Usher is pumping the breaks.
The R&B crooner had been set to release his new album, his first since 2012’s ‘Looking 4 Myself’, this year. However, in a new interview with Billboard, the Grammy winner has confirmed that the set “isn’t scheduled anymore”. A very creative way, clearly, of saying that the LP has been pushed back.
Details below…
Speaking to BB, Mr Raymond said:
“The album isn’t scheduled anymore. I’ve basically taken it back. I’m taking my time with it. At the end of the day, all of this is just about having fun. You get in the studio [and] go with how you feel.”
Despite confirming the delay, the star did elaborate on its direction and the process of piecing it together:
“It’s not about a specific topic or specific period of my life. I work on 40-50 songs in making an album. I haven’t finished the album enough to tell you what I’m talking about.
It was just a different take. It’s something that feels very modern, but the vocal on it feels very specific to my style. I wanted to do something that I felt like would be current, but wouldn’t necessarily conform specifically.
Tentatively titled ‘UR’, the album features production from the likes of Pharrell, Pop and Oak, Diplo, and Jermaine Dupri. Although, it’s not immediately clear which of the already heard/recorded numbers will make the final tracklist.
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Let’s keep it 100, that was an impeccably stylised way of saying “nothing has caught on the way we intended, so we’re re-recording the album”. And, given the importance of this particular project (see: coming off the so-so sales of ‘Looking’), we don’t blame Usher at all.
That said, it baffled as to why he didn’t push the set’s singles ‘Good Kisser’ or ‘She Came To Give It To You’ harder. For beyond both being sonically solid, they were consistent with one another and set a great musical foundation for the rest of the album (see: throwback, funk, with a modern twist). Yet, it appears when neither were able to set the charts ablaze immediately, they were dropped like a rock. A flawed approach from where we’re standing, as both tracks are clearly “growers” and require that extra push to really make ’em catch on – which they easily could have.
Then there’s Ush’s performances of late. The problem being that they have been exactly that… late. Late choreography, late concepts, and late execution. Think of all the award shows he’s performed at in recent months; have any of them stood out? We, like many, say “no” – which is startling given Usher’s established stage blazer status.
From our vantage point, he’s tasked with using the next few months to cook up hits that are more “instant”, choreography that is more fresh (and not this faux-MJ thing that every R&B male seems to have binned…apart from him), and cultivating a promo plan that is much more ambitious.
Here’s wishing him the best.
In translation- this means the songs he recorded sucked and the label rejected them.
SCTGITY is a horrible song and so was Good Kisser. Usher needs to just serve up straight R&B and stay away from Pharrell. When you work with who everybody is working with your music ends up sounding the same as everybody else’s.
I agree. Pharell’s production doesn’t suit Usher well. He needs to return to the Confessions sound.
Usher has always worked with the hottest producers of the moment. This is nothing new.
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He needs a hit. If jessie j can do it, he can.
her label, Republic forced her to have a hit by adding Ariana & Nicki with Max Martin production.
Elusive Chanteuse 2.0
I agree with Sam in this article. I like Usher but come on man, get it together.
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I loved good kisser and I like she came and gave it to you. It seems Usher is used to having hits that he decided to delay the project when non of the singles, both very good didn’t catch on.
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Well, since he is re-doing the album, here’s hoping we get more Climax, dive, good kisser and no Euphoria, scream, OMG.
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One can only hope, I have a feeling this re-do will sound more like a Chris Brown album than an Usher album, which would be unfortunate considering Usher is miles ahead any Rnb artist out today or in the last 15 years.
She came to give it to you literally sounded like any other pharrell sound. The nicki feature didn’t help. He’s clinging to people that are already overexposed. And that tired vma performance tho…
Let the push-backs begin.
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Whatever he releases better slay anything JT has put out over the past few years. The singles he released wasn’t cuttin it!
I agree with Sam in this article. I like Usher but come on man, get it together.
‘
I loved good kisser and I like she came and gave it to you. It seems Usher is used to having hits that he decided to delay the project when non of the singles, both very good didn’t catch on.
‘
Well, since he is re-doing the album, here’s hoping we get more Climax, dive, good kisser and no Euphoria, scream, OMG.
‘
One can only hope, I have a feeling this re-do will sound more like a Chris Brown album than an Usher album, which would be unfortunate considering Usher is miles ahead any Rnb artist out today or in the last 15 years..
Stop chasing trends and maybe he won’t second guess himself so much. Usher is obviously doing like Mariah, nervously delaying so that he can try and stalk a “hit” big enough to release the album with and get a satisfying return…as opposed to just recording solid enough music that he feels good enough, radio and charts be damned. We see how well that went for her. Oh well. He’ll learn.
He can’t afford another 100k flop. He hasn’t had a good hit since climax.
In other news: rih has even more competition now w this new one direction album. Uh oh!!
How when it’s a totally different fan base? Worry about Cherry Mold being a Rita Who lessor.
These girls act like Rihanna is scared of competition, Rhanna has never been scared of competition. She picks a date and releases.
It doesn’t matter if it’s a different fan base. She won’t get the number 1, as usual, and they’ll outsell her. Death! And if rih wasn’t scared, she’d release in album in June instead of literally CLINGING to November/holiday sales. I thought she was a superstar? Death.
When Cheryl Cole can book stadium dates without relying on X-Factor, then we can talk. Until then, worry about when a million lights will go UK platinum, UK platinum is only 300K, can’t be that hard.
She’s been doing the same venues as your fave, without X factor. Come harder with actual accurate shade. And keep clinging to aml, the album that you bought and love. Just tell me when rih stops clinging to that November release date. What kind of ‘superstar’ can’t outsell Adam lambert first week? Absolute death. Have several.
My fav’s venues include Stade de france, Twickenham stadium, Aviva stadium, Stadium of light…etc. Cheryl Cole has never done those venues, try again
I didn’t know that the stade de France was in the uk. Dumb navy. Again, what kind of superstar can’t do Adam lambert numbers first week? I’ll wait.
I never said it was in the UK. Regardless, Cheryl isn’t doing Rih venues in the UK.
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And not that weak drag when your favorite can’t even outsell Rita Ora in the UK
Cheryl actually just outsold rita. Come with accurate shade. But why can’t a global superstar do better numbers than Adam lambert, Jackie evancho, Michael buble, nickelback or t pain? KIIIIII
One Direction, Adele, Taylor. Damn.
What are you talking about? Mariah recorded what is some of her best work since Butterfy. Chanteuse is an amazing solid body of work, it is a great album.
This isn’t good. If the support and confidence isn’t there, then we have a problem.
Flop.
He knows he is going to flop so hard….. *sips tea*
For da love of all mankind. Why do people assume wen an album is pushed back that means it’s gonna flop. Chris brown delayed x and den we got loyal. So shut your negative ass up b****.
You kno wen 4 was out u were mad quiet. 4 was a flop then u waited for an album in 2013 and everyone was saying beyonce is scared to release a new album or she’ll flop then Beyonce released BEYONCE and she received massive success, also she had mad time in the studio. Usher already had is 4 moment in Looking “4” Myself. Now Usher is about to have is “BEYONCE” moment. Get Ready
#ushertakeover
David’s impact.
That ninja tells no lies.
I’m just here for good music. I don’t get a check or royalties depending on sales or if it has tons of vevo views so that’s not my concern. I only get one thing from musicians I like- and that’s audio pleasure. I’d much rather a great album that isn’t trendy/conforming/generic/ forget than an album full of radio friendly songs and thirst seeking videos but will be forgettable in 6-8months. Long gone are the days of quality popular music 🙁
http://i691.photobucket.com/albums/vv280/cristina_esperanza/My%20Life/justin5.gif
Oh Usher. I really am rooting for him. Hes an old faithful.
People just don’t value good music, point blank! Its sad because I really enjoy Good Kisser and his latest single.
The same thing happen with 8701,confessions,and rvr. All were delayed and pushed back and den dey went on too become usher’s greatest and biggest records of all time. Whenever usher delays and album its a good thing. He’ll takeover 2015 I promise you. He still has the commercial appeal and the moves he just needs “believe me,lemme see,loyal,or climax” type records and he’ll do great on this next album and smash the whole f****** competition.
The same thing happen with 8701,confessions,and rvr. All were delayed and pushed back and den dey went on too become usher’s greatest and biggest records of all time. Whenever usher delays and album its a good thing. He’ll takeover 2015 I promise you. He still has the commercial appeal and the moves he just needs “believe me,lemme see,loyal,or climax” type records and he’ll do great on this next album and smash the whole f****** competition. Get ready for a lot of usher in 2015
Comebacks 1 year later:
Usher has another #1 single
This is a smart move on Usher’s part. It’s never a good idea to release an album w/o having a hit on it first.
Thank you. Wen usher delays an album that means it’s gonna be huge
I agree that Usher hasn’t been killing the awards performance but he did kill the Today Show performances. Hope he really goes back and find his niche and executes it properly. “Good Kisser” still bumps! 🙂
He needs to start from scratch and not work with any current producers that’ll have his material sounding like everyone else’s.
Usher’s too much of a trend hopper to not work with current producers. He’s always gonna seek out hit makers and jump on whatever sound is selling. It wasn’t so obvious during his first 10 years or so, when there was nothing before that to compare it to, but the last 5 have painfully exposed his trend hoping ways.
I personally think he will struggle regardless, cause this new generation really aren’t familiar with him at all, and his core fan base couldn’t care less at this point. Scoring a hit single isn’t out of the question, but as far moving decent numbers, album wise? Ain’t happening playa….
But who knows what could happen.
Kids in my school still talk about usher. Plus do you know war it means to not have a hit song and still be able to perform at big award shows and events that means people are still here for him
your school =/= the general population.
For example, at the vmas red carpet, they put him in the crowd to surprise the fans and literally none of them recognised him, it was embarrassing. But when Beyonce showed up they lost their minds.
That’s that recognition i’m talking about. These kids of today are not familiar with him. It wouldn’t matter if he still had his core fan base, but he’s alienated them so long now, so how’s he gonna sell? I mean… Looking 4Myself didn’t even go Gold.
So kids are not familiar with Omg,dj got us falling in love,scream,climax or good kisser. F*** outta here fool
If kids are not familiar with him why is he teaming up with scholastic s u idiot
What it means is that his brand is still worth something and they’re pushing for a new generation to become more familiar with him because there are potential earnings there. Kids are aware of Usher, but their knowledge and interest doesn’t span the same number of years that are on the minds of his core fan base. I think the UR tour intends to introduce newer audiences to the thrill and excitement from Usher’s earlier successes. Usher was more driven in those days.
FACT: do you know that Usher headlined the kids concert inaugural ball in 2013. Sips tea
By the way I’m 17 and I’m on team usher and my school talks about him too. So shut the f*** up hmmmm
I just think you hate usher because he’s a better performer den ur fave. Dis n**** collaborating with kid ink,drake and chris brown. He still has youth appeal
Hmmm just go somewhere cuz u sound stupid now bye
FOOL. Wen a n**** performs at kids inaugural balls,vma,or teams with scholastics that mean the new generation do love him
As far as material is concerned, I would love for him to give that PBR&B sound. Like what Bey did on self titled. He was on the right path with Climax, but s*** didn’t turn out as well as it could cause he split himself to please 2 different markets, and delivered a Roman Reloaded mess. Just give me a cohesive body of work with that progressive experimental R&b.. You can do it.
its very hard for usher to create the ‘confessions’ magic again and from my point of view his biggest mistake was releasing good kisser he cant trade on songs like this right now he needs a solid club banger to get into the scene. His BET and VMA performances werent upto the mark and he is struggling coz now L.A reid is not with him. L.A made him create a banger called Yeah i just hope good for usher coz i think he is confused and the most hilarious part is his UR experience tour.
True. I don’t see why he doesn’t just transfer to Epic from RCA so that he can reunite with LA Reid. They’re both under Sony Music, so he wouldn’t be leaving the overall umbrella. History shows that Reid knows how to handle Usher, I don’t think anyone at RCA really gets him so he’s kind of left to his own devices there, plus that label is too overcrowded anyway.
A Cheryl Cole Sore stan is trying to diss Rihanna when their fave is a Rita Ora lessor. The nerve! Lol
Is she? Receipts? But I do have the receipts that Adam lambert, Jackie evancho, Michael buble, nickelback and t pain outsold rihanna. Death!!!
The fact thay Rita can some what chart here in the US and Cole Sore can’t says enough.
Out sold her in the first week, but at the end of the day. And Rihanna is still here, #1 album or not. Didn’t some of her albums do 300k in a week in the UK? Isn’t that platinum over there? Such low standard, no wonder you stan for Ora’s lessor and Nicole S (whatever her last name is)er equal.
Those aren’t receipts btw. Charting in the us doesn’t make you a bigger star. You really are so dumb.
You really are dumb. The population is over five times less than the us. Thats why going gold in the UK is 100k vs 500k for the us.
Doesn’t matter cause your fave would be doing less than Ciara numbers. Now sit on that during brunch.
How? You’re logic is horrendous. Exactly how when cheryl has 2 platinum albums and 5 platinum singles? The kii is that when rih released rated r in 2009, in the biggest week of the year, she sold 180k behind Adam lambert. Cheryl did more in a country w a fifth of the pop in October. So have several with your absolute lack of receipts.
Usher has always worked with the hottest producers of the moment. I think his time has just come to an end. It’s natural to decline after damn near twenty years. Maybe he should wait until that biopic he filmed is released to drop his album. It worked for Jamie Foxx…
Usher if u read this message then fire GRACE MIGUEL or she will make a joke out of you sry to say. On listening to good kisser & SCTGITY for the 1st any 1 can say those r flops except ursher that really pathetic being a r&b king he has no direction or plot for his album
A brief history of Sisqo,for our younger readers: Mark Althavean Andrews was born in 1978, in Baltimore. He went on to help found pioneering R&B group Dru Hill,who topped the charts with “How Deep Is Your Love.” In 1999 Sisqo released his solo debut Enter The Dragon,which included the Bar Mitzvah party conquering “Thong Song”, and, well, the rest is history.
After today the textbooks will have to add a new chapter, because Sisqo’s back with a new Waka Flocka Flame-featuring banger: A-List!!
I’m and so f****** tired of thus b******* of negative comments about usher. Do you know wat it means to be an r&b artists that debuted in 1994 and 20 years later your still performing at the vmas,bet awards,Grammys and headlining arena tours. Yall need to shut the f*** up are you seriously gonna put usher in the same category as Mariah Carey situation. The GP still supports him for da love of mankind dis is the same s*** y’all said about mj in the 90s and despite being dragged by the media he still was touring and performing at huge award shows same like usher. Den wen legends are done u f****** ride their d****. I think you all should appreciate the fact that you still have an artist from the 90s still having a successful career. now can y’all just shut up? You want to say no one is here for him and yet he has had plenty of top ten hits this decade. I’m telling you y’all are so damn unappreciative,uneducated,and just like yo drag too make u feel good about your fave. The GP loves usher but u stupid ass blogs are just from a different planet
So true many of generations love usher. That grape juice only thinks beyonce is relevant. Life was so much easier here in 2011
I think I’m f****** done with this site because the amount of disrespect is real. Why are y’all grape juice people so different. People here think Ciara is relevant I’m in gosh people here are stupid
Guys don’t forget too watch fashion rocks on cbs tomorrow. USHER IS PERFORMING. Thank you
man just shut the f*** up fans r critizing usher coz he is making a joke out of himself. He is a ladies man but that doesnt mean he will hand over his career in the hands of every lady that comes in his life, as an entertainer he should be serious about his career his downfall started since 2008. Transformation doesnt mean that he will leave his individuality and start doing the songs of chris brown, robin thicke etc. Like why doesnt he make a song with lil jon again? He has totally transformed himself into something else thats why no 1 remembers him. i m not critizing him but telling the truth coz he is an idol to so many ppl.
Usher is an OG in this music game. His first album was released twenty years ago and it’s been ten years since his most successful album to date, “Confessions.” He’s a 35 year old man now and keeping up with trends may not be the best move. He’s an amazing talent and can do pretty much what he wants musically. He and his label have to realize that he may not have as massive success like “Confessions” anymore, so just give us some good, solid music and stop worrying about sales. I do agree that maybe his stage shows can improve. His choreography does seem a bit dated, so a new choreographer may need to be hired. “Good Kisser” and SCTGITY are strong songs, so don’t worry about #1s. Just give us some fire, grown man music.