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Usher to Sing at Super Bowl Show in Las Vegas
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Intermediate
Intermediate
Usher speaks during a news conference ahead of the Super Bowl 58 NFL football game Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, in Las Vegas. Usher will perform during the Super Bowl halftime show. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Usher to Sing at Super Bowl Show in Las Vegas

February 8th, 2024

Usher is a singer who has been making music for thirty years. He has won many awards. This year, Usher is singing during the middle of the Super Bowl. The Super Bowl is a very big football game in the United States. Usher will sing old songs that many people love. He might also sing songs from a new album that people haven't heard yet. Usher's show will remind people of his concerts in Las Vegas. These are shows where many people come to see him sing and dance. He said he thought a lot about which songs to pick because he has so many. He wants to make people happy with his music. He is planning some surprises for his Super Bowl show. He won't be singing alone. There will be other singers with him. They have made music together before. Usher did not say who these singers are, but he has worked with many famous people in the past. Usher also talked about what happened the last time he sang at the Super Bowl. He got stuck on a wire high up in the air, but he still started singing on time. He did a dance move called the splits when he started singing. Usher does not want any problems like this at his Super Bowl show this year. He is also thinking about the city of Atlanta. Usher became famous because of his music in Atlanta. He wants to show the special music and culture of Atlanta at the Super Bowl. Usher hopes everyone will enjoy his performance.
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💭 Discussion Questions


1
. What event is Usher singing at this year?
2
. Why is Usher thinking carefully about which songs to sing?
3
. What does Usher hope to share about Atlanta during his performance?

📖 Vocabulary


🌐 Cultural context


Usher is a well-known American R&B artist. The Super Bowl is an annual championship game in American football and features a high-profile halftime show with music performances.

🧠 Further reading


Digital performance
Digital Performance is when people use computers to make art with images and sounds. Artists can use this technology in many places, like on stage or outside. It means they can add things like videos or pictures to their shows. When computers and technology are very important in a show, it's called a Digital Performance. This could be putting pictures on a big screen for people to see or making an online show. Technology can make shows more exciting and interesting. It can surprise people watching and keep them wanting to see more. When the show is done, different people can have many ideas about it. There is a special place called the Digital Performance Archive that keeps old shows from the 20th century. People looked at how technology changed theater and dance. In the past, as computers became very important in jobs and school, artists started to use computers in movies and live shows too. So, we got new kinds of shows because of computer technology. This is how art and computers come together to make something new and exciting for people to enjoy.

Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show controversy
In 2004, during a big American football game, there was a show where singers Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake were performing. Something unexpected happened on live TV. Janet's clothing was pulled by Justin Timberlake, and for a moment, her breast was seen. Many people saw this because it was on a very popular TV channel. This event caused many people to talk about what is okay to show on TV. Because of this, the football league decided not to let the same people who made the show make any more shows in the future. The TV channel got in trouble and had to pay a lot of money. Later, they did not have to pay this money anymore. Some people thought this was done on purpose to get attention. Others said it was talked about a lot to make people not think about the war happening at that time. This event also made people worried about freedom of speech. One more interesting thing is that this moment helped start a famous website where people share videos, called YouTube. Also, many people wanted to find out more about Janet Jackson online after this happened.

Genshin Impact
Genshin Impact is a fun game you can play on your phone, computer, or PlayStation. It's like a big adventure where you use magic and switch between different characters to fight. The game is free, but you can buy things inside the game to make your characters stronger or look different. When you play, you're in a magical place called Teyvat. It has seven parts, and each part has its own kind of magic and leader. You are a traveler looking for your brother or sister with your friend Paimon. You meet many people and go on exciting quests. The game came out in 2020, and many people helped make it. They got ideas from other games, cartoons, and stories from around the world. People really like playing Genshin Impact because it's fun and has a big world you can explore. Some people don't like that you have to pay to get the best stuff in the game. Still, lots of people play it, and it has made a lot of money. In the game, you can pick from different characters. You can switch them quickly when you are fighting. This makes the game exciting!