Usher had nothing really to prove going into the Super Bowl Halftime Show; over the course of his nearly three-decade career, he has managed to build a great deal of goodwill and, in recent years, a resurgence of cultural relevancy, thanks to a hugely successful and seductively grown Las Vegas residency.
However, for any pop musician, being the event’s headlining act can be like winning an EGOT, and Usher treated the Sunday night performance as a well-deserved pinnacle of his career.
Early in his exuberant set, he declared, “They said I wouldn’t make it, they said I wouldn’t be here today, but I am,” before calling out his mother. For all those who have loved his music from the release of “My Way” and “U Make Me Wanna,” it was difficult not to be happy about this occasion.
For the majority of its duration, the “rated U” performance (as per Apple Music) was, to be honest, disorganized and rushed. In the first track, “Caught Up,” he was channeling the glitzy atmosphere of Las Vegas, complete with an excessive number of background acts, including stilt walkers, acrobats, and women decked out in feathers. Even with his dazzling all-white and glittery outfit, Usher stood out, but the frantic camera cutting seemed to detract from the headliner right away.
What came next was effectively a montage of his extensive discography, which at points moved far too swiftly — a brief excerpt from “Nice and Slow” here, a single line from “Superstar” there. The best parts of the medley came when he let us enjoy his sultry, swaggering dance and spend some time with a song, like he did with his iconic ballad “U Got It Bad.” (At this point, he took off his shirt, gave the singers a chance to sing, and brought out H.E.R. to tear up a guitar solo. Enchantment.)
As previously said, a few of Usher’s well-known partners were also available to demonstrate his authenticity. Will.I.Am for “OMG”; Jermaine Dupri for “Confessions (Part II)”; Alicia Keys for a little portion of her solo single “If I Ain’t Got You” and their duet “My Boo”; Lil Jon and Ludacris for “Yeah,” which was the clear choice for the last song.
Even if the concert was a little disorganized, Usher’s main argument—that he has a ton of songs and is currently unchallenged as the King of R&B—remains true. (As the majority of us may probably agree, it’s best to keep his EDM era quiet.) Even while it wasn’t his best performance, it was nevertheless entertaining and demonstrated his star power. By the time “Yeah” brought the show to a thrilling close, Usher and company had changed the theme to a flashy football game, complete with dancers winding around poles, a marching band, and a chorus that was jumping up and down and puffed up like they had just won the trophy.
