Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye is not just a chart-topping musician. The Canadian is also the co-founder of XO Records. The XO roster includes rapper/producer Nav.
Nav will drop the Demons Protected By Angels studio LP on September 9. Before that body of work hits the internet next week, the 32-year-old songwriter spoke with Zane Lowe for Apple Music 1.
The Apple Music interview featured Nav talking about his de facto musical leader The Weeknd. In addition, Nav mentioned fellow XO Records co-founders Wassim “Sal” Slaiby and Amir “Cash” Esmailian.
“I feel like we all have similar backgrounds. We’re all from Canada. Me, Sal, Cash. And we all have immigrant parents,” said Nav. “We’re first generation. We come from hardworking parents that immigrated to Canada.”
The “Wrong Decisions” performer added, “So it’s, we get taught the same values. We’re very respectful. Abel’s the leader of the whole s###. And he’s a f###### angel. So he just leads by example and it just keeps trickling down.”
Nav Opens Up About Feeling Insecure
Navraj “Nav” Goraya was raised in the Rexdale neighborhood of Toronto, Ontario by Indian parents. According to the multi-time Juno Award nominee, his ethnicity played a role in issues of insecurity.
“I was very doubtful of myself and insecure, a little bit. And then faced a lot of rejection. I feel like being my race, I’m the first one, so a lot of people that feel like they should be in my place are hating on me and I’m like, ‘Whatever,'” expressed Nav.
He continued, “And just over time it just turned from overrated to over-hated and underrated. I just waited it out. For any young artist that’s facing that rejection, take notes from me and just keep going… And nobody remembers your failures. They only remember that time that you just hit it big.”
Nav’s forthcoming Demons Protected By Angels album follows Reckless in 2018, Bad Habits in 2019, and Good Intentions in 2020. Bad Habits and Good Intentions peaked at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart. Nav also partnered with producer Metro Boomin for the Perfect Timing joint project.