Usher is taking fans behind the scenes of his explosive Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Show performance in a new documentary made in partnership with Apple Music.
Released on Saturday (February 17), the 10-minute short film was directed by JAY-Z and Hamish Hamilton, and shot entirely on an iPhone 15 Pro. The mini production gives fans a look at the amount of work that went into the set with glimpses of rehearsals, studio sessions and the staggering amount of revisions to the set list.
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“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 said in the video. “I’m happy that I’m able to share this moment with them.”
You can view the full documentary below:
At the event, Usher cycled through 13 of his biggest hits with a number of special guests including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, Lil Jon, Jermaine Dupri and will.i.am in a futuristic space mask.
The performance featured a lot of complex dance choreography, among which was a roller-skating sequence. The performance also included a tribute to Atlanta’s strip club culture.
The R&B icon’s performance in Las Vegas was viewed in over 30 million households, which corresponds to around 100 million viewers in the U.S.
According to TV intelligence company Samba TV, that is 5 percent higher than Rihanna’s baby-bump revealing performance last year. It is also a million more households than the audience for Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, Mary J. Blige and 50 Cent’s star-studded set in 2022.
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The Super Bowl itself broke the record for being the most-watched installment in the annual event’s history as 123.4 million people tuned into the game, which was broadcast on CBS, Nickelodeon and Paramount Plus.
The audience is also the second largest viewing figure ever for a TV broadcast after the moon landing in 1969.
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Taylor Swift is reportedly part of the viewing figures boom as she has been a frequent fixture at NFL games since she started dating Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce — she has since been credited with bringing a new audience to the sport.
Viewing figures were up throughout the playoffs as well, with games averaging 38.5 million viewers.
