Donny Osmond has revealed the blunt advice he once received from Michael Jackson, recalling how the King of Pop told him his name was “poison” for his career.
In a resurfaced clip from his 2023 appearance on The Adam Carolla Show, recently shared on Instagram, Osmond reflected on his struggle in the 1980s to shed his child-star image and make a comeback.
“The name Donny Osmond was a joke, years ago,” he admitted. “If you said you liked Donny Osmond music, you were ousted.”
Discussing his 1988 single Soldier of Love, Osmond explained that radio stations played the song anonymously to avoid bias. “They liked the song, but they didn’t want to say my name,” he said.
Osmond recalled asking Jackson for advice in 1983 after Thriller’s massive success. Jackson’s response was harsh but honest: “Your name’s poison, Donny. You gotta change your name.”
Though tough to hear, Osmond later realized Jackson was right. When Soldier of Love hit the charts in 1989, stations initially kept his name secret—helping the single become a hit before fans realized it was his.
Osmond has often spoken about his bond with Jackson, pointing out similarities between the Osmonds and Jacksons. Both came from families of nine children, with Donny and Michael each being the seventh-born.
“Michael once told me, ‘Donny, you’re the only person on this planet that knows what my childhood was like,’” Osmond said.
