Highlights
- Taylor Swift and Usher have a surprising history dating back over a decade.
- Swift and Usher reunited again in 2019 on the NBC show The Voice.
- Despite Swift's role in contributing to the record-breaking ratings of the Super Bowl, Usher has no "Bad Blood" with her.
Pop music superstar Taylor Swift undoubtedly stole the Super Bowl LVIII show outside the Kansas City Chiefs' big win against the San Francisco 49ers. While Taylor Swift was there to cheer on her boyfriend, Chiefs quarterback Travis Kelce, R&B legend Usher held the honor of performing the half-time show.
Swift's and, to a slightly lesser extent, Usher's appearance at the Super Bowl helped to contribute to its record-breaking ratings, as a 2024 Variety magazine report stated that nearly 123.4 million people tuned in to watch the game, making it the highest viewership of people watching the same program in TV history. However, many may not realize that Taylor Swift and Usher have a surprising history dating back over a decade. But how did these two unite, and what kind of relationship do they have now?
Taylor Swift Honored Usher At One Of Her Concerts
During Taylor Swift's Speak Now Tour in 2011-2012, the talented artist brought many surprise guests to her nearly 110 concerts, such as singers Jason Mraz, James Taylor, and best friend Selena Gomez. However, her most surprising musical guest was none other than Usher.
The latter joined Swift on stage at her concert in Atlanta, Georgia, which Usher has called home for many years. The appearance has gained traction in recent weeks given that Usher performed at the 2024 Super Bowl and Taylor Swift was in attendance supporting her boyfriend, Travis Kelce.
The video of Usher and Swift has gained millions of views since it was uploaded nearly 12 years ago. The beginning of the performance shows Swift introducing a special guest star at her concert and encouraging the audience to guess. She then brought out Usher as the music from his hit 2004 single "Yeah" played in the background.
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The enthusiastic audience made up of Swifties (as Swift's fans are affectionately known) cheered on Usher as he sang his song with Taylor Swift dancing alongside him and occasionally singing along with him.
After the performance, Swift and Usher hugged and then his two children, sons Usher Raymond V and Naviyd Ely, joined them on stage, much to the audience's delight.
Speaking of his on-stage performance with Taylor Swift, Usher told the BET network in an interview:
"Taylor, yo. She's crunk for real. She did her thing. I didn't know she had hip-hop swag like that. She came out, and the crowd enjoyed it."
Taylor Swift Appeared On The Voice Alongside Usher
Taylor Swift and Usher reunited again in 2019 when the "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" songstress was a guest mentor on the NBC show The Voice.
As fans of the "Love In This Club" singer will remember, the star was once a coach on The Voice for two seasons, in 2013 and 2014. During the rehearsals for one of his proteges, Taylor Swift made a surprise appearance to help mentor the young singer who was singing a rendition of her hit song "I Knew You Were Trouble."
During an interview with Extra, the TV correspondent asked Usher about Taylor Swift's appearance on the show. The interviewer began by asking how Usher managed to get Taylor Swift to come to The Voice.
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Usher humbly responded that he didn't: "The forces of nature are honestly with us, man," he continued,
You know Taylor happens to be a good friend of mine and the family, and she came to Atlanta and was performing at Philip's arena, and Justin [Beiber] had reached out to me because Taylor had a question she wanted to ask me.
Usher then explained that while he wasn't actively avoiding Swift, she had tried to reach him personally, but he was busy 'babysitting' his kids and taking them to the park. He then explained that she asked him outright if he could come to perform or just appear on stage with her at Philips Arena.
Usher stated, "Years later, she happened to be right next door when we were practicing with Michelle [The Voice contestant], and I told her hey, she just selected your record to perform."
Usher added that it was a coincidence that Swift was in town and not far away when all this was happening. The R&B singer then said: "We later asked her to make an appearance on The Voice, and the rest was history; it was destined to happen, you know? Call it divine intervention."
Are Taylor Swift And Usher Still Friends After The Super Bowl?
While Taylor Swift had garnered unfavorable attention from avid football watchers after appearing sporadically throughout football games, the "Love Story" singer also attracted her large fan base, who tuned in to watch her attend the Kansas City Chiefs games. So much so that according to a report in the New York Times, Taylor Swift was responsible for a 9%-15% uptick in football viewers whenever she appeared on-screen at a game.
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Given the fact that many fans and several reputable media outlets have stated that Swift was in part responsible for the large viewership of the Superbowl, which was one of the highest-rated Super Bowl's in history, it leaves many to wonder how the event halftime performerUsher, who spent months training for the big event, must feel about Taylor Swift?
According to Usher, he and Swift have no "Bad Blood" between them.
In a pre-game interview with The Today Show, Usher was asked about Taylor Swift's impending appearance at the Superbowl. Usher replied,
She could be one person I serenade.
The star added, "Or, she could be a special guest. I don't know. That process of creating has been exciting."
The "My Boo" singer also briefly talked about the time he first met Taylor Swift, which was in 2009, a few years before he joined her on stage on her Speak Now tour.
At the time, Taylor Swift and Usher performed their songs at the Z100's Jingle Ball in New York. The two later met backstage and took several pictures together, including some alongside Usher's protégé Justin Beiber, who used to be a friend of Taylor Swift's until he and Swift's friend Selena Gomez called off their relationship.
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