To see all US tour dates see Tour Info.
“I’m not calling myself a superhero,” Usher says. “But you can call me one.” Consider the evidence. Faster than a speeding bullet, the singer followed the platinum-plus Raymond V. Raymond album — which since its release in March has spawned such pop and R&B hits as There Goes My Baby, Lil’ Freak and OMG— with the nine-track Versus, which premiered last week at No. 4 on the Billboard album chart and has produced the No. 6 single DJ Got Us Fallin’ in Love.
Now Usher is poised for his next cross-country adventure. The OMG Tour kicks off Nov. 10 in Seattle, with dates scheduled through Dec. 18. Ticket sales begin Sept. 17; information is available at usherworld.com.
“If you think about it, artists are like superheroes,” says Usher, 31. “We work all seasons, with all the pressures that come with that.”
Usher plans to channel that energy and discipline into his concerts. “I want to show all the different sides of my personality and artistic inspiration, through light, sound and graphics. I’m not just a guy who walks onstage and takes off his shirt — though you’ll get that, too.”
The emphasis, of course, will be on music.
“I learned from the era where things didn’t feel rehearsed in performance, even if they were. You can have such an incredible bond with your band that you just look at them — like James Brown would, or Prince, or Michael (Jackson) — and they know exactly what to do.”
Rolling Stone deputy managing editor Nathan Brackett sees Usher as an heir to those icons. “He’s a classic entertainer in a long line of great R&B performers whose music makes people feel good. Some songs give you hints of a personal struggle, but it’s telling that his biggest hits have been up-tempo.”
Versus in particular is informed by Usher’s affection for club music, “which is about letting your issues go,” he says. “You turn on the TV and everything is negative. DJ Got Us Fallin’ in Love is about a weekend experience: I’ve worked hard all week, and now I’m getting back to what life is really about.”
On the road, the feel-good vibes will extend offstage, and beyond the romantic sphere. Usher is creating a section in his tour bus for his two sons by ex-wife Tameka Foster: Usher Raymond V, who turns 3 in November, and Naviyd, who’ll be 2 in December.
“I’m building them a full play area,” Usher says. “This way, when they get tired of watching me, they’ll have something else to do.”
Update: The Official Twitter Hashtag For The Tour is #UsherOMGtour!
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