In June 2022, R&B icon Usher graced the intimate setting of NPR's Tiny Desk, delivering a captivating performance that served as a fitting capstone to their Black Music Month celebration. Recorded at NPR headquarters in Washington, D.C., shortly after a rehearsal for the Something in the Water Festival, this session showcased the enduring power and versatility of an artist whose career spans over 25 years. Usher, accompanied by his band dressed in black, kicked off the set with a funky, horn-laced instrumental, setting a vibrant, almost Blaxploitation-esque mood before diving into a reworked version of his 1997 breakout hit, "You Make Me Wanna...". The performance was a masterclass in showmanship and vocal prowess, touching upon various phases of his illustrious career, from deeply personal ballads to club anthems. As he prepared for the second leg of his Las Vegas residency, Usher solidified his status as a true R&B goliath, reminding audiences why he remains a formidable presence in the ongoing conversation about the genre's greatest.
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