Usher’s son, Naviyd Raymond, is making a name for himself and he’s doing it his way.

At just 16, the rising talent has released his first single, “Smooth Blues,” showcasing not only his musical skills but his creativity. 

“Smooth Blues out now everywhere,” he shared on Instagram. “This is the first song I ever produced and it’s very specialness to me so i hope u enjoy if not idc lwky.”

The teen went on to thank those who supported him through the process. “Every time I had self doubt I would always have someone to lift me up and reassure me of myself. No amount of money, streams or anything could replace that.”

He continued, “Thank you time for teaching me balance and consistency in whatever I do. Thank you to me for putting myself to the highest standard and only settling for that. Thank u for seeing the vision in me. Anyways hope u feel the blues or whatever.”

Naviyd also acknowledged the talented creatives who helped bring his vision to life, including engineering by @supa912, photography by @drewvisions, VFX by @daehze, and hair styling by @theoriginalbarberdoll. Still, the majority of the project was led by Naviyd himself. He was fully hands-on, taking on the writing, production, creative direction, cover art design, and styling

Proud mom Tameka Foster shared on Instagram, “My son wrote, produced, and performed his own single—and even handled the creative direction and visual concept himself. I’m beyond proud of his dedication and focus on this project.”

In a separate post, she added, “Watching you write, rap, and produce your own song—at 16!—is beyond impressive… You really put your heart into this, and it shows. I’m so proud of your dedication and creativity. This is proof you can do anything you set your mind to. Go, son! Shoot for the moonThis is proof you can do anything you set your mind to. Go, son!”