US musician Usher Raymond, popularly known mononymously as Usher will headline the Super Bowl in 2024, Apple Music, Roc Nation and National Football League (NFL) have announced.
Music streamer, Apple, announced the news by sharing several snippets, one of Kim Kardashian calling Usher (in the form of a video cut from a past music video) to tell him and another of Usher calling his past self.
https://x.com/AppleMusic/status/1705950924093403378?s=20
“It’s an honour of a lifetime to finally check a Super Bowl performance off my bucket list. I can’t wait to bring the world a show unlike anything else they’ve seen from me before,” said Usher. “Thank you to the fans and everyone who made this opportunity happen. I’ll see you real soon.”
The Super Bowl Halftime show is one of the most watched shows in American entertainment, as such, artists are not paid for their performances. Artists who have performed at past shows include the late Prince, Beyonce, Coldplay, The Weeknd and last year, Rihanna.
Speaking about their selection, NFL’s head of music Seth Dudowsky said, “Usher is an icon whose music has left an indelible mark on the cultural landscape throughout his career, we couldn’t be more excited to have him headline this year’s Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show. We look forward to working with Usher, Roc Nation and Apple Music to bring fans another Halftime Show for the history books.”
Speaking about Usher’s journey, fellow musician, iconic rapper and owner of Roc Nation Jay-Z said, “Usher is the ultimate artist and showman. Ever since his debut at 15, he’s been charting his own unique course. Beyond his flawless singing and exceptional choreography, Usher bares his soul. His remarkable journey has propelled him to one of the grandest stages in the world. I can’t wait to see the magic.”
This will mark the second year that the halftime show will be presented by Apple Music, after a decade of Pepsi sponsorship. The Rihanna performance in 2023 — during which the superstar revealed she was pregnant with her second child with A$AP Rocky — was the most-watched halftime show of all time.
Usher will take the stage on February 11, 2024, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
