Visual Content
Photo Credit
Carol Lee Rose / Getty Images Contributor; Matt Winkelmeyer / Getty Images Staff
Image Description
Naviyd Ely Raymond alongside Beyoncé
Image Dimensions
Wide-screen medium
Essential Highlights
- Naviyd Raymond gained widespread attention after a video of him singing Beyoncé’s “Cherish Drought” in a classroom in China went viral.
- Fans on social media lauded his vocal talent and playful personality, dubbing the moment as the “Beyoncé experience.”
- This isn’t Raymond’s first brush with internet fame; he has previously collaborated with artists like GloRilla, Doechii, and PinkPantheress.
Music talent appears to run in the family of legendary artist Usher. On May 27, Raymond, the second eldest son of the R&B superstar, captured online attention after sharing a clip of himself performing in a classroom setting in China, a surprising location for such a moment.
In the clip, Raymond humorously captioned, “I told them I sing, and now I’m here,” as he attempted to perform Beyoncé’s “Cherish Drought.” His effort to mimic the song’s soulful tone was evident as he crooned, “And all the love I’ve been giving goes unnoticed / It’s just floating in the air, look at that / Are you aware?”
The video overlay humorously read, “Y’all, I can’t make this up” accompanied by a crying face emoji. The clip quickly became a hit on social media, with viewers amused that he chose a Beyoncé track over his father’s extensive catalog of hits.
Comments flooded in, with many questioning whether Usher was aware of his son’s musical antics. One TikTok user asked, “Does Usher know what his kid is up to?” while another joked, “Usher’s kid is hilarious-he’s got too much personality.” A different comment quipped, “Had to give them the Beyoncé experience,” humorously noting that Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter Tour” isn’t currently touring in Asia, making the performance even more unexpected.
The consensus among viewers is clear: Raymond’s sense of humor is undeniable. This isn’t his first moment of viral fame either. Last year, he was seen dancing alongside GloRilla to her verse on Big Boi’s “BOP,” and shortly after, he teamed up with Doechii to lip-sync a snippet from “DENIAL IS A RIVER.”
Raymond’s playful interactions extend beyond videos. He once slid into PinkPantheress’ DMs from Usher’s official Instagram account, a story she recounted on Complex’s “What’s In Your Phone?”
“At first, I thought it was Usher himself reaching out, but it turned out to be his son,” PinkPantheress shared. “I was like, ‘Oh my God,’ then two minutes later, Usher messaged me saying, ‘Sorry, that’s my son-he’s a huge fan.’ It was pretty wild.”
Following that amusing exchange, Raymond managed to meet PinkPantheress in person shortly afterward, adding another chapter to his growing digital presence.
From viral TikTok covers to humorous direct messages, Naviyd Raymond is steadily building a unique online persona that blends comedy with musical talent. Whether he’s channeling Beyoncé’s iconic vocals or collaborating with contemporary artists like GloRilla, the young star is clearly forging his own path-and audiences are eager to follow his journey.
