Young people who watched Usher as a coach on The Voice may not be aware of his long reign as a king of pop and R&B, since lately he’s been more focused on mentoring the next generation. But anyone who sees him perform live will have no trouble remembering the Usher whose hits have made him one of the best-selling artists of all time. For 20 years, Usher has been at the top of the R&B game, starting with his 1994 self-titled debut album and really kicking into gear with 1997’s My Way, which featured “You Make Me Wanna” and “Nice & Slow.”
Usher pretty much dominated the world of R&B in the ’00s, thanks to his massive 2004 album Confessions and its string of hits, including “Yeah!,” “Burn,” “Confessions Part II” and the Alicia Keys duet “My Boo.” Confessions earned Usher his first three Grammys and set the stage for a series of subsequent hit albums and singles. His most recent release, 2012’s Looking 4 Myself, showcased more of a dance-pop sound, and featured his most recent chart-topping song, “Climax.”
After devoting himself to TV work for a while, Usher has refocused on his strengths as a live performer, launching his UR Experience tour in anticipation of an upcoming back-to-basics R&B album. It’ll be the perfect reminder that he’s far more than just the charismatic guy on a TV singing contest.
MGM Grand, 8 p.m. Nov. 22, starting at $45 plus tax and fee. 800.745.3000 Ticketmaster
