During the Super Bowl halftime show at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Usher appeared on a throne, accompanied by a marching band and a plethora of Vegas performers, yet he remained at the center.
His status as the perfect halftime performer—one with classic classics that never go out of style, expert choreography, and a loyal fan base—was instantly confirmed.
Usher shines at star-studded 2024 Super Bowl halftime show
He began with “Caught Up” and went on to “Superstar,” “U Don’t Have to Call,” and “Love in the Club.”
Next, Alicia Keys appeared in front of a vivid red piano to play her song “If I Ain’t Got You,” which later turned into “My Boo.” Notably, Usher performed this song during Black History Month, appearing to pay homage to Michael Jackson by taking off his glove.
“They said I wouldn’t make it,” he told the crowd, dedicating the set to his “mama.”
Across 13 minutes during the halftime show sponsored by Apple Music, Usher brought out a number of guests including H.E.R., Jermaine Dupri, Lil Jon (for “Turn Down for What,” which became “Yeah!” — and included a guest appearance from Ludacris).
Across three decades, the R&B superstar had an endless treasure trove of hits to pull from — and did so with costume changes, and a rolling performance of “OMG” while wearing roller skates — at one moment, sliding between William’s legs.
His album “Confessions” ranks among one of the best-selling music projects of all time and turned 20 this year; “Burn” became an easy performance highlight.
Over the past two years, Usher, 45, has made Vegas a home for his unique talents, with his sold-out residency, “Usher: My Way,” at Dolby Live at Park MGM making him the perfect pick for Sunday’s game.
The eight-time Grammy award winner is also no stranger to the Super Bowl stage — he made a guest appearance with Black Eyed Peas frontman will.i.am in 2011.
“I got a chance to see a bit of what it felt like,” Usher told The Associated Press in a recent interview. In his first Super Bowl performance, he descended from the stadium ceiling to perform “OMG” in Arlington, Texas.
“Don’t take the moments for granted because you only get 13 of them,” he said in advance of his 2024 performance, referring to the usually allotted 13-minute run time. “The hardest part is trying to figure out how to squeeze it all in when you actually have a large catalog, or a lot of records people celebrate and love.”