The 'Good Good' singer, who took the stage for Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Show, recalls the moment he 'grew frustrated and just needed a moment to decompress' his feelings.
- Feb 16, 2024
AceShowbiz - Usher almost walked away from his career after growing "frustrated" over the "lack of support" for his music. The 45-year-old "Yeah!" singer has confessed he started questioning his own abilities after failing to replicate his previous successes and he worried his tracks were no longer resonating with fans, so he considered quitting the industry for good.
He told PEOPLE, "I think I grew frustrated and just needed a moment to decompress and to process what I was feeling. I just felt the lack of support and it was a bit stifling because I was still putting the same amount of effort into trying to create things that I felt would be celebrated. It was a moment of true consideration, like 'Is it time to hang it up? Am I good enough? Is it time for me to stop?' I just have to go away.' "
Usher decided to take time out from his career by going traveling and he says the trip helped him get back on track. He added, "Thailand, Africa, India, Tokyo, London, I went on this journey. It was all about fun. And after I went all of those places, I got it. I was able to purge my thoughts and get to a place where I can really relax and allow light to unfold and not look at things in boxes, good or bad."
"I've gone through everything that I've gone through for a reason. I choose to not look at them as negative things. These traumas have become treasured if I can choose to see them that way. That's when I got it. And I just started believing in what I said and going after it," he continued.
After getting back from the trip, Usher's personal life also got a major boost as he struck up a romance with record executive Jennifer Goicoechea, who he married in Las Vegas on Super Bowl Sunday, February 11. He explained, "Jenn was the first person I saw when I returned. She was like, 'You look different.' I was like, 'Yeah, where you been?' I found an amazing partner who happened to be my best friend and was there all the time and I was like 'Wow,' this could be great.' "
