Holding a career in music for over 30 years, Usher played venues all over the country in front of thousands of screaming fans. Thanks to hits like “U Got It Bad” and “U Remind Me”, the singer not only gained stardom but sold over 80 million albums during the process. He even received the honor of being called the “King of R&B.” Speaking with Vogue, Usher addressed the lofty label, claiming he’s got his sights set on grander things.
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“You know, everybody’s always talking about my being the king of something,” he said. “I’m not invested in that. I thank you, I thank you very much. That means I work really hard to be the king of something,” he says, turning back to look at me, making sure I really see. “But a kingdom. That is going to last longer.”
With such a rich history in music, it seemed an easy decision to name Usher the headliner for the upcoming Super Bowl Halftime Show. And given some of his memorable performances over the years, the “Yeah!” hitmaker admitted his set “has to be perfect.”
While the remaining NFL teams continue to practice for their playoff games, Usher is also hard at work with his halftime performance. With the Super Bowl held at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on February 11, the singer knows there are just a few more weeks before he steps onto the field. Speaking on the opportunity and what it means to him, Usher admitted, “It has to be perfect. I’ve been doing this for 30 years. I want people who have been a part of that journey to feel like it’s a celebration for everybody, for all of us, from the beginning up until this point.”
[Get Super Bowl LVIII Tickets and See Usher Perform Live at Halftime—Here]
Usher Struggles To Fit Everything Within 13 Minutes
Not only does Usher want his performance to be memorable, but he also wants fans to feel “hopeful’ after watching him. He added, “People will tune in for a football game, but I hope when they look at that halftime performance, I’m hoping they walk away with something that’s healing them. Something that makes them feel hopeful, and not just look at the past, but have hope for the future, and have hope for a different type of future than we’re looking at right now in the present.”
While not the first time Usher performed at the Super Bowl, it does mark the first time he is headlining the show. With only 13 minutes to perform, the singer is finding it somewhat difficult to fit all his hit songs into the timeframe. “The hardest part is trying to figure out how to squeeze it all in when you actually have a large catalog, or a lot of records people celebrate and love.”
Although Usher continues to prepare, Rihanna praised the R&B singer, noting that he was made for the Super Bowl Halftime Show. “He’s made for that show.”
(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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