Why Justin Bieber reportedly said no to Usher — and $52 million worth of exposure

Usher's halftime show included costume changes, a marching band, roller skates, dancers and special guests — but not Justin Bieber. Sources tell Page Six why Justin didn't join his friend and mentor onstage, despite being asked.

Page Six quotes sources as saying that Usher tried to persuade Justin to come onstage with him, because he wanted to "create a moment that paid tribute to their history together." A music industry source tells Page Six, "There's no bad blood between Usher and Justin. Justin just wasn't up for it — he just wasn't feeling it."

Justin did attend the Super Bowl and made the rounds at various parties. He also performed in early February at Drake's club in Toronto ahead of the 2024 NHL All-Star Weekend.

But the "Baby" singer's decision to sit out the Super Bowl means he gave up some valuable exposure. According to reports, Super Bowl halftime headliners aren't paid their normal fee to perform, though it's considered a great promotional opportunity. Apex Marketing Group told Front Office Sports that it projects Usher earned an estimated equivalent of $52.5 million in exposure.

Apex calculated the figure based on how many people Usher reached between 4 p.m. and 11 p.m. ET on Super Bowl Sunday. Apex is the same company that calculated that Taylor Swift generated the equivalent of around $332 million for the NFL and the Chiefs this season.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.