Usher brought the energy of his sold-out Las Vegas residency to the Super Bowl tonight. Last year, when the NFL announced that Usher would headline this year's halftime show, we knew we were in for a treat—and the eight-time Grammy winner did not disappoint. He even issued an advisory before his show, via a pseudo-MPAA rating card. It warned viewers of “sweating, gyrating, and possible relationship issues.” What can we say? That’s Usher, baby.
Ahead of the game, fans speculated about which songs Usher would pick for the show. His discography includes nine studio albums and nine number-one singles. How could he choose which songs to keep and which ones to cut? In an interview with Apple Music, Usher explained his mindset while crafting the setlist. "I was very mindful of my past, celebrating my present, which is here in Las Vegas, and thinking about where we are headed in the future," he said. "What songs do people know me for? What songs have a celebration of [my career]? That was the idea."
Well, Usher's legendary discography was certainly on display at the halftime show. At the beginning of his set, Usher stepped on stage, clad in an all-white suit. His first song, “Caught Up,” elicited a roar from the crowd—and they didn’t quiet down until he exited the stage. Every second of his 13-minute-long set was put to good use. During the show, Usher seamlessly transitioned between the different eras of his career, hitting every falsetto while showing off his moves. Hell, at one point, the man rollerbladed across the stage.
Usher even brought out Alicia Keys for a touching rendition of their 2004 love song, “My Boo.” Then, H.E.R. graced the stage for an epic guitar solo. Near the end of the concert, Lil Jon and Ludacris joined the party for “Yeah!” and “Turn Down for What.” The biggest rumored cameo we didn't see tonight? Justin Bieber. (Usher discovered Bieber in 2009 and signed him to his label.) We might not have heard “Somebody to Love,” but we witnessed a damn good performance anyway.
As usual, the Internet was ablaze with reactions to the show. Here’s the full setlist of Usher's performance—and what fans had to say about it.
The (Massive) Setlist
- "Caught Up"
- "You Don’t Have to Call"
- "Spotlight"
- "Love in This Club"
- "If I Ain't Got You" (prelude performed by Alicia Keys)
- "My Boo" featuring Alicia Keys
- "Confessions"
- "Nice & Slow"
- "Burn"
- "You Got It Bad" (featuring H.E.R.)
- "Bad Girl"
- "OMG" (featuring will.i.am)
- "Turn Down for What” (prelude performed by Lil Jon)
- "Yeah!" (feat. Lil’ Jon and Ludacris)
What Fans Are Saying at Home
Bria McNeal is a Manhattan based journalist who is patiently awaiting B5's revival. When she's not writing about all things entertainment, she can be found watching TV or trying to DIY something (likely, at the same time). Her work has appeared in NYLON, Refinery29, InStyle, and her personal newsletter, StirCrazy.
