User Raymond, mostly recognized as Usher, was born on October 14, 1978, in Dallas, Texas. After moving to Georgia, his parents noticed his inclination toward singing, which is why at the age of 12, she admitted him to a local church choir.
Gradually the fondness for singing grew, and after some time, Usher started taking part in regional singing competitions with a lot of talent and dedication. During a singing contest, LaFace Records spotted him and offered to help his singing career.
Personal Life
Usher belonged to a hardworking middle-class family who was eager to devote their lives to a better future. He dated Chilli Thomas for around two years. After their relationship ended, it was reported how ex-girlfriend Chilli tried to create multiple rumors and uneasiness among his fans against him.
In 2004 he dated Naomi Campbell, a British supermodel. This relationship lasted for a brief amount of time, after which he was noticed with Tameka Foster, a Fashionista, in 2005.
Usher and Tameka got carried in 2007 in Atlanta. His marriage to Tameka made him a stepfather to three children as well.
However, the marriage did not last much longer, and they both parted ways in 2009. In 2015, he married his manager Grace Miguel. The marriage lasted only three years.
Professional life
Usher has earned his spot in the music industry, and every newbie looks up to him due to his hard work and devotion to singing and songwriting.
His music career started at the age of 10 when he worked with Darryl Wheeler, a local music promoter. After crossing puberty, his voice took a massive turn and got even better.
After completing high school, he develops an interest in stage management and further musical studies, which he wanted to better himself at.
In 1997, his billboard hits included, “Nice and Slow” and “You make me wanna,” which gave him a lot of popularity and success. After 2001, every music producer wanted to work with him.
Albums
- 1994- Usher
- 1997- My Way
- 1999- Live
- 2001- 8701
- 2002- Usher live Evolution
- 2004 – Confessions
- 2008- Here I Stand
- 2010- Raymond v. Raymond and Versus
- 2012- Looking four myself
- 2014- Usher and Friends
- 2015- Full Speed
- 2016 – Hard || Love
- 2018- “A.”
Stage and Music Performances
There have been several occasions where Usher has named Michael Jackson to be his inspiration and goal.
He has always laid his intentions in front of him and took his career seriously. His singing, which is complemented by his energetic stage performances, has consistently received positive criticism.
He is believed to show great “showmanship,” something all emerging singers should adopt. His charm and charisma have inspired millions of artists all over the world. He cannot only do magic in a large stadium but, his ability to steal hearts in a small venue is also worth mentioning.
High Nominations and Awards
- American Music Awards: 8
- BET: 4
- Billboard: 18
- Grammy: 8
- MTV VMA: 2
- NAACP: 3
- Nickelodeon Kids Choice: 3
- People’s Choice: 3
- Soul Train: 9
- Teen Choice: 7
- World Music: 4
How does he make most of his money?
Usher is not just a singer but a public figure. In less than a decade, he gained massive popularity and fame that requires efforts of several years.
His sincere devotion to music and exquisite voice made him a successful singer with back-to-back hit albums. A world tour and the enormous sales of his albums is the primary source of his income. He has his music record label, vanity.
He has also been a part of acting where he made a small appearance in 1997 in a sitcom called Moesha. There were several feature films too where Usher had been offered roles, including The Faculty, Light It Up, and Texas Ranger.
However, the public figure is also making money by being a celebrity guest on a show, doing brand endorsements, public speaking in a new venture, etc. His fan-following has made him travel the world. People and The New Yorker Magazine have always included him in their articles.
Usher Net Worth and Sources of Income
The net worth of Usher is $190 million dollars. Usher’s fondness and talent in the field of singing have helped him make a lot of his money. Moreover, apart from music since he is a star he has product endorsements too through which brands are able to market their products.
He has also done several acting roles in films and stage performances which add to his net worth.
Final Words
The boy who started his singing career in the local church choir became the coach of the singing competition The Voice. Every year of his career thrived him into the man he is today. Never in his career did he not show signs of devotion and hard work.
The four-year break he took was to learn more about music. He returned with his hit album Here I Stood in 2008.
His focus was not entirely on music as he did a lot of generous charity that helped educate children. He also co-owns Cleveland Cavaliers, which comes under National Basketball Association.
Moreover, his stardom also got him invited to several television series and films that included Burden and Hands of Stone.