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Usher’s Halftime Performance Review 

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The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Hampton U chapter.

You don’t have to caaaaaaaall. It’s okayyy girrrrrl. Cause I’ma be alright toni-. Oh hey y’alll my bad I was just jamming to this song by Usher. Wait speaking of Usher did you catch that Super Bowl Halftime performance? Me tooooooo so let’s talk about it. 

In September of 2023 it was finally revealed that the halftime show performer for the 2024 Super Bowl would be none other than Mr.Usher Raymond himself. As soon as the headlines hit everyone had high hopes and certain expectations on this performance. From the intro song to the special guest appearances, the world was ready in anticipation to see what Usher would bring to the stage. 

In my personal opinion I was definitely one of those fans who had high expectations for this performance. Usher has a plethora of hits to create a great show around. This Super Bowl performance allowed you to sit back, kick your feet up, and vibe to some of his classic early 2000s hits. In this 13 minute performance Usher was able to illustrate his greatest hits while busting out some amazing choreo in and out of his skates. Although many anticipating fans had a different vision of how this performance would go in mind, Usher was able to still deliver a well rounded show. 

 Now lets get into some special moments within this show. To start off the intro to this performance was giving a circus themed look. You have your dancers, your gymnastics and acrobats, and even your show girls. One of my favorite scenes was when he brought out Grammy Award winning R&B artist H.E.R for her guitar solo during his hit song “You Got It Bad”. We can’t forget about the special appearance of Lil Jon, Ludicrous, Jermaine Dupri, and Will.i.am. Me personally I was just waiting for Usher to sing “Lovers and Friends”. However, “Yeah” was a more hype worthy selection to end his performance off with.

The transition from song to song was so effortless and the atmosphere was nothing short of a party. Can we also give props to Usher and how he made sure that the audience knew that his mic was on. Hitting all the right notes and doing it so effortlessly while working up a very noticeable sweat. Never the less we can all agree that Usher did a great job keeping us all entertained throughout the whole show. An honorable mention goes to the intimate duo between Usher and Alicia Keys that has had fans in a frenzy. 

What I loved the most about this performance is how Usher shed a light on HBCU culture. Within the performance you notice the presence of Jackson State University’s band along with two members of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. Not only did he shed a light on the HBCU culture but he also showcased the most important parts of black culture. From the hip-hop dancing, to the skating and dancing in skates, to even the atmosphere that was created around each individual moment throughout the whole show. Usher hand picked each different element from our culture and generated it into a unique and special experience. This performance will be loved and appreciated for many years to come. 

Dania Flint

Hampton U '24

Dania Flint is a graduating senior, Political Science major on the PreLaw track from Athens, Georgia who attends Hampton University. Some of her passions include dancing, reading, journaling, and spending time with family and friends.