Usher has hinted that he’ll have the Super Bowl LVIII crowd saying, “Yeah!”
On Friday (January 12), Apple Music released a trailer for the singer’s upcoming Super Bowl Halftime Show, which will take place on February 11 in his newly conquered territory of Las Vegas.
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As the ad suggests, Usher will be bringing his adopted hometown of Atlanta with him to Sin City. The 54-second spot is soundtracked by his Lil Jon-and-Ludacris-featuring 2004 No. 1 smash “Yeah!” which is reimagined by a gospel choir, a college marching band and a group of beatboxers at a diner.
The song is featured in a variety of other guises: a solo pianist plays the bass line, a subway busker plays it on the flute and a man gets a stove to squeak out the theme à la the NYC subway and West Side Story.
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The clip also features home video and concert footage of Usher, as well as celebrity cameos from LeBron James, J Balvin, and Jung Kook.
You can see it below.
Usher’s Super Bowl show will also reportedly incorporate elements of Atlanta’s strip club culture.
According to Page Six, fans can expect plenty of exotic dancers and pole dancers, which were staples of the R&B legend’s Las Vegas residency.
The Confessions crooner will reportedly incorporate the dancers in a “tasteful” way given the younger viewers who will be tuning in. A roller skating routine is also expected to be part of the show, adding more ATL flavor to the spectacle.
“Usher plans on having… pole dancers — dressed in a tasteful manner, of course as well as dancers on roller skates,” a source said. “He is definitely keeping in mind that his younger fans will be watching.
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“[He] just wants to set himself apart and make history as one of the greatest performers to hit the world stage. Beyoncé, Rihanna, Dr. Dre, Prince and Michael Jackson have all made memorable moments and now that Usher is taking the stage he wants to do something different, unforgettable and over-the-top.”
Usher’s Super Bowl performance will coincide with the release of his new album, Coming Home, which drops the same day.
