Xavier Trudeau, the 18-year-old son of former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, recently performed a halftime show at an Ottawa Blackjacks game in the nation's capital. The R&B musician, who goes by the stage name Xav, faced harsh criticism on social media for his performance.
Performance Details
Xavier took the court in an all-white outfit, bopping around and running through several tracks, including his debut single Til The Nights Done. However, heavy use of autotune made much of his performance unintelligible, drawing widespread mockery online.
Social Media Backlash
Clips of the performance circulated on X and TikTok, with many users expressing disdain. One critic wrote, "He's as good at singing as his father is in politics." Another added, "Nice to see that cringe runs in the family." A third commenter described it as "straight-up painful to watch," comparing Xavier to a "confused Sasquatch with zero rhythm."
Some viewers suggested that Canadians should support Xavier's music career to keep him out of politics. "Start calling him Xavier Bieber," one user joked.
Xavier's Musical Aspirations
Xavier soft-launched his music career in 2025 with Til The Nights Done, which includes lyrics like "we could roll sum, we could light one." He described his sound as "dark R&B" and "sort of mysterious" in a radio interview. Xavier has also sought advice from his father's girlfriend, pop star Katy Perry, whom he praised as "super nice" and "down to earth."
Handling Criticism
In a podcast appearance, Xavier admitted that "the hate gets to me sometimes," but he remains determined to pursue his dream. "I'm 18. I'm so not political. I'm just a kid who has a dream that's going to do it and make it," he said. He also noted that his Instagram reels still garner hundreds of thousands of views.
Despite the negative feedback, the Canadian Elite Basketball League shared a montage of Xavier's performance, stating, "The vibes were immaculate."
