by Jordan Bartlett

This past weekend, Taylor Swift was not the only singer who was on the minds of Superbowl fans. While Swift appeared happy and content to cheer on her beau, Travis Kelce, during the nail-biting overtime game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers, she didn’t try to replace or upstage the half time performer, a global superstar with roots at our very own school — Usher Raymond IV, better known as Usher!

Usher’s memorable performance, filled with music, lights, and spectacle, was two minutes longer than the usual halftime show. The singer performed in honor of Black R&B artists who came before him, and electrified the stage and the stadium. He started off the halftime show with an all-time favorite, “Caught Up.” He immediately hooked the crowd from his entrance as he walked down with his king cape on and dancers crowding around him.

Alicia Keys was later introduced as a surprise guest playing the piano to her hit, “If I Ain’t Got You.” Usher and Keys bundle up together as they both sang to “My Boo.” A few songs later, there was a cool moment where Usher and his dancers began to roller-skate as they danced, which has never before been seen on a SuperBowl Halftime Show! Perhaps it was a nod (or knock) to Tayor Swift, who made a similar move in her concert film “The Eras Tour” on a glowing grid-like stage.

In addition to singing with Alicia Keys, Usher played many hits, including “U Don’t Have to Call,” “Love in this Club,” “Burn,” and O.M.G. with will.i.am. At the end, he brought out H.E.R and Jermaine Dupri. He finished out the performance with his song, “Yeah!” as Lil jon and Ludacris joined in.

I was elated to see Usher perform, having heard of his time at North Springs. According to Aceshowboz.com, after moving from Chattanooga to Atlanta in the early 1980s, Usher met Bryant Reid, who was related R&B producer Antonio Reid, in a school audition. He attended North Springs beginning in 1993 as an aspiring singer and songwriter. Here was a kid like me with a dream, at a school that encourages music, and he went on to make his mark in the world at an early age. He had recently finished his first album, “Usher” which was co-produced by Sean Combs. Although he didn’t graduate from the school, went on to then release a second album called “My Way” in 1997. The album reached #2 on the Hot 100 and went platinum.

I talked to two teachers who had been at the school at the time when Usher attended. Retired teacher and former Athletic Director Coach Malloy, had this say: “I taught Usher in eight and ninth grade health, back in the day.” (Apparently, eighth grade was part of our school at the time.) ”He was somewhat quiet, but I remember he sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to the sister of one of the teachers at North Springs.”

When asked if she knew of his talent, Malloy said that he clearly showed it, and explained that not everyone could see it coming. “Everyone at the time wanted to be the next rap star.”

Kind of like how people want to be a Youtuber or influencer now?

“Yes,” she agreed. “But he had a dream — and them BOOM [his career took off]!]”

Richard Elan, another retiree at North Springs when Usher attended, agreed. “He had a dream and he fulfilled it,” he said. “Great kid. He loved laughing and loving life. He was never mean. He’d rather laugh at anything.”

Elan regaled us with this tale: “He used to come to class with a kid with a guitar and backup, and sing ‘My Girl’. He loved singing ‘My Girl.”

When asked about how North Springs may have made a mark, even if there were some naysayers, Malloy said, “North Springs is a very special place to be…it’s a community and not just about education; it’s about becoming individuals. The teachers go above and beyond to usher (no pun intended) students’ talents, and to help them aspire and reach their potential, and succeed in life.”

This observation describes North Springs, and embodies its spirit over its 60 years. We may not know the full impact on Usher directly, but I hope that that his time at North Springs and his Super Bowl halftime show are things that neither his former teachers nor his North Springs peers will ever forget. He has made a huge impact in the world, especially for those who wish to pursue a career in music. Even though our school may be a small footnote in his long career, it is still a part of it. Usher’s world-wide performance happened to fall in a remarkable year for our school, and shows that anything is possible for kids who dream big.