MUMBAI: Hailed as one of the most successful artists of his generation, Usher continues to redefine his superstar status. He’s sold more than 45 million albums worldwide, snapped up dozens of international awards, including five Grammys, and collaborated with some of the best in the business, including Alicia Keys, Beyonc?© Knowles and the late Michael Jackson. But there’s much more to Usher than the man behind the microphone. He’s also an actor, designer, philanthropist, businessman and a father of two. On this week’s Talk Asia, host Anjali Rao catches up with the R&B sensation in Macau as he talks about his success so far, his family and his prot?©g?©, Canadian teenager – Justin Bieber.
Usher’s success was hard-fought, especially compared to some of today’s â€?instant’ celebrities. He recalls how he initially struggled to get his break: I can remember standing in parking lots, meeting celebrities and asking them to listen to me sing. Some people gave me a shot and others lived to regret it. I definitely always had an idea of what I wanted to do and knew as long as I could dedicate myself – energy, time and effort, the dream could come true….
Today, despite being a household name and a highly sought-after musician, the 31-year-old believes that he has yet to fulfil his destiny: This is really only the beginning of the story, believe it or not. Even 40-somewhat million records later, it’s still the beginning….
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One of the singer’s career highlights has been his on-stage collaborations with late music legend Michael Jackson. Although Usher has widely been tapped as the next Michael Jackson…, he stresses that he has no desire to succeed the King of Pop. To bear the comparison to someone as great as Michael Jackson is the ultimate compliment. I’m definitely honoured. I only hope to have a career that spans as long as his did. To take that throne is nothing that I was ever aiming for and I’m not really interested in taking a throne,… says Usher.
He also recalls the lessons he learned from Michael Jackson: The one thing that he said to me was â€?be mindful of history. Don’t get caught up in just the moment. Understand that each moment is a piece of history and you should approach it that way’. I miss Michael….
Another star that Usher has been closely associated with is teen sensation Justin Bieber, whom he discovered online and signed to his own record label. Usher speaks highly of the Canadian singer and explains why he is particularly interested in investing in the 15-year-old: I was very mindful of my own story – being 15 years old and getting into this business at a very young age. I look at him like a son, like a little brother. They even call me or consider me a mentor at times. I felt like I could make a meaningful contribution to his career….
He foresees that Justin may yet face the pitfalls of child fame, but he’s ready to stand by his prot?©g?©: I’ll be there supportive of the hard times, the tumultuous situations or circumstances that he may experience in his life. I consider myself not only someone that does business with him, but a friend….
A father of two boys – Usher and Naviyd, Usher admits that being a dad has impacted him greatly as a person. He tells Anjali the expectations he has for his boys: It’s made me a better person, more conscious and more patient. I do my best to instill great values in them although they’re only one and two. I’m definitely teaching them everything that I know they need to learn right now, so they’ll grow up to be sharp young men, like their daddy….
Usher’s interview with TALK ASIA will be available online at www.cnn.com/talkasia after the first airing.
