With reporting by Sarah Jones