Usher performs a cover version of Foster the People's Pumped Up Kicks as part of his Live Lounge Special on Radio 1. See the full performance on the Radio 1 website - www.bbc.co.uk/p...
I really admire Live Lounge for being inventive and playful with the song choices. It's a great service to music to provide an experimental spaces to try new and unorthodox things. Some song and singer pairings don't go so well, and some make beautiful new music that shift the curve of our definition of good music.
rosecolouredglasses I agree. Not only is it a fantastic way to celebrate artists their works in a creative way but it can very often completely re-create a piece of music and make it appeal to a whole new audience. In my opinion music should be about shared creativity and above all enjoyment. Live lounge manages that perfectly. Whoever thought of Live lounge is - deservedly - sitting very pretty on a mountain of cash.
I agree with you. I especially like artists who don't do karaoke versions. I was just saying to my husband that it would be interesting to turn the tables on the professionals on the vocal competition shows. I don't think people realize how much goes into the process of making it sound different but still stay true to the original. I just discovered this wonderful channel. I really like it.
Susan Hudak-Scherer Awesome point! It already takes a lot of professional courage to sing another artist's song but to not make a fool of yourself by giving it a new spin is pure artistic faith and bravery.
All very good points. I wonder how many people in the general public realize many of the signature songs were written by someone other than the person who are known for it. Hey Joe, or Me and Bobby McGee come to mind. I just watched a documentary in which John Lennon is asked if he could see a time when the Beatles weren't all together. He said yes but not permanently, you need other people's ideas. From the horse's mouth.
Usher has had a fantastic voice since he was very young. He doesn't show it off as much as he used to, but people shouldn't be surprised that he can sing "real music". Just because it's a different genre, it doesn't change the fact that he's very talented.
funkyspree24 It's a South Park reference. When Cartman starts a Christian Rock band, he recruits Token to play bass guitar, simply because he's black. The entire conversation we're having is just repeating those lines from the specific episode.
YouOriginal Actually, no it's not a bass. It's a bass guitar. A bass stands upright and is often played with a bow. Usher is playing a bass guitar in this video, so actually Rafa Bep is more correct then both of you trying to correct him in saying that he is playing a guitar, because he is.
everyone knows this is completely out of usher's league and not even similar to his style, not to mention a fairly odd choice for him. so with that being said, i thought he did awesome! he sounded great and he had the energy to match. what better way to celebrate someone's music than to cover their stuff? its not meant to be compared to the original, its a homage to the artist. by the way, if i was a fairly new artist in entertainment and a veteran with a resume like usher's, who isnt even the same genre, sang one of my songs? he could have slayed it and made it his worst performance ever and i'd still be elated. lol. luckily, usher's just too amazing to sound bad :)
If you're speaking to me, then NO, I'm NOT KIDDING. Don't kid when it comes to Usher Baby Yeah Man!! Usher is excellent at whatever he does Guy!! 20 years of entertainment greatness & physical prowless in a class by himself!! Hope this answer your looking snip remark!
Love his rock look, denim vest, black T and leather pants?! To his stylist for this show: you did an amazing job! Great rock interpretation of a great song. I'm not a purist and I don't think an artist needs to sing a song any other way than how he or she desires. Enjoyed this for sure!
I’m always so pleasantly surprised with these seemingly opposite crossover covers. I love that artist show that they are not only one sided, but that they appreciate others artist outside their own genre as well. More of these unexpected covers should happen
I think he should do shit like that, it's not bad at all. of course most people here are rock fans so everything sucks for them like usual, but this is actually very good.
How am I barely seeing this?! I love Usher and adore Foster the People and this is a great cover. I forget that he can actually perform and play an instrument instead of just dancing (not that there's anything wrong with that, I could watch him dance forever). ^_^
I'm a huge Foster The People fan, but I have to say that Usher did a great job with it. The fact that he plays Bass is even more bad ass of him! Respect! (if you can't acknowledge that, then you don't appreciate music and talent.)
i like how there's a ton of "alt" artists that do R&B or hiphop covers on this channel, but the moment an r&b singer does an alt song it sucks and people hate it lmao. Yet people love that awful ed sheeran no diggity cover.
Thanks x1,000,000. Ive been saying that since forever. Im not a fan of a certain Genre or just one artist. Im a fan of music and musicians. It sounds good. Idk if people think he's trying to steal the song or something? But these fools need to chill out! its a BBC cover, Ive seen a hell of a lot worse just like the no diggity cover!
A Marr not only he is playing a "guitar"/"bass" but he's a producer, producers need to know how to play instruments to get the material they wanna hear
Can anyone say exactly "why" this is so terrible?! Too many of you swear that a cover is an artist trying to outdo the original, when most times they're just enjoying performing a song that they like. Just like how you go karaoke or sing your favorite song in the shower. Usher's vocals were of course on point, Spears killed the drums as per usual. What was the real "show killer" here?
idk, in my opinion Usher's voice doesn't really match this song. Don't get me wrong he has a good voice but it's not for this song. The original is the best in my view
i think you sound a lot more reasonable than most but I don't believe that the purpose of covering a song is to inherently be better than the original. In my opinion most times the original is gonna be better. I just wish that people would bring something a bit more substantive than "this was terrible" lol, especially if I find it to be pretty good, I'd like to hear another contrasting perspective
+sickb2200 Equally hard to sing and dance at the same time. Let's encourage any musical artist to follow their curiosities especially those who could just rest on the laurels on continue to do what works for them because: cash.
+caughtinyourquagmire Playing an instrument and singing at the same time is incredibly hard at first. You have to pretty much auto play the song before you sing along.
WhatThyHex I'm a musician, so you're not providing perspective on anything new for me. Performing choreography is not unlike trying to play an instrument and sing simultaneously, but making negative comments about one skill being superior to the other when they require the same amount of effort and focus is detracting from what is simply a good performance.
I will never understand why people pretend to play instruments that they don't know how to play. Usher on bass is as bad as Lil Wayne "playing" guitar. Anyone else notice how the bass line kept going while he stopped playing to grab the mic and sing? Or how he was in the wrong spot at 3:25, but the bass line was on time? And people saying that he "looks cool" while playing bass is just an insult to real bass players. Please check out people like Les Claypool and Victor Wooten. Two totally different genres, but they are both incredible... unlike this bullshit here. I don't blame Usher, I'm sure the label told him it would "look cool" as well. End rant.
I agree, even though I think they plugged him in while he was doing the sexy lil notes.. but yeah, I hate when they give pop stars an instrument it makes them look like ass clowns (unless they truly know how to play
+ericdraven2k. Because obviously there couldn't have been another base guitar there playing the baseline as well, or some pre-recorded segments of the song playing in the background. Sounds like someone needs to get a life if they are so upset about this. End rant. Wait, one more thing. Obviously black people like Usher and Lil Wayne can't play live instruments so that must be why you found instances of them playing instruments as "bad." Rant ended again.
bgizzletelevizzle24 he butchered this song. Who said black people can't play instruments? No one but you did. Usher can't play bass and Lil Wayne can't play guitar. One of the best guitarists of all time is black. Lenny kravitz is half black. Prince is black. Gary Clark Jr is black. These are musicians. Usher is not. Stop trying to make things about race. You end up looking like a fool
@rsprags8 I'm not talking shit, just stating some facts. I'm not "trolling" this video, just giving my opinion, which I am entitled to. Don't take a little comment that has nothing to do with you so personally. I actually respect Usher. I just wish people would put some effort into learning an instrument before getting on stage with it. And to the dumbass that tried to make this about race: You're an idiot.
I am a die hard ftp fan... Wow! Wow! I think I actually like this version better than the original. I had no idea Usher could play any instrument .. and here he is knocking the bass lines out of the friggen park! ❤️
