Super Bowl

R&B singer Usher has blitzed the Super Bowl with a hit-filled halftime show.

The 45-year-old singer, who this year marks 30 years since the release of his debut album, packed a lot of hits into his 13-minute set, busting out a lot of nimble dance moves in a succession of costume changes including a glam, all-white outfit, a roller-skating jumpsuit – and yes, some gratuitous shirtlessness.

And shortly after the performance, some suprise musical news from the star: the Daily Mail reports that on February 8, he obtained a marriage license with plans to marry longtime girlfriend Jennifer Goicoechea in Vegas after the Super Bowl.

Alicia Keys joins Usher during the #SuperBowl Halftime Show pic.twitter.com/7punF28ABZ

— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) February 12, 2024

She quickly recovered though, Usher joining her for a quick run through their hit duet My Boo.

From there, he blazed through a rapid-fire medley of his biggest hits, giving us everything from shirtlessness (cue screams) to an elaborate choreographed dance routine on rollerskates.
 

Usher’s setlist

Caught Up

U Don’t Have To Call

Love In This Club

If I Ain’t Got You (Alicia Keys solo)

My Boo (Usher, Alicia duet)

Confessions Part 2

Burn

U Got It Bad

OMG (with will.i.am)

Turn Down for What

Yeah! (with Ludacris and Lil Jon)

Mistaken identity

The special guest stars kept coming throughout the performance, a roll call of Usher’s past collaborators: Alicia Keys! H.E.R.! Ludacris! Ceelo Green! Wait, when did they work together?

Many on the internet were confused by Green’s apparent cameo in the performance - only it wasn’t him, it was rapper, producer and frequent Usher collaborator Jermaine Dupri.

No lie I thought that was CeeLo Green at first. https://t.co/VeceOOvyYx

— A.K (@TheAlmightyAK) February 12, 2024

MY MAMA THOUGHT JERMAINE DUPRI WAS CEELO LMFAOOOOOOOOO

— Big Civilian (@fadecorner) February 12, 2024

Am I the only one who thought Jermaine Dupri was Ceelo Green pic.twitter.com/06J7u2pVie

— Camille Stephens (@KeepRealCamille) February 12, 2024

Why’d I think that was CeeLo Green for a min pic.twitter.com/e5xzgTXLeA

— Harmonica Lewinskyღ (@_harmonyxo) February 12, 2024

Earlier: Usher teases Halftime plans

Over the weekend, Usher told reporters during a pre-Super Bowl press conference that he was planning a big show – with some big-name special guests.
 

“I have definitely went through a lot of ideas of who I would have share this moment with me and I do feel like the people who are gonna share it deserve just as much recognition for what they do in their careers – whether we have collaborated together or rather they’ve had moments of their own,” Usher told reporters in a pre-Super Bowl press conference, as per Page Six.

“There has been these fantasy lists that have been going out, people trying to figure out what song I’m going to perform first, middle, last,” he continued.

“I was very mindful of my past, celebrating my present, which is here in Las Vegas, and thinking about where we’re headed in the future. And that was really the idea.”

Usher’s show threatened to be upstaged by another musical superstar, already in attendance: Taylor Swift, who made a quick dash to Las Vegas after wrapping the Japanese leg of her Eras tour so she could support boyfriend Travis Kelce, playing with the Kansas City Chiefs today.

Swift won’t want to linger too long back in the US: She’s due on stage in Melbourne on Friday night to begin the much-anticipated Aussie leg of the Eras tour.