The Super Bowl is one of the biggest sporting events of the year, and on Feb. 11, everyone’s eyes will be on the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs in Las Vegas. Additionally, the halftime show will be hosting its annual huge performance featuring one of America’s favorite musical artists, and this year, Usher will be performing.
“Usher’s music has a way of captivating so many people’s attention due to his wide range of music in different genres. His smooth voice sounds like heaven to his fans’ ears,” said sophomore Rebecca Birnbaum.
The singer began his career at sixteen years old, and became known as the “King of R&B music.” Many know him for his hit song, “Yeah!,” which topped the charts for twelve consecutive weeks in 2004.
“It’s an honor of a lifetime to finally check a Super Bowl performance off my bucket list,” said Usher to Time Magazine.
Over the past few years, many 2000s pop stars have headlined the show. From Lady Gaga in 2017, Shakira and Jennifer Lopez in 2020, Eminem, Snoop Dogg, and more in 2022, and Rihanna last year, these artists have continuously exceeded audience expectations.
Although Rihanna’s performance was the most viewed Super Bowl halftime show of all time with over 118 million views, many took to social media to share their opinions on her performance. Viewers complained about the lack of special guests which made the show less entertaining, and some are predicting that Usher’s performance will top Rihanna’s. Others tend to disagree, saying that Rihanna impacted many young girls, and proved that she can perform for one of the biggest audiences of the year while also being pregnant with her second son.
“My favorite halftime show would have to be Rihanna’s performance. I love her music and she did an amazing job at the Super Bowl last year,” said freshman Levi Ring.
Over the years of halftime performances, there have been some crazy moments. In 2004, for example, Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson’s duet performance was met with an unfortunate wardrobe malfunction. Years later in 2019, many viewers recall when band member of Maroon 5 Adam Levine took off a shirt layer after every song until he was almost naked. While these moments were unexpected, they brought great attention to the artist and the game.
Not only are viewers excited about the halftime show, but many are excitedly awaiting the featured commercials. Super Bowl commercials are a huge deal, and especially in recent years, brands have been coming up with creative ways to attract customers. Some who aren’t so interested in the football aspect host viewing parties for the ads. Companies love to use celebrities to help draw attention, and this year is no different. Alongside Vince Vaughn and Wayne Gretzky, Tom Brady will be starring in an ad for BetMGM. Dan Marino, Lionel Messi, and Jason Sudekeis will advertise for Michelob Ultra, while Victoria and David Beckham will promote Uber Eats.
Of course, these commercials are not cheap. A 30-second screen slot costs around $7 million. Over the past 25 years, the prices have multiplied by almost tenfold. The costly price is due to the large platform and audience that the Super Bowl provides for brands. An estimated 113.06 million people watch the Super Bowl game yearly, while another five million join in just for the halftime show.
“It appeals to so many different interest groups, some like football, some like the commercials, and others enjoy the halftime show. I enjoy spending time with my family and hanging out with my friends. I really hope the 49ers win the game. Their team is great,” said senior Benjamin Salit.