Usher at Barclays Center

R&B artist Usher started his career at the very young age of 10. At that time, he was part of an R&B quintet called NuBeginnings. At 13, he auditioned for LA Reid (co-founder of LaFace), and after his performance of Boyz II Men’s “End of the Road,” Usher was given a contract with the record company. This, however, was not a guarantee for his success. Hitting puberty, Usher had vocal loss during the recording of his first album. LA Reid placed his album on hold and sent Usher to live with record executive Puff Daddy (now known as Sean P Diddy Combs) in New York in the spring of 1994 so he could "attend" what Reid nicknamed "Flavor Camp." This experience is one of the building blocks of the legend we know today.

With Sean "P Diddy" Combs serving as co-executive producer, LaFace released Usher's self-titled debut album on August 30, 1994. The album debuted at number twenty-five on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, and was supported by three singles: "Can U Get wit It," "Think of You," and "The Many Ways." The album has sold over 500,000 copies to date. Usher's mother took over his career at this point, booking him in additional talent events for the summer of 1995. Since then, Usher’s career skyrocketed as he mesmerized audiences with his soothing voice and powerful dance moves.

Naming Michael Jackson as his biggest influence, Usher challenged the boundaries of R&B by incorporating pop. His voice is very distinct, making his sound truly remarkable. Apart from his stunning singing voice, his stage presence is also one of a kind. Usher’s high-powered choreography mesmerizes anyone who sees him on stage, leaving everyone wanting for more!

Nine number-one and eighteen top-ten singles were achieved by Usher on the Billboard Hot 100, and he spent 47 weeks at the top, more than any other male solo artist. He spent 28 weeks at number one in 2004 alone, setting a record for the most weeks at the top of the Hot 100 in a calendar year. "OMG" made him the first artist of the 2010s to collect number-one singles in three consecutive decades (1990s, 2000s, 2010s). He became the fifth artist in history to accomplish that feat, after Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, and Madonna. He also became the third male soloist in history to have at least one number-one single from five consecutive studio albums.

His upcoming Past Present Future Tour will feature the old and the new Usher. While he hasn’t announced the front acts and guest performers, expect to see a mix of past collaborations and upcoming artists.