Usher had nothing left to prove to the R&B industry as he took the stage at the Super Bowl halftime show. After three decades in the business, he had achieved significant success and, more recently, a return to cultural relevance due to a highly successful adult residency in Las Vegas (and a very viral “Lofi” moment).
But being an EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony) winner might be compared to being a music star, and Usher contacted him on Sunday night to offer him a well-deserved EGOT as a memento of his career.
He bragged to his mother, “I said I wasn’t gonna do it, I said I wasn’t gonna be here today, but I am,” before launching into his upbeat performance. For all those who have enjoyed both “My Way” and “U Make Me Wanna,” this occasion was deeply significant.
His rendition of “Retired You” (available on Apple Music) combined recognition, improvisation, and fast play. In the first song, “Caught Up,” he was engulfed in a vivid Vegas atmosphere with a variety of backing acts, including pyrotechnics, acrobats, stilt walkers, and more ostentatious women. Although the build-up was spectacular, there was a noticeable editing storm that gave the impression that he was taking the limelight away from the stars outside the gate. (The audio mixing and attorneys also fell rather short in this regard.)
What came next was effectively a montage of songs from his extensive repertoire, sometimes delivered at a dizzying pace – a phrase from “Superstar,” a sample from “Nice & Slow.” The best part was when he paused to enjoy his iconic song “U Got It Bad” while entertaining the crowd with his slick, soaring dance. It was that one time when he pulled off his shirt to showcase his vocals and brought out H.E.R. for a solo guitar performance. Magic.)
As previously said, a number of well-known partners were available to demonstrate his magnanimity. With her solo smash “If I Ain’t Got You” and their duet “My Boo,” Alicia Keys is playing live. The songs “Confessions (Part II)” by Jermaine Dupri, “OMG” by Will.I.Am, and “Yeah” by Lil Jon and Ludacris are unquestionably the best ones.
If the program was an all-around showcase, Usher’s claim to be the King of R&B remains unchallenged because of his numerous accomplishments and lack of a true contender. (As the majority of us may probably agree, it’s best to keep his EDM phase quiet.) Even though it wasn’t his best performance, he still had star power and gave an entertaining performance. Usher and the Super Bowl had a fantastic combination, as “Yeah” brought the spectacle to a lively close. By now, he had turned the artistic concept into a glitzy football match, complete with costumes covered in football gear, dancers performing on podiums, a marching band, and horns that he blasted as though he had just won a prize.
He exclaimed multiple times, “I brought the world to A,” a reference to the city where he was raised. Usher had certainly gone a long way since his early years.
Erik Yoder