Lindsey Byer, Special to The Denisonian—
900 seconds, 15 minutes. That is the maximum amount of time the National Football League allows halftime show performers to have during the pressure-filled, highly anticipated halftime show. As many of you may know, the performer chosen for this year’s Super Bowl LVIII was Usher.
Most people recognize Usher as a hip-hop or rap performer who is also known for his impressive dance moves. As a member of Gen Z myself, I am on board with this assessment. I tend to enjoy jamming to Usher’s music on a Sunday morning or Friday night as it appeals to a wide range of audiences of all ages and backgrounds.
Amidst the fiery spectacle of Super Bowl Sunday, where Usher and Alicia Keys set the stage ablaze with their steamy moves, Keys and her husband, Swizz Beatz, have been happily married for 14 years, raising two children together. Meanwhile, Usher, having weathered two divorces, reportedly tied the knot with his longtime partner, Jenn Goicoechea right after the Super Bowl ended. Usher and Goicoechea are also the proud parents of two children.
Along with Usher and Keys’s spicy dance moves while singing their 2004 smash hit “My Boo,” Usher proves that he has made an impact on not only the music industry but also other musicians themselves by inviting Ludacris, Lil Jon, H.E.R., will.i.am and Jermaine Dupri to join the festivities on stage. It was great to see all of these brilliant musicians perform “OMG,” “Turn Down for What,” and “Yeah!” with Usher. In a video shot by Vogue describing the process of inspiration behind the sleek white Dolce and Gabbana suit, Usher’s wardrobe designer stated that his wardrobe team wanted Usher’s “outfits to be an evolution, showing where Usher’s career has been in the past, where his career is now, and where it is headed in the future.” With that in mind, I found the transition from the intricately embellished almost androgynous-looking sparkly white Dolce and Gabbana suit to the royal blue Off-White (brand) suit, embroidered with 394,000 crystals, to be an effective shift into the vision of Usher’s future music career. This was emphasized by the performer’s sparkly blue and black suit, demonstrating a very exciting and thrilling future for Usher’s music. This intricately designed suit was paired with Usher showing off his talent as he continued to dance on roller skates while singing along with his fellow musicians.
Usher’s Super Bowl halftime show took the audience on a journey through his music and career, starting with slower, more mellow songs and gradually ramping up to faster, more exciting tracks. As Usher began his performance solo he then invited Keys onto the stage and ended with songs featuring five other musicians. This mirrored the storytelling approach that his wardrobe team wanted to highlight as well. Just as the wardrobe choices told a story, the pace, and selection of songs emphasized Usher’s evolution from his past to his present and hinted at his goals for his future in the music industry.
In just 900 seconds, Usher took all 129 million Super Bowl viewers through his musical journey. In a performance that was a celebration of his greatest hits and a glimpse into his future, Usher proved to me that in the music industry, as in life, it is not about how much time you have but how you use it. In those 15 short minutes that the NFL allotted Usher to entertain, Usher made every beat count.