If anyone has the right to sit on a throne in the middle of Las Vegas, it’s Usher. Usher’s appearance during the Super Bowl LVIII halftime show at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas was an instant confirmation of his status in the R&B industry. During his act, the singer collaborated with a number of incredible musicians to produce one of the year’s largest musical events.
Thirty years into his career, Usher wasted no time in showing his vocals, and perhaps even more so, his body and feet, from the start to the finish. Usher opened the halftime show with his song “Caught Up” moving into “U Don’t Have to Call,” “Superstar,” and “Love in the Club.” Before dedicating the set to his mother, he addressed the audience, “They said I wouldn’t make it, they said I wouldn’t be here today, but I am.”
Usher pulled out a lot of incredible guests throughout the 13-minute halftime show, including Alicia Keys, Lil Jon, H.E.R., Will.i.am, and Ludacris. Alicia Keys joined him for her song “If I Ain’t Got You,” which eventually morphed into “My Boo,” while sporting a bright red glitter bodysuit and playing a red piano. After some crowd warm-ups led by Jermaine Dupri, Usher delivered “Confessions Part II,” after taking a brief detour through “Nice & Slow” and acknowledging “Burn” urgently before moving into “U Got It Bad” and a dance routine featuring a microphone stand.
Everything grew loose and enjoyable after that. H.E.R. played a really skillful guitar solo that transitioned into “Bad Girl” as the stage converted into a roller rink. He performed a brief segment of “OMG” as the celebration got underway, working with Will.i.am, which was really iconic. Then Lil Jon showed up for “Turn Down For What,” building on the anticipation and excitement before launching into “Yeah!” At that point Ludacris came on stage to introduce his lyrics, and the collaboration included a variety of hip-hop styles.
Usher appeared to be dressed in a cropped white blazer, a voluminous sleeveless shirt covered in sequins, and a white fur coat while performing. We followed him down to his tank top and, finally, to nothing but the waist and his iconic silver U-shaped diamond necklace. As the show progressed we found him in an outfit change during the roller skate segment of the act, he changed into a sparkling black and blue motorcycle gear, and for the remainder of the show, he wore it. Ludacris and Lil Jon also contributed with similar ensembles.
He had numerous backup dancers who could be seen having fun at the event and dancing alongside the R&B King, while the stage itself was quite basic it still added to the whole production. The dancers appeared in many different styles with some costumes that resembled football gear, dancers twisting around poles, a marching band, and a jumping chorus.
This show will undoubtedly advance Usher’s career and legacy. His most accomplished dancing and singing marked the high point of this performance. His final point — that he still has it — remains true despite the show’s chaos. Despite the fact that it wasn’t like his usual performances, this show included many of his hits and flawless song transitions. Usher put on a fantastic, enjoyable presentation that is a testament to his stage charisma and sets a reminder of his title as King of R&B.
