A Super Bowl Circus: Usher takes the stage for the halftime show

BY LONDON DERNIS

It’s 5 p.m. in Las Vegas, the 49ers are up 10-3, Patrick Mahomes is fuming, Brock Purdy is celebrating and are those… roller skates? 

Usher on roller skates wasn’t on anyone’s 2024 bingo predictions. Yet, the R&B icon successfully transformed the football field into his own Cirque du Soleil for the LVIII Super Bowl halftime fantasia. 

“They said I wouldn’t make it, they said I wouldn’t be here today, but I am,” Usher said while opening his performance.

When Usher was invited to put on one of the most anticipated performances of the year in Vegas, he made sure to give the crowd a Vegas-worthy show. With flashy outfits, a marching band, big blue feathers and acrobats on stilts, eyes around the world were overwhelmed with where to look. But of course, all eyes eventually found the star himself sitting on a shiny throne. 

Instead of opening with a big hit, Usher boldly performed one of his more hidden songs, “Caught Up.” His vocals were exceptional, but what truly stood out were his killer dance moves. He showed that despite his age (45), he can still pop and lock like his feet never left the 2000s. 

But Usher, sweaty and exhausted, did need some help to meet the crowd’s expectations. Cue the piano. In a sparkling red Dolce & Gabbana bodysuit, Alicia Keys made a surprise appearance and performed her solo, “If I Ain’t Got You” with a bit of a shaky start, before quickly recovering and joining Usher for their hit duet, “My Boo.” Their performance was one full of intimacy and melodic vocals. 

Shifting away from this upbeat energy, the slow tunes of “U Got It Bad” was a delicate affair featuring Usher taking off his shirt and H.E.R. on the guitar. At this point, Usher was no longer just dancing and singing, but also rocking a pair of roller skates.

Now with the crowd in his hands, Usher kept the vibes going with “OMG” alongside rapper will.i.am. Before fans could even recover from this surprise guest, Lil Jon popped out of the mosh pit with his own song, “Turn Down for What.”

The clock’s ticking, and what better way for Usher to conclude the show than with his biggest song of all, “Yeah!” and who better to do it with than Ludacris? Have no doubt, the answer is obvious.

A-Town was the last stop of the show, leaving Usher and his guest stars breathless. In a fury of screams erupting from the stands, it became clear that Usher’s Super Bowl performance was one for the history books.