Published by Cel Manero from Global One Media, Inc.
In a recent interview, Usher mentioned that he inadvertently took on the role of a “guardian,” “caretaker,” or a similar position for Beyoncé, assuming the role of the most senior individual present.
Prior to his upcoming series of concerts in Paris scheduled for next month, Usher has shared an interesting tidbit about his past involvement with a fellow music superstar. During an appearance on the UK radio show Capital Breakfast with Roman Kemp, the “Don’t Waste My Time” vocalist recounted an incident from his youth where he took on a sort of “chaperone” role for none other than Beyoncé.
Usher reminisced about his initial interaction with Beyoncé when she was just a young girl of 11 or 12 years old. At that time, she was a member of a group named The Dolls. Usher humorously reflected on this period, mentioning that he might not exactly have been their official babysitter, but there were instances when he was tasked with looking after The Dolls.
Despite being only about three years older than Beyoncé, the 44-year-old R&B artist had already secured his first recording contract at the age of 14. This opportunity came about after a spontaneous audition for record executive L.A. Reid, who promptly extended a contract offer to the budding Usher, marking the beginning of his journey with LaFace Records, Reid’s label at the time.
“I was at Daryl Simmons’ residence,” he elaborated, referring to the record producer and songwriter known for his consistent collaborations with L.A. Reid and Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, the co-founders of LaFace Records.
“[Simmons] was in the process of working with [The Dolls] back then, and coincidentally, I happened to be present there while they were in a recording session. Somehow, I ended up taking on a sort of role, maybe as their guardian, caretaker, or something along those lines – essentially, the eldest individual in the room,” Usher further explained.
While there isn’t any evidence indicating that the current father of four and Beyoncé, who is 41 years old, engaged in any joint musical projects during their initial youthful encounters, they did eventually collaborate in 2008 to create “Love In This Club, Pt. II,” featuring rapper Lil Wayne. This track enjoyed a 14-week presence on the music charts and reached its peak at the 18th position on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Beyoncé, who shares parenthood with her spouse JAY-Z and has three kids, including 11-year-old Blue Ivy Carter and 6-year-old twins, Sir and Rumi, has been impressing her admirers with her Renaissance World Tour that commenced in May in Stockholm, Sweden.
During the course of the tour, Blue Ivy has taken part as a dancer alongside her mother on stage, adding a special element to the performances. Notably, this tour has achieved a remarkable milestone as the highest-earning tour ever among R&B artists, amassing an impressive total of $141.4 million from its U.S. leg alone.