Usher performs at the Super Bowl and releases his new album. The R&B singer started his career almost exactly 30 years ago.
Usher, 45, doesn’t just look back on 30 years in the music business. The singer is still in demand today and will release his new album “Coming Home” on February 9th. The release will be celebrated with a very special show: On February 11th, he will perform at halftime of this year’s Super Bowl. He follows many music greats who have already performed in the halftime show of the final of the American professional football league, the National Football League (NFL). Usher’s performance will focus on R&B, honoring the genre that has brought him great success as an artist.
The beginnings and the successes
Usher Raymond IV was born in Dallas, Texas in 1978. He grew up with his mother Jonnetta, 66, his stepfather and a half-brother. His grandmother recognized his singing talent and the family moved to Atlanta to support him. At the age of 13, Usher took part in the US version of “Star Search” and was discovered. Music producer LA Reid, 67, signed him to a record deal. In 1993, Usher’s first single, “Call Me A Mack”, was released, followed a year later by his debut album “Usher”. It wasn’t until his second album “My Way” released in 1997 and songs like “Nice & Slow” that he achieved his breakthrough.
After a successful live album, Usher’s third album “8701” (2001) had successful hits such as “U Remind Me” and “U Got It Bad”, and the fourth record “Confessions” (2004) again had the number one song “Yeah!” It is considered the musician’s most successful single to date and is the first and so far only number one hit in Germany. The album, which also included “Caught Up” and the duet “My Boo” with Alicia Keys, 43, brought Usher numerous awards at the American Music Awards, MTV Europe Music Awards and Grammy Awards. It won Best Contemporary R&B Album at the Grammys. This was followed by the albums “Here I Stand” (2008), “Raymond v. Raymond” (2010), “Looking 4 Myself” (2012) and “Hard II Love” (2016). He always worked extremely successfully with colleagues. Over the years, singles like “OMG” with will.i.am, 48, “DJ Got Us Falling In Love” with Pitbull, 43, or “Hot Tottie” with Jay-Z, 54, were created. In total, Usher has more than 80 million records sold.
The trips and the family
But Usher didn’t just make a name for himself in the music business. In the US version of “The Voice” in 2013, he sat in the red chair alongside Adam Levine, 44, Blake Shelton, 47, and Shakira, 47. He also made his acting debut in a sitcom in 1998. He then appeared in films such as “Light It Up”, “One Like None” and “Hands of Stone”. In 2006 he also took on the role of Billy Flynn in the Broadway musical “Chicago”.
In addition to his work, the R&B star’s focus is on his family. The singer has four children. With his long-term partner Jenn Goicoechea, he has daughter Sovereign Bo (born 2020) and son Sire Castrello (born 2021). The singer also has two children from his marriage to Tameka Foster, 50, son Naviyd Ely (born 2008) and his older brother Usher Raymond V (born 2007). Foster and Usher were married between 2007 and 2009. He was previously in a relationship with TLC singer Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas, 52, from 2001 to 2004.
In 2008 he said in conversation with “Essence”, that he realized “what I missed from my own father – knowing that I was accepted. That I mattered. And hearing that I was important enough to him to put me before himself.” He vowed to give his children the support and security he never had.
The album and the Super Bowl
His hits most recently brought Usher to the stage in Las Vegas. From July 2022 to December 2023, he played a total of 100 shows in his “My Way” residency at Dolby Live. The circle is now closing, because the gambling metropolis will continue to play a role in his life in 2024.
He will receive a great honor: the singer will be the successor to Rihanna, 35, and will perform in the halftime show of the Super Bowl 2024. This time the NFL finale will take place at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada. The home stadium of the Las Vegas Raiders will host the major event on February 11, 2024.
“It’s a great honor for me to finally be able to check a Super Bowl appearance off my bucket list,” Usher said in a statement upon announcement, according to People. “I can’t wait to give the world a show that’s unlike anything they’ve seen from me before.” Usher has been involved in a halftime show in the past, but was not on stage as a headliner. In 2011 he performed together with the Black Eyed Peas, who put on the show.
Usher revealed in mid-January in an interview with “Vogue”that he wanted to give R&B the main stage at his halftime show. Fans can look forward to choreography with roller skates, a major outfit change and a few guest appearances. As he recently confirmed to Entertainment Weekly, he managed to extend the usual 13 minutes planned for the musical part of halftime to 15 minutes.
To coincide with the Super Bowl performance, the musician will release his album on February 9th. “Coming Home” is his ninth studio album and the first record since “Hard II Love” from 2016. It will include his current single “Ruin” and “Good Good” with Summer Walker, 21, and 21 Savage, 31, from 2023 be included. The album’s cover features Usher’s shirtless back, a cross necklace around his neck, and his hand holding a peach on the back of his neck. According to the announcement, the work will contain 20 songs “full of smooth soul pop, bouncy ballads and tasteful R&B”. And fans will get to see even more of the singer: The “Usher: Past Present Future” tour is scheduled to start in August 2024 and will take the R&B singer to several US cities.