Before launching his music career earlier this year, Xav Trudeau, the oldest son of former prime minister Justin Trudeau, flew mostly under the public’s radar.
But with three tracks already released and piling up plays — his debut,
, just eclipsed 100,000 on Spotify and 170,000 on YouTube — Xav is starting to come to their attention.
The feedback is not always positive, however.
“When I started releasing music… I get so much hate on social media just because of who my dad is,” the 17-year-old R&B singer-rapper admitted during a broad interview on Toronto-based entertainment podcast
“If you don’t like the music, just keep scrolling. You can comment if you want, it’s only going to help my algorithm.”
Having grown from a little boy to a young man during his father’s three terms in office, Xav said he’s well acquainted with the negativity that has followed his family, but he’s developed the ability to block it all out.
He also tried to set the record straight on future political ambitions.
“I’ve seen like what my dad has had to do and what he’s had to sacrifice, and it’s not really worth it for me,” he said, broaching the subject himself. “He’s done well, it’s just it’s not my thing.”
Gonez pointed out that a young Trudeau once said something similar when asked if he would follow in the footsteps of his father, former prime minister Pierre Trudeau.
In a 1995 interview with CTV News, a 23-year-old Trudeau said it would “never” happen. He was elected as a member of parliament for Quebec 13 years later.
Xav is set to graduate from high school this year and told Gonez he plans to attend McGill University in Montreal in the fall.
The school is one of Justin Trudeau’s alma maters, and the city is home to the federal riding of Papineau, which he held for almost 18 years. It’s also the hometown of Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, Xav’s mother, and his late prime ministerial grandfather.
“Montreal is like home to me,” he said.
Xav said he hopes to release a full album before classes start in the fall.
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