Telegraph-"Usher's personality lost to MJ"
Sinderella
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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/live-music-reviews/8303010/Usher-O2-Arena-review.html
Usher, O2 Arena, review
Usher tried his best to emulate his idol Michael Jackson, but the search for a new pop monarch is still very much on.
Perhaps more than any other pop act, Texas-born Usher has cast himself as the heir to Michael Jackson.
Making albums from his early teens; the voice, the dance moves, the faux-military costumes have all been carefully honed since his 1994 debut. Playing the same venue as Jackson’s ill-fated 'This Is It’ concerts has therefore given the chart-topping star his best opportunity to fill the King of Pop’s empty shoes. Sadly however, so considerable was the Jackson-aping that for the majority of the evening Usher’s own personality was curiously lacking.
The ’King’ is dead, of course, and the 32-year-old pretender to his throne has been left a host of big-impact, mesmerising concert tricks which many contemporary artists use to ensure the success of their arena shows. Few other stars would dare emulate Michael Jackson’s performances quite so completely, however.
From the start, big screens showed Usher in the same unappealing role of messianic dictator Jackson so loved to play. The younger man took off a helmet to show us his face for the first time — just as Jackson did 20 ago.
’U Remind Me’ (a wonderfully bouncy record from 2001) used choreography eerily mirroring Jackson’s performances of ’The Way You Make Me Feel’. There really was little you hadn’t seen somewhere before in a Michael Jackson show.
Had the reclusive pop icon survived for his concert run in 2009, the biggest doubt was whether a 50-year-old could keep up with the dance moves he’d made famous three decades previously. In contrast, this is where Usher is undoubtedly at the top of his game: body-popping and sliding with elegant ease. Yet, even during his most recent monster hit 'OMG’, Usher needlessly brought out Jackson’s trademark trilby. The routine could have been excellent if Usher’s personality — rather than that of his hero – had been allowed to shine through.
Comments
"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."
Someone should do Usher the favor and tell him this is the beginning of an end....
Touching the coffin was too much...a cliche in the worst imaginable form. But I didnt know he's SO lame...
When the younger generation try to emulate you all they will be doing is imitating you imitating MJ. Not original at all...and please try to be a little more humble because your pride is going to get you into trouble and don't be so anxious to put yourself on the throne because you'll be knocked down for sure.
Kings are always king...and MJ will always be the King of Pop.
Usher - your ambition is commended but please just work at being the best Usher you can be and not try to be someone you're not. Blessings.
They are, and always will be, originals. We are all unique. Why try and be someone else???
LOL!
Well said. I couldn't agree with you more.