Some were cautious about the choice to entrust Usher with the halftime show of Super Bowl LVIII. In less than a quarter of an hour, the now R&B veteran was able to show that he knows how to deliver an excellent number, which must have especially pleased already convinced admirers.
The verdict: string of successful titles
It takes a lot to give a Super Bowl halftime show that can convince the audience. Super Bowl LVIII allowed Usher to bring to the turf of Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas an imposing production, which did not rely much on the sets (as we have seen before), but rather on the hundreds of extras and the great host of surprise guests, including Alicia Keys, Ludacris and HER If his recent repertoire is much less popular than his successes accumulated in the first decades of his career, the main person concerned is well aware of it. This is surely why he drew on his most popular pieces for this show which gave the impression of a (very satisfying) flashback of around 15 years.
A show especially for the fans
One observation stands out: the 12-minute show delivered by Usher was frankly entertaining, but it was certainly more so for the singer’s admirers than for those who don’t really know his music. Because the moment of nostalgia he offered was a gift to millennials who grew up with his songs, without much more to excite it. No giant platforms like Rihanna, no breathtaking scenery like The Weeknd. Dozens of acrobats and dancers surrounded him when he began his medley with Caught Up, immediately demonstrating the extent of his dancing talents – which he continued to do throughout the ten minutes allocated to him. Dressed all in white, Usher treated the audience to all the best dance moves that R&B has brought to the world. Love in This Club followed and he allowed himself a little message, as if to affirm his place on this immense stage on Sunday: “They said I wouldn’t succeed, they said I wouldn’t be here today. »
Great return well accompanied
Usher held a residency in Las Vegas for several months. He made the Dolby Live room his home and set up a show there from summer 2022 until last December. A show which was very well received by critics and which attracted thousands of spectators (dates had to be added to meet demand). It was thus a sort of return to familiar territory for the 45-year-old R&B star, for this first Super Bowl held in the state of Nevada. Unlike Rihanna last year, Usher surrounded himself well for this show. Alicia Keys, sumptuous in a diamond-studded red jumpsuit, seated at a magnificent, equally red piano, performed If I Ain’t Got Youbefore joining Usher for success My Boo. A sensual and entertaining version, which then took Usher to the center of a round stage for Confession Part IIwhich became Burn and finally U Got it Bad, with a shirtless Usher, still dancing lasciviously. The virtuoso singer HER, on electric guitar, came on stage to Bad Girl. Everything happened very quickly in this ode to R&B of the 2000s: in the blink of an eye, the stage was invaded by dancers on skates, then joined by Usher, also on skates (!) and in a brand new outfit, for the song OMG.
Silencing the critics
The announcement of Usher’s participation in the halftime show was met with mixed reception. Some have been dubious about the wisdom of having the singer as the main course (music-wise) of the Super Bowl. Because he is not necessarily as topical as the Taylor Swifts, Bad Bunny or Harry Styles of this world, the choice to entrust him with the halftime show has been criticized. Nearly 30 years after releasing his very first album, Usher himself says that he is part of an experienced generation, but less fashionable. And that’s precisely what it takes for a successful show: a career long enough to be able to perform songs in a rolling fire. Exactly what he did on Sunday night. The party ended in great euphoria, with the success Yeah!for which Lil Jon, Ludacris and will.i.am took the stage, just to complete this return in time in style.
Entertaining evening
Usher was able to make the intermission of the match a successful moment of entertainment. He was not the only one providing the musical portion of the evening. Before her performance, before the kickoff, Reba McEntire was seen singing the national anthem Star-Spangled BannerPost Malone perform the anthem America the Beautiful, and actress and singer Andra Day present her version of Lift Every Voice and Sing, the latter two accompanied by Anjel Piñero for the sign language version. As for Usher, social media, just after the half ended, seemed to generally approve of the performance, despite some initial misgivings.