Annie Walton Doyle
Usher will not be paid for his Super Bowl halftime performance.
The eight-time Grammy Award-winning singer took to the stage during the biggest football game of the year this weekend.
The Kansas City Chiefs faced off against the San Francisco 49ers with the Chiefs winning 25-22 in a thrilling overtime game to secure their third championship in five years – and becoming the first team in 20 years to win back-to-back Super Bowls.
But as always, all eyes were on the halftime show for the real excitement.
And it’s safe to say, Usher did not disappoint.
But now, fans have gone wild after discovering he will not be paid for his incredible musical efforts…
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The prestigious American Football Super Bowl game is one of the most iconic sporting events in the world.
It’s also one of the biggest TV events of the year, with the commercials and the halftime show garnering just as much attention as the game itself!
And this year, it was the self-appointed king of R&B, Usher, who took to the coveted stage.
The ‘Yeah’, ‘Confessions’, and ‘Love in This Club’ singer delivered a show-stopping halftime performance and brought out the likes of Alicia Keys, will.i.am, Ludacris, Lil Jon and HER.
Prior to the show, Usher admitted that it was ‘a challenge to squeeze 30 years into 13 minutes’, as per the BBC – but people on social media were in awe.
One person pens: “Usher was amazing, his halftime performance was everything.”
“No cap, Usher delivered a top 5 all-time Super Bowl halftime show,” someone else says. “He had the hits, the guest appearances, the choreography, the marching band, flawless transitions, ROLLERSKATING! That performance was undeniable.”
Another viewer comments: “Usher ripped his shirt off, roller skated on stage, killed it with iconic songs, and just doing the MOST AND loved every moment of it. What a performance!!”
“USHER’S SUPER BOWL PERFORMANCE! Instantly one of my favourites now,” a fourth writes.
A fifth fan adds: “Usher killed that! One of the better performances I have seen.”
But there’s one element of the show that has left the internet confused.
It’s been confirmed that Usher won’t be paid for his contributions to the Super Bowl show – for a rather controversial reason…
The short concert is one of the most viewed musical events of the year – but the artists actually never get paid!
It’s an old NFL policy that no performer at the Super Bowl halftime show shall receive any monetary benefit for their work.
However, the NFL does pay for the costs associated with the performance, which in 2020 cost $13 million, as per Reuters.
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“We do not pay the artists,” an NFL spokesperson told Forbes in 2016. “We cover expenses and production costs.”
Nonetheless, there are some fiscal benefits to the artist who performs the Super Bowl halftime show.
The appearances tend to give the artist in question a big career boost in terms of exposure and future sales.
This has borne out in the past, as explained by Newsweek.
For example, after 2020’s Super Bowl halftime show, Shakira saw a 230% spike in streams while Jennifer Lopez’s discography went up by 335%.
Entertainment attorney Lori Landew explains to Forbes: “Some of those artists do not see their appearance as a political statement, nor do they see the show as a cultural battleground, but rather view their live performance as an opportunity to entertain an enthusiastic crowd and to share their music and their talent with millions of viewers.”
She concludes: “The halftime show at the Super Bowl remains a highly coveted spot for many artists.”
This year’s show was officially hosted by Apple Music – it’s not been made clear whether they have paid Usher separately but not reports have suggested so.
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