Usher’s 16-year-old son, Naviyd Ely Raymond, follows in his father’s musical footsteps as a singer, songwriter and producer, surprising everyone with the release of his debut single, “Smooth Blues.”

The four-minute track kicks off with a fast, up-tempo beat before Naviyd delivers smooth vocals that showcase his impressive range. As the song unfolds, his sound draws comparisons to his Grammy-winning father, who has captivated fans with his musical talent for decades.

What did Naviyd say about his debut single?

In an interview with Vibe, Naviyd mentioned why he wanted to be the sole writer and producer on the track and how he intentionally kept “Smooth Blues” from everyone closest to him, including his parents.

“For my first song, I wanted it to be fully produced and written by me so I could set the standard of my sound and how I truly want it. In a way, I feel like when others produce or write for you, they can’t really capture what u truly know you want. Only you can know that fully,” the outlet reported Naviyd explained.

“I didn’t show the song to the people closest because I didn’t want them to mess with my creative process,” he continued. “I didn’t show my parents; I barely showed my best friend. I wanted them to hear it with everyone else and then give their opinion because then at that point, I can’t change it, and then it’s stuck like how I wanted it.”

‘I wrote this song about something I haven’t experienced before’

Naviyd insisted that while he kept the secret from everyone, he is always open to feedback and how he can improve himself.

“I’m always open for improvement and opinions. But on my first song, I felt like opinions from others would mess up the rawness of my vision, and I would just have catered to what others had said,” he said.

Naviyd explained that creating “Smooth Blues” involved stepping into the shoes of someone who had experienced something he hadn’t gone through himself.

“To be honest, I wrote this song about something I haven’t experienced before, so during the process of writing, my way of coming up with the story and progression was putting myself in the perspective of someone who has. I feel like being able to create a story out of nothing is a huge attribute as a writer,” Naviyd said.

“Production-wise, I wanted this song to have a bunch of different layers and a storyline-type vibe. So in different parts of the song, when different events are happening, certain sounds or effects will be used so the listener can feel more immersed in the story,” he added.