Usher says to expect him 'to be a bit on the wild side' at his Las Vegas residency
Usher is preparing to launch his second Las Vegas residency this July, where he said fans can expect him to be "a bit on the wild side."
The Grammy Award-winning artist, 43, will take the stage at Dolby Live at Park MGM for 23 dates from July-October after selling out every date at his 20-show residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in 2021.
During a recent interview with "Good Morning America," the singer spoke about what changes he's making with his new shows and how he selects which songs from years of massive hits to perform during the residency.
"The idea that Las Vegas is still Sin City is what's in my mind," he said. "It's now become a place that is commercial enough for everybody to come and have a good time. Yeah, you can bring your kids and you can have a good time, but it's still Sin City to me."
"It's those songs and those moments, like "I Don't Mind" where I get a chance to be a little bit naughty," he continued. "It's those other opportunities to just kind of go off the beaten path and do things that are a bit racy and fun that I look forward to in Las Vegas."
"Don't get me wrong, well, I love playing the hits -- I like playing 'Yeah!' I like playing 'Burn' and 'Confessions,'" he added. "But you got to know why those songs were created, you got to understand the motivation and where they came from -- or at least I want you to -- so I allow you to see things theatrically that otherwise you wouldn't be able to see."
The upcoming residency is being described as an "immersive" experience that will "incorporate audience interaction."
"Immersive from the perspective that you are participating in the show at times, you actually feel like you're literally in it with me," the singer said. "The room accommodates being able to move people in a place where they naturally wouldn't have been and allows them to have access to things that they would have never had the opportunity to have access to," he added.
"What makes it helpful to engage in the moment is the fact that you know the song, but you don't know everything about the song," he continued. "You don't know where it came from, what inspired it and what happened, so that's what I mean when I say immersive. I'm immersing you in the experience of what my music is."
The singer said to expect "some impromptu moments" during the performances and teased a potential special guest or two.
"I love to share. Music is something that has always been about sharing, which is why I've loved to collaborate with so many artists and have duets," he said. "But I also too sometimes take the liberty, if I feel like my audience will understand it, and it fits within the show, I may bring somebody and allow them to have a moment."
