He's been waitin' on this for so long. And now he's going to do it his way.
Usher will be the halftime performer for the Apple Music Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Show in Las Vegas on Sunday, Feb. 11 as the Kansas City Chiefs take on the San Francisco 49ers. The eight-time Grammy Award winner headlines the halftime show for the first time in his illustrious career, and it will be seen on CBS and will stream on Paramount+.
"It's an honor 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," Usher said in a statement provided to CBS Sports. "Thank you to the fans and everyone who made this opportunity happen. I'll see you real soon."
Usher has had a residency in Las Vegas since 2021. There are no further details about what songs Usher will perform or if any other artists will join him.
Usher has previously appeared on the halftime show as a guest in Super Bowl XLV that was headlined by The Black Eyed Peas. He told Access Hollywood earlier this year that he'd "be a fool" to turn down the halftime show if offered.
"I think I have a catalog that obviously speaks for itself, so to be able to celebrate on that day, it's obviously about football, but everybody really anticipates the performance," Usher said. Seeing Michael Jackson perform and recently seeing Snoop [Dogg] and [Dr.] Dre … seeing so many incredible performances like Prince… it has always been kind of a bucket list."
Jay-Z handpicked Usher for the performance. Jay-Z's Roc Nation has executive produced the show since partnering with the NFL in 2019.
"Usher is the ultimate artist and showman. Ever since his debut at the age of 15, he's been charting his own unique course. Beyond his flawless singing and exceptional choreography, Usher bares his soul," Jay-Z said in a statement. "His remarkable journey has propelled him to one of the grandest stages in the world. I can't wait to see the magic."
The first halftime involving Roc Nation was Super Bowl LIV that featured Shakira, Jennifer Lopez, Bad Bunny, J Balvin and Emme Muniz. The Weeknd followed, with Eminem, Dr. Dre. Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar and Mary J. Blige headlining the L.A. Super Bowl following the 2021 season. Rihanna performed at halftime of Super Bowl LVII.
Last year's Super Bowl halftime performance by Rihanna was also the first sponsored by Apple Music.
