Rating: 3/5 stars

The DJ did not have us falling in love with Usher’s extremely average Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show performance.

The introduction to the show grabbed attention, with the colorful costumes invoking the feel of a circus. Usher’s (“Coming Home”) bright white outfit was unique, and the throne he began the show on was well-designed, giving everything a feel of controlled chaos.

The acrobatics were captivating, with one of the dancers being launched into the air and others performing flips. The marching band was well-utilized, accompanying the music without it losing its original feel. Fans, resembling peacocks and wielded by dancers dressed in royal blue, gave the camera a good focus and a smooth transition into the next portion of the performance.

Alicia Keys (“Keys”) made an exciting appearance, and while her piano skills did not fail to impress, her vocals did. Whether it was the difficult acoustics of the stadium or another factor, Keys’ notes were consistently flat and her voice broke several times, unusual for such a skilled performer. Usher did not echo this problem; his notes soared and his riffs were clean and well-practiced.

There were several other guest appearances, my favorite of which was by H.E.R. (“Back of my Mind”). A skilled guitarist, H.E.R. added the perfect electric guitar interlude to the show, and brought her classic style and flair to the show with her unique voice as well.

By far the best moment of the show was when the dancers emerged on roller skates. A fun choice to help the movements appear more smooth and practiced, the roller skating dancers delivered. While it may have read as tacky to some, I find it serves as a good reminder that at the end of the day, the halftime show is not all that serious. It is a bit of musical fun in the midst of one of the largest American sporting events and it is meant to entertain us. Roller skates were just that, especially when Usher himself donned them as well.

On the flipside, some of the performance read as a little too sexual for a family event. This is a complaint I have had about many halftime shows in the past. While exotic dancing is a respectable profession that requires immense amounts of talent and hard work, I do not feel that the halftime show is the right venue for this type of dancing due to its sexual connotations and the nature of the event as what is often a catalyst for family gatherings.

The biggest miss of this performance was the fact that “DJ Got Us Fallin’ In Love” did not make the setlist. While a few of Usher’s other hits did, for the most part, Generation Z seems to associate Usher with this other song. Personally, I was looking forward to singing along with CaptainSparklez’ parody called “Revenge,” but this was an opportunity I did not get.

Overall, Usher’s halftime show was simply forgettable. There is usually at least one thing I remember from each year’s halftime show. In 2022, I remember the remarkable set design, with each segment representing a different room. From 2023, I remember Rihanna’s (“ANTI”) interesting costuming and her being lifted high above the field as she sang. From this year, I will simply remember roller skates. Usher did not deliver a memorable or particularly exciting performance.

Image by David Berkowitz via Flickr