North West's Music Career at 13: What Canadian Parents Must Check in a Child Performer Contract

Kim Kardashian said in early October 2026 that she sometimes has to "hold back" her 13-year-old daughter North West, who is eager for more public work, according to coverage of an interview with The Sunday Times published on October 3 and 4. The comments landed days after North appeared with her father, Ye, at ComplexCon in Los Angeles on October 4. For Canadian parents whose children sing, act, model or post for money, the story raises a practical question: who protects a young performer's earnings and contract terms when the child wants in and the adults must decide?

What was reported

Kardashian told The Sunday Times that each of her children does only what they are comfortable with, and that North is the one most drawn to forward-facing projects. Coverage notes that North reached the Billboard Hot 100 at age 10 with the track "Talking," has appeared on songs tied to Ye and Ty Dolla $ign, and has recently released an EP and played a first solo show.

One headline framed North's own view as the teen calling the idea of starting a career later "the worst advice." The tension is familiar to any parent: a motivated teenager, a market that rewards early exposure, and a parent who holds the legal decision-making power. Many Canadian families live a smaller version of it, whether the child is recording in a basement studio in Halifax, auditioning for commercials in Vancouver or growing a channel in Calgary.

None of this is a legal story in the United States or Canada by itself. It becomes one the moment money, a recording contract or a brand deal enters the picture.

Why Canadian families should care

A child cannot generally sign a binding commercial contract on their own. A parent or guardian signs, and that parent then carries real obligations: reading the term sheet, understanding who owns the recordings, and making sure the child's pay is not simply absorbed into the household.

In Canada, the rules differ by province. In Ontario, the Protecting Child Performers Act, 2015 requires employers to remit 25 percent of a child performer's earnings above a threshold to a trust, unless a union agreement already provides for holding the money. ACTRA's agreements also use a 25 percent holdback for minors working under its collective agreements outside British Columbia. In British Columbia, a 2024 change to the regulations let minors choose between the ACTRA PRS Minors' Trust and the Public Guardian and Trustee. Check the current rules for your province, because they have changed recently and Quebec operates under its own framework.

This differs from the California "Coogan" rule that often gets cited in celebrity coverage, which sets aside 15 percent. A Canadian parent who assumes the American figure applies could misjudge the numbers.

What a lawyer looks at first

An entertainment lawyer reviewing a young artist's deal usually checks five things before the parent signs anything.

• Term and options. How long does the contract run, and does the label or agency hold unilateral options that lock a child in past age 18?
• Ownership. Who owns the master recordings, the name, the likeness and any social media content?
• Money flow. Is pay going to the child, a trust or a parent-run company, and who can withdraw it?
• Morality and conduct clauses. What can a minor be penalized for, and who decides?
• Exit. Can the child disaffirm the agreement at the age of majority, and does the contract try to prevent that?

These questions matter more with a teen who is enthusiastic, because enthusiasm weakens negotiating leverage. The child wants the opportunity, and the counterparty knows it.

A worked scenario: a 14-year-old with a streaming offer

Consider a hypothetical case. A 14-year-old in Toronto has a few thousand followers and receives an offer from a small label: $12,000 for a three-song release, plus 50 percent of streaming royalties for five years, with an option on a second release.

If the work falls under Ontario's child performer rules, and the figure is paid on a production basis, the trust holdback is calculated on earnings above the statutory threshold. Taking the 25 percent rate and a $2,000 threshold as reported, roughly $2,500 of that $12,000 would go into a trust until the child turns 18. The exact calculation depends on how the engagement is classified, so a lawyer would confirm it before the family counts on any number.

Now the if/then logic. If the contract gives the label an option on a second release at the same fee, then the child could be bound for two more years at a rate set when they were 14. If the option includes a clause that assigns the master recordings permanently, then the royalty split matters far less than the ownership, and the family should negotiate a reversion after seven to ten years. If the parent's company receives the payment rather than the child, then the family may lose the trust protection altogether and expose the money to the parent's own creditors or tax position.

On a $12,000 deal, one clause can be worth more than the headline fee. That is the reason to pay for a one-hour review before signing rather than after a dispute.

Taxes and income: a second layer

Money earned by a minor is the minor's income for tax purposes. A child with real earnings may need to file a return, and income from a family business can trigger attribution rules. A wealth or tax professional can structure savings, such as a registered education savings plan or an in-trust account, so that the earnings still belong to the child. Tell the accountant about the contract before the first payment arrives, not at tax time.

Safeguards that do not need a courtroom

Not every protection requires litigation. Parents of young performers can build habits that cost little:

1. Keep copies of every signed agreement and every email that changes terms.
2. Open a separate account in the child's name for performance income.
3. Ask for royalty statements in writing at least twice a year.
4. Set limits on filming schedules and school days missed, and put them in the contract.
5. Review any brand deal for undisclosed advertising rules, since Canadian regulators expect influencers to disclose paid partnerships.

The Kardashian interview is a reminder that even the most visible family in entertainment frames the issue as a parenting judgment. Fame is a family decision, but the contract is a legal one.

What to do now

If your child has an offer, a manager approaching them or a growing audience, do three things this week. Gather every document they have been asked to sign. Write down who would be paid, how much, and when. Then book a consultation with an entertainment or contract lawyer in your province, before anyone signs.

For the current statutory framework in Ontario, see the Ontario government's child performer guidance. To find a vetted expert who handles young performers' contracts, browse the legal specialists on Expert Zoom, and see our related analysis on what Canadian artists should know about performer rights at major events.

This article is general information, not legal advice. Rules on child performers and trust holdbacks vary by province and change over time; speak with a licensed lawyer about your family's situation.