The ‘Yeah!’ singer made a cameo during the 2011 Super Bowl halftime show with the Black Eyed Peas
Usher recalls Super Bowl halftime near-disaster ahead of returning to the stage
During his Super Bowl halftime show press conference, Usher shared a story about a mishap during an earlier appearance with the Black Eyed Peas.
Usher revealed that once he had a taste of the Super Bowl halftime show, he wanted more.
During a Super Bowl halftime show press conference, Usher recalled that he experienced a major mishap when he made a cameo during the 2011 show with the Black Eyed Peas.
"My hand got caught in the wire that was holding me like 30 feet in the air, and I almost missed my first mark. And I was like ‘Oh my god, don’t let this malfunction cause me to miss something," he told the audience.
Luckily, he avoided disaster and successfully descended from the rafters of the stadium to perform "OMG" with the group and even leaped over Will.i.am and landed in the splits.
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Usher revealed he had a near-disaster moment on stage during his cameo with the Black Eyed Peas during the 2011 Super Bowl halftime show. (Simon Bruty /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)
After that, the singer realized he wanted to experience being a Super Bowl halftime headliner.
"How amazing it felt to be in front of that many people and feel the energy," Usher recalled. "So much so that it made me really passionate about eventually getting this moment that I’m getting ready to have. But it was really fueled by being able to be just in that moment with the Black Eyed Peas."
After feeling the energy of the Super Bowl crowd in 2011, Usher said "it made me really passionate about eventually getting this moment that I’m getting ready to have" headlining the Super Bowl halftime show. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
The Super Bowl festivities will kick off with Post Malone singing "America the Beautiful" during the pregame show followed by Reba McEntire singing the national anthem.
No set list or hints have been revealed for Usher’s performance Sunday.
"It definitely has been a challenge to squeeze 30 years into 13 minutes," he admitted.
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"There’s been these fantasy lists that have been going out and people trying to figure out what songs I’m going to perform first, middle, last, who’s going to come on the stage with me. What I did, I was very mindful of my past, celebrating my present, which is here in Las Vegas, and thinking about where we’re heading in the future."
Usher said, "It definitely has been a challenge to squeeze 30 years into 13 minutes" when it comes to putting together his Super Bowl halftime show. (Scott Legato/Getty Images for iHeartRadio)
Usher acknowledged many of his songs feature other artists, prompting speculation about who could possibly cameo during the set.
"I think I made it easy on myself when I decided to have features on songs that became hit records," Usher said of potential guest performers. "That gave me the greatest point of reference."
Some of those artists include Ludacris, Lil Jon, Alicia Keys and Pitbull.
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When it came to creating the 13-minute show, Usher said he considered "what songs do I feel people know me for? What songs have been a celebration of all of the journey of what life and love and emotion has been offered in my music? That was the idea."
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Usher, right, didn't specify who would make appearances during his Super Bowl halftime show Sunday but acknowledged some of his biggest hits, like "Yeah!" feature artists like Ludacris (left) and Lil Jon (center). (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Viewers will also get a taste of Usher’s Las Vegas residency, which recently wrapped up 100 sold-out performances and featured the singer dancing on roller skates.
WATCH: USHER RECALLS SUPER BOWL HALFTIME NEAR-DISASTER AHEAD OF RETURNING TO THE STAGE
"I thought about a few moments that were special in dance. I thought about a few moments that I had created here in Las Vegas, i.e., skating and doing things I had not done on stage up until this point to be able to share that with the world. For everybody that heard about my show in Las Vegas, you’ll now get a chance to see some of what I did here, but you’re going to get the best of it," he explained.
Fans will get more insight into Usher’s Super Bowl halftime show process in an upcoming documentary.
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Usher revealed there's a documentary about his Super Bowl halftime show in progress. (Kayla Oaddams/Getty Images)
"Here’s what’s beautiful. Apple has been following me throughout this entire process. So, we’re in the process of figuring out how we’re going to share it with you. Break the internet by that conversation," he said.
"But there’s also a documentary crew that’s been collecting all of the moments that have happened. So, there’s cameras around us at all times looking at the process we went through. You’ll get a chance to see from the first moment that I got the call all the way up until the moment I walk off the stage. At least that’s the idea."
The halftime show is part of the lead-up to Usher’s upcoming tour, Past Present Future, and comes on the heels of his new album, "Coming Home," releasing Friday.
"This has just been an amazing time in my life, and I’m so happy that God and the universe has led me to this moment," he said. "What it means to other people and how they believe in themselves, that’s up to them. But, to me, I’m really a product of my belief. I’m a product of believing I could come to this city and I could do something amazing, and it’s happened.
"And I ain’t done here. I’m going to keep going. Past Present Future is my tour, and I plan on sharing a bit of this energy that I’ve created here with the rest of the world."
