advertisement
Rb Hip Hop

Usher Takes Fans Behind-The-Scenes of 2024 Super Bowl Halftime Show in Apple Music Mini-Doc

The 10-minute film was shot on an iPhone 15.

Usher and Lil Jon perform onstage during the Apple Music Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Show at Allegiant Stadium on Feb. 11, 2024 in Las Vegas.

Usher and Lil Jon perform onstage during the Apple Music Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Show at Allegiant Stadium on Feb. 11, 2024 in Las Vegas.

William H. Kelly III/Jackson State University via Getty Images

Usher pulls back the curtain on the intense prep he did for his 2024 Apple Music Super Bowl LVIII halftime show in a new mini-doc that dropped over the weekend. The nearly 11-minute black and white film was shot entirely on an iPhone 15 Pro by director Mike Carson.

“I think everybody is blessed with a talent and a time,” Usher says at the top of the film amid images of the intense dance rehearsals for the 13-minute run through the singer’s legendary catalog. “If you put in the work, people will respect what you do.” What follows is black and white footage of Ush perfecting his dance moves while subtly tweaking the vocals on some of his biggest hits to make sure fans get the ultimate experience.


advertisement

Viewers also get a glimpse of the “Caught Up” performance from the rehearsal studio to the world’s biggest TV stage, as the singer, his band and crew of dancers dial in the high-flying stunts and intense choreography. The 45-year-old star says the physically demanding prep hits differently two decades into his career. Hence, we see Usher getting a cupping treatment and doing a variety of physical and mental challenges to keep his mind and body in game day shape.

There’s also footage of Usher drilling down into every detail of the performance, offering his team notes on the flow, the camera angles and the sense of intimacy he was hoping to tap into in the performance that aired during the broadcast that broke viewership records. Elsewhere, we see Lil Jon dropping in for a rehearsal of “Yeah!” and Alicia Keys practicing her show-stopping cameo during “My Boo,” in which the old friends work out their playful choreo.

Of course you also get to see Usher putting it on wheels and working out his jaw-dropping rollerskating dance for “OMG.”

advertisement

“As I put together the songs, like a puzzle piece to represent this type of soulful music, R&B and mixture of this pop that is my own, I think God really blessed me with the right people to help build the artist that I am,” Usher says in the video of the tough task of assembling the super-tight 13-song set list that also included cameos from Will.i.am, Jermaine Dupri and Ludacris. “I’m happy that I’m able to share this moment with them.”

After footage from the performance unspools, a contemplative Usher describes the feeling he had on that massive stage, saying, “You’ll see me from time-to-time look up at the top row. I’m thinking about the little 11-year-old kid that dreamed some day I could play on that big stage.”

Watch Usher’s Super Bowl LVIII halftime show mini-doc below.

This article was originally published by Billboard U.S.

advertisement
 Photo L to R: Edwin Camacho (BMG), Josh Snider (yung kai manager), yung kai, Dan Gill (BMG), Bryan Columbus (BMG Canada), Shane Cosme (BMG)
Courtesy Photo


Photo L to R: Edwin Camacho (BMG), Josh Snider (yung kai manager), yung kai, Dan Gill (BMG), Bryan Columbus (BMG Canada), Shane Cosme (BMG)

FYI

Music News Digest: Chinese-Canadian Singer yung kai  Reaches One Billion Streams, Owen Riegling Triumphs at CMAOntario Awards

Also this week: Blue Rodeo announce 40th anniversary tour, Lisa Brokop and Joe Wood to enter the Canadian Country Hall of Fame and SOCAN announces its new Board of Directors.

BMG in Los Angeles recently presented Chinese-Canadian pop artist yung kai with two plaques, the first for reaching one billion global streams on his song "blue," and a second for the single reaching Gold certification in Canada. The label also released a remix version of the track featuring MINNIE from the K-Pop group I-dle (formerly (G)I-dle).

BMG re-released "blue," which has been a viral hit for the young artist. The song hit No. 92 on the Billboard Canadian Hot 100, No. 39 on the Billboard Global 200 and No. 26 on the Billboard Hot Rock & Alternative Song chart.

keep readingShow less
advertisement