“I just wanted to explore.
And that’s not even includingpreparation for his looming Super Bowl halftime show.
In the midst of it all, he was crafting his ninth LP.
Usher.Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic
“I wasn’t consistently just working on an album for five years, man.
I would’ve went crazy,” Usher says.
Like everyone, Usher found the pandemic to be a time for “a great deal of reflection.”
Usher’s ‘Coming Home’.
Then, while he was in Ghana, inspiration struck.
“It was the rhythm.
Afrobeats is something that has been very popular here in America.
So I just wanted toexplore.
I’m ready.”
(“Risk It All,” which is also featured inThe Color Purple).
He also teamed with BTS member Jungkook before he went into the military with several of his bandmates.
“I just felt like people were having such an exciting reaction to it,” Usher recalls.
“And he was on his way to the service.
Coming Homeis out now.Super Bowl LVIII, featuring Usher’s halftime show, gets underway Sunday at 6:30 p.m.
ET on CBS and will stream on Paramount+.
