Usher is finally getting his time to shine on the biggest day in sports after being named the Super Bowl LVIII halftime show performer! The news broke Sunday (Sept. 24) as mounting pleas from fans renewed demands for the legendary crooner to take his rightful place among music’s legends who have pulled off the feat.
The Super Bowl is taking place on Feb. 11 in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the Allegiant Stadium. The halftime show is presented by Apple Music. “It’s an honor of a lifetime to finally check a Super Bowl performance off my bucket list. I can’t wait to bring the world a show unlike anything else they’ve seen from me before,” said the iconic performer in a released statement. “Thank you to the fans and everyone who made this opportunity happen. I’ll see you real soon.”
In April, Usher spoke about the prospects of being tapped for the performance of a lifetime. “I’d be a fool to say no,” Usher told “Access Hollywood.” “Well, I mean, you know, if things line up the way that we would all hope, you know, one day, that moment will happen,” he coyly added. To fans’ delight, it seems those plans were already in motion.
The eight-time Grammy Award winner previously graced the halftime show stage in 2011 when he popped in to perform “OMG” during the Black Eyed Peas’ futuristic set. The track was produced and co-written by Will.i.am and reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Usher has crates of hits to pull from as he prepares to command the stage on his own, as well as with a few featured guests if he so chooses. With 19 top-10 records and nine No. 1 hits, supply won’t be an issue as millions of eyes are locked in on his 15-minute show. “Caught Up,” “DJ Got Us Fallin’ In Love,” “Without You,” and “Yeah!” are just a few songs that are sure to get the arena and viewers at home moving.
The superstar is currently dazzling concertgoers in Paris with eight “USHER: Rendez-vous à Paris” performances that kick off today and will run through Oct. 5. When he returns stateside, he will begin gearing up for the final handful of shows of his highly successful Las Vegas residency.