Usher isn’t nervous about being the featured performer for the upcoming Super Bowl.
In his first television interview since it was announced he would headline the halftime show, the Grammy-winning singer talked to “CBS Morning” on Monday.
“Thirty years ago I made a commitment to offer my best and here 30 years later, now it’s being rewarded with one of the most prestigious performances and stages anybody could ever play on,” he said. “I’m humble about the opportunity to do that.”
He promised “a night of celebration” and talked about how he had to keep the news a secret. Jay-Z, who oversees the Super Bowl halftime shows for Apple Music and the National Football League, called Usher days before the announcement was made public.
“The hardest part is really the suspense and keeping it a surprise for that time,” Usher said. “‘Cause my kids were like, ‘Dad, you should play the Super Bowl. I’m telling you there’s a petition online and I’m going ‘You know what? You gotta speak these things into existence.’”
Now comes the task of selecting which songs and collaborators to include in his performance.
“I definitely have a long list of people whom I’ve collaborated with. And also too a long list of songs that means something and so much to people,” Usher said. “For every experience that I’ve had, there’s a song. So I’m trying to figure out how to entertain people, make certain that they understand the legacy, enjoy the moment and make certain that they have a show that they’ll never forget.”
He also mentioned some past performances he found to be spectacular, including Michael Jackson, Beyoncé and Prince.
The man who has been thrilling audiences with his Las Vegas residency said there will be some special people watching him give what he hopes to be “the best performance the world has ever seen.”
“I’m a praying man and I’m really, really humbled that I had this opportunity. You know, this is something that both my nanny and my grandmother really wanted to see happen,” he said. “And they’re no longer with me. So they’ll be watching from the, from the best seat in the house, from from the cloud above.”
The Super Bowl will air on CBS on February 11, 2024.