Usher is proof that select talent never slows down. It’s been over 20 years since the release that would set him as a multi-generational R&B icon, 2004’s Confessions, with last years’ landmark anniversary bringing his star back into heavy circularity. With that, he has certainly been around — there was a Vegas run (an immense 100 shows) as well as a hailed Super Bowl performance, famously adding an extra two minutes on the time to account for his catalogue. In all, reputation would suggest the 46-year-old has stamina difficult to achieve without the means of illicit substances, divine intervention or supernatural strength.
And with the first night of 10 shows to be performed at London’s O2 Arena, it’s expected that everything will be extra. Crowds are an unsurprising mix of older couples, twenty-somethings merely conceived in his early noughties heyday, and middle aged gaggles of women, all screaming like teenage girls. Though many will be here mainly seeking the hits of his magnum opus, it’s unclear if guests understand the sheer extent of his catalogue. Dubbed the ‘Past Present Future’ Tour, the artist proposes a night where he will channel that nostalgia to take him through tracks from his nine studio albums. The only query is on what he will select.
