Usher says he ‘understands’ why Justin Bieber declined to perform with him at the Super Bowl halftime show… after Lil Jon revealed singer was ‘not ready’

Usher said there are no hard feelings after Justin Bieber refused to perform with him at the Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Show on Sunday.

The 45-year-old R&B legend said he “understands” why the Peaches singer, 29, didn’t want to take the stage with him, but offered no explanation as to why he opted out.

“I think maybe it comes from the fact that he just wants to tell a different story now,” Usher said in a preview clip of an upcoming episode of The Breakfast Club , out Monday.

The U Got It Bad hitmaker – who broke the record for the most-watched Super Bowl performance of all time – said: “I understand that.”

Although they did not perform together this time, Usher also noted that they plan to collaborate soon, as they last performed live together over a decade ago.

The 45-year-old R&B legend said he “understands” why the Peaches singer, 29, didn’t want to take the stage with him, but did not elaborate on why he opted out.

“We had a brief conversation,” he said. ‘And we’re going to do something different in the future. No love lost or anything like that.”

During the clip, Usher also revealed that he asked other artists besides Justin to join him on stage while he headlined the halftime show.

“Justin wasn’t the only person I talked to about doing the Super Bowl, but the moment might have been for later,” he explained.

One of the artists that fans speculated Usher was talking about performing with was Chris Brown, and Usher shut down those rumors.

For his record-breaking halftime show, he performed with Alicia Keys, Lil Jon, Ludacris, will.i.am and HER

Earlier this week, Lil Jon revealed the reason Bieber didn’t join the group of music icons on stage.

He told TMZ that Bieber was ‘not ready’ for the huge performance, which involves a lot of rehearsals and attention.

Instead, he opted to support his mentor from the crowd and was seen cheering them on alongside his wife Hailey Bieber.

Instead, he opted to support his mentor from the crowd and was seen cheering them on alongside his wife Hailey Bieber

During the clip, Usher also revealed that he asked other artists besides Justin to join him on stage while he headlined the halftime show. For his record-breaking halftime show, he performed with Alicia Keys, Lil Jon, Ludacris, will.i.am and HER

Earlier this week, Lil Jon revealed the reason Bieber didn’t join the group of music icons on stage. He told TMZ that Bieber was “not ready” for the huge performance, which involves a lot of rehearsals and attention

Although they didn’t perform together this time, Usher also noted that they plan to collaborate soon, as they last performed live together over a decade ago.

Previously, Usher signed a 13-year-old Bieber to his record label sixteen years ago; seen in March 2009

He last performed earlier this month at Drake’s History Club in Toronto during the 2024 NHL All-Star Weekend.

Prior to that show, he hadn’t done a live set in over a year since briefly ending his Justice Tour in September 2022.

At the time, he said the remaining dates of his tour had been canceled because he was suffering from facial paralysis following his June 2022 diagnosis with Ramsay Hunt syndrome.

He said touring at the time “took a heavy toll on me.” Since then, he has only made brief appearances on stage, such as at Don Toliver’s Rolling Loud in March 2023.

Usher previously signed a 13-year-old Bieber to his record label sixteen years ago.