Could We See A Swift/Usher Super Bowl Surprise?
As football fans eagerly anticipate Super Bowl LVIII this Sunday, the halftime show is set to be a sizzling spectacle thanks to headliner Usher. However, fans are buzzing with hopes that pop icon Taylor Swift may make a surprise guest appearance alongside the R&B hitmaker. Sources tell Harper’s Bazaar that Swift’s attendance is likely but unconfirmed.
Swift has become a fixture at beau Travis Kelce’s Kansas City Chiefs games this season, fueling speculation that she could grace the Super Bowl stage. The singer capped off the Japan leg of her record-breaking Eras Tour in Tokyo Saturday night. Thanks to the 17-hour time difference, she appears to be en route stateside to cheer on Kelce in the big game.
Japan’s embassy insists she will make it with time to spare, but some fans want more than Swift’s mere presence in the stands. A resurfaced clip of Swift and Usher’s 2011 collaboration has TikTok abuzz with anticipation of an onstage reunion. During Swift’s Speak Now Tour stop in Atlanta, Usher made a surprise appearance to perform his 2004 hit “Yeah!”
Clad in her signature purple dress, Swift took on parts of the rap verses typically performed by Lil Jon and Ludacris. Over a decade later, the dynamic duo’s infectious energy and evident musical chemistry has fans envisioning what could be the Super Bowl’s most unexpected halftime pairing.
The fan-favorite TikTok video has over a million views, with commenters manifesting a Swift/Usher Super Bowl moment. “In my wildest dreams, to be honest,” one wrote, name-checking Swift’s song. “How awesome would it be if she went on stage with Usher?” another questioned hopefully.
It’s not outside the realm of possibility. Swift is no stranger to unexpected collabs, recently teaming up with artists like Lana Del Rey and Bon Iver. Her bridge-building joint performance with frenemy Katy Perry at 2019’s iHeartRadio Jingle Ball proves she’s willing to bury the hatchet in the name of good music.
Given Swift and Usher’s evident admiration for each other’s catalogs and skill in working a crowd, their contrasting musical styles could strike Super Bowl magic. Swift has the range to keep pace with Usher’s soulful vocals and fabled dance moves. We’d love to see her put her own twist on “Yeah!” paired with a mashup of Usher hits like “OMG” and “Climax.” A sultry rendition of Swift’s “I Knew You Were Trouble” seems right up Usher’s alley.
Of course, details are tightly under wraps and neither camp has hinted at a joint halftime appearance. But Swift is nothing if not full of surprises. As she sings, spectators should expect the unexpected. “I don’t want you to stumble…when we finally get to dance,” she croons on “I Bet You Think About Me” – could she be alluding to cutting loose on one of music’s biggest stages?
The Swifties are manifesting it. As one fan aptly puts it – “This is how I imagine the Super Bowl halftime show going!” Should she step up for a show-stopping number with Usher, we have a feeling that’s one way the Swifties will get what they want.
