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Super Bowl LVIII: Can Usher Achieve Prince's Halftime Show Greatness?

Here's a preview for Usher & the 2024 Apple Music Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Show - and a look back at Prince's epic 2007 performance.

This Sunday, Grammy-winning performer Usher will headline the 2024 Apple Music Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Show from Allegiant Stadium, Nevada (Vegas, Baby! Vegas!). With only about 24 hours to go, we thought we would pass along a preview of what you need to know heading into the big event.

Usher's Special Guests? Of course, the obvious question is, who will join Usher during his performance? There are loud rumblings that Alicia Keys will be taking part – and we can't imagine Lil Jon and Ludacris not showing up to join Usher for "Yeah!" Beyond that, you can't completely rule out Jay-Z & Beyoncé because of the Roc Nation connection. But beyond that, viewers should probably get ready for some surprises.

Can Usher Dethrone Prince's 2007 Super Bowl XLI Halftime Show? We're not saying it's a fair question – but the question has been asked of every halftime performer since 2008. Clad in a turquoise suit & durag and with the backing of New Power Generation and the Florida A&M University Marching 100 Band, Prince would kick things off with "Let's Go Crazy" – and never look back. To many – including us – there hasn't been a moment during a Super Bowl halftime since that's matched the raw, stripped-down (by Super Bowl standards) power that Prince brought.

All he needed was his guitar and an audience that was feeling his vibe – heading into a medley of "Baby I'm a Star," "1999," and "Proud Mary" – followed by "All Along the Watchtower" (Bob Dylan) & "Best of You" (Foo Fighters) in another medley. But ask almost anyone about the most memorable sight from the nearly 12-minute performance, and the response is the same. In the pouring rain, Prince and his guitar seemed to be making the weather work for them as "Purple Rain" appeared to be literally falling from the sky – thanks to the show's lighting effects – punctuating a musical moment that meets the definition of being "once in a lifetime."

"Where's Usher?" Heading into the weekend, Apple Music released the official film for the halftime show, with an impressive lineup that includes Ludacris, Lil Jon, Taraji P. Henson, Wesley Snipes, J Balvin, Anderson .Paak, Blue Man Group, Criss Angel… and Apple's Tim Cook?!? As you can guess from the title, things go south when some very famous faces lose track of the singer:

The Apple Music Interview: On Friday, Usher sat down with Apple Music's Nadeska for an extensive interview/conversation about his career and his thoughts on what the world can expect when he takes the stage in front of the world on Sunday:

Usher Makes His "Confession": Here's a look back at Kim Kardashian and Marshawn Lynch making a "Confession" to Usher (a nod to his 2004 mega-hit album, Confessions) that leads into the announcement that dropped last fall – but not before Usher makes a "Confession" to himself:

The Apple Music Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Show telecast on CBS is set to be produced by DPS, with Roc Nation and Jesse Collins serving as executive producers and Hamish Hamilton serving as director

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