Usher Hasn’t Been Paid for His Super Bowl Performance but Expects a Hefty Payout
Usher will not be receiving a salary for his Super Bowl halftime show because the 13-minute performance alone holds great marketing value.
Despite not being paid upfront, Usher is using his performance to jumpstart his year and push the sales and streams of his newly released album. His latest music album, Coming Home, made its debut two days ago.
Based on the report by Forbes, the financial arrangement and revenue are all in favor of Usher but the rewards will take time to trickle in. It’s expected that the millions of viewers who watched the halftime show will look for the singer’s tracks on different platforms.
According to the publication, Rihanna, who performed in last year’s halftime show, saw her digital song sales spike by a whopping 390% after the NFL show. Even her sales for her Fendy Beauty products leaped in revenue—and it’s all thanks to the performance she did at the NFL game.
Similar to Rihanna, Usher also has other businesses, including a cognac brand named Remy Martin and a fragrance line. Both are projected to experience a boost in sales after the game.
Naima Cochrane, a former marketing executive at Columbia and Epic Records, told Forbes, “There is no bigger moment of impact. It would be ridiculous not to have a call to action that folks can take immediately following. As soon as he says goodnight, there needs to be a button somebody can push to spend some money to do something for him.”
Even if the custom for performers who headline the halftime show is to perform for free, some artists readily shell out their own money to ensure a perfect number.
The Weeknd, for instance, reportedly set a budget of $7 million for his performance while Dr. Dre spent almost the same amount to ensure that his show went well.
Meanwhile, Usher promised to take his fans through three decades of his music with a performance that was meant to feel like a personal serenade. Last February 9 during the Super Bowl halftime show, Usher made a dramatic entrance by descending to the stage from above. His performance was also made more special by several celebrity guests like will.i.am, Alicia Keys, and Ludacris.
During Usher’s recent interview with Good Morning America, he said, “Since that day, I think I had it in my mind that I wanted to go back to the stage.”
Prior to his performance, Usher whetted the audience’s appetite. “Don’t take the moments for granted because you only get 13 of them,” he said referring to the typically allotted 13 minutes. “The hardest part is trying to figure out how to squeeze it all in when you actually have a large catalog or a lot of records people celebrate and love.”
Usher’s performance was received positively. It showcased his career, musical prowess, and dancing on a stage that reverberated with energy. While the money didn’t start pouring in right away, it’s safe to say—based on his performance—that’s it’s only a matter of time.
