Usher wanted to get ahead of the news. The Grammy-winner Zoomed with Ryan Seacrest on Thursday, September 10, and shared why he broke the baby news with girlfriend Jenn Goicoechea and what to expect from his upcoming Las Vegas Residency and 2020 iHeartRadio Music Festival performance.
The “Yeah!” singer confirmed he’s expecting a child with his girlfriend Jen via an appearance on Good Morning America earlier this month.
“Babies bring such joy,” he shared with Seacrest. “I was filling like, ‘Man, I almost perfected being able to get through an entire pregnancy with my girlfriend and the world not knowing about it. But it was a surprise,” he added. “There was a photograph that was underway and I really wanted to make sure that people understood how excited I was about this moment and no one else could share it so I just jumped ahead and made it a public conversation. We’re very happy. Very excited. The kids are excited. Mom is excited. The family [is excited], everybody.”
Usher, who is already dad to two sons with his ex-wife, Tameka Foster — 12-year-old Usher V and 11-year-old Naveid — added that spending time at home has allowed him to connect with what’s most important; but it's also made him realize how important the “social connection” of music and live performances and concerts are.
“I was like here’s an opportunity for me to bring all of my fans together next year in a time where, I think, hopefully, things will 100% get back to normal or as normal as it can be and really celebrate my entire career,” he added of his recently announced Las Vegas residency coming July 2021. “And do it in a very immersive way.”
The R&B crooner joked that putting together the residency made him forget “how many damn songs I’ve recorded.”
One track in particular that means a lot to Usher is newly released song “I Cry.” The powerful new anthem is “necessary for people right now,” he added, sharing that the song also represented “connecting all that is current.”
“It was very important to teach my kids that it’s OK to cry,” he added, sharing one time his son was shocked to learn he cries. “He couldn’t believe it. Like, ‘You actually cry?’ I think it was like [during] How to Train Your Dragon and I was like, ‘You’ll understand when you get older.’”
Click here for all ticket info on Usher’s upcoming residency and don’t miss his 2020 iHeartRadio Music Festival performance.
Hosted by Ryan Seacrest and taking place on September 18 and 19, the two-day virtual mega-concert will also feature performances from BTS, Coldplay, Kane Brown with special guest Khalid, Keith Urban, Migos, Miley Cyrus, Thomas Rhett, Usher, and more.
And, in true iHeartRadio Music Festival fashion, the weekend will feature one-of-a-kind collaborations and surprise performances as many bands and artists reunite to perform together again for the first time in months. Fans will also get to see intimate backstage moments with artists as they share how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted their lives and families, given the disruption in society and touring.
Fans can tune in to watch the festival live on The CW App and CWTV.com on September 18 and 19 at 9pm ET/6pm PT, and relive all of the epic performances during a two-night Festival highlights special on September 27 and 28 from 8-10pm ET/PT. The iHeartRadio Music Festival will also be broadcast on iHeartMedia stations nationwide, as well as on the iHeartRadio app.