Vivian Wilson, the 21-year-old daughter of billionaire Elon Musk, says she is standing on her own financially as she pursues a career in modeling and performance art. Speaking at the Teen Vogue 2025 Summit on Saturday, Vivian shared that she is “financially independent” and making her own income.
“I’m making money now. Pre-Teen Vogue cover no. People have a lot of assumptions, and you just kinda have to deal with that,” she told the audience. Vivian, who was featured on the March cover of the magazine, added, “I haven’t made any money from being famous at all. I have made zero dollars and zero cents. I do live in a lot of people’s heads rent-free, though.”
Living with Roommates, Not Riches
Vivian, who legally changed her name and gender in 2022, said that despite public perception, she lives with several roommates to save money. “People assume I have a lot of money,” she told The Cut earlier this month. “I don’t have hundreds of thousands of dollars at my disposal. My mom is rich, right? But, obviously, the other one is unimaginable degrees of wealthy.”
She emphasized that she has no desire to match her father’s immense wealth. “I don’t have a desire to be super-rich,” Vivian said, adding that she feels “much more fortunate than most people my age in Los Angeles.”
Growing Career in Fashion and Performance
Vivian’s career has accelerated since she began modeling and performing earlier this year. In May, she made her runway debut at a “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars” Season 10 event in New York City, delighting the crowd with a confident performance. The following month, she starred in Pattie Gonia’s “Save Her!” drag show in Los Angeles, sharing her excitement on Instagram: “AHHHH I’m so excited.”
By September, she appeared at New York Fashion Week, representing “Miss South Carolina” in a show hosted by designer Alexis Bittar. Bittar said he chose participants to highlight states where transgender rights are under threat, giving Vivian a prominent platform to speak through fashion.
Family Background
Vivian is one of six children from Elon Musk’s marriage to Canadian author Justine Wilson, which ended in 2008. Although she remains estranged from her father, she continues to focus on building a life defined by her own choices and talents rather than his fortune.
As Vivian forges her independent path, she reflects a growing trend among young adults seeking financial freedom and creative careers without relying on family wealth, even when their parents are among the richest in the world.