“It’s an honor of a lifetime to finally check a Super Bowl performance off my bucket list,” said Usher in a released statement on the upcoming halftime show performance. “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.”
A new Apple Music campaign starring Kim Kardashian, Deion "Coach Prime" Sanders, Marshawn Lynch, Odell Beckham Jr. and Usher announced the news after speculation about the father of four performing on the coveted stage had circulated for months — along with names including Bad Bunny, Taylor Swift and Harry Styles. Usher told Apple Music’s Zane Lowe he was excited to finally share the news he'd kept secret from his own children.
USHER. LAS VEGAS. APPLE MUSIC HALFTIME SHOW. #SBLVIII https://t.co/Vh4qVbiAa4@Usher, @nfl, @rocnation, @nfloncbs pic.twitter.com/scsFio8FmO
— Apple Music (@AppleMusic) September 24, 2023
“It has happened, ladies and gentlemen, yes, whooo,” said Usher with a handclap in an Apple Music interview released on Sunday. “We made it … It’s been a lot, like, to keep secrets from my own kids at home. A very close-knit group of people knew. And we’re really excited about the entire thing. Obviously a legacy … More than anything, the fact that this is the most grand stage to ever play on.”
Known as the King of R&B, Usher’s career spans 30 years with eight albums, including the diamond-selling record Confessions from 2004, which spawned several of his biggest songs including “Yeah!,” “My Boo” and “Burn.” Usher has sold over 100 million records and was named "artist of the decade" by Billboard thanks to more than 25 platinum-selling singles. Usher’s past Super Bowl performance experience with Black Eyed Peas in 2011 and connection to Las Vegas through his several residencies also made him the perfect candidate to follow recent performers Beyoncé, Dr. Dre and Rihanna.
“Usher’s continued star power and relevancy at the NFL and Roc Nation’s disposal can’t be undervalued,” wrote critic Justin Tinsley last week in a new Andscape story about Usher being the perfect choice. “Super Bowl halftime performers have generally been acts with massive crossover appeal, which comes from having a deep catalog, often spanning generations, and can command complete attention for the entire time they’re on stage.”
“Usher is the ultimate artist and showman,” said Jay-Z, whose Roc Nation Company returns to produce the halftime show after producing previous shows with Rihanna, Dr. Dre and The Weeknd. “Ever since his debut at the age of 15, he’s been charting his own unique course. Beyond his flawless singing and exceptional choreography, Usher bares his soul. His remarkable journey has propelled him to one of the grandest stages in the world. I can’t wait to see the magic.”
NFL’s head of music, Seth Dudowsky, said, “Usher is an icon whose music has left an indelible mark on the cultural landscape throughout his career. We couldn’t be more excited to have him headline this year’s Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show. We look forward to working with Usher, Roc Nation, and Apple Music to bring fans another Halftime Show for the history books.”
Usher Raymond IV has ruled Sin City for several years with his highly publicized Las Vegas residency show. Last month, after announcing his residency would be ending on Dec. 2, Usher told Vibe magazine’s Mya Abraham that he wished to prolong the moment.
“It always takes getting back to the stage to remind me of why I do all of this,” he said in the August cover story. “Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy the hard work. You know what I’m saying? But this [is] the part that makes it worth dreaming. [With] streams and the relevance of this industry, the gratification and appreciation for what you’re doing is not clear. When you see an audience member singing your songs while they’re celebrating, you giving them energy. That’s why I do it.”
At Super Bowl LVIII, Usher will perform a medley of hits ahead of the release of his ninth studio album, Coming Home. Betting has already begun about which hits Usher will perform during the big day. His biggest banger ever, “Yeah!,” featuring Lil Jon and Ludacris, is a huge (and obvious) favorite to kick off the performance. According to BETUS, people are betting on the number of songs in his setlist, the number of backup dancers he will use in his performance, the number of posts he will make on Instagram the day of the Super Bowl, whether he'll have special guests and if he will debut a new song during the performance.
In this year's Super Bowl Halftime Show, Rihanna's setlist ran for 13 minutes and contained 12 songs. After the halftime show, Rihanna’s songs saw a 390% boost in sales, with her catalog accomplishing a 140% surge in on-demand streams in the U.S. Similar results are expected from Usher's upcoming halftime show.
Usher could approach this upcoming spectacle in many ways. Besides having superstars like Diddy, Jermaine Dupri and Justin Bieber at his beck and call, his loyal fans will eagerly await to see the signature chain-swinging, smooth glides and handstanding dance sequences he's known for.
Now let's examine Usher's possible halftime show music set. Here's a list of what we can expect to hear.
