Usher in Abu Dhabi review: R&B star turns back the clock during Club Social performance

The National

20-04-2025

Usher has joined a growing list of musicians – including the Backstreet Boys, Christina Aguilera and Jennifer Lopez – in bringing their career hits to Abu Dhabi. Performing as part of the three-day Club Social music festival, the R&B hitmaker took to the stage at Etihad Park on Saturday night. The show kicked off at 9.45pm with a video montage hyping up the crowd before Usher stormed out full of energy, getting everyone singing and dancing along as he opened with My Way from his 1997 second studio album of the same name. The big screen then flashed '1998' as he performed Love in This Club, followed by '2017' for Party, a Chris Brown track featuring Usher and rapper Gucci Mane. These songs set the tone for the evening – a celebration of the best of Usher's career, with highlights spanning more than 30 years of music. This was also reflected in the diverse crowd at Etihad Park, which seemingly spanned different generations of fans. And with a catalogue as varied as his, Usher naturally slowed things down at times, performing some of his signature R&B ballads such as U Got It Bad, Burn and Confessions, Pt II. At one point, he even hopped off the stage to get closer to fans in the front row. Usher later took a moment to address the crowd as the camera panned across the audience, playfully singing about fans who made it onto the big screen. He expressed gratitude to those who have supported him throughout his musical journey and introduced longtime collaborator DJ Mars, saying he's been with him since day one. While Usher took a brief break, DJ Mars kept the energy high with a medley of dance floor favourites – including Get Low by Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz, We Found Love by Rihanna, Time of Our Lives by Pitbull and Ne-Yo and Danza Kuduro by Don Omar featuring Lucenzo – keeping the crowd pumped for the star's return. Riding that wave of energy, Usher saved some of his biggest hits for last. He brought out the tightly choreographed dance moves for 2010's OMG and DJ Got Us Fallin' in Love, getting everyone on their feet. 'I love you, love to you Abu Dhabi. Thank you so much for sharing the night. Thank you so much for the journey. Thirty years and I couldn't have done it without you,' he told those in attendance. He then transitioned into the 2004 megahit Yeah! before closing the night with 2011's Without You, his collaboration with French DJ David Guetta – ending the evening on a high note. Even decades into his career, at 46, Usher's vocals remain crisp and controlled, effortlessly hitting the high notes that defined his early R&B hits. His charisma hasn't waned either – every wink, glide and grin was met with cheers. His ability to move seamlessly from emotional ballads to high-energy dance tracks kept the crowd engaged throughout the hour-and-a-half-long set. As the night came to an end, Usher bowed on one knee with his head down as fans cheered him on, thanking him for the trip down memory lane. And as the final notes faded, the energy in the air suggested many weren't quite ready for it to be over – likely a testament to his enduring appeal.