Usher is gearing up for the Super Bowl LVIII halftime show this Sunday (February 11), and he has just revealed that it will be the longest performance in NFL history.
In a new interview with Billboard, the Atlanta superstar teased what fans can expect from his highly anticipated performance this weekend, including the most time given to an artist for their halftime show.
"It will definitely be an event," Usher said. "There are special guests. And I’ve considered new songs. But you know, it’s 12 to 15 minutes. So it’s really hard to determine what moment matters more than others, especially with a new song. But there’s the dance, the wardrobe, the lighting, how long you stay in a song, the fact that the audience may sing along … It’s a lot. So I’m trying my hardest not to overthink it."
Previous performers, including Beyoncé, Bruce Springsteen, The Weeknd and Prince have all tapped out at around the 12-minute mark.
Usher also admitted that he's been doing his homework, watching previous Super Bowl performances, but also getting some tips from past performers about their halftime shows.
"I’ve happened to be around a few people who’ve played the Super Bowl, and they did give me some pointers," he said. "I also happened to be on a boat not too long ago with Katy Perry, who gave me some notes. I heard that Rihanna stood up for me [in a December interview with E! News] and said something really incredible [about Usher’s qualifications for the gig]. I really appreciated that. I’ve watched every performer, analyzing how they maximized those 12 minutes. But you know, your moment is your moment. And this is a moment I’ve prepared for during the last 30 years."
As for who we can expect to join Usher for his performance it's purely speculation. While it's expected that collaborators such as Lil Jon and Ludacris ("Yeah!"), who teased their involvement on Instagram, Pitbull ("DJ Got Us Fallin' in Love") and Will.i.am ("OMG") will join him on stage for his biggest hits, others such as Jung Kook ("Standing Next To You"), Summer Walker and 21 Savage ("Good Good"), Alicia Keys ("My Boo"), and Justin Bieber ("Somebody To Love"), who Usher helped discover, remain a question mark. (Beyoncé, who sang on Usher's “Love in This Club, Pt. II," seems like an unlikely guest, right? Right?)
Whatever Usher does, one can only expect he will bring the same kind of show and energy to his forthcoming Past Present Future Tour that was announced earlier this week.
For more on Usher, check out this week's new episode of Encore: The Stories Behind The Songs You Love, where we take a look behind his biggest hit "Yeah!" and how it helped kick-start a new era for the R&B star.
The Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers face off in Super Bowl LVIII, which you can watch on CTV and TSN this Sunday, February 11 at 6:30PM ET.
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