Usher’s Super Bowl halftime show was a fun, half-memorable mess - review
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Now, at the 65th minute of the 38th inning and 112th round, there is some news for mothers. The Super Bowl game for 2024, featuring the San Francisco 49ers and Kaiser Chiefs, has been quite tactical and intense for the past two hours. It's comparable to something Gregg Wallace might enjoy while taking care of children on a Saturday.
However, Usher's entrance elevated the swoon factor of Allegiant Stadium as he sat on a massive crystal throne amidst a 1920s Great Gatsby event filled with acrobats, hustlers and an entire marching band.
As seen on the Jumbotron, he declares his desire to engage in lovemaking in the club. This unexpected combination of forcefulness and charm brings to mind a scene from Bruno by Sasha Baron Cohen, in which a brutal cage fighting competition is transformed into a sweet portrayal of homoerotic affection set to the music of Celine Dion.
No matter what the result is, Usher is already the major victor of the night. Though he didn't charge any fee, his performance in the Super Bowl halftime show will be valuable for promoting his latest album Coming Home and the newly announced tour. This is because millions of people across the world watched the show, surpassing 100 million viewers, which will help him in terms of recognition and gaining more fans.
It has been eight years since Usher released his last solo album, but he has been keeping busy with various residency gigs in Las Vegas and Paris. However, now he has the opportunity of a lifetime to reboot his career at the Super Bowl. Just last year, Rihanna's performance resulted in 17 of her songs rising up the charts on Spotify and making her the most streamed artist in the world. Even just a small piece of the $7 million per 30 seconds of advertisement space at the Super Bowl can greatly benefit guests. In fact, after his performance at the Super Bowl in 2019, Travis Scott's performance fees reportedly doubled to $1 million.
The program provides an opportune time for famous collaborations, which is why it's considered a dream slot. Usher seems to require aid, as he struggles during his performance. While he begins his set smoothly with some R&B classics such as "Caught Up," "U Don't Have to Call," and a brief section of "Superstar," he appears to be exhausted after some light dancing with his cane-wielding companions. None of his songs seem to have the desired effect, and for a production of this size, it feels more like a lackluster cabaret performance.
Usher, Ludacris, and Lil Jon put on a live performance during the halftime show of Super Bowl LVIII, which was held at Allegiant Stadium and broadcast on Apple Music.
Just when we thought Usher's halftime performance couldn't get any worse, Alicia Keys surprised us with her appearance on a stunning red piano. She was dressed like royalty in scarlet and awkwardly danced to "I Ain't Got You" and "My Boo". However, the set lacked energy and seemed to drag on for the 13-minute medley until the arrival of R&B artist HER. HER commandeered the stage and asked for all the "bad girls" in the house, who were most likely in the VIP box drinking beer with Taylor Swift, who was rumored to be too drunk to join in on the fun.
Usher and Alicia Keys took to the stage for a spectacular performance at the Allegiant Stadium during the halftime show of Super Bowl LVIII, sponsored by Apple Music.
Moving forward, a wild and energetic atmosphere takes over. Usher glides and stumbles across the stage on his personal roller skates, while will.i.am struts around during his performance of "OMG" wearing a peculiar mask that resembles the first performer to play the Super Bowl through Apple Vision Pro.
The rapper known as Lil John dominates the performance with his own synchronized moshpit rendition of "Turn Down for What". Ludacris ends the show with an impressive performance of "Yeah!" while Usher, perhaps too tired to sing, focuses on his dance moves to finish off the performance.
Ultimately, Usher's performance appears to be a lively, somewhat forgettable spectacle. However, if he had garnered the attention of A-listers such as Justin Bieber, Paul McCartney, and Lana Del Rey, who were observing from their premium seats, he could have sold a lot more tour tickets.
