Performed by Usher, the 2024 Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show performance begins with a rating card, preparing viewers for “a performance 30 years in the making” (00.08). I enjoyed this bit for its emphasis on the longevity and success that Usher’s career has had. 

As someone who has not been a die-hard Usher fan but a casual listener, I was shocked to see the mesmerizing circus-like performers during his opening song, “Caught Up.” The initial mix of dancers, acrobats, and one guy who seems like he’s being thrown across the screen may seem too much to some viewers, but I found it entertaining. 

Then again, the only thing highlighting Usher amongst this magnificent chaos was the camera, so maybe he did seem to disappear amongst every other performer from a viewer’s perspective. 

For me, Usher’s transitions from one song to the next appeared to be seamless. Unfortunately, this may have made it seem like one super long song for viewers who are not knowledgeable about Usher’s music. 

After his first two ballads, Usher took a moment to acknowledge God and his mother saying, “We made it. And now this, this is for you” (02.27). 

He proceeded towards the stage to perform “Love In This Club,” accompanied by a magnificent and grandiose marching band. Although an entertaining piece as a whole, Usher spent the majority of the song doing solo dance moves on the stage, which made his performance and energy appear smaller.  

The camera panned to a sea of red was none other than Alicia Keys singing her song “Ain’t Got You” at the piano. Usher joined Keys to sing their duet “My Boo.” It was during this song that we notice that Usher has switched from his headset microphone to a handheld microphone, which made sense given the complications we saw earlier in the show. 

With keys and Usher being the only performers on stage at the time, all eyes were on them. However, they seemed to only be focused on each other. A little too much focus on one another for my taste when it comes to two married people, but, then again, it is a performance. 

Following the duet, Usher proceeds to a circular stage, singing alone for four of his less popular and slower songs with no backup dancers. I found this to be an interesting decision for the middle of her performance. In my opinion, the Super Bowl is a place to perform to the masses, so these slow unknown songs caused people to lose interest. 

He was then joined by H.E.R., playing a guitar solo, which was very impressive and interesting to watch for someone who enjoys music. However, it seemed slightly random, especially for viewers who are older and may not know much about H.E.R.. That being said, I was happy to hear the small amount of “Bad Girl” that I could. 

The show gained more energy when Usher roller skated back on stage to join Will.i.am in “OMG,” one of Usher’s most popular songs, immediately followed by another hit, “Turn Down For What.” I found the roller skating choreography during this part of the set to be exciting, different and engaging for all viewers. 

Arguably Usher’s most well-known song is “Yeah!,” which he performed alongside Lil John and Ludacris to close out the show. I enjoyed the high-energy ending and thought that it brought the show to an exhilarating close. 

There’s no doubt that Usher is a talented performer, but I felt something was missing from his performance: Justin Bieber. I was one of the people who had seen on X, formerly known as Twitter, that he would join Usher on stage, but instead, he watched the performance from his box seats. 

Usher’s eleven ballads prove that he is a successful R&B artist who, despite being around for an extended period of time, still has many hits. He shows that he is still an energetic and strong performer.