Usher’s halftime show performance did not disappoint the crowd during the 58th Superbowl, held in Las Vegas, on Sunday, Feb. 11.
While there were a few misses in his performance, Usher used every resource at his disposal and gave the performance his all, making the most of his stage time alongside his invited guest performers, Alicia Keys, H.E.R., Will.i.am, Lil Jon and Ludacris.
“I liked how the show included many different artists and different types of songs in terms of tempo,” stated Lilliana Colasante, an RHS sophomore and Usher superfan.
On the positive side, Usher’s performance was full of energy and positivity, and it was clear from his demeanor that he was thrilled to be there. The creative choice of closing with his Billboard hit “Yeah!” was a great one.
The decision to include so many other artists in the performance also kept the audience engaged, as there was a sense of surprise during every minute of the show. The well-executed performances by all of the artists allowed Usher to take full advantage of his 13 minutes of stage time.
Not all of his fans loved the performance, however. “Honestly, it would’ve been better if he performed some of his other hits, like the song ‘Hey Daddy’,” freshman Rachel Kellett said.
Although Usher did so many things right, his song choices also could have been stronger at the beginning of the show, in order to hook the audience more quickly. For example, Usher began with slow, romantic songs, which might have underwhelmed his audience, especially viewers at home, before he got to his explosive finish with Ludacris and Lil Jon.
In addition, many social media platforms including TikTok had predicted that Justin Bieber would perform alongside Usher. To the disappointment of many of those online fans, however, he did not join Usher to sing their hit, “Somebody to Love.”
When Usher took the stage at halftime, the Niners were still leading,10-3. Usher’s performance may have been the pause in the game that the Chiefs needed in order to regroup, as they went on to turn the score around in the second half, winning in overtime, 25-22.
For many fans, Usher’s performance was a much-needed pause in the game in well, as the halftime show is a tradition that Americans, whether or not they be fans of the halftime performers, enjoy annually on Super Bowl Sunday.
