The annual Super Bowl Halftime Show is something that draws in fans from not only the football world but from the musical world as well. Usher’s star-studded performance was entertaining from start to finish, blending smooth R&B hits with club-thumpers that left the audience nearly deaf. Approximately 123 million people viewed the matchup his past weekend, which is not surprising; the setlist and guest appearances brought a wave of joy across the stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The artist had a few looks throughout his performance. He started out in a cream suit-like outfit with silver crystalline clusters dotting his sleeves and chest. He also donned a long white coat that touched the floor before ditching the coat and jacket for a crystal vest underneath. This made Usher stand out onstage as almost a cream firecracker gliding around with his white shoes.
Deciding that he was too hot, metaphorically or literally, Usher went completely shirtless to finish the first part of his performance. As his guest stars appeared on and around the stage, Usher was changing into a shimmering blue and black biker suit to perform his more upbeat tunes.
Usher performed almost every hit that fans could fathom. The slow moving standouts songs “Spotlight” and “My Boo,” which served as a way for Usher to show off his stellar dance moves. The artist glided across the floor like it had been smeared with butter. Usher is known for his ballads, but also for songs that make people dance. He also performed “OMG!” and “Yeah!” which caused the end of the performance to end on a high note and the excitement to grow. Usher’s music is fantastic on its own, but the addition of guest performers made the show even more thrilling.
Usher’s special guests were a fun bonus to the prowess of the headlining singer. He brought out Alicia Keys to sing “My Boo”, but also had her sing “If I Ain’t Got You” in a sparkling red ensemble. She glittered across the stage as she and Usher danced side by side. After Keys sang with the male artist, H.E.R., an incredible young R&B artist, appeared with her electric guitar to add some rock into Usher’s set. She performed “U Got it Bad” and absolutely stole the stage with her black jumpsuit and signature sunglasses.
Then, will.i.am appeared to sing “OMG!” with Usher, hyping up the crowd immensely. This song brought the energy needed for Lil’ John to shake the seats with “Turn Down for What.” Finally, joined by Ludacris, Lil’ John and Usher concluded the show with “Yeah!” If you weren’t up and moving to this one, I don’t believe we were watching the same event.
The performance vibe was a journey through 30 years of musical excellence from Usher, encompassing his style and song throughout the 2000s and 2010s. The scenic design was refreshing and was a killer way to keep fans engaged for the rest of the game. After seeing Usher slide along the mirror-like stage, attendees were sure to keep their energy levels high as the game continued. Coupled with the insane background dancers and costumes, this year’s halftime show was one of the best in the last few years.
One of the best aspects of Usher’s performance was his emergence in roller skates. After H.E.R began “eating” on stage, Usher and his female backing dancers rolled in simultaneously on roller skates. This extra flaunt of flexibility elicited a roar from the rows and rows of fans lining the field. To say that this show was spectacular would be an understatement.
From start to finish, Usher absolutely killed it onstage. His dancing, his music, his voice all came together in one entertaining soup with a sprinkle of seasoned singers and newbies. The stage, the sound, the power of it all is something that only comes along in a generation. Next year’s show will have to take a substantial amount of planning to approach the incredible talents of Usher and break the record of the most watched telecast in U.S. T.V. history.
