Former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's high-profile romance with Katy Perry is a news story that refuses to go away. So much so that the former Liberal leader's son is including it in his song lyrics.
Justin's eldest son Xavier, who records under the name Xav, has been carving out his own path as a rapper since last year. In a recent interview with Sirius XM host Jessi Cruickshank, the 18-year-old was asked about a lyric from one of his new songs that makes a pretty unmistakable nod to his dad's love life: "I move like my pops, JT. I got me my own KP."
The song also refers to Xav and his girlfriend's relationship as a "teenage dream," a nod to one of Perry's biggest hits.
Xav laughed off the lyrics, but admitted that the news of his father dating a popstar came as a bit of a shock to him. "At first, it was like 'really? goddamn'... 'how did this happen?'" he said.
He's since made his peace with it, saying what matters most is that both his dad and Perry seem genuinely happy, and that he expects his dad would extend the same courtesy to his own pursuits. "I was confused, but honestly, to me, the most important thing is if they're happy, then that's what's important. I think they would say the same thing about me and my music."
Having met Perry a few times by now, Xav says he's seen enough to feel good about the relationship. "I can tell he's really happy with her. I've met her a couple of times, and she's great. I'm happy for them."
When pressed about the couple's chemistry, Xav got a bit more thoughtful about his dad's personality and what kind of person tends to bring out the best in him. "He's a nerd. I think it takes a specific person to appreciate the loving side of him, and I've been able to see that in my mom. And I mean if Katy's that type of person, then yeah, it's gonna work."
The interview also touched on the paparazzi photos that went viral last fall, featuring Justin shirtless in jeans, kissing Perry on a yacht in California.
Xav's response was about what you'd expect from a teenager seeing that kind of image of their parent. "I laughed. I was like 'what the hell?' It was pretty funny. I wanted to recreate the photo with my girlfriend and troll him... I think I'm still gonna do that."
Xav launched his rap career last year, dropping a series of singles that caught enough attention to pull his dad in for a reaction video.
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Justin watched the music video for "Back Me Up" alongside his son, cracking dad jokes and roasting Xav's dancing along the way — while admitting he hadn't exactly been keeping up with his son's content. "I don't have social media," the former PM confessed.
Trudeau and Perry's relationship has been playing out very publicly in Montreal and abroad over the past eight months. The pair were first spotted dining at Le Violon in the Plateau last July, and have been photographed around the city multiple times since — most recently at Leméac in Outremont in February, where a diner tried and failed to get a photo with Perry during what Trudeau described as a "private moment." Trudeau has since purchased a $4.26 million mansion in Outremont, and the couple has shown no signs of slowing down.
As for whether there's a musical collab between Katy and Xav on the horizon, only time will tell.
Katy Perry's autograph, gifted to Stréliski.
Katy Perry having lunch in Montreal.
Justin Trudeau and Katy Perry leaving Leméac on Avenue Laurier. 