Usher admits he and Justin Timberlake once duked it out over Justin Bieber.
In a new interview, the R&B singer recalled what it was like when he and the *NSYNC member both wanted to sign the then-unknown pop star to a recording contract in the early 2000s.
“When you are at the top of your game, some of the greatest things will be presented to you, and it was, I think, right after [my album] ‘Confessions’ that I was introduced to Justin Bieber and Scooter Braun,” the “Yeah!” singer, 45, told People.
“I presented Scooter an offer that I felt like he couldn’t resist,” he added of Bieber’s future manager. “We built a friendship, but this would obviously create a partnership that would span us forever, and it was a bit of a bidding war between me and Justin Timberlake.”
Usher ultimately won against Timberlake and signed Bieber, 29, to his and Scooter Braun’s joint record label, Raymond Braun Media Group, in 2008.
“I was like, ‘I’m not certain that I could understand each and every producer that this artist could benefit from, but what I can tell you is, I’m going to give you my passion, and I’m going to give you every bit of what I have to offer,’” he recalled.
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Usher implied that there’s no bad blood between him and Timberlake, however, noting that he’s “always wanted to do a record” with the “Selfish” singer, 43, whom he’s often been compared to over the years.
“I have reached out many times, but we’ve never managed to make it happen,” he explained. “I am motivated by people like Justin. I think that he is an amazing performer, and I think that he has a legacy that should be respected and not compared to anybody else.”
As previously reported, many fans were hopeful that Bieber, whom Usher personally mentored, would join him on stage for his Super Bowl 2024 halftime show last weekend.
The “My Boo” singer electrified millions of viewers with his performance inside Allegiant Stadium with special guests Alicia Keys, H.E.R., Jermaine Dupri, Lil Jon, Ludacris and Will.i.am.
Pvnew exclusively reported at the time that Bieber declined Usher’s invite because he just “wasn’t feeling it.”
Days later, Usher confirmed the invitation had been nixed by Bieber, telling “The Breakfast Club” radio show, “You know what, it didn’t work out with Justin.”
He revealed that the two had “a brief conversation” but ultimately decided to collaborate “in the future” instead when the timing felt more right on Bieber’s end.
“No love lost or anything like that,” added Usher, who married Jennifer Goicoechea in Las Vegas following his big moment at the Super Bowl.
Instead, Bieber and his wife, Hailey, 27, watched Usher’s performance in Fanatics co-owner Michael Rubin’s $2.5 million suite in Las Vegas, where they were seen nodding along to the performance.
Other celebrities in attendance for the matchup between the victorious Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers included Taylor Swift, Kim Kardashian, Ice Spice, Blake Lively, Paul Rudd, Lana Del Rey, Kanye West, Martha Stewart and Paul McCartney.
The “Baby” singer has been keeping a low profile since canceling the remaining dates of his “Justice” tour in 2022.
That news came on the heels of Bieber being diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt syndrome, which left part of his face temporarily paralyzed.
He had previously pulled the plug on several of the dates on his “Purpose” tour in 2017 due to mental health struggles.
