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After spending quite some time out of the spotlight, popular American musician “Usher” announced that he will be wowing the world like never before at this year’s Super Bowl halftime show.
Usher announced his appearance back in September, amidst speculation that Taylor Swift would be taking the stage. As the big game approaches, the media continues to assure us that the stage is, undoubtedly, all Usher’s. Although he was a guest to sing with the Black Eyed Peas at the 2011 Super Bowl, this is his first time headlining on his own.
Beginning in the 1990s and carrying into the early 2010’s, Usher practically carried the R&B and Pop genres. With the songs “My Boo” and “Yeah!” from his album, “Confessions,” along with several other hits of his, he perfectly captured the attitudes of the music industry at the time, winning him eight Grammys and recognition as the most-loved artist of many.
Back in 2018, he released the album, “A.” Then, in 2022, he celebrated the 25th anniversary of his album, “My Way,” by releasing a revamped version of the 1997 original. Since then, he has released a few new singles; however, they have not received the same love or publicity as his classics have.
After not seeing Usher in his prime for some time, fans can’t help but wonder whether he will show up at the Super Bowl as his classic, flashy and classy self, or if he has developed a new persona that we would have never imagined. Junior Olivia Wolke has high hopes for his performance, and finds it “cool that he’s finally taking the stage.” Even though we don’t necessarily know what to expect when the halftime show rolls around, fans know for sure that Usher won’t disappoint us.
However, some people have long forgotten about Usher, and don’t understand why he is just now performing at what is arguably the biggest event of the year. When Junior Zach Zardezed found out that Usher would be taking the stage, he asked, “Wasn’t he just a one-hit wonder?” For the most part, people aren’t willing to discredit Usher’s talent; still, many are asking themselves whether he is too “outdated” for the Super Bowl stage, and if he truly deserves the spotlight over other, more contemporary artists.
While this performance will certainly help Usher get his name back out there, he explained that he wants to do more than just entertain viewers and reclaim his legacy. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, he said that he wants to pay homage to the Black artists who came before him and paved the way for the R&B genre. This opportunity will not only mark a huge accomplishment in his career, but it will help shine a light on the forgotten greatness of his fellow R&B artists.
Considering Usher has never failed to put on a captivating show with catchy songs and clean dance moves, there’s no doubt that we’ll be entertained watching this halftime performance. In just a week, we’ll see if he has truly prepared the groundbreaking performance he promised, and decide whether or not we want to bring him back into the spotlight or leave him behind in the heat of the 2000s and 2010s.
