Usher (musician) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Usher
Usher in 2020
Born	Usher Raymond IV (1978-10-14) October 14, 1978 (age 46) Dallas, Texas, U.S.
Occupation	Singer songwriter dancer actor businessman
Years active	1990s–present
Organization	Usher's New Look
Works	Discography videography
Spouse(s)	Tameka Foster ​ ​ (m. 2007; div. 2009)​ Grace Miguel ​ ​ (m. 2015; div. 2018)​ Jennifer Goicoechea ​ ​ (m. 2024)​
Partner(s)	Rozonda Thomas (2001–2004)
Children	4
Parent(s)	Jonnetta Patton (mother)
Awards	Full list
Musical career
Origin	Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Genres	R&B pop
Labels	LaFace Arista Jive RCA Legacy US RBMG Mega Gamma
Signature

Usher Raymond IV (born October 14, 1978) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. Many people call him the "King of R&B" because he has greatly influenced R&B and pop music. Usher released his first album when he was just 15 years old in 1994. He became very famous with his second album, My Way (1997). This album included his first number-one song, "Nice & Slow".

His third album, 8701 (2001), was also a big hit, selling eight million copies. It featured two more number-one songs, "U Remind Me" and "U Got It Bad". In 2004, his album Confessions made him one of the best-selling music artists of the 2000s. This album had four number-one songs: "Yeah!", "Burn", "Confessions Part II", and "My Boo". Confessions sold over 20 million copies worldwide.

Usher's sixth album, Raymond v. Raymond (2010), included his ninth number-one song, "OMG". This made him one of the few artists to have number-one songs in three different decades. His first extended play, Versus (2010), featured the popular song "DJ Got Us Fallin' in Love". Usher's seventh album, Looking 4 Myself (2012), explored more electronic music sounds. He later released Hard II Love (2016) and Coming Home (2024). His performance at the Super Bowl LVIII halftime show in 2024 was watched by 123 million people in the United States.

Usher has sold over 100 million records around the world, making him one of the best-selling music artists ever. He has won many awards, including 8 Grammy Awards, 12 Soul Train Music Awards, and 8 American Music Awards. He also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 2008, Usher helped start the record label Raymond-Braun Media Group (RBMG) to help manage singer Justin Bieber's career. Outside of music, he started a charity called Usher's New Look in 1999. He was also a coach on the TV show The Voice (2013–2014) and has acted in movies like The Faculty (1998) and She's All That (1999).

Usher's Early Life and Musical Start

Usher Raymond IV was born on October 14, 1978, in Dallas, Texas. His parents are Jonnetta Patton and Usher Raymond III. His father left when Usher was one year old. Usher grew up in Chattanooga, Tennessee, with his mother, stepfather, and half-brother.

When he was nine, Usher joined his local church youth choir. His grandmother noticed his singing talent. She thought he could sing professionally after he joined a singing group. His family then moved to Atlanta, Georgia, where there were more chances for new singers. In Atlanta, he went to North Springs High School.

Beginning His Music Career

At age ten, Usher joined an R&B group called NuBeginning. They recorded ten songs in 1991, but the album was only sold in their area. Usher's mother later took him out of the group.

When Usher was 13, he met A.J. Alexander, who was Bobby Brown's bodyguard. Alexander helped Usher perform at talent shows. He invited Bryant Reid from LaFace Records to see Usher on the TV show Star Search. After the show, Usher auditioned for L.A. Reid, co-founder of LaFace. Reid signed Usher right away after hearing him sing Boyz II Men's "End of the Road". Usher's mother then became his manager.

Usher recorded a song called "Call Me a Mack" for the movie Poetic Justice in 1993. This was his first public song.

Overcoming Challenges and First Album

While getting ready for his first album, Usher lost his voice because he was going through puberty. L.A. Reid was unsure about Usher and thought about dropping him from the label. Usher convinced them to keep him. Reid then sent Usher to New York City in 1994 to live with record executive Sean Combs (Puff Daddy). Usher said this time was very tough, but it helped him learn to be strong.

Usher's first album, Usher, was released on August 30, 1994. It reached number twenty-five on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The album had three singles: "Can U Get wit It", "Think of You", and "The Many Ways". It sold over 500,000 copies. Some people didn't like that Usher, being 15, was singing about mature topics. After this, Usher's mother took full control of his career. She helped him gain more fans by having him perform in more talent shows.

After high school, Usher kept working on his stage skills for his second album. He also sang on "Let's Straighten It Out" with Monica in 1995. He was also featured on "I Swear I'm In Love" from the soundtrack to the 1996 film Kazaam.

Rising to Stardom with My Way and 8701

Usher became friends with producer Jermaine Dupri. They worked together on his second album, My Way, which came out on September 16, 1997. The first song from the album, "You Make Me Wanna...", became number one in the United Kingdom, making Usher more popular. It was also his first gold and platinum song in the United States.

The album's second song, "Nice & Slow", became Usher's first number-one song in the US in January 1998. My Way has sold seven million copies in the United States. "You Make Me Wanna..." won an award at the 1999 Soul Train Music Awards. In late 1997, Usher went on tour with artists like Puffy and Mary J. Blige. He also opened for Janet Jackson's The Velvet Rope Tour. Usher's first live concert album, Live, was released in 1999 and sold well.

Acting Career Begins

Usher started acting on the TV show Moesha in 1997. This led to him getting a role in the 1998 film The Faculty. He also appeared in the soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful. He acted in two more films, She's All That and his first main role in Light It Up. He was also in the Disney TV movie Geppetto.

Success with 8701

Usher's third album, first called All About U, was supposed to come out in early 2001. The first song, "Pop Ya Collar", was a hit in the UK but not as much in the US. The album was delayed and changed after some songs were leaked online. His record label, LaFace, also moved most of its artists, including Usher, to Arista Records.

After being revised and renamed 8701, the album was released on August 7, 2001. The first two songs, "U Remind Me" and "U Got It Bad", both reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. 8701 has sold five million copies in the United States.

Usher also appeared in the 2001 film Texas Rangers. In 2002, he won a Grammy for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for "U Remind Me". The next year, he won the same award for "U Don't Have to Call". He also sang on P. Diddy's "I Need a Girl, Part I" in 2002. He appeared in TV shows like The Twilight Zone, 7th Heaven, and American Dreams, where he played Marvin Gaye.

Dominating the Charts with Confessions

Usher's fourth album, Confessions, was released on March 23, 2004. Its first song, "Yeah!", was already number one on the Billboard Hot 100. The album sold almost 1.1 million copies in its first week, which was a record for a male R&B artist. The album has now sold over 20 million copies worldwide and 14 million in the United States.

The album's next two songs, "Burn" and "Confessions Part II", also reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100. Usher became the first artist to have four number-one songs in a row on the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay chart. In September 2004, "My Boo", a song with Alicia Keys, also hit number one, becoming the album's fourth number-one song. The last song from the album, "Caught Up", reached number eight.

Confessions earned Usher many awards. He won four American Music Awards, two MTV Europe Music Awards, and three World Music Awards. At the 2005 Grammy Awards, Usher won three awards, including Best R&B Performance for "My Boo" and Rap/Sung Collaboration for "Yeah!". At the 2004 Billboard Music Awards, Usher was named Artist of the Year and won 10 other awards.

Usher went on "The Truth Tour" to support Confessions. The show had a special stage design with different levels for the band and dancers. Kanye West and Christina Milian opened for the tour. Usher sometimes brought out special guests, like Monica and Lil Jon and Ludacris. A concert from this tour was filmed for the DVD Truth Tour: Behind the Truth "Live from Atlanta", which sold over 7 million copies.

In 2005, Usher sang on Lil Jon's "Lovers & Friends", which reached number three on the Hot 100. He also worked with R. Kelly on "Same Girl" in 2007. Usher also appeared in the 2005 film In the Mix.

Broadway Debut and Here I Stand

On August 22, 2006, Usher took on the role of Billy Flynn in the Broadway musical Chicago. He played the role for two months, and ticket sales went up. However, he had to stop early due to a sore throat.

His album Here I Stand was released in May 2008. It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart, selling over 433,000 copies in its first week. So far, Here I Stand has sold over 1.5 million copies in the United States and 5 million worldwide. The album's first song, "Love In This Club", became number one on the Billboard Hot 100. It was Usher's eighth number-one song and his fastest-rising hit. It was also a big international success.

In September 2008, Usher announced a special 15-show tour called One Night Stand, which was only for female audiences. On January 18, 2009, Usher performed with Stevie Wonder and Shakira at the We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial. He also sang "Gone Too Soon" at the memorial for Michael Jackson in July 2009.

New Music and Tours: Raymond v. Raymond and Versus

Raymond v. Raymond was released in March 2010. The album came out a few months after Usher's divorce from Tameka Foster. "Papers", a song about divorce, was the first single. It reached number one on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. Critics liked the song for its emotion. "Hey Daddy (Daddy's Home)" was the second single.

"OMG", which features will.i.am, was a major hit. It reached number one in Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the United States. This song became his ninth number one in the US. It made him the first artist in the 2010s to have number-one songs in three decades. Usher also became the third artist to have at least one number-one song from five albums in a row.

"There Goes My Baby" was released as the album's fourth single in the United States. It reached number one on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. On April 7, 2010, Raymond v. Raymond debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart. It sold 329,107 copies in its first week. This made it his third number-one album in a row. The album also did well internationally.

Usher announced an extended play called Versus in July 2010. He described Versus as "the last chapter of Raymond v. Raymond". It explored themes of being newly single and a father. The album included 9 songs, with 7 new tracks.

The first song from Versus, "DJ Got Us Fallin' In Love", was released in July 2010. It quickly became a hit, reaching the top 5 in the United States, Australia, and New Zealand. It also reached the top 10 in Canada and Europe. This song became Usher's sixteenth top-ten hit on the Billboard Hot 100. The second song, "Hot Tottie", also did well on the charts.

Usher performed at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards and the 2010 American Music Awards. He won awards for Male Soul/R&B artist and Favorite Soul/R&B album for Raymond v. Raymond. The OMG Tour started in November 2010 and ended in June 2011. In February 2011, Usher performed his song "OMG" with The Black Eyed Peas' singer will.i.am at the Super Bowl XLV halftime show.

In September 2011, Usher appeared on Romeo Santos' song "Promise". This song was his first number-one on the Billboard Latin Songs chart. In October, Usher's previous labels, Jive and Arista, merged into RCA Records. Usher then began releasing music through RCA Records.

Exploring New Sounds with Looking 4 Myself

In November 2011, Usher shared that his next album would feature a new type of music he called "revolutionary pop." This style would mix different music genres to create a fresh sound. His seventh album, Looking 4 Myself, was released on June 8, 2012. It received good reviews from music critics.

Producer Rico Love said that Usher wanted to try new things on Looking 4 Myself. He wanted to "explore himself musically" and "step outside of what was safe and normal." Usher told MTV News that the album had "a lot there to keep fans tuning in." He felt like he was having a "rebirth" and wanted to follow his own feelings with this project.

"Climax" was the first song from Looking 4 Myself. It was released in February 2012. The second song was "Scream", and the third was "Lemme See" featuring Rick Ross. "Climax" stayed at number one on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart for 11 weeks.

Usher as a Coach on The Voice

In 2013, Usher became a coach on NBC's TV show The Voice for its fourth season. His final contestant, Michelle Chamuel, came in second place. He returned for the sixth season in 2014, and his contestant, Josh Kaufman, won the competition.

On March 19, 2013, Usher announced his eighth album, then called UR. He said it would be "everything you can imagine." Producer Eric Bellinger said the album would be "more R&B, more urban" than Looking 4 Myself. Usher said his new album would show that he is "still Usher."

"Good Kisser" was the first song released from the album. It was a dance-heavy R&B song and became his 13th number one on the Airplay chart. Two other songs from the album were "She Came to Give It to You" (featuring Nicki Minaj) and "I Don't Mind" (featuring Juicy J).

In August 2014, Usher announced his UR Experience Tour to support his new album. The tour visited 27 cities in North America and 23 cities in Europe. Usher said he wanted to give fans "an ever-changing live show full of surprises and special guests." During the tour, he released a new song called "Clueless" with Honey Nut Cheerios.

Recent Years: Hard II Love and Super Bowl Performance

In October 2015, Usher released an interactive music video for "Chains" (featuring Nas and Bibi Bourelly) on Tidal. The video used a webcam to pause if the viewer looked away, making them focus on the issue of racial profiling.

After many delays, Usher changed the title of his eighth album from UR to Flawed in January 2016. In June 2016, he released new songs from the album, "No Limit" (featuring Young Thug) and "Crash".

In June 2016, Usher signed a management deal with Scooter Braun, who also manages Justin Bieber. Usher also continued his acting career. He played American boxer Sugar Ray Leonard in the 2016 film Hands of Stone. He starred alongside Édgar Ramírez and Robert De Niro. The film premiered in August 2016.

His album Hard II Love was released on September 16, 2016. It received good reviews and debuted at number 5 on the US Billboard 200. The song "No Limit" reached number 1 on the Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop airplay chart. In December 2016, Usher was featured on Chris Brown's song "Party".

A Album and Residencies

On October 12, 2018, Usher released a new album called A, which he made with producer Zaytoven. The album had 8 songs and featured artists like Future and Gunna. In November 2018, Usher was the main performer for the RNB Fridays Live concert series in Australia and New Zealand.

Usher had a small role in the 2019 film Hustlers, which starred Jennifer Lopez. In March 2019, Usher hinted that he was working on a follow-up to his Confessions album. He also headlined the Smoking Grooves Festival in June 2019.

In September 2019, Usher returned to NBC's The Voice as a battle advisor for John Legend's team. He also appeared on Black Coffee's song "LaLaLa" and Summer Walker's album Over It.

In December 2019, Usher released "Don't Waste My Time" (featuring Ella Mai) for his upcoming ninth album. It became his fifth number-one song on the Adult R&B Chart. Usher performed at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards in January 2020, honoring Prince. He also sang "Amazing Grace" at the Kobe Bryant tribute at the Staples Center.

Usher was an executive producer and judge on a dance show called The Sauce, which started in April 2020. In June 2020, he released the song "I Cry".

Las Vegas Residencies and Coming Home

In September 2020, Usher announced he would have a 12-show residency at the Colosseum at Caesars' Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada. The show started in July 2021. In February 2022, he moved his residency to Dolby Live at Park MGM for 23 more shows. He released the song "Bad Habits" in September 2020, which became his sixth number-one on the Adult R&B Chart.

In March 2022, Usher left RCA Records and later signed a deal with Larry Jackson's Gamma music company. He also co-founded Mega, an independent record label, with L.A. Reid. In June 2022, Usher performed on NPR's Tiny Desk Concerts series. A video clip of him whispering "watch this" became very popular online.

In March 2023, Usher released "Glu", his first solo song in over two years. It became his seventh number-one on the Adult R&B Chart. In April 2023, he announced an 8-night residency in Boulogne-Billancourt, France, called "Rendez-Vous À Paris". In August 2023, Usher released "Good Good" with Summer Walker and 21 Savage. This song became his 16th number one on the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart.

On September 24, 2023, Usher announced he would headline the Super Bowl LVIII halftime show in Las Vegas. He called it "an honour of a lifetime." He also announced that his ninth album, Coming Home, would be released on February 11, 2024, the same day as the Super Bowl. The album debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200. In February 2024, Usher announced the Usher: Past Present Future tour, which expanded to 58 shows due to high demand. In June 2024, Usher received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 24th BET Awards for his contributions to music. In October 2024, Billboard named him the 11th "Greatest Pop Star of the 21st Century."

Usher's Musical Style and Inspirations

Usher's music is mostly R&B, but it also includes pop and other styles. Rolling Stone magazine noted that Usher is good at catching popular music trends. Complex said he brought some of "the best of pop music in R&B." His songs often tell stories about life, relationships, and love.

His first album, Usher, had a new jack swing sound. My Way was influenced by soul. 8701 added touches of '80s rock guitar and hip hop rhythms. Confessions is seen as a great example of pop-soul. The song "Yeah!" was compared to something Michael Jackson might have created. Here I Stand had more ballads and used jazz, reminding some of Stevie Wonder.

Usher has often said that Michael Jackson is his biggest influence. He told MTV, "He influenced me in so many ways, more than just music... as an artist, as an individual who transcended culture. I wouldn't be who I am today without Michael Jackson." Usher also said Prince was a major influence, inspiring him to create music that mixes different genres. Other artists who influenced him include Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Luther Vandross, Janet Jackson, and Boyz II Men.

The boy band New Edition and its member Bobby Brown were also important to Usher when he was a child. He said the first record he ever bought was Bobby Brown's Don't Be Cruel. Usher was so inspired by Frank Sinatra's My Way album that he named his second album the same. His third album, 8701, was inspired by love and heartbreak, with influences from artists like Donny Hathaway and Michael Jackson. His fourth album was inspired by the rap group Bone Thugs-n-Harmony and Eminem, whom he admired for their honesty in music.

Usher's Singing and Performing Style

Usher has a wide vocal range and is known for his smooth voice in R&B. When he was 13, he held a note for 12 seconds on Star Search, setting a record for a child. His vocal coach, Jan Smith, calls him "the single most gifted singer I've ever worked with." Critics have described his voice as "velvety" and "impressively adaptable." He won his first two Grammys for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance.

His performances are known for their energetic choreography and amazing showmanship. Vibe magazine compared his stage presence to Bobby Brown's. Critics have praised his ability to sing and dance at the same time, like James Brown and Michael Jackson. Usher said, "James Brown introduced me to soul. Because of him I was given a clear view of what a real performance is."

At the 2004 MTV Video Music Awards, he performed "Confessions Part II" and "Yeah!" under a rain machine. Rolling Stone ranked this performance as one of the best MTV VMAs opening acts. Usher can also play the piano, drums, and bass guitar. The Guardian called him "a masterful all-rounder who surrounds himself with talent on stage." Rolling Stone also called him the "Award Show King" because of his dedication to choreography and entertaining performances.

Usher's Impact and Achievements

Billboard named Usher the Hot 100 Artist of the 2000s. They said his R&B style "dominated the last decade" with the top-selling album and more number-one songs than any other artist. His album Confessions sold 20 million copies worldwide and was called the "Thriller of our generation." It became a big part of pop culture.

Music critic Sasha Frere-Jones said that "For a while, Confessions was pop music." Clay Cane noted that Usher helped bring pop-R&B artists to pop radio in the 90s. Writers from VH1 and The Guardian have called him the best dancer in pop since Michael Jackson. Jody Rosen said in 2012 that Usher was "the biggest male pop singer in the world."

Usher has had 9 number-one songs and 18 top-ten songs on the Billboard Hot 100. He spent 47 weeks at number one, more than any other male solo artist at the time. In 2004 alone, he spent 28 weeks at number one, a record for most weeks at the top in a single year. "OMG" made him the first artist in the 2010s to have number-one songs in three different decades (1990s, 2000s, 2010s). He is one of only five artists to achieve this.

James Brown called Usher the "Godson of Soul" in 2005. Usher is often called an "icon" and "Mr. Entertainment." His dance songs like "Yeah!" and "OMG" have influenced modern dance-pop. Time magazine ranked Usher as the 3rd most influential pop star in history based on his chart performance. Rolling Stone named "Confessions Part II" the greatest R&B song of the 21st century.

Usher has received many awards, including 8 Grammy Awards, 18 Billboard Music Awards, and 12 Soul Train Music Awards. In 2004, he won 11 Billboard awards. He has sold over 100 million records in total. Usher was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in 2007 and the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2016. In 2021, he was inducted into the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame.

Usher's Business and Other Work

Usher started his own record label, US Records, in 2002. It was part of Clive Davis's J Records. The label released the soundtrack for In the Mix in 2005, which featured artists like Rico Love and Justin Bieber. The Raymond Braun Media Group, which Justin Bieber is signed to, is a partnership between Usher and Bieber's manager Scooter Braun. In 2023, Usher and L.A. Reid also started Mega, a record label with Larry Jackson's Gamma music company.

Usher was a mentor on American Idol in 2010. He also joined Britain's Got Talent in 2010. He became a coach on NBC's The Voice in season 4 (2013) and season 6 (2014), where his team won.

Acting Roles

Usher first acted on the TV show Moesha in 1997. He played Jeremy Davis, a classmate and love interest of Moesha. He then appeared in films like The Faculty (1998) and She's All That (1999). In 1999, he had his first main role in the movie Light It Up. He also appeared in Gepetto (2000) and Texas Rangers (2001).

In 2002, he was in an episode of The Twilight Zone revival and played Marvin Gaye in American Dreams. He also appeared in Sabrina the Teenage Witch. In 2005, he starred in the film In The Mix with Chazz Palminteri and Kevin Hart. He also acted on Broadway in 2006, playing lawyer Billy Flynn in Chicago. In 2013, he started filming his role as boxer Sugar Ray Leonard for the 2016 movie Hands of Stone.

Products and Investments

Usher is involved in other businesses, including restaurants. In 2007, he launched his own fragrances, Usher He and Usher She. He later released UR for Men and UR for Women in 2008, and VIP in 2009.

In March 2015, Usher became a co-owner of the music streaming service Tidal. This service offers high-quality audio and music videos. Jay Z bought Tidal's parent company, and Usher joined other artists like Alicia Keys and Beyoncé as co-owners. The goal was to help artists get fair payments for their music.

In June 2015, Usher partnered with Yoobi, a school supplies company. For every purchase, Yoobi donates school supplies to kids in need. Usher said he partnered with Yoobi to help young people have the right tools to succeed.

Usher is also a part owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers professional basketball team. He joined a group that bought the team in 2005. The Cavaliers won the 2016 NBA championship while he was a minority owner. In 2017, Usher invested in Mass Appeal, a media company. In 2019, he invested in Hungry, a catering startup, and Liquid I.V., a health wellness company.

Endorsements and Charity Work

Usher has worked with MasterCard since 2004. In 2009, he partnered with Belvedere Vodka for a Product (Red) campaign to fight HIV/AIDS in Africa. In 2012, he partnered with the dance game Microsoft Dance Central 3, providing his choreography and voice for the game. In 2013, he worked with Samsung on a short film for their smart TV. In 2015, Usher teamed up with Pepsi for The New Pepsi Challenge, encouraging fans to share inspiring photos. In 2022, he partnered with Rémy Martin cognac.

Usher founded New Look, a non-profit organization that helps young people through education and real-world experiences. The program helps students from 8th grade through college or job placement. New Look students have a 100% graduation rate.

In 1999, Usher played in a charity basketball game hosted by NSYNC to raise money for local charities. In 2005, he participated in a concert to help with Hurricane Katrina relief. He also launched Project Restart, which helped over 700 families with housing after Hurricane Katrina. For his efforts, Usher received the key to the city of New Orleans in 2008, and a day was named "Usher Day" in his honor.

In 2011, Usher received the Freedom Award from the National Civil Rights Museum for his charity work with the New Look Foundation. In 2015, he visited his former hometown of Chattanooga, making donations to schools and a center for people with intellectual disabilities. He also helped donate over $500,000 in scholarships to students attending historically black colleges and universities. In 2017, Morehouse College honored Usher with the Candle Award for his philanthropy and music contributions. In 2018, he helped Colin Kaepernick donate to charities.

Politics and Activism

In 2007, Usher supported Barack Obama's presidential campaign. Obama asked Usher to help with his voter registration campaign, "Vote for Change". Usher also supported the Service Nation campaign in 2008, encouraging young people to get involved in their communities. He released a song called "Hush" about social issues and voting. He performed with Stevie Wonder and Shakira at Obama's presidential inauguration in 2009.

In September 2014, Usher and Bill Clinton held a campaign event for Georgia Senate candidate Michelle Nunn. In October 2015, Usher partnered with Sankofa, an organization that focuses on social justice issues. He and Harry Belafonte discussed popular culture and activism. He also introduced his music video "Chains", which addressed police violence.

In August 2015, he attended a celebrity fundraiser for Hillary Clinton. In April 2016, Usher was part of a US government cultural mission to Cuba to strengthen ties between the two countries.

Usher's Personal Life

In 2001, Usher began dating TLC member Chilli Thomas. Their relationship lasted for three years. They broke up in December 2004.

In November 2005, Usher started dating stylist Tameka Foster. They got engaged in February 2007 and married on August 3, 2007, in Atlanta. They had a larger wedding ceremony on September 1, 2007.

Usher's father, Usher Raymond III, passed away on January 21, 2008.

Usher and Tameka Foster had two sons: Usher "Cinco" Raymond V, born in November 2007, and Naviyd Ely Raymond, born in December 2008.

In February 2009, Tameka Foster had a health issue in São Paulo, Brazil, before a planned surgery. Usher canceled his performance at a pre-Grammy event to be with her.

Usher filed for divorce from Foster in June 2009, and it was finalized in November 2009. After a legal process, Usher was given primary custody of their two sons in August 2012.

In 2011, Forbes magazine reported Usher's earnings after the OMG Tour to be $46 million.

In August 2013, his eldest son, Usher V, was hospitalized after an accident in a pool. A judge decided that Usher would keep primary custody of his sons.

In September 2015, Usher quietly married his long-time girlfriend and manager Grace Miguel while on vacation in Cuba. He confirmed their marriage on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

In March 2018, Usher and Grace Miguel announced their separation. They filed for divorce in December 2018.

In September 2020, it was confirmed that Usher was expecting his third child with music executive Jenn Goicoechea. Their daughter was born on September 24, 2020. Usher and Goicoecha welcomed their second child together on September 29, 2021. Usher and Goiciechea married in Las Vegas, Nevada on February 11, 2024, right after his Super Bowl performance.

Usher's Albums

Solo studio albums

• Usher (1994)
• My Way (1997)
• 8701 (2001)
• Confessions (2004)
• Here I Stand (2008)
• Raymond v. Raymond (2010)
• Looking 4 Myself (2012)
• Hard II Love (2016)
• Coming Home (2024)

Collaborative albums

• A (with Zaytoven) (2018)

Usher's Concert Tours and Shows

Headlining Tours

• Evolution 8701 Tour (2002)
• Truth Tour (2004)
• One Night Stand Tour (2008)
• OMG Tour (2010–2011)
• The UR Experience Tour (2014–2015)
• RNB Fridays Live (2018)
• Usher: Past Present Future (2024)

Concert Residencies

• Usher: The Las Vegas Residency (2021)
• My Way: The Vegas Residency (2022)
• Rendez-Vous À Paris (2023)

Opening Act for Other Tours

• Share My World Tour (1997–1998)
• The Velvet Rope Tour (1998–1999)
• No Way Out Tour (1998)

Usher's Film and TV Roles

• The Faculty (1998)
• She's All That (1999)
• Light It Up (1999)
• Geppetto (2000)
• Texas Rangers (2001)
• In The Mix (2005)
• Killers (2010)
• Scary Movie 5 (2013)
• Muppets Most Wanted (2014)
• Black Knight Decoded (2015)
• Hands of Stone (2016)
• Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping (2016)
• People You May Know (2017)
• Burden (2018)
• Hustlers (2019)
• Bad Hair (2020)

Usher's Stage Performances

• Chicago as Billy Flynn (2006) (Broadway)

More About Usher

• Honorific nicknames in popular music
• List of best-selling singles
• List of bestselling albums
• List of bestselling music artists
• List of bestselling music artists in the United States
• List of artists who reached number one in the United States
• List of Billboard Hot 100 chart achievements and milestones

See also

In Spanish: Usher para niños