Usher Raymond is an American musician and singer whose exceptional talent attracted attention at a very young age. Rising rapidly to prominence, he became one of the most influential and celebrated artists in the R&B genre. Awarded numerous Grammy and MTV honors, Usher achieved worldwide recognition with the hit single Yeah!. In addition to his musical success, he has also demonstrated strong acting abilities, appearing in several films and performing on stage in the famous Broadway musical Chicago.

Usher Raymond was born on October 14, 1978, in Dallas, Texas, United States. He is the son of Jonetta Patton and Usher Terry Raymond III. He spent his childhood years in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where his musical abilities were first discovered through his participation in a church gospel choir during family visits. Around this time, he began performing in local talent shows and received widespread praise. Seeking better opportunities for his gifted son, the Raymond family decided to relocate, and shortly afterward moved to Atlanta, Georgia.

After settling in Atlanta, Usher Raymond enrolled at North Springs Charter School of Arts and Sciences and continued to pursue music by participating in talent competitions. It was during this period that producer LA Reid discovered him, leading to an audition opportunity with LaFace Records. Following a successful audition, he signed his first recording contract with LaFace, officially beginning his professional music career.

In 1994, Usher Raymond released his debut album Usher. The album’s first single, Think of You, achieved notable success and earned him a gold record. He continued this momentum in 1995 by recording a jingle for Coca-Cola and later collaborating with Monica on the duet Let’s Straighten It Out.

Shortly after graduating from high school, Usher Raymond released his second album My Way in 1997. He contributed as a songwriter on six of the album’s nine tracks. The lead single You Make Me Wanna spent eleven weeks at number one and established him as a leading figure in R&B. Subsequent singles Nice & Slow and My Way helped the album achieve platinum status.

As his popularity grew, Usher Raymond began receiving offers from Hollywood. In 1998, he appeared in the horror film The Faculty, followed by a role in the 1999 film Light It Up. Due to the overwhelming interest in his live performances, he released the concert album Live in 1999.

At the end of 2001, Usher Raymond released his third studio album 8701, which reached number four on the U.S. charts and was highly praised by critics. His success was further solidified when he won the Grammy Award for “Best Male R&B Vocal Performance” in 2001 and again in 2002 for the song U Don’t Have To Call.

The year 2004 marked a major milestone with the release of his fourth album Confessions. The lead single Yeah! dominated the charts for six consecutive weeks at number one and propelled Usher to global superstardom. He won MTV Video Music Awards for “Best Male Artist” and “Best Album,” and in 2005 collected multiple Grammy Awards, including “Best Contemporary R&B Album,” “Best Rap/R&B Collaboration,” and “Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals” for My Boo.

In 2005, Usher Raymond appeared in the comedy film In the Mix, and in 2006, he took to the stage in the renowned Broadway musical Chicago. Collaborating with notable producers such as The Neptunes, Jermaine Dupri, Jimmy Jam, and Terry Lewis, he announced a new album scheduled for release in 2008. The first single from this project, Love in This Club, created in collaboration with Young Jeezy, was released on February 26 and climbed to number one on the Billboard charts.

Source: Biyografiler.com