Usher delivered an epic Tremendous Bowl halftime present with loads of particular company.
WASHINGTON — In an ode to his 30-year profession, Usher kicked off his packed Super Bowl halftime present set along with his track “Caught Up” from his 2004 best-selling album “Confessions.”
The a number of Grammy winner highlighted his most memorable hits, together with “Love within the Membership,” “Yeah” and “OMG.” This yr marks the twentieth anniversary of the epic 2004 album.
Earlier than kicking off the remainder of his set, he made positive to offer a shout out to his mom minutes into the present.
“Hey Mama, we made it,” he mentioned.
Carrying an all-white ensemble, Usher then took the middle stage and sang “Confessions Half II.” The King of R&B made positive to deliver intercourse enchantment to the halftime present, even taking off his shirt throughout a part of his efficiency.
However Usher undoubtedly wasn’t alone.
Alicia Keys appeared in entrance of shiny crimson piano for her track “If I Ain’t Acquired You,” which morphed right into a duet of their track “My Boo.”
Usher additionally misplaced a glove in an obvious tribute to Michael Jackson — notable for a efficiency throughout Black Historical past Month.
Throughout three a long time, the R&B famous person had an limitless treasure trove of hits to tug from — and did so with costume modifications, and a rolling efficiency of “OMG” whereas sporting curler skates.
Throughout 13 minutes throughout the halftime present sponsored by Apple Music, Usher introduced out quite a lot of company together with H.E.R. and Jermaine Dupri.
However probably the most electrical efficiency got here when Lil’ Jon and Ludacris out for his or her largest membership hit with Usher “Yeah.”
Usher was as soon as a Tremendous Bowl visitor star himself, with Black Eyed Peas frontman will.i.am in 2011. He informed The Related Press beforehand that he’d use that performance as a “cheat sheet” for Sunday’s present.
Forward of the efficiency, Usher mentioned he aimed to deliver the flavour of Atlanta — a metropolis the place he made his musical identify. His 100-show native residency in Las Vegas final yr was an ideal workshop to assist make that occur.
“I’ve been capable of deliver a substantial amount of Atlanta and the melting pot that it’s, musically and culturally, to Las Vegas,” he mentioned. “It wasn’t straightforward to do however I turned Vegas into Atlanta. I took the V and turned it the other way up.”
An eight-time Grammy winner, Usher’s “Confessions” has bought greater than 10 million items within the U.S. The album ranks amongst one of many best-selling music initiatives of all time and launched No. 1 hits akin to “Yeah!” with Ludacris and Lil Jon, “Burn” and “Confessions Half II.” His particular version model included the sleek hit “My Boo,” a duet with Alicia Keys.
Images: Usher performs at Tremendous Bowl LVIII halftime present
Usher joins an inventory of celebrated entertainers, who’ve performed throughout the Tremendous Bowl halftime reveals, together with Prince, Beyoncé, Madonna, Michael Jackson, Coldplay, Katy Perry, Woman Gaga, Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg. Final yr, Rihanna selected her Tremendous Bowl efficiency to inform the world she was pregnant together with her second little one.
Usher carried out his halftime present set at no cost.
That is proper, at no cost.
That is as a result of the Tremendous Bowl performers don’t really get paid by the NFL to perform. Not one of the performers slated to participate within the large sport — Usher, Reba McEntire, Publish Malone and Andra Day — will take house a wage for the day’s work.
Even and not using a test from the NFL, performers can nonetheless get large publicity from their halftime present singing, which ends up in an uptick in music gross sales and streaming.
Final yr’s present featured Rihanna’s iconic efficiency whereas pregnant. She, like a long time of halftime artists earlier than her, noticed an enormous leap in music gross sales after the efficiency was watched by an estimated 115 million people — the most-watched tv occasion in U.S. historical past.
The Related Press contributed to this report.
