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While planning his upcoming half-time performance during Super Bowl LVIII, superstar Usher used the codeword “Utah” to keep it a secret, he tells Tracy Smith in an interview to be broadcast on CBS NEWS SUNDAY MORNING, Sunday, Feb. 4 (9:00 AM, ET) on the CBS Television Network, and streaming on Paramount+.

Usher talks with Smith about his career, his childhood, reuniting with his father and the Super Bowl, which will be presented by CBS Sports on Sunday, Feb. 11.

Here is an excerpt:

TRACY SMITH: There was, like, a moment in time where your kids were saying, “Dad, you should do the Super Bowl.” And you knew you were doing the Super Bowl.

USHER: Well, yeah. As of August, the 11^th, I knew. And I had to keep it a secret up until the grand un–unveiling for the world. And I couldn’t let my kids know. So, like, any kind of documents I’m receiving, you know, we had, like, a code word that we would only talk on the telephone to let it be known that we were discussing, “Utah,” you know?

SMITH: Was that the code word, “Utah”?

USHER: Yeah. That was the code word.

SMITH: And when you were able to tell your family, what was the reaction?

USHER: That’s funny because my kids were like, “Dad, you should play the Super Bowl.” I’m like, “Oh, really? That’s a good idea. You should, you might want to pray about that. You should pray about that. Man, if you feel like I really deserve it, man, let’s just say a prayer together.”

USHER: So I’m like, but, it’s, it was the sweetest treat, right, to, to know, it’s, it was like Christmas, you know what I’m saying? You, your, your kids, you don’t get a chance to surprise your kids that often, anymore. It’s like, there’s no fantasy moments, you know?

SMITH: But their prayers were answered.

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