Grimes says she ‘doesn’t identify with’ the word ‘mother’ so her son calls her this instead

Grimes shared what her son calls her — and it’s not “mom,” “mama” or “mother” — which is sort of to be expected from a baby named X Æ A-Xii (pronounced “X Ash A Twelve”). Instead, the Canadian singer revealed what the one-year-old, who she shares with Elon Musk, wants to call her instead: Claire, her real first name. (Grimes is a stage name, if this was unclear.)

“Being a mother feels weird to say. For some reason, I don’t identify with that word,” she told Voguewhilst getting ready for the Met Gala, adding that her son has seemed to pick up on her lack of connection with the term. “Which is also really weird, because X, he says Claire, but he doesn’t say Mama.”

“Maybe he can sense my distaste for the word ‘mother,’” she continued, clarifying that while she doesn’t know why, she has “a distaste for” the maternal term, she “respects” it.”

“I “just can’t identify with it, weirdly,” she said.

X Æ A-Xii was born in May of 2020, and his unique name serves as a composite of various special symbols for the eclectic couple.

“X, the unknown variable. Æ, my elven spelling of Ai (love &/or Artificial intelligence) •A-12 = precursor to SR-17 (our favorite aircraft).  No weapons, no defenses, just speed.  Great in battle, but non-violent,” Grimes tweeted after giving birth, contextualising her newborn’s name. “[Plus] A=Archangel, my favorite song.” She concluded the tweet with two swords and a mouse emoji: “Metal rat.”

Invariably on theme, Grimes then went onto sport an actual medieval-style sword on the Met Gala red-carpet.

“The sword is based on a western European sword from the end of the Middle Ages around 1400,” she said of her accessory. “[It] is a permanent piece of the Met’s collection, and the sword is also cast from a Colt AR-15A3.”

“It’s from these people who are getting people’s [guns] who don’t want to have their automatic rifles anymore, and are melting them down and making them perfect replicas of medieval swords, which I think is just so cool—I think it’s a beautiful thing.”