Usher’s Life and Career as an Entertainer

Born Usher Raymond IV, but simply known as Usher, the Dallas-born singer of R&B music has won eight Grammy Awards and captivated audiences for more than twenty-five years. The singer-songwriter calls Prince and Michael Jackson large influences but simultaneously creates his own brand of R&B and hip-hop, leading to Billboard-topping songs. Usher often works as a solo artist but has also performed songs with music greats Alicia Keys (“My Boo”), Lil Jon and Ludacris (“Yeah!”), Young Jeezy (“Love in This Club”), Ella Mai (“Don’t Waste My Time”), Pitbull (“DJ Got Us Fallin’ in Love”), and will.i.am (“OMG”). He has also performed an NPR Tiny Desk Concert, served as a judge on The Voice, and held a Las Vegas Residency.

After dropping his 1994 self-titled album, Usher followed up with My Way in 1997, which featured the hits “Nice & Slow” and “You Make Me Wanna...”. His Grammy-winning third studio album, 8701, features the songs “U Remind Me,” “U Got it Bad,” and “U Don’t Have to Call.” Usher followed it up with Confessions in 2004, featuring the hit “Confessions Part II,” which spawned a parody, Confessions, Part III” by “Weird Al” Yankovic. More award-winning albums followed, including Here I Stand (2008), Raymond v. Raymond (2010), and Looking 4 Myself (2012), featuring the Grammy-winning single “Climax.”

No R&B playlist is complete without an Usher track. Learn more about the Grammy Award–winner and the evolution of his career:

1. 1. Usher got his start in Atlanta. Born in Dallas, Texas, and raised in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Usher moved to Atlanta at age twelve. There, he met Bobby Brown’s bodyguard, who took him to talent shows and parking lots to show off his vocals. This landed him a performance on the TV show Star Search in 1991.
2. 2. He’s released eight studio albums. A prolific artist, Usher has released eight albums across a career that spans nearly three decades. In 2018, he released A, his first collaborative album, produced with Zaytoven and featuring guest appearances from Future and Gunna.
3. 3. Confessions went Diamond. Usher’s renowned 2004 album sold 20 million copies worldwide and had four consecutive Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 singles. The Recording Industry Association of America certified the album as Diamond.
4. 4. He is a significant philanthropist. After finding great success, Usher founded a nonprofit organization called Usher’s New Look, which aims to improve the lives of disadvantaged children and adolescents through mentorship programs. In 2017, Morehouse College honored Usher with its Candle Award for his philanthropy and contributions to music.

You can expect these five highlights and more from his class on the art of performance, available exclusively on MasterClass:

1. 1. “A thief steals, but a genius borrows.” Usher’s godfather, Tony Award winner Ben Vereen, taught him to “take the inspiration from greatness and do something that gives you an identity. He says, “No matter how genius you may feel your idea is, somewhere, I'm guaranteeing you that someone has done your move or done what you've created or you think you've created. There's no new idea, but what is new is your perspective of it?”
2. 2. Critique yourself within reason. Record your performances and watch them back to better your performance. “Record your performance—[the] most important part, right? Critique it. Don't over-critique it because you don't want to overdo it, but you got to get better from looking at it, and then analyzing, what could I have done better? Could I have changed this? Was I too loud? Did I not understand how to connect with the audience?”
3. 3. Preparation is key. You can prepare for live performances by playing the events in your head. “Do your best to project, in your mind, a successful performance before it happens,” Usher says. “Being able to visualize when you're in private is the beginning of a successful performance.”
4. 4. Stay in character. Connecting to your audience requires commitment and professionalism. “From the moment you walk on that stage to the moment you have walked backstage [and] the light can no longer see you, you have to be committed,” Usher says. “I tell performers this all the time…I don't care if you don't think the camera doesn't see you. You don't come out of your character until you have walked off the stage.”
5. 5. When dancing on stage, attitude and personality shine through. When Usher decided to incorporate dance into his concerts and brand, he wanted “to be the baddest guy on the stage. He recalls, “I wanted to be able to captivate an audience with my presence, more so than just my voice. . .to shock 'em, you know?” To find what works for you, he says, “go online and look and study dancers from all over the world to create a style of your own.”

For more insight into writing and performing music, consider watching these classes:

1. 1. Alicia Keys on songwriting and producing: Alicia is a prolific singer-songwriter and producer who has sold more than forty-two million records worldwide. Learn how to draw from your life to create music and build energy in the recording studio with Alicia’s class.
2. 2. Christina Aguilera on singing: Christina is an award-winning singer-songwriter known for her octave-jumping vocal range. Watch Christina’s class for her vocal warm-ups and techniques to build your vocal range.
3. 3. John Legend on songwriting: John is an award-winning singer, songwriter, and producer. Watch John’s class to learn his approach to songwriting, his process for capturing feeling in lyrics, plus his tips for performing live.

Before taking the stage, you must prepare for the performance. Learn Usher’s approach to gathering inspiration, vocal health, planning for performances, and capturing audiences when you sign up for the MasterClass Annual Membership.