Usher may still be riding high off the success of a new critically acclaimed album, ‘Coming Home,’ and a record-breaking Super Bowl Halftime Show, but the 45-year-old crooner already has his sights on what’s next.
Beyond prepping the North American ‘Past, Present, Future Tour,‘ the ‘My Way‘ singer’s future – if he has his way – could also include a long-sought after duet with fellow GRAMMY-winning megastar Justin Timberlake.
Playing cover star to a recent issue of ‘People‘ magazine, Ush (born Usher Raymond) made headlines with the feature for not only reminiscing on the true reason for his early 2000’s breakup with TLC member Chilli but also his new marriage and more.
Among standouts in the feature is his commentary on Timberlake, who he’s been competitively been pit against since the former NSYNC frontman went solo in 2002.
“I think people more than likely need to find comparisons, but we are all unique artists and have our creativity,” said Usher. “I love the producers that he works with so much so that I worked with them. And I think he loves the producers that I worked with so much so that he worked with them.”
And while Ush says there’s nothing but love for Justin, he doesn’t worry about the narrative the press and some music lovers try to paint with him and the ‘Cry Me a River’ singer being rivals.
If anything, it’s inspiring.
“I’m in competition with no one other than myself, and I’ve always tried to beat my own record,” Raymond relayed. “Beat my own expectations and try and better myself. And if anything, I’ve been motivated by people like Justin.”
That “motivation” has encouraged the 8x GRAMMY winner to reach out to Timberlake’s camp on multiple occasions to setup a duet. And despite photos surfacing of them in the studio together in 2017, no finished product has surfaced from that session.
“I’ve always wanted to do a record with Justin and have reached out many times, but we’ve never managed to make it happen,” he said before later saying, “I think that he has a legacy that should be respected and not compared to anybody else…I’m confident enough to celebrate any and every artist and can stand on the stage with any of them.”
There may still be time for Raymond’s wish to come true as Justin’s new album, ‘Everything I Thought It Was,’ isn’t due until March 15.