The Stunning Transformation Of Alabama Barker
In the past few years, Blink-182's drummer, Travis Barker, has been in the spotlight more frequently, having struck up an incredibly public relationship with Kourtney Kardashian. Their lives have been a focal point for the media since rumors that they were dating began in 2018. Kardashian and Barker each have children from previous relationships, and because they've blended their family in the midst of filming "The Kardashians," their kids have been gaining more attention as well.
Perhaps none more so than Barker's youngest daughter, Alabama Barker, who has appeared on "The Kardashians" a handful of times. Despite being just a teenager, she has already been making a name for herself as an influencer on social media, with nearly 2 million followers on Instagram.
Now that she has ties to one of the most famous and influential families in the entertainment industry, all eyes are on the drummer's daughter, drawing attention to the stunning transformation she's undergone throughout her many years in the spotlight. From her blossoming rap career to the persistent controversy surrounding the young star as well as the status of her relationship with her new stepmother, let's dive into Alabama Barker's life and evolution through the years.
Travis Barker and Shanna Moakler had Alabama Barker in 2005
Travis Barker and former Playboy model Shanna Moakler first got together in 2002 and had their son, Landon Barker, the following year. They seemed happier than ever when they got married in October 2004, and their daughter Alabama Luella Barker was born on December 24, 2005.
Unfortunately, Barker and Moakler weren't meant to last and they had a very public falling out. The drummer filed for divorce in 2006, when Alabama was just a baby, but after a close brush with death in a 2008 plane crash, he got back together with Moakler for a short time. The two exchanged accusations of infidelity and finalized their divorce before 2008 was over. Despite their differences, the exes continued to co-parent Landon and Alabama for several years.
Their custody disputes grew bitter over time, but in 2016, Barker told People that he and Moakler had been doing their best to be civil for Landon and Alabama's sake. "The kids' best interest is what we all have in mind — there's nothing else. ... Doing the best co-parenting is the most important thing. I bought a home that's very close to my children's school, so when she's with the kids, she's there; when I'm with the kids, I'm there. There's no making them travel back and forth to different houses," he explained.
Alabama Barker was on a reality show as a baby
"The Kardashians" isn't the first reality show Alabama Barker has been part of, as she was practically born on the reality show her family had been starring on from 2005 until 2006, "Meet the Barkers." A newborn Barker was introduced to the world in the series finale, titled "An Alabama Christmas."
In his 2015 memoir "Can I Say," Travis Barker wrote about how things had shifted between himself and Shanna Moakler while filming the show. "I felt like having the reality show changed Shanna's character. Shanna wanted to be an actress, and I felt she started doing things just for the cameras — for attention, or maybe it was just her dramatic personality. It was turning into a variety show instead of a reality show — and in my mind, she was behaving out of character on camera, which was carrying over to her not being genuine with me," he said.
He later told Vanity Fair that he decided to call it quits on "Meet the Barkers" when the producers pressed him to create more drama for the show. Although it was the end of their short-lived series, a bigger one was yet to come as a young Kim Kardashian had shortly thereafter asked the drummer for advice about creating "Keeping Up With the Kardashians." Barker explained, "I said, 'As long as you have nothing to hide with your family and you want to put it all out there, do it.'"
Alabama Barker says she predicted his plane crash as a toddler
According to Travis Barker, Alabama Barker was just a toddler when she predicted the horrific plane crash her father survived on September 19, 2008. Despite a lifelong fear of flying and a heavy reliance on medication to steady his nerves, the Blink-182 drummer traveled to South Carolina where he performed a set with his friend Adam Goldstein. As he recalled in his book "Can I Say," Barker's ex-wife Shanna Moakler was originally meant to accompany him, but she ultimately decided to stay back with their children.
For some unknown reason, a 2-year-old Alabama was incredibly worked up over the prospect of Barker leaving. "[She] just kept saying, 'The roof's gonna come off, Dad, the roof's gonna come off,'" he wrote. Tragically, on the flight back to Los Angeles, that's exactly what happened. After a tire burst during takeoff, the plane lost control and crashed, leaving four of the six passengers aboard dead. Barker had managed to escape after the wreck, catching himself on fire in the process and suffering third-degree burns on more than half of his body.
His survival was a miracle, and although it took months of physical, mental, and emotional recovery, the event led him to stop taking pills altogether. Barker never confirmed what he believes led his daughter to predict the crash, and this remains a perplexing mystery.
She released her debut single in 2017
Growing up around music had a huge impact on Alabama Barker, and she released her debut single, "Our House," in 2017 when she was just 11 years old. Although the pop tune differs quite a bit from her dad's punk rock sound, she explained on the KTLA 5 Morning News following the release of her song that she was inspired by Travis Barker to make music. She said, "[I got the music bug] when I watched him on tour since I was very little, and I used to be like, 'Ooh, I wanna go onstage,' and I was like, 'Dad, can I do singing lessons?'" Of course, he agreed, and from there she was hooked.
Barker went on to release a few more singles in 2018, including a Christmas song, but has since changed her tune in recent years. In May 2023, five years since her last release, she teased part of an original rap song, lip-syncing the words in a TikTok video, and comments left by viewers showed a mixed reception. While she hasn't yet indicated when her rap music will be officially released, Barker's latest creative endeavor is bound to highlight her musical range and the influences she's drawn from having grown up around music icons for many years.
Alabama Barker and her family have defended her rap career
After releasing the teaser to her rap song, Alabama Barker faced a wave of scrutiny. Some of the comments on her video compared her voice to that of Justin Bieber or MattyB, while others said, "You sound like you need to cough," and attacked her supposed accent change.
Barker soon after released a response to the hate via a TikTok video. "I'm tired of people saying I don't know anything about rap music. ... So, let's take a little field day into my life because you guys know it so well," she said. Barker then shared photos of herself with Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne, and A$AP Ferg and explained that because of her dad's standing in the music industry, she was deeply influenced by rap music. "I know I am privileged, and I'm beyond grateful for that and blessed. It's not OK for people to make fun of or disrespect any culture at all. So, if me being a rapper bugs you, then you can just keep moving and stop commenting," she concluded.
Shanna Moakler also spoke with Page Six in defense of her daughter's music, saying, "I think her rap career is amazing. My kids were raised on a tour bus from the time they were born. ... [I]t is a very natural progression for [Alabama], because she's been in the studio with her father with the greatest musicians in the world."
She's best friends with Jordyn Woods' sister Jodie Woods
Now that she's linked to the Kardashian-Jenner family, the public have been quick to notice the members of Alabama Barker's inner circle and how they interconnect. Going way back to 2019, Kylie Jenner had been close friends with model Jordyn Woods, and they had even been living together until drama erupted. Woods was caught in a scandal with then-boyfriend of Khloé Kardashian and father of her children, Tristan Thompson. He had reportedly confessed to cheating with the model, and with that, Woods was out of the Kardashian-Jenner circle.
In July 2023, Jenner and Woods were spotted in Los Angeles reconnecting over dinner. Within the same month, Jodie Woods, Jordyn's teenage sister, appeared in a series of photos shared by Barker on TikTok. Several of the captions referred to their close friendship, with Barker claiming, "She the only one who understand me," and calling her "My baby." Some have considered their friendship to be a slight to Kardashian, who had made her feelings about Woods very clear when the cheating scandal came to light. However, it may be more likely that the two teenage girls simply enjoy running in the same circles, have a lot in common, and perhaps have nothing to do with their family's drama.
Kourtney Kardashian became Alabama Barker's stepmom in 2022
Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker have been Instagram official since Valentine's Day of 2021, although they had known each other for far longer. Their relationship progressed quickly, and they were already bringing their children together for family trips after just a few months of dating. Barker and Kardashian got engaged in October 2021 and tied the knot in May the following year, making the eldest Kardashian sister Alabama Barker's stepmother.
Fans of "The Kardashians" have seen how their blended family spends time together, and there has never seemed to be much tension brewing. However, because Alabama was already 16 years old when her dad remarried, many have wondered how the teenager viewed her new stepmom. In April 2023, Alabama put fans' speculation to bed when she penned a touching birthday tribute to Kardashian on her Instagram Story. "You're the best stepmom I could ask for, you are so caring and generous for others, you are such a family person and such a hardworking mom. Even if you don't feel good or had a hard day, you always put your family first. You have such a beautiful aura, I wouldn't want another stepmom," the post read.
Her dad has been parent-shamed for her behavior
Like many teens, Alabama Barker has engaged in some controversial behavior on her social media accounts that have garnered an unfavorable response, particularly for the way she dresses. As a result, Travis Barker has unfortunately become one of the many celebrities who have been parent-shamed.
The father-daughter duo are clearly close, with Travis appearing in several of her social media posts, but this has been a frequent target among those leaving harsh and critical comments. In a February 2022 TikTok video, Alabama danced to a song while her shirtless dad drank a smoothie, and the internet had a field day, calling the lyrics of the song suggestive and nitpicking Travis' lack of shirt. She quickly defended her father in the comments, saying, "Y'all do to f***in much stop trying to make s*** weird. Worry about yourself it's old."
Another incident in which the Blink-182 drummer found himself under fire from online comments was when Alabama posted a picture of herself on Instagram in which she wore a sheer green dress. She had captioned the picture, "I always keep it pretty I'm flawless," and Travis commented, "You really are." Negative comments followed, with one saying, "Tell your underage daughter to cover up. It's disgusting," and another hater writing, "Yeah go ahead and encourage your daughter to wear a see-through dress at the age of 17. You're weird asf."
Alabama Barker has long had a strained relationship with her mother
After years of custody disputes and public backlash against one another, Travis Barker and Shanna Moakler's children are nearly all grown adults now, and the exes have reportedly continued co-parenting. The model told Us Weekly in 2021, "[They are the] first priority for Travis and I no matter where we're at — as friends or acquaintances." However, just a few months later, Alabama and her brother Landon Barker criticized their mother publicly.
"My mom has never completely been in my life. Can you guys stop painting her out to be an amazing mom? Did your moms ask to see you on Mother's Day [because] mine didn't? I'm done keeping it a secret, reality shows," Alabama wrote on her Instagram Story. Landon also made cryptic comments on his social media about their mom not being in their lives very much. Moakler responded to the backlash, calling her children's claims "ridiculous" and "false."
In February 2022, the mother and daughter posed for a selfie together, and the whole issue seemed to be water under the bridge. But this didn't stop Moakler from slamming her ex and Kourtney Kardashian just a year later on the "Miss Understood" podcast. "It's just I think things that have been said and things that have been done are absolutely disgusting. And I wish them nothing but the best, and as long as they're good to my kids, that's all I care about," she said.
Alabama Barker has provoked controversy several times
As a celebrity's daughter with a large social media presence, it's no surprise that Alabama Barker has been the face of controversy several times over the years. Sadly, she's still just a teenager, and any misstep she makes is broadcasted around the internet. One of the most persistent issues Barker faces backlash for is for seeming to act too mature for her age.
In June 2023, she posted a series of pictures on Instagram of herself wearing a two-piece bathing suit. Several commenters were quick to point out the provocative nature of the snaps, something Barker has seen in her feed countless times before, saying things like, "This post is making me so uncomfortable knowing that grown men are watching this and fantasizing on a minor," and "Her parents failed her on all accounts."
Then, in July 2023, an incident regarding Barker and hair stylist Nicholas Jequier, which had originally occurred in 2022, finally came to light. Jequier claimed the teen had requested his services, and instead of paying the full price of $2,000, she wished to pay half and then promote his work to her followers online. Reportedly, Barker failed to credit him by name in a post and only tagged him in an Instagram photo of her hair. She responded to the claims by saying, "I just wish he could have come to me privately. ... But instead, my name gets used for attention and hateful comments."
She clapped back at body shamers in 2023
Celebrities often face harsh criticism and body shaming, and sadly, Alabama Barker already has seen more than her fair share before she's even turned 18. In speaking out against cruel comments she's received about her weight in an August 2023 TikTok video, Barker explained how the paparazzi purposely take unflattering photos of people in order to get "ugly" shots of stars. "I would love to see you guys getting random pictures of you taken of you when you're leaving the grocery store, in the middle of a sentence, with your mouth wide open — and let's see how beautiful you look," she remarked.
Barker also addressed the reason for her weight gain in the video, claiming, "I also have a thyroid problem and an autoimmune disease, so that's one of the main reasons why I have weight gain. So, it would be very appreciated if you guys just keep your opinions to yourself. It'll get you further in life."
She concluded the video with a headstrong outlook, as she explained that she had only gained a few pounds, and she didn't want any young girls out there thinking it isn't normal for their weight to fluctuate. It was impressive and encouraging to see the teen speak out against the hate, but equally tragic that Barker has to routinely deal with such harsh criticism so early in life.
She lost two grandparents in the same year
In August 2023, Alabama Barker took to Instagram to share that her family had endured their second tragic loss of the year, with the death of her maternal grandfather, John. Alongside a photo of John and her grandmother Gail, who had died seven months prior, her caption said, "With the heaviest heart, I'm writing this message, it was hard to [lose] both of you in one year, but today my grandpa went up to heaven. I love you very dearly, both of you! & I hope you are reunited & finally at relief ... till we meet again."
Just days after her post, Barker poster for her followers on Instagram that she had honored her late grandparents with a dainty tattoo of a cross on her middle finger. Though only 17 at the time of getting the tattoo, her parents didn't make any potential dissatisfaction known publicly, as her mother commented, "They loved you so much." That said, given his numerous tattoos, none would expect Travis Barker to disapprove of a little bit of ink, and it seemed to be a thoughtful homage to her late grandparents.