Why Usher didn't include Justin Bieber in the Super Bowl halftime show

Usher’s halftime show at Super Bowl 58 was a marvelous, star-studded affair that spanned the breadth of the artist’s career. But unfortunately, for many music fans, a certain someone was missing from the performance.

Justin Bieber — who collaborated with Usher on his 2010 hit “Somebody To Love” — was in attendance in Las Vegas for the game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers, but didn’t take the field for the halftime show. While it wasn’t a certainty that Bieber would perform alongside Usher, fans were certainly hoping for another collaboration between the two.

MORE: 12 electric photos of Usher’s star-studded 2024 Super Bowl halftime show performance.

While Bieber’s absence disappointed fans, it actually shouldn’t come as a surprise. Ahead of his Super Bowl performance, Usher said he wanted to pay tribute to Black artists who paved the way for him in his show:

“It’s a major thing for me,” Usher said. “I think about what our country has kind of represented for Black artists, you know, having to at some point go through kitchens to even be able to perform for an audience, but they had to leave back through that same door, fear for their lives as they went to the next state to do the same thing. So I’m coming through the front door with this one.”

Makes sense! The set was an incredible showcase of R&B talent, from Alicia Keys to Lil Jon and more. Plus, with how fast-paced the show was, it just seemed like an appearance from Bieber wasn’t in the cards.

Here’s how NFL fans reacted to Bieber’s no-show during the Super Bowl halftime show.