Usher rejects comparisons to Justin Timberlake as he focuses on beating his personal record
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Usher and Justin Timberlake, two icons of the early 2000s music scene, have often found themselves compared due to their shared rise to fame and similar career trajectories.
However, in a recent interview with People, Usher, 45, dismisses the notion of competition and emphasizes their individual artistic journeys.
Usher discusses early inspirations and hustle in the Music Industry
Usher acknowledges mutual admiration between himself and Timberlake's producers, highlighting a shared respect for each other's work.
"I think people more than likely need to find comparisons, but we are all unique artists and have our creativity," says 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."
Reflecting on his own musical influences, Usher reminisces about his early days hustling in the music industry, drawing inspiration from R&B and hip-hop pioneers like Bobby Brown and New Edition.
“I’d be sitting outside of nightclubs where people would come out at maybe 4 o’clock in the morning, and here I am singing [Boyz II Men’s hit] ‘End of the Road,'" he remembers.
Despite being a contemporary of Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears, Usher humorously acknowledges that he wasn't a "Disney kid," given the mature nature of his songs. “They probably would have kicked me off the lot.”
Usher shrugs off old comparisons to Justin Timberlake
Usher's journey through the music industry has been marked by admiration for his peers, including Justin Timberlake, whom he acknowledges as an exceptional performer.
Despite their similarities in rising to fame in the early 2000s, Usher emphasizes mutual respect and individuality in their respective careers.
"I can remember as a kid going to their foundation events and just supporting *NSYNC and trying to get as close as I possibly could to them because I just respected what (their manager) Johnny Wright was doing."
Reflecting on his admiration for Timberlake and *NSYNC during their ascent to stardom, Usher recalls attending their events and supporting their endeavors.
Years later, after both artists had achieved success as solo acts, Usher attempted to collaborate with Timberlake, but without success. Nonetheless, he deeply respects Timberlake for his talent and contributions to the industry.
Usher mentioned his efforts to collaborate with Timberlake, stating, "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 added, "I think he's an amazing performer."
There's no doubt Usher is in a league of his own.
"I'm in competition with no one other than myself, and I've always tried to beat my own record," Usher remarked. "Beat my own expectations and try and better myself. And if anything, I've been motivated by people like Justin."
He added, "I think that he has a legacy that should be respected and not compared to anybody else. Do I feel at times that the score was a bit unfair in terms of how people even judged us or some of the things that may have been given to him?"
The star pauses briefly before commenting, "He had a better management team, you know what I'm saying, access to resources I didn't have. But I'm okay with that."
Timberlake's 'Everything I Thought I Was,' due out in March, and Usher's 'Coming Home' is released on Feb 9.
Usher also asserts. "I'm confident enough to celebrate every artist and can share the stage with any of them. We entertain and enjoy ourselves because music is a place of celebration."
