Usher was joined by an all-star cast of artists for his ‘daring’ halftime show at the Super Bowl in Las Vegas, last night.
The R&B star delivered a revered 12-minute medley at the Allegiant Stadium before the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers in an overtime thriller.
The title clash – predicted to be the most-watched NFL game of all time – was watched by an in-person crowd of 65,000 and shown in 190 countries.
The coveted halftime slot saw Usher perform alongside a raft of artists including H.E.R., Alicia Keys, Lil Jon, Ludacris, the Black Eyed Peas’ Will.I.am and Jermaine Dupri.
The singer’s 14-song set included hits such as Yeah!, Confessions Part II, Love in this Club, My Boo, Caught Up and Burn.
Prior to the Super Bowl halftime performance, Usher said he would honour Black musical legacy at the event. “I think about what our country has represented for Black artists, having to, at some point, go through kitchens to even be able to perform for an audience,” he told Good Morning America.
“I was not exaggerating when I [said] that my performance would be a celebration of the past 30 years of my career”
“They had to leave back through that same door, you know, fearing for their lives as they went to the next state to do the same thing. So I’m coming through the front door with this one. I think about all the R&B performers who are carrying this moment.”
Earlier in the night, Post Malone kicked off the festivities, delivering a special acoustic performance before the game began.
“I was not exaggerating when I shared with the world that my performance would be a celebration of the past 30 years of my career,” said Usher after the event. “I will never forget the energy from the cast & crew, the fans in the stadium, the guest performers and the adrenaline from this monumental milestone in my career. I’m so happy everyone enjoyed it, my goal always is to bring people together and feel good through my music and performance.”
The 45-year-old today extended his upcoming North America tour, USHER: Past Present Future, to 51 dates.
Last week, the eight-time Grammy Award-winner hit his highest-ever gross from touring with his Las Vegas residencies.
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