USHER FIX

Twelve of South Africa’s rising urban musicians are competing for the opportunity to open for Usher when he performs at the Hansa Festival of Legends at the Orlando Stadium in March this year.

This past weekend, the regional finalists were evaluated and selected from a group of 30 artists through a series of concerts.

Judges looked at talent, stage presence and performance.

Over the next month, the top 12 will be reduced to six – one from each region – as voted for by the public.

The six winners will take to the stage at the Hansa Festival of Legends and open the show for Usher.

“I am confident that we have unearthed some of South Africa’s most amazing talent,” said judge and Talent Search Ambassador, Thabiso Khati, who has worked with artists ranging from Lucky Dube to L-Tido.

“We have a really special group of performers here, all of whom have long careers in the South African music business ahead of them. And what better way to start than to open for Usher.”.

Voting will open soon here. You must be 18 or over to vote.

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Two of Usher’s upcoming concerts in South Africa have been cancelled due to “unavoidable scheduling and logistical challenges”.

Usher was due to perform at both the Cape Town and Durban legs of the Hansa Festival of Legends tour in March. Now the concerts have been scrapped, officials from organizers Big Concerts announced on Monday, Jan 23. Usher will however still play at the Johannesburg leg of the festival.

Big Concerts’ Ceo John Langford says, “We never went on sale with the Cape Town and Durban tickets when we announced that Usher was coming to South Africa. We tried hard to make Cape Town and Durban work, but due to logistics it didn’t work.”
 

 

 
Usher’s album, ‘Raymond v Raymond’ has been selected for the iTunes Great Albums Of The 2000s sale, and is available for just $7.99! The offer ends on 1/31.
 

Rico Love tweeted about Usher:
 

My brother @usherraymondiv is the black Evil Kinevil pulling into the studio on his bike…. #TURNTHELIGHTSON

Usher attended Dwayne Wade B’day party at the Setai Hotel in South Beach, Miami last Sunday.

Ludacris tells Billboard.com that his eighth studio album, “Ludaversal,” is on track for a May release, and that the highly anticipated full-length will feature a familiar collaborator.

“Usher is one person that I’ve already worked with,” says Ludacris, “and in terms of other artists, you can say that there’s going to be a lot of surprises on here.” Ludacris and Usher previously collaborated on the latter’s smash single “Yeah!,” which featured Lil’ Jon and topped the Hot 100 for 12 weeks in 2004, as well as Lil’ Jon’s “Lovers and Friends,” which peaked at No. 3 on the chart.

The follow-up to 2010′s “Battle of the Sexes” is still “in the beginning stages” for the Atlanta rapper, who tided fans over by releasing the mixtape “1.21 Gigawatts: Back To The First Time” in November. “I get the beats together and I put out my ideas, so I’d say we’re maybe about 40 percent done,” says the rapper (real name: Chris Bridges) about his forthcoming album. Last year, he confirmed to Billboard.com that the Neptunes, who produced his past hits “Southern Hospitality” and “Money Maker,” contributed to his latest effort. “I’ve pretty much collected about 80 percent of the beats that I need and I’ve started writing ideas on them. First I have to love the beat, absolutely love it.”

Usher: “Join me and millions of (RED) and ONE supporters, to fight for an AIDS Free Generation by 2015. Check out my panel on the (2015)QUILT. Add your voice. Make a pledge. Get a song from The Killers for free as a thank you. The beginning of the #endofAIDS starts with you.”

Cory Nettles, founder and managing director of Milwaukee-based Generation Growth Capital, Inc., has been named to the board of directors of Usher’s New Look Foundation. Nettles will serve on the Foundation’s development committee and lend his expertise to guide the strategic fund development goals of the Foundation which certifies young people in four leadership areas including talent, education, career and service.
“We are extremely fortunate that this esteemed individual has agreed to join our Board and team,” said Shawn Wilson, president of Usher’s New Look. “The depth of his experience is truly exceptional, and his advice and guidance will prove invaluable as we continue the growth of New Look.”
Generation Growth Capital, Inc. is a private equity fund focused on buyouts and providing growth capital to small businesses and low middle market companies in the upper-Midwest. Nettles also serves as Of Counsel at the law firm Quarles & Brady LLP in the corporate services and government relations group.
Since 1999, Usher’s New Look Foundation has mentored over 9,000 youth and has provided over 150,000 hours of leadership training in civic engagement, education, business skills and talent and creativity. The foundation plans to certify 50,000 youth as leaders by 2015.