R&B singer Usher opened up in an interview with Good Morning America on Feb. 2 about his upcoming Super Bowl LVIII halftime show performance. He told the outlet that he plans to give rhythm and blues a spotlight on the field.
Usher told reporter Kelley Carter that he felt honored to be able to carry on the mantle in this way. Usher, 45, explained that it was surreal to think that he could be the one to headline for such a big performance when some of the artists that came before him “had to, at some point, go through kitchens to even be able to perform for an audience.”
“They had to leave back through that same door, you know, fearing for their lives as they went to the next state to do the same thing,” he added, “So, I’m coming through the front door with this one.”
The “U Remind Me” singer reflected on having over three decades of music to choose from for his halftime show set. He told Carter he tried to think about some of his mentors while constructing it.
“I didn’t start where I am now, and I didn’t get there by myself,” said the eight-time Grammy winner, People reports. “So, everybody that has been a part of it, I’m carrying them with me. All of my fans, my loved ones — the people who may have felt like they have been forgotten, they haven’t. I’m carrying you right with me when I walk on that stage that night.”
Although Usher admitted that the initial adrenaline rush of learning that he was going to perform at the Super Bowl had worn off, he was ready to put in all the work that would come with putting on a great performance.
Usher is set to perform on Feb. 11 during the Super Bowl halftime show when the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers face off in Las Vegas.
RELATED CONTENT: Vogue Faces Backlash Over Usher’s Super Bowl Cover, ‘Why Is He In The Background?’