Tainy is not a new face for the Recording Academy. His work has been nominated in the past, and just last year, he won his first Golden Gramophone for his participation on Bad Bunny’sUn Verano Sin Ti, which won best música urbana album.
But this year, the Puerto Rican hitmaker earned his first-ever nomination as a lead artist with his debut album as artist-producer called DATA — a nom he felt was “far-fetched.”
“It’s special. I’ve been working for awhile,” he tells Billboard. “In music, you always see the Grammys like a stamp. … This is my first project. I can’t say it’s overdue because it’s so new. For me, growing up in Puerto Rico, it wasn’t in our goals or in our minds of things we could accomplish. Just seeing the American Grammys seemed so far-fetched. It wasn’t even in my mind, and for it to happen, is not easy to digest and understand at the moment but I’m blessed to be around all these people who I admire and inspire me in a certain way.” (Karol G’s Mañana Será Bonito won the 2024 Grammy, against DATA and Rauw Alejandro’s Saturno.)
DATA laces his unmatched skills, good music taste, and A-list artist friends such as Bad Bunny, Daddy Yankee, Wisin & Yandel, Julieta Venegas, and more. For Tainy, “it’s super personal.”
“When I started doing music, the people I admired growing up, that’s what they used to do,” he explains. “All these amazing producers would do their own albums and everyone would just hop on and try to do the best track possible. To me, as soon as I became a fan of music and beats, that inspired me so much. I came into the game getting opportunities and working with these artists, and as the genre evolved, those albums didn’t happen anymore. Music changed so much.”
In the latest Billboard News episode, Tainy shares his strongest song on the set, producing Selena Gomez’s first all-Spanish-language project, and helming his very own concert in Puerto Rico’s coveted Coliseo venue.
“I’m still growing, I’m still a student of what I do,” he notes. “There’s a lot of things I want to keep on tapping and trying, just give myself a shot and see what happens.”
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2024-02-14 03:05:472024-02-14 03:05:47Tainy Reflects on First Grammy Nom as a Lead Artist: ‘I Can’t Say It’s Overdue’
Acclaimed Latin producer Tainy talks about receiving his first Grammy nomination for his debut album ‘Data,’ what it’s like to produce for Latin superstars, getting the chance to work with Selena Gomez on her first Spanish-language album ‘Revelación,’ bringing his music to life in a live show at the Coliseum of Puerto Rico and more!
Tainy: Because of how I grew up and feeling that none of these things that I’ve been able to do were possibilities when I started, you just got to be able to put as much, you know, passion into it. Things will happen.
What’s up, guys? This is Tainy and you’re watching Billboard News.
Tetris Kelly: Hey, what’s up? It’s Tetris with Billboard News, hanging out with the one the only Tainy. What’s up, my man?
Tainy: How’s it going, man? All good here.
Tetris Kelly: Thanks for making your way over from Miami to LA to hang out with us. You’ve had an interesting few months right now.
Tainy: I’m happy to be here. But yeah, how do you say? It’s been really fun, exciting, different couple of months leading up to it so you know, happy over here.
Tetris Kelly: Well, the Grammys were a big deal for you this year, your first-ever American Grammy nomination so that’s significant. Tell me how that felt.
Tainy: I mean, it’s special. I’ve been working for awhile, you know, in music, you always see the Grammys like that’s like the stamp and to be considered, to be alongside so many amazing artists and me putting out my first album, per se, and have it be recognized over here, in certain ways you expect that what you do will be impactful and people will notice it, but it’s not like a done deal. You got to put it out and just see how the world and the universe reacts to it and just to see that nomination over there and for it to be also my first time to be just nominated, have my name around there is just amazing.
Tetris Kelly: I think that’s what is so special about it because you’re so known as such a prolific producer, but then your very first album as an artist gets a Grammy like, that doesn’t happen to everybody, man.
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2024-02-14 03:05:472024-02-14 03:05:47Tainy Talks His First Grammy Nomination for ‘Data,’ His Sold-Out Show at ‘Choliseo’ & More | Billboard News
The 73rd NBA All-Star Game is just around the corner, and beyond the big game, festivities stretch all weekend with some of the biggest stars attending and performing.
Indianapolis, Ind., will host NBA All-Star event for the first time since 1985, with The Pacers’ home arena, Gainbridge Fieldhouse, marking the location for the NBA Rising Stars game on Feb. 16, the HBCU Classic presented by AT&T on Feb. 17 and the 73rd NBA All-Star Game on Feb. 18.
Meanwhile, the State Farm All-Star Saturday Night will be held at Lucas Oil Stadium on Feb. 17 and will feature the Kia Skills Challenge, Starry 3-Point Contest and AT&T Slam Dunk.
For the All-Star Game, the Eastern Conference will feature starters Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks), Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers), Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics), Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana Pacers) and Damian Lillard (Bucks). The Western Conference starters include LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers), Kevin Durant (Phoenix Suns), Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets), Luka Doncic (Dallas Mavericks) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder).
Fans can tune in to watch the 2024 All-Star Game on Sunday (Feb. 18) at 8 p.m. ET on TNT.
If you’re heading over to Indianapolis for the big weekend, there’s plenty of fun to take part in, including a number of star-studded celebrations. See below for our full list of parties and events during the 2024 NBA All-Star Weekend.
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2024-02-14 03:05:442024-02-14 03:05:44A Complete Guide to Every 2024 NBA All-Star Weekend Party & Event (Updating)
The Mechanical Licensing Collective (The MLC) has sued Pandora for allegedly failing to adequately pay and report its monthly royalties, including in its accounting for its ad-supported tier “Pandora Free” (also known as “radio” or “free Pandora”).
In a lawsuit filed Monday (Feb. 12) in Nashville federal court, The MLC seeks to recover the royalties that Pandora allegedly owes them and all associated late fees. The MLC is particularly concerned with “unusually low royalties per stream” reported and paid out by Pandora, starting in 2021 which they say is due to the exclusion of substantial “Service Provider Revenue and TCC for Pandora Free.” (Total Content Cost or “TCC” refers to the amount paid by streaming services to record labels for the right to stream sound recordings. The TCC and Service Provider Revenue are essential to calculating the royalties due for this blanket license).
The MLC — which is tasked with administering the blanket mechanical license for musical works, created by the Music Modernization Act — also takes issue with Pandora’s lack of retroactive royalty accounting for 2021 and 2022.
In August 2023, the royalty rate for the license administered by The MLC for the years 2018-2022 was finally determined after a five year battle in which some streaming services fought to pay lower rates for music than the Copyright Royalty Board judges initially decided on. While awaiting the final rate determination, streamers, including Pandora, paid out the previous, lower royalty rate to the music business. Once the final determination was made, it set the rates higher than what the streaming services were paying previously. As a consequence, streamers were tasked to go back and retroactively pay the proper 2018-2022 rate for music.
The MLC says it “repeatedly” reminded Pandora to report its retroactive adjustments due for 2021 and 2022, and it set a deadline for Feb. 9, 2024, which it says Pandora did not reach. (The MLC did not open its doors until 2021, and thus the retroactive adjustments for 2018-2020 are not within its purview).
Pandora has made “repeated and significant underpayments of the royalties due,” says the MLC in its lawsuit.
The news comes just weeks after the MLC and its counterpart the Digital Licensee Coordinator (DLC) entered their first-ever re-designation process, a routine five year check-up to ensure the effectiveness and efficiency of the two organizations. The MLC has also made headlines recently for issuing its first-ever audit of streaming services. The organization is also being audited itself by Bridgeport Music, which represents George Clinton and Funkadelic.
Lately, the music business has been fighting back against what it feels are unfair or unpaid licensing rates. Universal Music Group recently pulled its catalog from TikTok, citing the app’s inability to pay “fair value” for music. Last summer, SoundExchange, which collects and distributes performance royalties for the digital transmission of sound recordings, sued SiriusXM, which owns Pandora, for an alleged $150 million in unpaid royalties, and the National Music Publishers Association (NMPA) sued Twitter for $250 million for “refusing to pay songwriters and music publishers.”
Representatives for Pandora and The MLC did not respond to Billboard’s request for comment at press time.
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
Time to hit the panic button? Valentine’s Day is just two days away, but we’re here to help you pick the perfect gift before February 14.
Although shopping for gifts can be time consuming and budget busting, one of the main benefits to last-minute shopping is that you can usually find things on sale. To help you out, we’ve collected a list of 21 last-minute Valentine’s Day gifts for anyone on your list.
Below, find gifts for him, gifts for her and gender-neutral gifts for everyone to enjoy. While everything on our list is under $100 the majority of the items are priced under $50, and you can find mostly everything at Amazon or Walmart. Retailers like Amazon and Walmart offer free shipping, overnight and two-day shipping, plus same-day shipping and in-store pickup on select items (and a huge selection of stuffed animals and gift cards for Valentine’s Day).
Prime members get free delivery on millions of items along with same-day delivery on select orders of $25+. Amazon Fresh is also an option for flowers, candy and other Valentine’s Day deliveries. If you’re not a Prime member, you can test it out under a free 30-day trial (the membership will renew at $14.99/month or $134 annually unless you cancel). Amazon also offers 50% discounts on Prime memberships for students and eligible EBT/SNAP recipients.
Walmart+ offers a similar membership service to Amazon, which includes a free trial for the first month and free, same-day delivery, and membership discounts for student and those on government assistance. Walmart+ is $12.95/month ($98 for a yearly subscription).
Keep reading for a roundup of last-minute Valentine’s Day gifts under $100.
A kiss for Valentine’s Day! The Lips Tumblerholds 18 ounces, it’s made with durable plastic and available for pickup in stores. Click here to shop the new fuchsia pink Stanley Quencher H2.0 Tumbler.
The Laneige Berries ‘N Choco Kisses Set is designed to work while you sleep. The set contains Laniege’s Lip Sleeping Mask and Lip Balm, which contains berry fruit complex, murumuru seed and shea butter to deliver “intense moisture” and antioxidants to make your lips smoother.
Cozy slippers for $10? You can’t beat a good deal! These fuzzy slippers are available in 12 different colors including white, black, blue, red, pink and tan.
This Nike coaches’ jacket is almost sold out in red, but it’s also available in black, green and blue. The jacket comes in sizes XS-4X tall, and it’s available for pickup in store.
Send him on a scent voyage with this breezy, Nautica eau de toilette – currently No. 1 at Amazon. The “fresh and salty” sea breeze scent features tops notes of green leaves, green apple; mimosa, lotus and marine notes at its heart and base notes of cedarwood, musk and amber.
Take flight without leaving the ground with this $50 drone. It’s equipped with a 1080P HD camera that can be adjusted up to 90-degrees, three speed settings, LED lighting and Wifi. And it doesn’t take up much room — the drone measures 15 x 4 x 9 inches.
ASEAT Cell Phone Stand with Bluetooth Speaker & LED Color Changing Light
Valentine’s Day jewelry doesn’t have to be expensive (it’s the thought that counts!). These cubic zirconia stud earrings are comfortable and lightweight with a “lovely” little stone, according to customer reviews.
Give someone special a heart this Valentine’s Day. This SmileBelle heart necklace is available in carnelian, jade, moonstone and black tourmaline and features a 17.8-inch, adjustable chain.
PDP Gaming Afterglow Wireless Nintendo Switch Pro Controller
The PDP Nintendo Switch controller is a good gift for gamers – and it’s on sale for $45. The controller features an LED light and up to 40 hours of battery power.
Braun All-in-One Style Kit Series 3 3470, 7-in-1 Trimmer
If you’re looking for a cheaper alternative to the Apple Pencil, the Gnanlen iPad pencil is compatible with several iPads including the sixth generation iPad mini, select models of the iPad Air, iPad Pro 12.9-inch and iPad Pro 11-inch.
JLab Go Air Pop True Wireless Earbuds provide eight hours of battery power (up to 32 hours in the charging case). The earbuds are available in over 12 colors including pink, black, brown and blue.
Shopping for an affordable smart watch? This one has a 4.1-star Amazon rating from over 7,000 customer reviews. Besides keeping the time, this waterproof watch features a fitness activity tracker, heart rate tracker, sleep monitoring and over 100 sport modes. It’s also available in 10 different colors including black, white, blue, green and silver.
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
Countdown to the 2024 Super Bowl parade! Whether you were rooting for the Kansas City Chiefs or Usher’s halftime show, now’s a good time to stock up on gear to celebrate the team’s 2024 Super Bowl win.
Although football fans will find a wide selection of Super Bowl-themed apparel and other must-have merch from the NFL Shop, Fanatics, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Amazon, Foco and Mitchell & Ness, there’s a chance that it’ll be out of stock by the Super Bowl parade. When is it? The parade will be on Wednesday, a.k.a. Valentine’s Day in downtown Kansas City, Mo.
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To help you get a head start, we’ve compiled a list of 15 merch items that you can order now and have delivered before the parade.
Below, find a roundup of Chiefs and Super Bowl merch and apparel that’s still available.
Get it while its still can! Perfect for layering up on a cold day, this Kansas City Chiefs Team Legacy Varsity Jacket features is made from a blend of polyester and wool and features a button closure, side pockets and the embroidered Chiefs logos on the front, side and sleeve with rib-knit striping on the cuffs. The jacket comes in sizes S-4X Large but only select sizes are still available.
Get in gear for the Super Bowl parade in a limited-edition, Travis Kelce jersey complete with a Super Bowl LVIII patch. The jersey was released on Feb. 7 and available in sizes S-3XL. Click here to shop Patrick Mahomes’ jersey.
Celebrate the championship-winning Chiefs in this Fanatics Super Bowl LVIII Champions Iconic Victory T-Shirt. The men’s shirt is available in sizes S-5XL.
A collectible to add to your mantel, the Patrick Mahomes bobble head is available for pre-order at Foco and will be released in May. The figurine measures 9.5 inches tall and shows the Super Bowl MVP standing behind two championship rings while holding a Super Bowl LVIII football.
Of course, Travis Kelce gets his own bobblehead! Like Mahone, Kelce’s bobblehead sits behind a double ring base and measure just under 10 inches. Foco will also be releasing a 3 foot tall bobblehead that retails for $1,700 and drops in July.
Need a game day cup? This travel mug keeps drinks cold, or hot, for hours at a time. The double-walled, vacuum-insulated, stainless-steeler Tumbler has a leak resistant lid and holds up to 30 ounces.
For a picnic, party or tailgating, this 7 quart cooler can store up to nine cans and features a separate storage pocket (it measures 10.81 x 8.13 x 11.41 inches). For more designs, click here to shop Igloo’s NFL Cooler Collection featuring all 32 NFL teams.
Slip on a pair of Kansas City Chiefs cuffs to celebrate the team’s Super Bowl victory. These comfy cuffs are made from a blend of terrycloth cotton, nylon and rubber and available for various team.
WEAR by Erin Andrews is having a moment in the spotlight thanks to Taylor Swift. The pop star has worn the brand to multiple Chiefs games including the jacket that she wore to the Super Bowl along with this 87 varsity pendant from Stephanie Gottlieb. The cropped hoodie feature above is one of the many items that are almost out of stock from WEAR by Erin Andrews. Get it while you still can.
A comfy crewneck representing your favorite team. ThIS Abercrombie & Fitch crewneck sweatshirt is available in several NFL team designs including the Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo Bills, Dallas Cowboys, Cincinnati Bengals, New York Giants and Miami Dolphins (sizes S-XXL).
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2024-02-13 03:07:212024-02-13 03:07:21From Bobbleheads to Friendship Bracelets: Here’s a List of Gear to Celebrate the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl Win
After a scoreless first quarter, the 49ers’ Christian McCaffrey got the first touchdown of the 2024 Super Bowl, taking San Francisco to a 10-0 lead over Kansas City in the second quarter — and who was right there in the Niners’ end zone to cheer him on? Jelly Roll and a crowd of fellow music stars all sitting in the Live Nation Field Club.
And that was just the first half: After the Chiefs tied it up 19-19 and took the game into overtime, the A-list party got to watch Kansas City march down the field and score the Super Bowl-winning touchdown in that same end zone, directly in front of them. Tate McRae shared a video of the Chiefs’ celebration on her Instagram Story with the caption “wowwwww,” while Kygo posted a video of the game-clinching touchdown in action.
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Live Nation took over the field-level suites in the north end zone of Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium and brought together some of the biggest names in music across genres and labels to all watch the game with an unbeatable view. Jelly Roll — who caught up with Billboardbehind the scenes at the Super Bowl — was the Field Club’s social butterfly, seen connecting with Machine Gun Kelly, Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Nickelback’s Chad Kroeger, Twenty One Pilots, The Chainsmokers, Imagine Dragons’ Dan Reynolds and Kygo.
Jelly’s friend and collaborator Lainey Wilson was spotted catching up with her “wait in the truck” duet partner HARDY and also hanging out with McRae and The Kid LAROI, who in turn spent some time chatting with MGK.
While hanging out with Bob Weir (who is about to start his own Vegas residency at Sphere with Dead & Company in May), the Chili Peppers’ Smith repped for his nearly-Super-Bowl-bound team by wearing a Detroit Lions hat in the Field Club. A couple of Billboard chart-topping duos — Josh Dunn and Tyler Joseph of Twenty One Pilots and Drew Taggart and Alex Pall of The Chainsmokers — were seen sharing a table.
Chloe and Halle Bailey filmed a TikTok from the Field Club soundtracked by Muni Long’s “Made for Me” (with the perfect opening line for the look-alike sisters: “Twin, where have you been?”).
Other stars spotted in the Live Nation Field Club: Maren Morris, Lizzo, 21 Savage, Jared Leto, Megan Fox, Erin Foster, Kid Harpoon and Zhu.
Below, find social posts from inside the Field Club, including the Bailey sisters; Jamil Davis of Revels Group alongside Scott and Pluma; and Miami nightlife entrepreneur David Grutman with Pluma, Jelly Roll and Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino.
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2024-02-13 03:07:202024-02-13 03:07:20Jelly Roll, Peso Pluma, Lainey Wilson, Kygo & More Music Stars All Watched 2024 Super Bowl in One Place: Live Nation Field Club
Beyoncé announced a follow-up album to her hit ‘Renaissance’ during Super Bowl LVIII and dropped two new tracks for her fans to enjoy. For Black History Month, Billboard is celebrating by highlighting some of the greatest Black executives in music, and today we’re celebrating Yvette Noel-Schure. 6lack reveals five things you didn’t know about him. Billboard is giving you an inside look at all the fun in Las Vegas for Super Bowl LVIII. And more!
Tetris Kelly Beyoncé surprises us yet again at the Super Bowl as we take you to some of the game’s biggest parties. We celebrate Black History Month with one of Beyoncé’s closest confidants, hang out with 6lack, and give you this week’s Billboard Hot 100.
Tetris Kelly It’s Monday, February 12th, aka the day after the Super Bowl. I’m Tetris Kelly and this is Billboard News. It’s Beyoncé and Taylor’s world, we just live in it — evidence presented to the court last night.
Tetris Kelly Beyoncé will always break the internet and she did just that during the Super Bowl with a commercial and, yes, brand-new music.
Tetris Kelly Beyoncé says “Yee-haw!” and I say where’s my cowboy hat? The queen of, well, everything partnered with Verizon for a commercial about breaking the internet. It was hilarious.
Tetris Kelly And she delivered by announcing ‘Renaissance’ Act II is coming March 29th. And we already have two singles from the new country album. She gave us “Texas Hold’em” and “16 Carriages.”
Tetris Kelly My thing is, Black people created dance music – Act I. Black people created country music – Act II. Is Act III gonna be rock? Well, I could speculate all day, but for now, I will say thank you, Queen, for taking ownership and doing it flawlessly.
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2024-02-13 03:07:192024-02-13 03:07:19Beyoncé Drops New Music & Announces New Album, 2024 Super Bowl With Kaskade & More | Billboard News
Fans got it bad for Usher, who took the stage for the 2024 Super Bowl Halftime Show presented by Apple Music on Sunday (Feb. 11).
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The superstar performed a medley of hits, including “Caught Up,” “Burn,” “U Got It Bad,” “Confessions Part II,” “Love In This Club” and more, all while delivering his characteristically sultry dance moves for the roaring crowd at Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium.
Usher also had a few surprises up his sleeves, as he was joined by a few of his celebrity friends on stage, including Alicia Keys for a mashup of “If I Ain’t Got You” and “My Boo,” before H.E.R. delivered a jaw-dropping guitar solo, and Ludacris and Lil Jon teamed up to hype up the crowd with a medley of “Turn Down for What” and “Yeah!”
In his Billboard cover story, Usher said shared that his Las Vegas residencies had helped him prepare for the halftime show, as has studying past Super Bowl acts. “I’ve watched every performer, analyzing how they maximized those 12 minutes,” he shared. “But you know, your moment is your moment. And this is a moment I’ve prepared for during the last 30 years.”
Usher’s fiery halftime show comes just a few months after closing one of the most successful and buzzed-about Las Vegas residencies in history, as his My Way show grossed $95.9 million.
Which moment from Usher’s Super Bowl Halftime Show performance was your favorite? Let us know by voting in our poll below.
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2024-02-12 03:09:362024-02-12 03:09:36What Was Your Favorite Moment From Usher’s Super Bowl Halftime Show Performance? Vote!
Timing really is everything in pop music. At various times in the last 20 years, an Usher Super Bowl set might have seemed too soon, too late or just not quite right. But while the pre-game debate was real about whether Usher was thuddingly obvious or a reach as a halftime headliner, by the time he stepped into the Allegiant Stadium spotlight Super Bowl LXVIII on Sunday night (Feb. 11) it should have been clear to everyone that the time was right for Usher to take the world’s biggest stage. And with his 15-minute, crowd-pleasing, decade-spanning set of classic hits, he reconfirmed his status as one of one of pop’s greatest living entertainers.
It was the culmination of a half-decade of subtle gains in career momentum for Mr. Raymond, who never totally disappeared, but spent most of the mid-to-late ’10s in commercial erosion amidst underwhelming sales and some tough headlines. But a handful of winning next-gen collabs, an impossibly perfect Hustlers cameo, a well-received Vegas residency (and a meme-spawning Tiny Desk performance) and his biggest chart hit in 10 years (“Good Good”) all served to both remind of his peerless pop and R&B legacy and revitalize his contemporary relevance. With a strong new album (Coming Home) arriving on Friday — just a couple days after the announcement of an upcoming arena tour, his first in nearly a decade, and a month before the 20th anniversary of his Confessions blockbuster — the stage was set in about every conceivable way on Sunday for Usher to answer any remaining “Usher??” questioning around his Super Bowl appearance with a big ol’ “YEAH!”
Unsurprisingly, he did exactly that. From the second he slipped off his robe to transition from early signature hit “My Way” to 2005 smash “Caught Up,” Usher was in control, gliding through about a dozen of his biggest hits — all top 10s on the Billboard Hot 100 hits, except the enduring Confessions fan-favorites “Superstar” and “Bad Girl” — with the effortlessness of a guy who’s been informally training for this opportunity his entire career. Big-name guests were greeted, shirts were shed, rollerskates were rollerskated and 15 minutes went by in a brilliantly choreographed blink.
Really, for a performance billed as the longest in Super Bowl history, the set was still perhaps most notable for its efficiency: expertly plotted transitions like the opening verse to “Nice & Slow” seamlessly igniting the hissing intro of “Burn” minimized downtime, while guests Alicia Keys, H.E.R., will.i.am and Lil Jon were smartly all given their own brief spotlight moments while Usher executed his costume changes and caught his changes. And while some of the buzzed-about home-run guests never quite materialized — sorry, BeyHive and Beliebers — the guests present provided an ideal spread of Usher’s underrated career versatility, equally convincing tearing the club up with Lil Jon, going future-pop with will.i.am and doing classic pop&B love duets with Keys.
The performance thrived more on small moments than true OH S–T jaw-droppers — not like Usher was ever likely to top Rihanna’s reveal from last year in that department. But it was such a rich production that you could’ve missed some of the best details, like the marching band that punctuated set closer “Yeah!” spelling out U-S-H-E-R in the bottom-left corner of your screen, or the wrist-watch graphic projected onto the stage below him during “Nice & Slow” highlighting a 7:00 (on the dot) time. And Usher certainly showcased some of his more unique skills as a performer, turning the stage into a roller-rink (and skating between will.i.am’s legs) on “OMG” and tearing his top off during the climactic “U Got It Bad,” flaunting a still-chiseled physique that should make him the seething envy of 45-year-old males worldwide.
If there was fault to be found with Usher’s halftime performance, it would likely focus on the insufficient mic-ing on his early vocals, which undersold softer moments like his falsetto’d verses on “U Don’t Have to Call” — he’s a strong vocalist, but not so much a powerhouse that he couldn’t have used a little extra juice there. And while it’s not tragic that stellar current hit “Good Good” didn’t make the cut for the tracklist, it was a little bit of a bummer that 2010’s “OMG” was his only song from the last 15 years that did — while most of Usher’s biggest songs may have come pre-Obama, he’s never stopped releasing excellent singles and albums (and had sizable hits with a number of them). It does Ush a little bit of a disservice to present him solely as a catalog act.
But these are relatively small complaints for a thoroughly satisfying, comeback-capping performance from Usher Raymond. “They said I wouldn’t be here today,” he commented while dedicating his rendition of “Superstar” to his mother. “Hey Mama, we made it.” From another performer — especially one with Usher’s exceptional resumé — it could have easily come off as Khaledian bluster, but for Ush, it felt like a fairly well-earned moment of triumph. And whoever they are, they probably won’t be making such comments again anytime soon.
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2024-02-12 03:09:352024-02-12 03:09:35Usher’s Super Bowl Triumph Caps One of the Decade’s Greatest Pop Comebacks
