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Usher Explains Why a Justin Bieber Super Bowl Halftime Show Reunion ‘Didn’t Work Out’

"We're gonna do something else in the future," the superstar teased.

Usher and Justin Bieber perform onstage during Z100's Jingle Ball 2009 at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 11, 2009 in New York City.

Usher and Justin Bieber perform onstage during Z100's Jingle Ball 2009 at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 11, 2009 in New York City.

Bryan Bedder/Getty Images

As electric as Usher‘s Halftime Show performance at the 2024 Super Bowl was, fans couldn’t help but be a little bummed that a much-rumored Justin Bieber reunion didn’t take place Sunday (Feb. 11) at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

But in a recent interview, the 45-year-old superstar revealed that he did indeed ask Bieber to join him during the show — before explaining why an appearance from his one-time protégé wasn’t in the cards. “It didn’t work out with Justin,” Usher told iHeartRadio’s Breakfast Club on Friday (Feb. 16). “I honor and recognize that my brother, I think that it might’ve been the fact that he’s just wanting to tell a different story right now. And I understand that.”


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“But, we did have a brief conversation,” the “Yeah!” singer said. “We’re gonna do something else in the future. No love lost or anything like that. It’s a lot of pressure for the Super Bowl, obviously.”

Usher also predicted that, in a few years’ time, it’ll be the “Peaches” musician who headlines the big game. “He deserves it,” he said.

Though Bieber didn’t accompany Usher on the Super Bowl stage, he did watch from the stands at Allegiant alongside Hailey Bieber. The “My Boo” artist wasn’t without company during his performance, either; Ludacris, Lil Jon, will.i.am and Alicia Keys all made appearances throughout the show.

Afterward, Bieber made sure to congratulate Usher on Instagram. “LOVE YOU MY BROTHER,” he wrote. “NOONE CAN SING AND DANCE THE WAY YOU DO. LOVE YOU FROM THE DEPTHS OF MY HEART.”

Watch Usher open up about the Bieber reunion that wasn’t meant to be below.

This article was originally published by Billboard U.S.

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Shhenseea, MOLIY, Skillibeng and Silent Addy
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Shhenseea, MOLIY, Skillibeng and Silent Addy

Awards

Here’s Why ‘Shake It to the Max’ Was Deemed Ineligible at the 2026 Grammys — And Why Its Label Calls the Decision ‘Devoid of Any Common Sense’

Representatives from the Recording Academy and gamma. CEO Larry Jackson comment on one of this year's most shocking Grammy snubs.

Few phrases define the year in music and culture like Moliy’s scintillating directive to “shake it to the max.” The Ghanaian singer’s sultry voice reverberated across the globe, blending her own Afropop inclinations with Jamaican dancehall-informed production, courtesy of Miami-based duo Silent Addy and Disco Neil. Originally released in December 2024, Moliy’s breakthrough global crossover hit ascended to world domination, peaking at No. 6 on the Global 200, thanks to a remix featuring dancehall superstars Shenseea and Skillibeng. Simply put, “Max” soundtracked a seismic moment in African and Caribbean music in 2025.

Given its blockbuster success, “Shake It to the Max” was widely expected to be a frontrunner in several categories at the 2026 Grammys. In fact, had the song earned a nomination for either best African music performance or best global music performance, many forecasters anticipated a victory. So, when “Shake It to the Max” failed to appear on the final list of 2026 Grammy nominees in any category earlier this month (Nov. 7), listeners across the world were left scratching their heads — none more than gamma. CEO Larry Jackson.

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