ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½

Skip to main content

Review: Usher shines at star-studded 2024 Super Bowl halftime show

Share
LOS ANGELES -

Usher emerged at Las Vegas' Allegiant Stadium for the Super Bowl halftime show seated on a throne, joined by a marching band and a trove of Vegas performers -- but stayed its centre.

It was an immediate confirmation of his position as the ideal halftime performer: one with timeless, well-known hits, masterful choreography, and a devoted audience.

He started with "Caught Up," moving into "U Don't Have to Call," "Superstar," and "Love in the Club."

Then Alicia Keys joined in front of bright red piano for her song "If I Ain't Got You," which morphed into "My Boo," Usher losing a glove in an apparent tribute to Michael Jackson -- notable for a performance during Black History Month.

"They said I wouldn't make it," he told the crowd, dedicating the set to his "mama."

Across 13 minutes during the halftime show sponsored by Apple Music, Usher brought out a number of guests including H.E.R., Jermaine Dupri, Lil Jon (for "Turn Down for What," which became "Yeah!" -- and included a guest appearance from Ludacris).

Across three decades, the R&B superstar had an endless treasure trove of hits to pull from -- and did so with costume changes, and a rolling performance of "OMG" while wearing roller skates -- at one moment, sliding between will.i.am's legs.

His album "Confessions" ranks among one of the best-selling music projects of all time and turned 20 this year; "Burn" became an easy performance highlight.

Over the past two years, Usher, 45, has made Vegas a home for his unique talents, with his sold-out residency, "Usher: My Way," at Dolby Live at Park MGM making him the perfect pick for Sunday's game.

The eight-time Grammy award winner is also no stranger to the Super Bowl stage -- he made a guest appearance with Black Eyed Peas frontman will.i.am in 2011.

"I got a chance to see a bit of what it felt like," Usher told The Associated Press in a recent interview. In his first Super Bowl performance, he descended from the stadium ceiling to perform "OMG" in Arlington, Texas.

"Don't take the moments for granted because you only get 13 of them," he said in advance of his 2024 performance, referring to the usually allotted 13-minute run time. "The hardest part is trying to figure out how to squeeze it all in when you actually have a large catalog, or a lot of records people celebrate and love."

He figured out exactly how to do just that.

CTVNews.ca ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½

Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard has been found not guilty of sexually assaulting a young woman in northeastern Ontario eight years ago. The former Hedley frontman had pleaded not guilty to sexual assault.

Police have arrested a Toronto woman in connection with three recent homicides and investigators say that they believe two of the victims may have been 'randomly targeted.'

The body of a British Columbia mountain climber has been located and recovered after the 39-year-old man was reported missing during a solo climb on Washington state's Mount Baker earlier this week.

A teen charged with the murder of another teen on Prince Edward Island last year has pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of manslaughter.

A Saskatchewan man living in the United States has pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography after he unknowingly provided disturbing videos to an FBI agent he thought was a pedophile.

Local Spotlight

Chantal Kreviazuk is set to return to Winnipeg to mark a major milestone in her illustrious musical career.

From the beaches of Cannes to the bustling streets of New York City, a new film by a trio of Manitoba directors has toured the international film festival circuit to much pomp and circumstance.

A husband and wife have been on the road trip of a lifetime and have decided to stop in Saskatchewan for the winter.

The grave of a previously unknown Canadian soldier has been identified as a man from Hayfield, Man. who fought in the First World War.

A group of classic car enthusiasts donated hundreds of blankets to nursing homes in Nova Scotia.

Moving into the second week of October, the eastern half of Canada can expect some brisker fall air to break down from the north

What does New Westminster's təməsew̓txʷ Aquatic and Community Centre have in common with a historic 68,000-seat stadium in Beijing, an NFL stadium and the aquatics venue for the Paris Olympics? They've all been named among the world's most beautiful sports venues for 2024.

The last living member of the legendary Vancouver Asahi baseball team, Kaye Kaminishi, died on Saturday, Sept. 28, surrounded by family. He was 102 years old.

New data from Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley shows a surge in supply and drop in demand in the region's historically hot real estate market.