Usher has responded to viral speculation after fans questioned whether the singer actually performed at a recent concert on his ongoing R&B Tour. Videos from the show sparked claims online that a lookalike had taken the stage in his place, prompting a wave of reactions across social media. Now, Usher has addressed the unusual allegations and offered his response.
On August 7, Usher and Chris Brown performed at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, one of the stops on their co-headlining R&B Tour. Clips of a performance went viral online, with many claiming it wasn’t Usher who performed onstage that particular night.
One post, which has been viewed millions of times, showed a video clip an audience member recorded during the concert with text that read, “Usher you can’t fool New York that’s not you bro i want my money back.”
More comments followed, agreeing that the performer’s appearance looked “off.” “Usher out there using the Temu version of himself. They can’t clone this… but they can definitely cosplay it,” one user commented. Others say he looked more like Taye Diggs, Juelz Santana, or, as another pointed out, “Dude looks like R. Kelly and Usher had a baby!”
The Singer Responded To The Viral Claim
Other users defended Usher, with one calling those who believed the “cloning” or “lookalike” claims “morons.” “He’s a 47-year-old man. His face will change as time passes lol I’ve seen Usher 4 times live. THAT WAS HIM 1000%,” a fan wrote.
Usher also addressed the claim, not taking it seriously and just laughing it off. The official social media account of the R&B Tour posted screenshots of his comments, along with the so-called lookalike Usher dancing.
“Ya’ll are funny… clone? They can’t clone this??” Usher wrote with a crying-laughing emoji. In another comment, he said, “How ya’ll come up with this? AI ain’t that advanced.”
Some offered their theories about why he appeared different. One suggested his mustache had been shaved differently, while others pointed out that a 47-year-old Usher would naturally look and move differently from the version of himself audiences saw in his 20s.
Another Viral Incident From Usher
The “lookalike” rumor wasn’t the first viral moment from the R&B Tour. As The Blast previously reported, a supposedly seductive onstage moment quickly turned awkward when a fan appeared uncomfortable as a shirtless Usher moved toward her.
The woman, later identified as Gabrielle Cheyenne, said she was selected for the VIP section but wasn’t aware until the last minute that she would be brought onstage to participate. Gabrielle admitted she would have reacted differently if it were Chris Brown dancing in front of her. “I’m more of a Chris Brown fan than I am of Usher,” she said.
Some connected the two viral moments, joking that Usher was so hurt about the brush-off that he hired a lookalike to perform in his place.
The R&B Tour Faced Controversy Before It Began
Usher and Brown’s co-headlining tour drew criticism as soon as it was announced in April. Many were surprised, as the two allegedly had a physical altercation in 2023 at Brown’s 34th birthday party, per The Blast.
Another reason was Brown’s past and ongoing legal troubles. Many argued that the industry gives performers a “pass” for toxic behavior as long as they get high ticket sales and generate profit.
In an interview with AP, Usher said that criticisms over Brown were not a factor in his decision to tour with the singer. “He’s my brother, and he’s amazing as a performer. That’s who I see. He works hard for his fans, and his fans support him,” he said.
Usher And Chris Brown’s Joint Tour Has Surpassed $100 Million
The R&B Tour kicked off in late June and features 33 concert dates. During the three-hour concerts, Usher and Brown take the stage alternately to perform tracks from their decades-long solo careers before teaming up to perform collaborative songs.
According to reports, the joint tour has surpassed $100 million in earnings from the first eight shows and sold more than half a million tickets, per Pollstar. It is projected to earn about $400 million by the end of the tour in December.
