LOS ANGELES ā Usher has a new confession: The Grammy winner will headline the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show in Las Vegas.
The NFL, Apple Music and Roc Nation announced Sunday that Usher would lead the halftime festivities from Allegiant Stadium on Feb. 11. The music megastar, who has won eight Grammys, said heās looking forward to performing on the NFLās biggest stage.
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āItās an honor of a lifetime to finally check a Super Bowl performance off my bucket list,ā Usher said in a statement. āI canāt wait to bring the world a show unlike anything else theyāve seen from me before.ā
Usher spring boarded into superstardom with āConfessions,ā which sold more than 10 million units in the U.S. and earned him eight nominations at the 2005 Grammys, winning him three. He lost album of the year to Ray Charlesā final album āGenius Loves Company,ā released two months after the legend died.
āConfessionsā ranks among one of the best-selling music projects of all time and launched No. 1 hits such as āYeah!ā with Ludacris and Lil Jon, āBurnā and āConfessions Part II.ā His special edition version included the smooth hit āMy Boo,ā a duet with Alicia Keys. Next year will mark the 20th anniversary of the epic album.
Usher, 44, is currently headlining his āUsher: My Wayā residency in Las Vegas, which has drawn sold-out shows and rave reviews. He's also beginning an eight-night block of performances in Paris on Sunday. Usher is expected to wrap up his Las Vegas residency in early December before he makes his Super Bowl halftime appearance a couple months later.
The singer has served as a coach on NBCās āThe Voiceā and appeared in several films including āHustlersā and āLight It Up.ā
Roc Nation founder Jay-Z called Usher the ultimate āartist and showman.ā
āEver since his debut at the age of 15, heās been charting his own unique course,ā he said of Usher, who released his debut self-titled album in 1994. In total, heās released eight studio projects that were filled with hits including āU Got It Bad,ā āU Remind Me,ā āYou Make Me Wanna,ā āNice & Slowā and āLove In This Clubā with Jeezy.
āBeyond his flawless singing and exceptional choreography, Usher bares his soul,ā Jay-Z continued. āHis remarkable journey has propelled him to one of the grandest stages in the world. I canāt wait to see the magic.ā
Roc Nation and Emmy-winning producer Jesse Collins will serve as co-executive producers of the halftime show. Hamish Hamilton returns as director. Itās the second collaboration between the NFL, Apple Music and Roc Nation.
Last year, a pregnant Rihanna emerged suspended on a platform above the field for a s pectacular halftime show ā her first solo event in seven years.
āWe are so proud of what we were able to accomplish together with the NFL and Roc Nation last year and now with the insanely talented Usher set to take the stage weāre looking forward to another incredible Halftime Show from one of the worldās all-time greatest performers,ā said Oliver Schusser, Appleās Vice President of Apple Music, Apple TV+, Sports, and Beats.
Usher will join a list of celebrated musicians who have played during Super Bowl halftime shows including BeyoncƩ, Madonna, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Coldplay, Kendrick Lamar, Eminem, U2, Lady Gaga, Michael Jackson and Katy Perry.
āUsher is an icon whose music has left an indelible mark on the cultural landscape throughout his career,ā said Seth Dudowsky, NFL Head of Music.