The Ultimate Entertainer, USHER is a global superstar singer, film and television actor. 2004 saw the release of his fifth and most personal album, “Confessions,” which dominated the album charts and broke numerous records last year. So far, it has surpassed 15 million copies worldwide and continues to sell numerous copies each month. Its chart busting success prompted the release of a special edition package and together they have spun-off four phenomenal #1 Pop and #1 R&B hit singles.
At the tender age of 14, Usher released his very first single, “Call Me A Mack” from the movie soundtrack, “Poetic Justice,” directed by John Singleton and starring Janet Jackson. Only one year later, his self-titled debut album arrived and, over the next three years, Usher developed his now celebrated working relationship with Jermaine Dupri. In 1997, his second album, “My Way” was released and has since gone on to earn seven-times platinum album sales in the US alone. Usher received his first Grammy Award nomination as Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for the album’s hit single, “You Make Me Wanna,” which was also nominated for a Soul Train Music Award as Best Male R&B Soul single.
The musician made his acting debut on UPN’s “Moesha” opposite Brandy, which resulted in a recurring role on the series and his first lead role in a movie, the eerie 1998 thriller “The Faculty,” directed by Robert Rodriguez and co-starring Josh Hartnett and Elijah Wood.
1999 proved to be another lively year as he was cast in two more feature films, the high school comedy hit “She’s All That,” directed by Robert Iscove and co-starring Freddie Prinze, Jr.; and his first starring role in another high school-based drama, “Light It Up,” directed by Graig Bolotin and co-starring Forest Whitaker and Rosario Dawson. In 2000, he followed up with roles in the Disney TV movie “Geppetto,” starring Drew Carey, as well as in “Texas Rangers” with Dylan McDermott and James Van Der Beek.
Usher’s unstoppable energy provided a pseudo concert album, “Live” (2000), and his fourth studio album, “8701” (2001), which has gone on to sell more than 8 million copies worldwide and spun off two simultaneous #1 Pop and #1 R&B smash hit singles. He won Grammy Awards as Best Male R&B Vocal for singles “U Remind Me” and “U Got It Bad.” The year closed out with an interesting trio of dramatic TV series appearances, all during November sweeps, on “The Twilight Zone,” “7th Heaven,” and Dick Clark’s “American Dreams” (portraying Marvin Gaye).
Usher has had a phenomenal 2004, collecting an avalanche of awards that included BET’s Best Male R&B Artist Award, two MTV VMA Awards for Best Male Artist and Best Dance Hit for “Yeah.” He won American Music Awards for all four categories in which he was nominated, including Favorite Male Artist and Favorite Album, “Confessions,” in both the Pop/Rock and Soul/R&B categories. At the Billboard Music Awards, Usher walked away the big winner with 11 trophies including Artist of the Year and for the album “Confessions.” Nominated for eight Grammys in the 2005 contest, the artist took home three awards.
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