If Usher is Going to Do Anything, It’s Perform: Super Bowl Setlist Analysis
Since Usher announced himself as the Super Bowl LVIII halftime show headliner back in Sept. 2023, fans and followers alike have been trying to guess which hits the R&B star will take to the stage on Sunday night.
Of Usher’s eight, going on nine albums, 81 singles, and nine number-one singles, here’s what we think he will bring to the 2024 Apple Music Halftime Show.
READ MORE: Usher Drops Highly Anticipated Album ‘COMING HOME’
Which song will Usher sing first?
Catching the ears of the over 100 million projected viewers and attendees is an easy feat when you have generational hits like “Yeah!,” “Hey Daddy (Daddy’s Home),” and “DJ Got Us Fallin’ in Love.” These recognizable hits are essential to electrify the crowd before taking us down memory lane. Even a sample take of “Peace up, A-Town down” would send the youngest fans into a frenzy to hear more of the star.
Undoubtedly, the legendary performer will make a grandiose entrance on one of his biggest nights. This is also not the first appearance that the star has made, dropping in (literally, he descended from the stadium ceiling) to perform “OMG” with the Black Eyed Peas in 2011. We’re taking the hint that it will be even more of a bang to start the show.
Which songs will Usher perform?
The show’s heart lies within the deep catalog of the king’s chart-topping R&B hits and club bangers. Mash-ups and small samples are often used during the show to speedily hit all the fan-favorite hits for an artist, a tactic that Usher is almost guaranteed to use to take his 30 years’ worth of music down to 12 to 14 minutes’ worth of a show. We’re looking at tracks including: “Burn,” “U Remind Me,” “Love In This Club,” “Confessions Part II,” and “U Don’t Have to Call.”
Usher is known for having a good time on-stage with hits like “Caught Up” and “I Don’t Mind.” A vocal highlight for the night could include a “Superstar” breakdown, a notch to the viral TikTok trend stemming from his NPR Tiny Desk appearance last year.
READ MORE: Usher Speaks on State of R&B: ‘Whoever said R&B is Dead Sounds Crazy’
Let’s not forget Usher’s genre-bending hits in the EDM space, such as “OMG” and “Scream,” which are fair contenders for time on the setlist.
Which special guest(s) will he bring out?
It’s customary for a Super Bowl halftime headliner to bring out guests. While Usher does not need company on stage, he has a catalog of hard-hitting featured artists to call upon if he so chooses.
We might get an Alicia Keys appearance after her Grammy win last weekend. The duo share the Grammy award-winning ballad, ‘My Boo’, that could see some time on the stage or at least in a mash-up.
If Usher stays on a pop flavor for the night, his protege, Justin Bieber, could very well take the stage. Bieber recently came from a two-year performance hiatus over NHL All-Star Weekend in Canada.
READ MORE: Usher Announces Nationwide ‘Usher: Past Present Future’ Tour
The possibility of a Lil Jon appearance also has some weight. If performed without him, fans would miss his features on ‘Lovers and Friends’ and ‘Yeah!’. Lil Jon also has an album coming out on Feb. 16.
Usher and Chris Brown sharing the stage would not be a “New Flame,” as the two powerhouse performers could easily bring the stadium down with their shared songs and a possible touch of an afro beats selection.
Solo dolo might be the route Usher takes with this headlining performance, and we’re here for every view and angle he gives us for the night.
Which song will Usher sing last?
Depending on the journey that Usher takes us on in the short time he has, we are predicting a closing meant for the fans who have been rocking with him for over 30 years.
Usher’s “Love in This Club” are notes to end the night on. A rendition of “Climax,” special to the Super Bowl, could also dot the performance.
READ MORE: Usher Releases Afrobeats & Amapiano-Inspired Single “Ruin”
Many are pleased to know that this won’t be the last we see of Usher. He’s giving us a new album and a tour! Following the slated halftime performance and the momentum from the closing of his two-year My Way: The Las Vegas Residency run, the star has announced his 24-city tour, USHER: Past Present Future, kicking off in late August.
The tour will feature music from every era of his career, including songs from his ninth album, Coming Home. The album will debut on Feb 9., just days before his headliner performance.
How Do We Watch the Show?
The Super Bowl Halftime Show will be held at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Sunday, Feb. 11. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET, where the Kansas City Chiefs will take on the San Francisco 49ers live on CBS. We are excited to see how this R&B legend narrows down and dazzles on “the most grand stage.”
The post If Usher is Going to Do Anything, It’s Perform: Super Bowl Setlist Analysis first appeared on The Source.
The post If Usher is Going to Do Anything, It’s Perform: Super Bowl Setlist Analysis appeared first on The Source.
