Paris Jackson opens up on father Michael Jackson: 'He was my best friend'

Paris Jackson has declared an end to her perceived obligation to share intimate details about her father, the late pop icon Michael Jackson, with the public. For years, the singer and actress felt compelled to explain her father's life and her relationship with him to fans, a burden she says has lifted.

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That has changed in the last few years because I don't really feel like any of us owe anyone anything.

Speaking on Jack Osbourne's podcast, Jackson, the eldest of Michael Jackson's three children, confessed that she believed it was her duty to share everything with fans. She felt pressure to constantly discuss the voice behind "Billie Jean" and publicly express her affection, with many followers expecting validation on social media.

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I'm learning now that I can have my own intimate connection and I have the right to keep it private.

However, Jackson now distinguishes between a personal bond with a loved one and public admiration for a celebrity. "I'm learning now that I can have my own intimate connection and I have the right to keep it private," she stated. She described her current relationship with her father's memory as "beautiful" and "nobody's business."

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I am in a very beautiful place with my dad and I love it, and it's nobody's business.

This shift has brought Jackson a sense of freedom, freeing her from the need to prove her love according to the standards of those who did not truly know the singer. "I did. He was my best friend," she concluded, directly addressing past criticisms and speculation about her relationship with her father.

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I do. He was my best friend.