The Super Bowl, America’s most highly anticipated annual football game, sets the stage for an electrifying match consisting of four quarters, keeping spectators on the edge of their seats with excitement. This year, the game was between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers, with the game going into overtime, and ending with the Chiefs taking home a major win. Despite the Super Bowl’s main sports focus, for many viewers, the halftime show is just as important to the game.
This year, the Super Bowl halftime show featured R&B artist Usher in the stadium, and the show was truly amazing. To me, Usher brings back my childhood memories of elementary school and a sense of nostalgia that felt comforting to watch, as he performed songs such as “My Boo,” featuring Alicia Keys, and “Yeah!” sung by Lil John, Ludacris, will.i.am and Usher. The energy circulating throughout the seats of the stadium made it exciting to watch the performance, even if it was behind a screen. I can only imagine how the people in the stadium felt viewing the show in real-time.
For many artists, the Super Bowl halftime show is the opportunity of a lifetime, with the eyes and ears of millions of Americans on their craft, and Usher did not disappoint.
According to Forbes Magazine, the show reached 30.1 million viewers, up 5% from last year’s Rihanna’s performance. Usher played a total of fourteen songs, along with five surprise guests that elevated the performance even more. Some fans were, however, disappointed that Usher didn’t bring out popstar Justin Bieber to the stage, especially since he was seen before the game with his wife Hailey Bieber. Seeing Usher and Bieber perform their song “Somebody To Love,” would have been nostalgic for many viewers, and the perfect hype song for the Super Bowl. According to TMZ, it was revealed that Usher “had been hitting up Justin Bieber lately to talk about the prospect of JB joining him during the Super Bowl Halftime Show.” Even without the presence of the pop icon, the surprise guests still were able to make an impression on the audience.
The beginning of the show started off with a couple of technical difficulties, with mic problems that didn’t catch Usher’s voice during his opening song “Caught Up,” but it quickly picked up during his hit “Love this Club.” From there, Usher brought out his surprise guests, starting with Keys singing “Ain’t Got You” before the transition into “My Boo.” I thought that the song brought the promised hype and Keys looked and performed extremely well. After Keys left the stage, Usher brought out H.E.R., will.i.am, Ludacris and Lil Jon as surprise guests, and I was impressed with the dancing and singing that each performer showcased.
One of the highlights of the show was the outstanding choreography and the incredible backup dancers. Usher wore a stylish white suit throughout the performance and transitioned into a black and blue sparkly suit that perfectly complemented his dance moves.
The show ultimately felt like a group of friends having an absolute blast, and the energy it brought to the stadium created a lively atmosphere. It felt as though I could have danced and sung along with the performers had I been in the stadium. Since its beginning in the 1960s, the Super Bowl Halftime show has undergone a remarkable transformation. What initially began as a modest display with marching bands has now evolved into a grand stage production featuring some of the music industry’s most prominent figures.
Overall, the show was a phenomenal success, with amazing choreography, costume designs and surprise guest performances. Even if the fans were disappointed that certain guests didn’t make an appearance, the whole performance was unforgettable. Usher proved what it took to leave a prominent mark in Super Bowl halftime performances and captivated the audience on a global stage.
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