Usher has a lot on his plate. He has had just a little over a month to "rest" since concluding his Las Vegas residency – which because of high demand was extended twice after it began in 2021 – but now only has less than a month before arguably the biggest moment of his career: the 2024 Super Bowl Halftime Show.
As one can imagine, there has been little to no resting in anticipation to the high-pressure performance, which the "DJ Got Us Fallin' In Love" singer, 45, sees as much bigger than him, or a celebration of his career, but more so a celebration of R&B as a whole, or so he hopes it will be.
Ahead of the fated February 11 performance – which is only three days after the release of the performer's newest album, no less – Usher sat down with Vogue in Las Vegas (where the Super Bowl will be hosted and where he has been living since 2021), and gave candid insight into the pressure he's feeling.
"I know that it's going to be the hardest time of my life," he didn't hesitate to confess, about juggling not only his busier-than-ever career, but also his role as a father to his four kids, the youngest two both being under the age of four.
"It has to be perfect," he emphasized of the Halftime Show, which is famously only 13 minutes – after only an eight-minute window to set the stage – and has previously been helmed by superstars such as Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez and Shakira, Madonna, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, and Prince, to name a few.
And though he has continued to remind himself that performing is something he has done for 30 years, if anything it adds more weight and pressure to the performance.
He explained: "I want people who have been a part of that journey to feel like it’s a celebration for everybody, for all of us, from the beginning up until this point."
As Usher prepares to hit the stage, get to know more about his family life off of the stage, below.
How many kids does Usher have?
Usher has four kids, sons Usher "Cinco" V, 16, Naviyd Ely, 15, and Sire Castrello, two, plus daughter Sovereign Bo, three.
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Back in 2012, during an appearance on Oprah Winfrey's former talk show Oprah's Next Chapter, Usher declared: "I was born to do what I'm doing as a dad," adding: "I realized that once I had a child. When I had them, that's when they became a priority. It wasn't because of this case."
Who does Usher share his kids with?
The doting father shares his first two sons with his ex-wife Tameka Foster, 53, who is a fashion stylist. The two married in 2007, but divorced two years later, and after a difficult custody battle, he was awarded primary custody in 2012.
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He shares his youngest two kids with his current girlfriend, Jennifer "Jenn" Goicoechea, 40, a music executive and former manager. The pair were first romantically linked in 2019, and welcomed their first baby together the following year.
Where does Usher live?
Since starting his residency in 2021, Usher has lived in a five-bedroom home in Las Vegas. Quite meaningfully, the Nevada city has become the site of both his epic comeback (his residency), and the biggest moment of his career (the Super Bowl). Not to mention, last year, he was handed the key to the city, and October 17 was officially declared Usher Raymond Day.
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Still, Atlanta, Georgia is his home-base – and that of his eldest two kids – and it's where he'll presumably return after his long-awaited Super Bowl performance.
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