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Usher has defended his close hug with Alicia Keys during their duet at the Super Bowl 2024 Halftime Show.
On social media, some viewers questioned how tightly Usher grasped the singer as they performed their 2004 collaboration “My Boo.”
Keys has been married to music producer Swizz Beatz since 2010.
Speaking on New York-based radio show The Breakfast Club, Usher said that he and Swizz Beatz had laughed about the reaction.
“It’s crazy how people think,” he said. “It’s all about how you present things, man, it’s all about love.”
Usher described his passionate duet with Keys as “literally about having fun because of a song me and Alicia made many years ago and we celebrate it because of the legacy of it”.
He added that there was “no disrespect” intended toward anyone.
Swizz Beatz, whose real name is Kasseem Dean, had previously hit back at the reaction on social media. “Y’all talking about the wrong damn thing !!!” he wrote on Instagram. “Y’all don’t see that amazing dress covering the entire stadium. Tonight’s performance was nothing but amazing with 2 amazing Giants!”.
Meanwhile, the sound of Keys’ voice cracking at the start of her performance has been edited out of the official YouTube video uploaded by the National Football League (NFL).
As well as Keys, Usher was also joined by guests including Lil Jon, Ludacris and HER.
Despite rumours before the show, one guest who didn’t join Usher was Justin Bieber.
Usher confirmed that he approached Bieber, but that he passed on the opportunity. “I honor and recognize the fact that my brother… I think it might have just been that he’s just wanting to tell a different story right now, and I did understand that,” Usher told The Breakfast Club. “We did have a brief conversation, and we’re gonna do something else in the future.”
Usher added: “No love lost or anything like that. It’s a lot of pressure for the Super Bowl, obviously, for me to put together a show. I reached out to everybody. Justin wasn’t the only person I spoke to about doing the Super Bowl, but the moment was maybe for later.”
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In a three-star review of Usher’s Super Bowl set, The Independent’s Mark Beaumont wrote: “Just as we start writing Usher off as the cheesiest halftime show since Walt Disney on ice, here’s Alicia Keys at a liquid red piano, decked out like a scarlet queen for an awkward shimmy through ‘I Ain’t Got You’ and ‘My Boo’.”
FAQs
The NFL and Apple Music appear to have altered video of Alicia Keys's performance during the Super Bowl halftime show, editing cracks in her vocals that were heard live Sunday night. Keys, donning a massively flowing red dress, briefly sang her 2003 hit song “If I Ain't Got You” during Usher's halftime extravaganza.
Did Usher used to date Alicia Keys? ›
Can't help but feel like this is encouraging unhealthy jealous behavior. Here's the thing. So no, Usher and Alicia Keys have never dated, though it's clear they've been friends for 20+ years.
Did Usher perform My Boo at the Super Bowl? ›
Usher and Alicia Keys perform "My Boo" during Super Bowl LVIII. As was previously reported, some of Usher's notable collaborators were also on deck to showcase his bona fides.
Who crashed the stage with Jay Z and Alicia Keys? ›
The MTV Video Music Awards is always an unhinged event. No moment better represents that than when Lil Mama hopped on the stage as Jay-Z and Alicia Keys performed their hit, “Empire State of Mind,” in 2009.
What was Alicia Keys' flub? ›
In this case, millions of people watched (and heard) Keys' voice strain and crack on the opening notes of “If I Ain't Got You,” which she played before transitioning to her duet with Usher, “My Boo.” Fans reacted by teasing Keys for being off-key, and a video still exists on the web of the singer—who is a tremendous ...
Did Usher get married after the Super Bowl? ›
Usher Got Married in Vegas After His Iconic Super Bowl Halftime Show! Details. The former The Voice Coach wed his girlfriend after his Super Bowl Half Time show. Usher is officially a married man!
Who helped Alicia Keys get famous? ›
After attracting the attention of record mogul Clive Davis, she signed to his Arista Records in 1998, and, when Davis formed J Records in 2000, she was one of the first artists to sign with the new label.
Are Alicia Keys and Beyonce friends? ›
Alicia Keys talks about friendship with Beyoncé, Blue Ivy and about Rumi singing all her songs ✨ “These are our dear friends and our family, and everybody in this picture, we are very close and have true love for each other. “
Why was Alicia Keys performing with Usher? ›
“No, it was literally about having fun because of a song that me and Alicia made many years ago, and we celebrated it because of the legacy of it. No disrespect to anybody or anything like that.” Previously, Keys' husband, Swizz Beatz, took to Instagram to shut down any controversy over the intimate performance.
Did Usher get paid for the Super Bowl performance? ›
Usher, like his Super Bowl halftime show predecessors, spent months preparing for the world's biggest stage — but he didn't get paid for any of it. The “Yeah!” singer was the 2024 Super Bowl halftime show performer, following Rihanna in 2023.
Usher has defended his close hug with Alicia Keys during their duet at the Super Bowl 2024 Halftime Show. On social media, some viewers questioned how tightly Usher grasped the singer as they performed their 2004 collaboration “My Boo.”
What has happened to Alicia Keys' voice? ›
It turns out that Apple or the NFL edited the performance afterward to make the first note completely crackless. This means that the official recording has been edited to eliminate the crack, even though more than 100 million people watched the event and likely remember it.
What happened to Swizz Beatz and Mashonda? ›
Around the same time, Beatz's divorce from ex-wife Mashonda Tifrere, whom he separated from in 2008, was finalized. The year prior, Tifrere wrote an open letter to Keys on X (previously known as Twitter), publicly accusing the singer of breaking up her family. Both Keys and Beatz denied the accusation.
Did Alicia Keys wear makeup at the Super Bowl? ›
Her makeup artist gave us the scoop on how to get this fresh-faced look. It's a well-known fact that many viewers tune into the Super Bowl not just for the game itself, but for the Halftime show, too.
Who took their shirt off at the Super Bowl? ›
Twenty years after Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake's infamous “Nipplegate” Super Bowl disaster, Usher's shirtless performance during Sunday night's 2024 halftime show is sparking heated fan reactions.
