The pop star watched the R&B superstar’s halftime show from the stands of Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Sunday
Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty; Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Roc Nation
Justin Bieber and Usher
Justin Bieber couldn’t be prouder of his longtime mentor Usher.
Following the 2024 Super Bowl, the pop star, 29, posted to Instagram on Monday to congratulate the R&B superstar, 45, on his career-spanning halftime show.
Bieber, who famously worked closely with Usher at the start of his career, shared a photo of the hitmaker’s headlining set on the field of Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas and gave a thoughtful shout-out in the caption.
“LOVE YOU MY BROTHER,” the “Love Yourself” singer began the sweet message.
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Usher and Justin Bieber performing at the Grammys in February 2011
He went on to praise the Grammy winner’s 13-minute performance, which featured impressive choreography and a setlist full of hits like “Caught Up,” “Love in This Club,” “OMG” and “Yeah!,” among other songs.
“BROUGHT THE ‘A’ TO THE WORLD,” the Justice artist added, referring to Usher’s Atlanta hometown and how he repeated, “I took the world to the A,” at the end of his performance.
He concluded, “ONLY YOU BABYYYYYY 😘.”
The R&B icon (whose real name is Usher Raymond IV) wowed the stadium and viewers at home with his halftime show performance. The set began with early hits and went on to encapsulate the energy of his recent, acclaimed My Way Las Vegas residency, as he was joined by a legion of Sin City-themed showgirls and even performed choreography on roller skates.
The “My Boo” singer also brought out a star-studded slate of special guests, including Alicia Keys, will.i.am, Jermaine Dupri, Lil Jon and Ludacris.
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Ludacris, Usher, Lil Jon, Jermaine Dupri, and will.i.am on stage during the Super Bowl Halftime Show
Many fans speculated that Bieber would be among the show’s surprises appearances, give his longtime friendship and collaborative relationship with Usher.
The “I Don’t Mind” performer famously helped to launch the “Peaches” singer’s career after his manager Scooter Braun discovered him off YouTube in the late 2000s. At the time, the then-13-year-old singer traveled to Atlanta to record demos with Usher and eventually signed to his and Braun’s imprint, Raymond Braun Media Group.
The two hitmakers collaborated on several songs at the star of Bieber’s career, such as 2009’s “First Dance” and 2010’s “Somebody to Love,” and Usher has remained a mentor to him in the years since.
PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty
Hailey Bieber and Justin Bieber at the 2024 Super Bowl
Although the Canadian singer didn’t perform at the Super Bowl, he was there in attendance in the stands where he watched the Kansas City Chiefs take on the San Francisco 49ers with his wife Hailey Baldwin Bieber.
The week prior on Feb. 3, the “Sorry” singer came out of a long performance hiatus by playing his first headlining live show in over a year. He took to the stage and played a set full of hits and fan-favorites at History Club, a Toronto venue owned by Drake, as a part of the 2024 NHL All-Star Weekend.
The special concert was Bieber’s first full show since September 2022, when he canceled the remaining dates of his Justice World Tour. The tour cancellation came months after the musician was diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt syndrome in June 2022. In the time since, he’s appeared briefly onstage, like in March at Don Toliver’s Rolling Loud set in March 2023.
