Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his son Xavier wait for the start of first period 4 Nations Face-Off hockey action between Canada and the United States in Montreal on Feb. 15.Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s eldest son has just released his debut single, Til the Nights Done. A possessive apostrophe seems to be missing – a hummable melody too.
Recorded under the stage moniker Xav, short for Xavier, the track is the kind of moody, nocturnal R&B set to brittle beats that today’s Canadian teenagers have grown up on. Hoody pop, one might call it. Drake has made a fortune on it.
The song from the Barron Trump of Bieber Pop serves as a romantic proposal, with the suitor amenable to options: “We could dim ‘em all down or leave the lights on,” Xav sings about halogen possibilities. “Baby we could move in slow motion ‘til the night’s done.”
The vocals are cloaked in gauzy filters. Murmured lyrics are vaguely poetic and occasionally discernible. Spotify users will notice the “E” tag attached to the track that indicates explicit content, likely for a possible marijuana reference.
Keep in mind that the 17-year-old crooner is too young to legally “light one” under the Cannabis Act passed by his father’s Liberal government in 2018.
The song was co-written by Xav and the track’s producer, Vishal (Duava) Daluwatte. “Good work guys!” Trudeau’s mother, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, commented on Instagram when the song was first teased online.
Xav’s famous last name has its advantages and its drawbacks. On the one hand, Til the Nights Done has attracted mainstream press; on the other hand, a parody version of the song already exists. An artist named Johnny Rogers posted a spoof on Facebook this week that lampoons Xav and his father: “I am the upper crust, trust that I can ruin ya / Paint my face black, call me Justin Junior.”
On the real song, when Xav sings “What you know about me, I ain’t like him,” he is contrasting himself with the other boys. Not to pour water on his smooth patter, but this young artist sounds a lot like all the rest. But that’s the music business, where fitting in is a whole lot easier than standing out.
