Usher took to Instagram Stories on Wednesday with a tale for his followers about how his son Naviyd Ely, 15, snuck on his phone out so he could send a DM to singer PinkPantheress.
‘So…a week or so ago my son, Naviyd, stole my phone so he could dm his favorite artist,’ the eight-time Grammy winner, 45, said.
The Dallas native, whose full name is Usher Raymond IV, shared a screengrab of Naviyd’s message to PinkPantheress, as he described himself as her ‘true biggest fan’ and asked her to follow him back.
Usher said he took notice of the exchange earlier this week as he was reviewing his account.
The Yeah! singer said, ‘Now I just so happened to check my DMs earlier this past week and saw a message exchange from someone with a Powerpuff girl as their profile pic…so I’m like the hell is this.
Usher, 45, took to Instagram Stories on Wednesday with a tale for his followers about how his son Naviyd Ely, 15, snuck on his phone out so he could send a DM to singer PinkPantheress, 23. Pictured earlier this month in Atlanta
PinkPantheress was pictured posing with Naviyd Ely, who used his dad’s phone to contact her
‘I opened it and I’m like oh this boy done DMd this girl from my damn phone…’
The Love in This Club performer then shared another DM in which he apologized to PinkPantheress, 23, for Naviyd’s actions, saying, ‘I’m so sorry … my son is a super fan.’
PinkPantheress, whose real name is Victoria Beverley Walker, replied that it was no bother and invited the family to a show.
Usher said he was conflicted about how to move forward in the situation from a parenting perspective: ‘I had to act like he wasn’t allowed to go… BUT…because my son is such a fan of her artistry…I decided to let him go.’
The Burn vocalist posted a DM in which he told PinkPantheress that Naviyd was planning to attend her show.
‘I had to send him considering his level of dedication and creativity…to figure out getting your attention through stealing my phone…that’s commitment,’ he said. ‘Hopefully you guys get to link.’
Usher later shared images of Naviyd posed with PinkPantheress, as well as performance shots of the rising English vocalist, who has more than 2 million Instagram followers and is currently on her Capable of Love tour.
Usher said that while he was displeased about his son’s use of his phone without his permission, he was impressed with his commitment to ‘something he was passionate about.’
The singer, whose full name is Usher Raymond IV, explained to his followers the series of events via Instagram Stories Wednesday
The Dallas native shared a screengrab of Naviyd’s message to PinkPantheress, as he described himself as her ‘true biggest fan’ and asked her to follow him back
Usher said he took notice of the exchange earlier this week as he was reviewing his account
The Love in This Club performer then shared another DM in which he apologized to PinkPantheress for Naviyd’s actions, saying, ‘I’m so sorry … my son is a super fan’
Usher said he was conflicted about how to move forward in the situation from a parenting perspective
The Burn vocalist posted a DM in which he told PinkPantheress that Naviyd was planning to attend her show
Usher later shared images of Naviyd posed with PinkPantheress
He also posted performance shots of the rising English vocalist, who has more than 2 million Instagram followers
PinkPantheress is currently on her Capable of Love tour
Usher is father to four children: sons Usher ‘Cinco’ Raymond V, 16, and Naviyd Ely, 15, with ex-wife Tameka Foster, 53; and daughter Sovereign Bo, three, and son Sire Castrello, two, with wife Jenn Goicoechea
He added, ‘Yes… he violated my trust in the process and for that I will never trust him around my phone, but I should have known better.
‘Nonetheless, I appreciate the hustle and him makin it happen. From a text, to a concert, to the artist. He masterminded this whole thing and made it happen.’
The R&B staple has been married three times: to Tameka Foster, 53, from 2007 thru 2009; and to Grace Harry from 2015 to 2018; and to Jenn Goicoechea, 40, who he wed this past February.
Usher is father to four children: sons Usher ‘Cinco’ Raymond V, 16, and Naviyd Ely, 15, with Foster; and daughter Sovereign Bo, three, and son Sire Castrello, two, with Goicoechea.
Usher is less than three months from a career high-water mark, as he was the headline performer for the halftime show of at Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
Usher joined a group of famed luminaries to have headlined the halftime show, which includes the late Michael Jackson and Prince; as well as Rihanna, Beyoncé, Madonna, Lady Gaga and Dr. Dre.
Usher is set to embark on a 24-city North American tour titled Past Present Future, with an opening date of August 20 at Washington D.C.’s Capital One Arena, running through October 29 with a date at the United Center in Chicago. The tour is set to stop in locales including New York City, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Miami and Toronto.
