I must admit that, while I still hate its lyrics, the groove of Usher's latest single, "Good Kisser," has grown on me enough that I catch myself singing the chorus from time to time. Perhaps that's why I was looking forward to seeing Ursh perform the new joint on last night's edition of The Voice. The 35-year-old entertainer almost looked as if he'd returned to form as he took the the stage dancing in the dark for the first 20 or so seconds, illuminated by only a faint spotlight and a glowing neon square. But then, the lights went up. Only a minute into the song, the singer was drenched in sweat and noticeably winded, skipping a lyric here and there to catch his breath. Even his troupe of elastic-limbed dancers (who, by the way, were doing the damn thing) couldn't distract from the fact that there was the slightest bit of struggle on Usher's part.
Being that he's in his mid-30s now and this year marks his 20th in the showbiz game, no one's expecting him to pull off the sheer vigor of his younger years. However, given that the footwork he brought out for this performance was far less intricate and involved than previous efforts, one can't help but wonder if Ursh might've benefited from requesting a little assistance from Memorex on this one. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't a horrible performance by anyone's means, but it certainly didn't live up to the standards he's set with previous efforts. But hey, everyone's entitled to at least one off night, right?
