Usher has been making headlines ever since he started his Las Vegas residency last year. It has become one of the hottest tickets in Sin City and has since been extended. This month, the Confessions singer added new dates to his residency, which will now end in December. Twelve new shows have been added: Nov. 3-4, 7-8, 10-11, 22, 24-25, 29 and Dec. 1-2. Additionally, he will be taking his show to Paris from the end of September through early October.
A Las Vegas residency is only one of the goals the R&B superstar wants to accomplish. He has dreams of showing the world his talents on the biggest stage. The Grammy-winner spoke to Access Hollywood earlier this year about the possibility of him headlining the Super Bowl.
"I’d be a fool to say no," Usher said. "Well, things line up that we would all hope. You know, one day that moment will happen."
This year Rihanna took the stage and made history as the most-watched Super Bowl performance. Rihanna's total views during her performance were 121 million, which beat the record held by Katy Perry in 2015 with 118 million views. Perry brought out Lenny Kravitz and Missy Elliott during her performance, while Rihanna did the show solo.
However, for Usher, he is grateful for how career has progressed thus far and is looking towards any future milestone opportunities.
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"What I am thankful for is the fact that there’s even any conversation about me - period," he told The Associated Press. "I feel humbled that at this age and this juncture of my life, people still have to ask the question, (even) after all of the number ones that I’ve had and all the diamond (selling songs), that I have enough records to perform 15 minutes."
Usher is also gearing up to release his ninth studio album, which the R&B star says will arrive "sometime this year."
Let's take a look at some of the viral moments from Usher's Las Vegas residency so far.
Usher Serenades Jennifer Hudson
Usher's Serenades Turn Into Pop Culture Moments In Vegas
Usher has been making headlines throughout his tour for serenading women. Since Usher started his Las Vegas residency earlier this year it's been a magnet for fellow celebs. Ahead of his residency coming to an end next month, dozens of high-profile names have popped up at shows. Summer Walker, Quvao, Kenya Moore, Yung Miami, Doja Cat, and many more have reportedly stopped by to see him sing.
“I love that his shows celebrate Women celebrities,” said content creator Cindy Noir when Victoria Monét became that person during the penultimate show in late 2023. “How often do you see Women celebrities receiving praise and celebrating like this…from men?! Usher even confessed to GQ that his residency was dedicated to his female fans.
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“I really wanted to give women something to look forward to, something to come here to Las Vegas with their friends for,” he shared. “They’ve been saving up all year and were able to manage to get away from their kids or get away from their problems […] They come out and really enjoy themselves for the entire weekend.
Let’s take a U-turn down memory lane as we reflect on everyone he swooned over during the final stint of his historic residency.
Whether it was Chlöe giving “Good Kisser” the flowers it deserved, Keke Palmer nailing the “You Make Me Wanna” and “U Don’t Have To Call” choreography, Coco Jones first getting his wife, Jennifer, weak in the knees before pulling him out of his seat with “There Goes My Baby” or Teyana Taylor and Victoria Monét recreating his iconic 2004 “Bad Girl” performance with Beyoncé, they all understood their respective assignments. It was something that he was praised for because during the My Way run, fans started looking forward to being the apple of his eye.
Here are some of the celebrities who have been serenaded by Usher during his Las Vegas residency:
- Victoria Monét
- Janelle Monáe
- Kimora Lee Simmons
- Issa Rae
- Mary J. Blige
- Jennifer Hudson
- Doja Cat
- Jessica Alba
- Gabrielle Union
- Leomie Anderson
- Taraji P. Henson
- Tiffany Haddish
- Chanté Moore
- H.E.R.
- Saweetie
- Winnie Harlow
- Tinashe
- A’ja Wilson
- Summer Walker
- Marsha Ambrosius
- Tisha Campbell
- Keke Palmer
When Victoria Monét finally linked up with Usher, it became the crossover episode we’d all been begging for. Afterward, the two danced to her hit record and he serenaded both her and her mother. “What an amazing time to be able to share this moment with you tonight,” said Usher. “I celebrate you, baby girl. Continue to grow. Continue to be great. Success looks good on you. Of the moment, Victoria shared on Instagram, “What an unforgettable experience! A living legend and a real class act […] We smiled ALL night long and that’s the type of joy you bring to this world with your timeless, limitless art!
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Janelle Monáe‘s moment was one of the most talked about when it happened. Usher first asked for her permission to proceed, but the Age Of Pleasure singer quickly took over as the dominant one in the situation.
For the 25th anniversary of “Nice & Slow,” Usher reunited with the video’s love interest, Kimora Lee Simmons. The moment was captured on video by Kim Kardashian. The retired supermodel was initially hesitant to stand up, but was nudged by her friends to relish in the reunion. “I’ve missed you for so long. I’m happy we’re back here,” Usher said before later joking, “I know our exes are somewhere like ‘what the f**k are they doing?'” He then fed her a chocolate-covered strawberry.
“Issa, do you mind if I sing a couple songs to you? Come on, we’re just gonna flip the whole show up. The Insecure star joked that the moment was her “worst nightmare.” She said on The Morning Hustle, “I wanted to go there to enjoy the show and sit my married a** down,” but thanks to Usher’s persuasion, she had the moment of a lifetime.
“Y’all know I got a thing for older women,” Usher joked as he approached Mary J. Blige in the audience. “Saw you over here looking so fabulous. I just wanna get closer,” he said as he sat down, but she quickly slid his hand off her thigh. She scooted over as he kept trying to inch closer, which made the ordeal even more comical. It all ended with a hug and Usher reiterating, “I do have a thing for older women.
Usher was bold when he scooped Jennifer Hudson out of her seat while she was attending the show with her boyfriend, Common. It was hilarious, though, seeing the rapper move the table out of the way, so the two singers could connect more intimately. The hug from behind had Hudson nearly ready to fall out.
Doja Cat gave performance when she matched Usher‘s energy in October 2023 during her serenade. Even though she attended the show with her man, the “Agora Hills” rapper went word-for-word with the crooner and rolled her body head-to-toe to the melody. At the time, she donned a mini black latex dress with matching stilettos. The same night Doja was serenaded, so was Jessica Alba.
When Usher‘s residency touched down in Paris, Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade made sure to snag those front row seats. Funny enough, instead of his usual ballad, the crooner opted to have some fun and sing “Boyfriend” considering the actress’ NBA hubby was watching it all go down. After a few notes, Usher cut the music and said, “Let’s stop. Let’s not get carried away. You know, this is Dwyane Wade. I ain’t crazy.
Model and host Leomie Anderson earned herself a proper serenade during Usher‘s Paris residency in September 2023.
H.E.R. wrote: “USHER, IM YOUR BIGGEST FAN!!!!!!!!!! THANK FOR SERENADING ME! I was fangirling so hard,” wrote the Oscar winner. “Thank you for showing me so much love. You’re an ICON. we love you and appreciate you FOREVER!! She blew him a kiss while he praised her. “You look so amazing. You are so amazing. I’m astonished by you as a musician, as an artist, as a writer, as a creative, as a friend. I almost feel bad that I’m about to embarrass you the way I am,” Usher said before taking her hand for a slow dance.
Saweetie was one of the first women to be disengaged with Usher as he sang to her.
Winnie Harlow attended Usher‘s show in July 2023, but instead of being called out, she chose to snuggle up with her man, Kyle Kuzma. As the singer came by, Harlow jumped onto Kuzma’s lap. So, Usher did his thing for a bit before respectfully moving things right along. The model captioned footage from the night with “Figured out the secret to the Usher concert.. sit in your mans lap Mamas. This happened right after the drama with Keke Palmer‘s appearance at Usher’s residency.
Usher and Tinashe’s moment was brief, but memorable. As he tip-toed his way through the crowd, he spotted the “2 On” singer. While singing the bridge of “Superstar”-Girl, you’re one of a kind/ ‘Cause they don’t make ’em like you anymore/ So, I’ll be your fan life/ I dedicate this to my superstar for all time-he grabbed Tinashe’s hand and made sure she knew that part was dedicated to her.
A’ja Wilson actually shot her shot in order to attend Usher‘s residency. After winning the WNBA championship for the second year in a row, she invited the crooner to attend their celebratory parade. Since he couldn’t make it, he instead welcomed her at his show. During the show, the all-star athlete was in awe. “When you reached out to me, did you expect me to bring it to you front and center like this?,” he asked. A’ja said no and Usher quipped, “You know I wasn’t gon’ let that slide. He pulled out a chocolate-covered strawberry and teased, “Can I feed you, baby? Can I treat you, baby?” She erupted into a fit of giggles before taking a bite as he sang to her-grabbing her face and all.
Usher serenading Tisha Campbell was a ’90s heartthrob dream come true. Funny enough, it was his birthday, but he opted to make the My Wife & Kids actress the star of the show. He cupped her face in his hand as she smiled wide. “Gina!,” he yelled jokingly as they hugged, referencing to her iconic lead role on Martin-which made her giggle.
Kenya Moore's Serenade
Usher created another viral moment over the weekend at his Las Vegas residency with his sexy serenade of model Kenya Moore. Kenya Moore recently stepped out for an Usher concert, and based on new clips from the evening, she was not disappointed. The Detroit native stunned in a long, curve-hugging white gown, complete with some eye-catching cutouts. Her flashy fit certainly turned heads, and most importantly, captured the attention of Usher himself.
The video, which has since gone viral, captures the Confessions creator walking up to Moore after working the crowd. He got her attention and began walking up to her, singing, "Oh girl, you got those hips out. Great chemistry. Rawr!!" one fan wrote.
Amid all the cheering, Usher serenaded Moore, and she looked to be having the time of her life. As he approached her, he cooed, “I got a peach of my own right here. Oh girl, you got those hips out. They gonna be talking ’bout you tomorrow saying, ‘She put that thang on,’ baby. Yes, you did.” Moments later, he asked how she was doing and Moore gushed, “Great now.” He got closer and repeated the question, which made onlookers go wild. When reflecting on the moment the following day, Moore wrote on Instagram, “Usher snatched my soul last night.”
However, both Moore and Usher are married."Y’all would make such a hot couple i know mark probably seen this video and got salty asf [three laughing emojis]," one fan commented on Moore's Instagram post referring to her husband Marc Daly. The two got married in 2017."[three fire emojis] Yes, Black Barbie getting serenaded by Usher. It’s perfect imagery. That dress is killing the game!!! Yes Kenya!!! [three fire emojis]," another fan wrote on Instagram.
The Keke Palmer Controversy
Most notably was Keke Palmer whose attire at the show sparked an online drama when her boyfriend commented on how appropriate it was. Eventually, that drama reached a much darker place when Palmer had to file a restraining order against Jackson while she seeks sole custody of their child.
It happened just a few months after she gave birth to her first child, Leodis, and the new mom rocked a black mesh dress with a bodysuit underneath. She was one of the few who actually sang along to “There Goes My Baby” while dancing with him and savoring every second of the moment.
Usher and Keke Palmer had the world debating about their viral moment at his Vegas concert last month. The R&B star pulled Palmer for "There Goes My Baby." She was wearing a black body suit under a sheer dress. Her boyfriend, Darius Jackson -- the couple shares a son together -- received major backlash for his comments. "It’s the outfit tho.. "I have standards & morals to what I believe. I rest my case."
Despite backlash from the father of her child, Palmer reflected on the serenade by noting, “I wish I had taken more pictures but we were running late. Because of all the problematic takes, Palmer and Usher collaborated the following month and she starred in the video for his single, “Boyfriend.” To which she gushed, “I know I’m a gUrL but when I watched your videos, I never wanted to be the girl in them, I wanted to be YOU.
Usher Responds to the Drama
Usher weighed in on the drama in a recent interview with PEOPLE. "It was a pop moment, and it was fun to have at least conversation going, and we just keep it light. I don’t see anything negative happening in Las Vegas," he said at the time.
During a recent appearance on Keke Palmer’s podcast, Baby, This Is Keke Palmer, Usher took the opportunity to clear the air about the infamous moment. The viral incident occurred when Usher serenaded Palmer on stage while she wore a sheer black dress, which led to a public backlash after Palmer’s then-partner, Darius Jackson, criticized her outfit on social media. On the podcast, Usher joked, “Did I send you that dress?” when referring to Palmer’s revealing outfit. The two laughed off the moment, with Usher emphasizing that his goal was never to cause issues in anyone’s relationship. “I am not deliberately trying to do anything that is going to rock anyone’s [relationship],” he clarified.
Keke Palmer, who has openly discussed the pressure and challenges she faced in her personal life following the incident, was quick to share her perspective. She remarked that being in the public eye often leads to people projecting their feelings onto situations, and she had to come to terms with how the incident was interpreted. The controversy sparked a lot of public debate, but the two entertainers are keeping it light.
Ultimately, Usher’s message is one of positivity and fun, urging fans not to take things too personally and to enjoy the experience for what it is.
While the Nope actress didn't directly respond to his comments right away, Keke took her petty up a notch and starred in Usher's video "Boyfriend" where she alludes to the situation in the beginning of the visual.
The "Take Your Girl" Tour?
"Don't leave your girl round me, true player for real," Usher sings on his 2001 hit "U Don't Have To Call" and in 2023 the line still rings true. While it's clear that Usher went the extra mile this time, this is far from the first time fans have seen the performer sweep female audience members off of their feet. Over the summer, his moves even got one of his guests into some hot water with the father of her child.
This has the hitmaker sporting some pretty damning labels lately, as he's rumored to be on a Take Your Girl tour. "Let me tell you how much of a terrorist Usher is," Charlamagne Tha God began on The Breakfast Club. "He went from my wife to Doja Cat, who was clearly there with a guy... He didn't care." Charlamagne continued, noting just how fearless Usher is when it comes to seducing taken women. "Then, Jessica Alba was sitting behind me. He went and started singing to her. She's married!"
Fans praised his ability to remain a class act and never cross anyone’s boundaries.
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