Usher: Tiny Desk Concert

Usher: Tiny Desk Concert

This year, NPR Music is celebrating Black Music Month with an array of brand new Tiny Desk concerts — both from home and from behind our beloved Desk. Together, these artists represent the past, present and future of Black music. This month of carefully curated shows is a celebration of Black artists expressing themselves in ways we’ve never seen before, and of the Tiny Desk’s unique way of showcasing that talent.

Bobby Carter | June 30, 2022
“We celebrate Black Music Month. This has been Black magic.” Truer words may have never been spoken behind the Tiny Desk as R&B goliath Usher caps off our month-long celebration of Black music, highlighting a catalog chock-full of hits spanning 25 years. It’s been over two years since NPR headquarters was abuzz with chatter of a legend in the building. After an early morning rehearsal for his set at the Something in the Water Festival in Washington, D.C., he made his way over to deliver an unforgettable performance.

Usher and his band, all dipped in black, set it off with an introduction over a funky horn-laced instrumental reminiscent of a Blaxploitation flick. They keep that groove going right into a reworked version of his 1997 breakout single, “You Make Me Wanna…” Twenty-five years later, Usher sits arguably as the king of R&B. Between 2000 and 2010, there was no debate whatsoever, with his string of records that included the biggest R&B album of the 21st century, Confessions.

What he’s done in the vocal booth is only half of his claim to fame. The stage is where he’s continued to shine as he prepares for the second leg of his Las Vegas residency. This loose and playful set touches on his many career phases; the crooning, the deeply personal, the club bangers and even the Tik Tok challenges indicate that he could just be reaching his prime. Recently, we’ve heard plenty of hot takes, wild battles and social media fodder about who sits at the mountaintop in the world of R&B. Usher Raymond has entered the chat.

SET LIST
“You Make Me Wanna…”
“Superstar”
“U Don’t Have to Call”
“Nice & Slow”
“Confessions Part II”
“My Way”

MUSICIANS
Usher: vocals
Eric Bellinger: vocals
Vedo: vocals
Dmitry Gorodetsky: bass
Lemar Guillary: trombone
Brandyn Phillips: trumpet
Jay Flat: saxophone
Darek Cobbs: keys
Erick Walls: guitar
Ryan Carr: drums

TINY DESK TEAM
Producer: Bobby Carter
Audio Recording & Mix Engineer: Josh Rogosin
Director: Kara Frame
Editor: Michael Zamora
Series Creator: Bob Boilen
Videographers: Kara Frame, Joshua Bryant, Michael Zamora, Pierre Kattar, Alanté Serene
Production Assistant: Ashley Pointer
Tiny Desk Team: Suraya Mohamed, Marissa Lorusso, Hazel Cills, Jill Britton, Joby Tanseco, Maia Stern
VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins
Senior VP, Programming: Anya Grundmann

#tinydesk #usher #BMM

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41 Responses

  1. Jzon Azari says:

    And this is why y’all have to respect Usher for those who think ANY of those suggestions are qualified for a VERZUZ against him. GOAT for spotlighting Eric Bellinger and VEDO. l great voices.

  2. Lovely Lasean says:

    It’s the nostalgia for me..took me back to the good ole days.. 🙌🏾

  3. Gospel Musicians says:

    See y’all got to give those old school R&B Artists more respect after the recent versus.

  4. Kenessa says:

    Everything about Usher ages gracefully. His music, his appearance, his voice, his dancing. YOU NAME IT!

  5. Melanie says:

    Natural talent doesn’t need much to be displayed. No autotune, lights, or anything other than a band. Great performance, Usher 👏🏾 👏🏾 👏🏾

  6. Vedo says:

    Dope Experience with my
    Brother Usher and Eric! Truly a moment for R&B

  7. Jay Bush says:

    Usher deserves more respect and notoriety than he gets. He’s still very relevant today, and has been around for nearly 30 years. A living legend. Diamond plaques. Not many folks have those pre-streaming era. Not even your faves. You know who they are…

  8. Sterling Hill says:

    Now this is an True R&B artist….not too many artist can sound EXACTLY like the song they recorded 20+ years ago

  9. P Seminario says:

    What a way to bring back tiny desk concerts back into the office – LOVED the arrangements, and Usher sounds just like his recorded albums… what a man, what a voice, LOVED IT

  10. EmpireOnEighteenth says:

    It ends, and I just have to start it over. THE TALENT. And Usher bringing Eric and Vedo on!? That’s so beautiful. All very vocally gifted and Usher with no concern for “his spot” but concern with giving these other artists a chance at some amazing exposure. Many of us know who they are but so many people don’t and Usher giving them their flowers is dope for soooo many reasons. This was just so good. I didn’t know I would find a TD I liked more than Dvsn, Jazmine Sullivan, and T Pain. But this might have just topped them all! I’m obsessed!

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