Usher’s 2024 Super Bowl Halftime performance announcement may not have surprised the millennials of the 2000s, who often went clubbing to “Yeah” and “DJ Got Us Fallin’ In Love.” However, to newer generations assimilated to recent stars who have performed at the Super Bowl such as The Weeknd or Rihanna, the Usher headline was likely unexpected. This is especially apparent with the massive stardom of other Super Bowl candidates such as Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, or Drake that many fans were hoping to see this year.
However, Usher’s dominance of the music world at his height was paralleled only to few, and his legacy is arguably on par with a majority of past Super Bowl performers.
Billboard announced the singer as the “Hot 100” artist of the 2000s, with more number one singles than any artist that decade. His fourth studio album “Confessions” was the top selling album of the decade as well, selling over 20 million copies. The hit maker has garnered eight Grammys and sold over 100 million records.
This has caused him to be a potential Super Bowl candidate for over 20 years, however it may not be the only reason fans of Usher have been anticipating his Super Bowl performance. This is because the musician is not just known for his music, but his charisma and entertainment as a performer. Usher’s live shows have always been known to have intense performances, theatrics, crowd interaction, and most notably, iconic dance moves. From his famous moonwalking duo with Michael Jackson and smooth and soulful duet with Beyonce, to his Grammy Choreographies, to his electric rendition of James Brown’s hits featuring splits, spins, and every other funky piece of footwork there is to offer, Usher clearly puts passion and effort into everything he does.
When asked about his thoughts on his offer to perform at the Super Bowl, Usher responded, “It’s an honor of a lifetime to finally check a Super Bowl performance off my bucket list. I can’t wait to bring the world a show unlike anything else they’ve seen from me before. Thank you to the fans and everyone who made this opportunity happen. I’ll see you real soon.”
While Usher calling his performance “another check off his bucket list” may sound over the top, he has done a lot of noteworthy acts throughout his career. He has raised over 10 million dollars to various nonprofit charity organizations, started his own Non-Profit Organization (NPO) “New Look,” founded Vanity Records in 2002, has featured in films such as “Hustlers,” “Scary Movie,” “Incredibles,” and more. He has also worked with Obama as his Nation Co-Chair for his voter registration campaign, “Vote for Change,” shot a short film with Samsung, and is one of only five artists to have number one hits for over three decades.
Usher, over the past decade, has been most known for being a consistent judge on television show “The Voice” and contestant mentor on “American Idol” and “Britain’s Got Talent,” but a potential resurgence to the height of his career might have opened with his Super Bowl performance. He performed last Sunday, Feb. 11, at the Allegiant Stadium in New Vegas, marking this as the 58th Super Bowl Halftime Show. He released his new album “Coming Home” the same day as the Super Bowl.