Usher says prep for his Super Bowl Halftime Show “started 30 years ago”

Usher has said that he began his preparation for the upcoming Super Bowl Halftime Show “30 years ago”.

The hip-hop icon, who is currently underway with various residencies, is set to take to the stage at the Super Bowl LVIII at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on February 11, 2024.

However, in a new interview, he revealed that he doesn’t think his recent run of Las Vegas shows helped him secure the coveted slot, as he has been working towards an opportunity like that for his entire career.

“When I got the call, I was like, ‘Man, I’ve been working really hard my entire career,’” he revealed to Extra. “The preparation didn’t start within the last two years of performing in Las Vegas. It really started 30 years ago, and my commitment to it and the journey that I’ve taken musically is why I think I’m given that moment.”

He also recalled what it was like to receive the offer from Jay-Z – who is chairman and founder of Roc Nation and has produced the halftime show for the past three years: Jennifer Lopez and Shakira (2020), The Weeknd (2021), Dr. Dre and friends (2022) and Rihanna (2023).

“I was like, ‘That’s a lot of pressure, bro,’” he recalled. “But so many incredible artists that I respect played that stage, whether it was Beyoncé, Prince. … It’s like, ‘Wow, it’s the most compact 13 minutes of your life.’”

Usher performs onstage during his residency at La Seine Musicale on September 25, 2023. CREDIT: Kristy Sparow/Getty Images

When asked about what fans can expect from his show next year, he confirmed that they are “going to get hit records”, and that he wants to “play the songs that people obviously recognize and the ones that I celebrate.

He also teased that he may be joined by some special guests on the night, saying: “I’ve also collaborated with a lot of people in the process, so… there’s a celebration there. … I just gave it all to you. You gotta decode it.”

This isn’t the first time that Usher has spoken about his anticipation for the Super Bowl LVIII show. Back in September, the singer told Zane Lowe of Apple Music 1 that he felt like the moment “was destined to happen”, and that everything in his career had led up to that point.

In other news, Usher is set to release a new album, ‘Coming Home’,  on the same day of his Super Bowl show. It’ll mark the ‘Yeah!’ artist’s first solo full-length project since 2016’s ‘Hard II Love’.

According to a listing on Apple Music, the record will feature 20 tracks, with only ‘Good Good’ (feat. Summer Walker and 21 Savage) confirmed so far.

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