Usher was honored with the Legend of Live Award at Billboard’s 2025 Live Music Summit Monday night. Ahead of the presentation, he looked back on the evolution of his touring experience, which included opening for Mary J. Blige and Diddy; his own 8701 Evolution Tour; and his highest-grossing, bestselling Past Present and Future Tour.
Speaking to Billboard‘s Gail Mitchell, Usher said being an opening act gave him “another notch on my belt in terms of what I was capable of being able to handle, so that when I went to try to headline my own tours, we knew that we had the ability to hold a crowd.” He noted he didn’t want any hand outs along the way, hence turning down the offer to come out during Diddy’s headlining set when he opened for him on tour.
“I’m gonna stay right where I’m at because I wanna earn my keep,” Usher recalled telling Diddy. “I’m here for a reason. I want to someday be where you are.”
Usher explained why it was important for him to pay tribute to the people who inspired him once he started headlining his own shows.
“I’m an artist who was inspired by the legends. If I study the legends, then hopefully one day, I will be one,” he said, adding that he hopes people will continue to celebrate R&B.
“In the same way that I think all other industries have managed to monetize what they are — whether it’s hip-hop, rock & roll, country — I want the same thing for R&B,” he said. “I want us to celebrate the legacy of what it is that we created.”
Usher also teased an upcoming project that “may shine a light on a very specific period of my life and around performance.”
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