Usher review: Super Bowl show hits the high notes and springs surprises

Usher lived up to the highest expectations and hype with his Super Bowl halftime show. 

The iconic R&B singer put on a performance that could give even the most high profile of guests in the crowd (cough Taylor Swift cough) a run for their money. It also served as a fitting tribute to one of the most iconic albums of the 21st Century so far. 

Confessions turns 20 years old in 2024, a sentence which certainly makes me feel older than I’d care to admit, and unsurprisingly many of its best known tracks featured heavily in the setlist. 

Usher’s performance started out relatively lowkey - at least compared to recent years, which have seen Rihanna rise into the air and The Weeknd produce 1,000 memes while running through a house of mirrors. 

But he had plenty up his bejewelled sleeves! From roller skating back-up dances to his jaw dropping partial striptease - good thing it was after the watershed here in the UK! 

Before the performance much of the speculation had been about guest performances and Usher certainly delivered on that front. He was joined by Alicia Keys for a spectacular duet of My Boo - a moment that instantly elevated the show to iconic. 

However there were even more surprises later in the set including a shredding guitar performance from HER. Lil Jon kept the energy high as he surfed the crowd and performed his hit “Turn Down For What”. 

Ludacris appeared during “Yeah!” and there was even a mask wearing WILL I AM to round out the stacked cast. 

But despite all the guest acts, Usher was firmly the star of the show. His dance moves and killer vocals made this a Super Bowl show to remember.