If Grimes could turn back time, we suspect she’d avoid ever crossing paths with Elon Musk. Once upon a time the singer/songwriter was an offbeat alt-darling, but now she’ll forever be linked to the Nazi-saluting, ketamine-addled billionaire.
The two were in a relationship from 2018 to 2022, during which time she had three children with him: X Æ A-Xii, Exa Dark Sideræl, and Techno Mechanicus, all of whom have an inevitable date with a county clerk to get normal names when they come of age. Since Musk and Grimes (real name Claire Bouchier) broke up she’s been engaged in a fierce custody battle with him, no mean feat when you’re facing off against the richest man in the world’s lawyers.
Inevitably, Musk used his financial muscle against her, and in November Grimes revealed she hadn’t even seen one of her young children for five months and that they were prevented from visiting their terminally ill grandmother. Grimes said the custody battle left her “bankrupt” and emotionally destroyed: “I just slept and cried every minute I wasn’t explicitly fighting for my kids during that year.”
These days you can usually find the four-year-old X Æ A-Xii atop Elon Musk’s shoulders in public appearances. The charitable observation is that Musk simply loves spending time with his son. The alternative theory is that he’s terrified of being assassinated and has concluded he’s less likely to be shot in the head if there’s an innocent child wrapped around his skull.
So, perhaps inevitably, little X joined Musk on his visit to the White House yesterday. Musk stood alongside Trump to defend his dismantling of large parts of the federal government while his son stood next to him in front of the world’s press. Understandably, Grimes didn’t tune in, only learning that her son was being paraded around through social media. Grimes has previously argued their children shouldn’t be public figures at such a young age and urged fans not to share images of them.
So, her reaction when a social media user pointed it out: “He should not be in public like this. I did not see this, thank u for alerting me. But I’m glad he was polite. Sigh.”
He should not be in public like this. I did not see this, thank u for alerting me. But I'm glad he was polite. Sigh
— 𝖦𝗋𝗂𝗆𝖾𝗌 ⏳ (@Grimezsz) February 12, 2025
To us that reads like the resigned tone of someone who knows they now have no influence whatsoever in their children’s lives. To her credit, Grimes has been busy calling out Musk on social media for his descent into fascism. In the wake of his Nazi salute after Trump’s inauguration she underlined that she was “happy to denounce Nazi-ism” and clearly hates that she’s associated with Musk’s actions:
“To be clear i could go talk **** and be on a bunch of magazine covers and be a feminist hero and get clout – but it would serve no purpose. I choose my children’s wellbeing. I promise you it doesn’t feel good to be hated all the time for things I don’t even know about, cannot predict and cannot control.”
Responses to the White House visit now seem a lot more sympathetic to her, going so far as to describe Musk putting X before the White House press as a jab at her: “this isn’t karmic justice, this is an abuser tormenting his victim. you not liking grimes doesn’t change that” and arguing, “I feel sad for her. She’s been absolutely robbed of mothering him. Imagine having an evil ex but he has unlimited resources, fame, and power to make your life hard. And you’re bonded to him forever through your children.”
But others still believe Grimes should have known what she was getting into with Musk:
Yeah I remember seeing that come out and I was like, “uh… but why though? He’s literally just a walking ego, moneybag, and self-proclaimed genius.“
— Tash (@o0o0ohhh) February 12, 2025
Let’s face it, it’s not a good situation for anyone concerned, least of all the three children. Here’s hoping Grimes gets to have more of a say in her kids’ lives, though we wouldn’t bet on it.
Published: Feb 12, 2025 09:06 am