We’re just a month away from the NFL Super Bowl LVIII, and while die-hard football fans are crossing their fingers for a shot at the Lombardy trophy, the rest of us are getting hyped for the iconic commercials and, of course, the Halftime Show that stops the entire world. This time around, we’ve got R&B royalty Usher taking the stage, and to kick off the excitement, Apple Music dropped the official trailer for his upcoming performance.
Billed as an “epic performance 30 years in the making”, the trailer blends a variety of footage spanning over three decades. You’ve got heaps of fans, familiar faces like LeBron James, J Balvin, Jung Kook, and, of course, the man himself—Usher— belting out one of his biggest hits, “Yeah”. We nearly overdosed on nostalgia watching it…
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Announced in September 2023, the 45-year-old singer spoke about the honour in an interview with Zane Lowe. “This is the most grand stage to ever play on. Those 13 minutes mean everything. It’s been on my bucket list for a long time,” expressed the eight-time Grammy winner, who will also unveil his ninth album, Coming Home, on Super Bowl Sunday.
Having previously performed alongside the Black Eyed Peas during the group’s 2011 halftime show, Usher also addressed whether he’ll bring out any of his own special guests. “Well, one thing I can say is I’ve collaborated with a lot of incredible artists throughout the years,” he teased after revealing Roc Nation founder/chairman Jay-Z gave him the news.
After the news came out, people had different opinions about having Usher perform at the Super Bowl. Despite some doubters, many fans stood up for him using the viral “watch this” meme from 2022. “Where are all them people who said Usher could never do the Super Bowl because he doesn’t have enough hits and doesn’t appeal to “everyone”?” one user said, while another added, “Imagine someone saying aloud on Diana Ross’ internet that Usher Raymond tha Fourth don’t have enough bops for the Super Bowl. Gurl…”
That being said, Usher’s got some big shoes to fill. Remember last year’s Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show with Rihanna? That was a record-breaker and even bagged an Emmy. Oh, and who could forget that mind-blowing performance by Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Eminem, and 50 Cent the year before? The ongoing partnership between the NFL, Roc Nation, and Apple Music has been a huge win for viewers, bringing us these recent stellar halftime appearances.
However, the burning question remains: who’s he bringing on stage with him? Over the years, he’s teamed up with heavy hitters like Alicia Keys, Lil Jon, Ludacris, Jay Z, Will.i.Am, and even Justin Bieber. Fingers crossed, he ropes in some of his talented pals for another classic.
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