JUSTIN Bieber burst onto the music scene in 2009, with Usher helping him get his big break.
Their relationship has evolved from mentorship to a deep friendship, with Bieber having gone from Usher‘s protégé to being one of his closest pals in the industry.
When did Usher and Justin Bieber first meet?
Usher and Justin Bieber met in 2008 when Bieber was only 13 years old.
At the time, Bieber’s former manager, Scooter Braun, had just discovered him after chancing upon one of his videos on YouTube.
After convincing Bieber’s mother, Pattie Malette, to let her son fly to Atlanta, Braun made Bieber record demo tapes to send to record labels and coincidentally met Usher at the studio during one of the recording sessions.
Bieber grew up idolizing Usher, so he offered to sing for him on the spot. But Usher turned him down.
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But it wasn’t until Usher watched Bieber’s singing videos that he expressed interest.
“His voice was magical and his personality was so keen,” the Yeah singer told The New York Times. “He just knew how to be.”
By then, it was almost too late, as many others had been keen on signing Bieber, including Justin Timberlake.
But Usher was able to quickly iron out a deal with Braun, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Do Usher and Justin Bieber have a song together?
Over the years, Usher and Justin Bieber have gotten the chance to collaborate on multiple tracks.
In Bieber’s debut EP, My World, Usher appeared in a track called First Dance.
He also co-wrote the famous hit One Less Lonely Girl.
Usher also lent his vocals for the song Somebody to Love, the second single from Bieber’s debut studio album My World 2.0.
It ended up reaching #15 on the Billboard Hot 100.
For Bieber’s Christmas album Under the Mistletoe, Usher and Bieber sang a cover of The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire).
In 2021, Usher was yet again featured on one of Bieber’s remixes, particularly Peaches, along with Ludacris and Snoop Dogg.
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A look at their Usher and Justin Bieber’s history
2008
Usher and Justin Bieber officially meet, leading to Usher offering the then-teenager a recording contract.
“I’d heard about Justin through the grapevine, because people were talking about him,” Usher told Howard Stern in an interview.
“And I said to him, ‘Why don’t you set up a meeting between me and your manager, I’d love to meet with you and do this in a formal setting, I’m late for an appointment with Jermaine Dupri and I don’t want to keep him waiting, so let’s do this the right way.’”
Usher then introduced him to record executive L.A. Reid, who signed Bieber to Island Records.
“It was the antithesis of Disney and Nickelodeon.” Usher shared with Vanity Fair.
“I knew what L.A. was gonna do—the same thing he did to me. Let’s bring in employees and we want to see how he reacts to women.”
2009
Justin Bieber made his debut, with the music video for his first single One Time being shot at Usher’s home in Los Angeles.
Usher also introduced him to the Los Angeles tastemakers, saying describing Bieber as a “young phenomenon. He’s definitely a priority for me and Island Def Jam.”
That same year, the pair performed together at Madison Square Garden for Jingle Ball.
2010
Usher and Justin Bieber release the remix of Somebody to Love.
Bieber also continued skyrocketing to fame, even managing to beat out Usher for the Entertainer of the Year trophy at the American Music Awards.
“To see Justin take the award — having received that award before — it was like an out of body experience, you understand?” Usher said backstage.
“It was emotional. I don’t cry that often, but I did. Hopefully it gives an indication of how hard we worked to build a career that hopefully will flourish and blossom over the years.”
2011
Bieber made a surprise appearance during Usher’s performance at the Grammy Awards, with Bieber performing hits Baby and Never Say Never.
2012
Justin Bieber turns 18 years old, and to celebrate, Usher gifted him a $100,000 Fisker Karma electric vehicle on The Ellen Degeneres Show.
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2014
When Bieber found himself in the middle of multiple controversies, including being arrested for a DUI, Usher expressed his disappointment but maintained that he would always be there for the singer.
“Our relationship is more man-to-man now,” he told Billboard.
“He’s making his own decisions and it’s important to show support. I can say I’m not happy with all the choices my friend has made, but I’m supportive of him.
“I try my hardest to give as much positive reinforcement as I can. I’ll punch him in the f***ing chest when I need to, and give him a hug and kiss when I need to. It’s more than just mentoring. I love the kid.”
2016
Bieber and Usher reunite on stage, with the latter pulling up to Bieber’s Atlanta stop of the Purpose Tour to perform U Got It Bad.
2021
Bieber and Usher collaborate once more for the remix of Peaches.
2022
Usher publicly voiced his support for Justin Bieber when he revealed that he was diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt syndrome and assured fans that the Love Yourself singer was going to be okay.
“As an artist, I think we are all going to experience some things that people may not necessarily understand,” Usher told ExtraTV, noting that performers live “a life that comes with a great deal of pressure.”
“I think [Justin] has obviously taken the world on a journey. I am happy that I was at the beginning of and I am still a part of to this day, as a friend.
“He is doing great. Seeing him on vacation, we managed to hang out with each other, and I think that whatever he may be experiencing right now it’s actually really great to see that he has the support from his fans and his family.”
2024
Justin Bieber is rumored to appear in Usher’s Super Bowl performance in Las Vegas after he was spotted arriving in Sin City along with The Kardashians.