Chloe Malle: This is The Run-Through. I'm Chloe Malle. Chioma Nnadi: And I'm Chioma Nnadi. And this week on the show, we've brought in a man who really needs no introduction: Usher! Chloe Malle: Yes. Chioma Nnadi: Usher. Chloe Malle: [laughs] Chioma Nnadi: Usher is a lover of fashion, specifically Rick Owens, and he told us about all his fashion influences, his new album, which is supposed to drop at the end of the year, and his, his obsession with roller skating, which I share with him. He even sang for us for a little bit! Chloe Malle: He did. He did a little acapella- Chioma Nnadi: It was pretty great. I mean, we- Chloe Malle: I mean, honestly- Chioma Nnadi: ... were swooning. We were giggling like- Chloe Malle: We were giggling, swooning- Chioma Nnadi: Please forgive us. Chloe Malle: ... it was so embarrassing. Chioma Nnadi: [laughs] Chloe Malle: [laughs] He kissed us both on the way out. Chioma Nnadi: Oh, God. Chloe Malle: He was so charming. [laughs] Chioma Nnadi: [laughs] We were blushing. Look at us. Chloe Malle: [laughs] But first, we have our our colleague, Will Welch, uh, the global editorial director of GQ. He got on Zoom because he was at his hotel in Paris on the morning after the Pharrell- Chioma Nnadi: Mmm. Chloe Malle: ... debut Vuitton extravaganza that truly broke the internet. Will, I mean, he had Pharrell, has had on, Pharrell on the cover many times- Chioma Nnadi: Yeah. Chloe Malle: ... he has interviewed Pharrell, he's been friends with him for a long time, so I was really happy to hear Will's perspective on that. Chioma Nnadi: Yeah, me, too. Chloe Malle: And he had a good sort of macro take on, on what it meant for fashion and culture, and so that was, it was fun to hear his thoughts on that, and also on all of, um, Men's Fashion Week, which he's on his sort of two week jaunt through Europe for that. Hi, Will! We're so excited to talk to you. I know that you and Chioma go way back to the fader days, no? Chioma Nnadi: Oh, I know. Will Welch: Way back. Chioma Nnadi: [laughs] We used to sit next to each other- Will Welch: You don't even wanna know how far back! Chioma Nnadi: [laughs] Chloe Malle: [laughs] When did you guys meet? Chioma Nnadi: In the Fishbowl, at the office that was known as the Fishbowl. Will Welch: Yeah, Chioma and I know a, know how each other smell. And, but it's all great. We both smell great. Chloe Malle: [laughs] Chioma Nnadi: Will was in the panel of people who interviewed me. I remember everything about the interview. I've really l- loved working with Will. It's the best. And I remember what I wore for the interview; I remember everything about it. Chloe Malle: Oh, really? Chioma Nnadi: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Will Welch: I'm just happy to hear that Chioma remembers what she wore when I interviewed her in 2004, because I don't remember any... I don't remember the entire year of 2004, so, like, between the two of us, we can figure it out. Chloe Malle: What did you wear, Chioma? Will Welch: Um- Chioma Nnadi: I customized a Y3, um- Chloe Malle: Oh my God. [laughs] Chioma Nnadi: ... a Y... [laughs] Will Welch: So sick. Chloe Malle: Gives you a sense. Will Welch: Already sounds cool, yeah. Chioma Nnadi: I cut the sleeves off it, and I put, like, rope details. It was very Carrie, actually, Bradshaw. Chloe Malle: Yeah! Very Carrie Bradshaw! Chioma Nnadi: Um- Will Welch: [laughs] Chioma Nnadi: ... so I was very proud of my handiwork. Will Welch: Last night, actually, so, Mobolaji Dawodu, who has been my creative partner throughout, like, GQ Style, and then the last few years of GQ, um, fashion director, he and I were at the Louis Vuitton show, and actually, after the runway show, JZ's long-time engineer, nobody knew who the secret performer was gonna be, except JZ's long-time engineer was onstage, like, fiddling with microphones and stuff, Young Guru. So we were like, "Oh, it's gonna be JZ." But then he played a warmup set, and Chioma, it was, like, Baby Sham and, like, all these- Chioma Nnadi: What? Will Welch: ... th-, all these- Chioma Nnadi: Oh my God! Will Welch: ... Fader cover stars. Like, all reggae set. So- Chioma Nnadi: Wow. Will Welch: ... we were, uh, blasting to the past, for sure. I've been at GQ for 15 years, kind of, like, charting the course of all this, like, electric energy coming into menswear, and it's just so cool that from the environment that Virgil created at Vuitton, to now, the environment that Pharrell kicked off, kinda the space he opened up last night, it's just, like, been such an incredible time to be on the menswear side of the fashion universe. You know, men's, historically, is just, like, total second fiddle, you know, the fashion weeks would be a little bit sleepy, for the most part. Um, and there wasn't always, like, this just booming energy coming from our side of the house. So it's been just... I feel very, uh, grateful and blessed, honestly, to have been working at GQ for all these years, where all of a sudden, there's just so many exciting things happening on the men's side. And in a way, I think the men's side is leading this sort of, like, moment that, last night... Last night felt like both a culmination and a beginning, to me. Chloe Malle: Mmm. Will Welch: It was sort of the culmination of fashion being the place where all the rest of pop culture can all come together. Chioma Nnadi: Mmm. Chloe Malle: Mmm. Will Welch: And now, I think, we're beginning this whole new era, where, like, fashion just, like, swallows pop culture whole. Um, when you imagine, like, the power of the Arnaults, and the creativity and cultural force of Pharrell, so you have creativity and you have resources, um, it is- Chloe Malle: The Arnaults, for people who don't know, are the family that owns LVMH, Louis Vuitton. Just for, just for people who aren't, you know, up on that. Will Welch: Exactly. Yeah. And it's a really powerful combination, and, um, I was talking to Pharrell, like, 10 days ago, and he was just talking about the resourc-, he was like, "If I had an idea, I could execute it, for the last 20 years of my career." But this is just a whole other level, where, if he has an idea, like, options are, in the morning, options are being presented to him that night of, like, samples and... I mean- Chloe Malle: Wow. Will Welch: ... it's just... H- he just is, himself, astounded at, like, the fire power of the machine that he is now the captain of. And you can tell, just as a creative person, he's never seen anything like it. And last night, I think, was an expression of all those things. I mean, you had LeBron, JZ, Beyonce- Chioma Nnadi: Wow. Will Welch: ... uh, Rihanna, pregnant belly out, Rocky, Zendaya- Chioma Nnadi: Kim Kardashian? Will Welch: ... uh, Kim, yeah, Kim, o- obviously Pharrell and his whole family, the entire Arnault family, and- Chioma Nnadi: I love that his family were dressed in the same c- camouflage print that he desi-, I mean, it was ador-... I w-, I've never seen the kid-, I've never seen the triplets, ever- Chloe Malle: Me neither! Chioma Nnadi: ... at- Will Welch: Oh, the triplets! Chioma Nnadi: Oh my God, I was so... That made me, like- Chloe Malle: How old are they? Chioma Nnadi: I don't know. [laughs] Chloe Malle: Whatever. They're, like- Will Welch: Childless by choice, so this is not my, I'm terrible at this game, but I'm gonna go with four. Four years old? Chioma Nnadi: [laughs] They looked older than four, but they- Will Welch: Shoot! All right. Chloe Malle: But Will, will you, like, walk us through the steps of the evening? 'Cause I hear there, there was a Bateau Mouche involved, like, what, what's, what's the experience? Chioma Nnadi: Set the scene for us, 'cause I know it was, it was on the, I mean, the oldest bridge in Paris, Le Pont Neuf, right? Will Welch: Pont Neuf, yeah. Chioma Nnadi: Nice. Will Welch: So my call time was 8:40. Chioma Nnadi: Oh, wow. Will Welch: There was an address on the Left Bank, where we went to board a boat. And it was interesting, it was all, like, unbranded, there wasn't a big line of black cars or anything. And so at 8:40PM, the show, they announced showtime was 9:30; I think they had pushed it back a little bit because of potential rain. And we were, like, a 10-minute ride up, up the river. It docked just under the bridge, and we all got off and, like, went up this, you know, stair path. I guess Louis Vuitton's most famous, um, logo print is the monogram, and then the second most famous traditional logo print is the damier, which is the sort of chess board squares. Chioma Nnadi: Mmm. Will Welch: And the, Pont Neuf, the bridge, was painted gold- Chioma Nnadi: That's unbelievable. Will Welch: ... and then it had a, a, the whole thing was painted... Not the outside, the whole side that you stand on, the top of the bridge was painted gold, and then there was painted, in two tone yellow, which is Pharrell's favorite color, um, like, chessboard damier for this massive runway. Chloe Malle: And isn't he calling his new version of the damier the damouflage, which is like the pixelated version? Will Welch: Yeah, he took... It's very clever. Actually, what he was wearing last night, what his family was wearing and what Kim Kardashian was wearing was the damouflage, which is using, basically, shrinking the squares of the damier in order to make a digital camo out of it. And for those of us who pay attention to what [laughs] Pharrell has been wearing for the last 45 years, um, he has always loved camouflage, so it was sort of, like... To me, that was very reflective of what made the collection so successful, is it was just very honest to Pharrell. Chioma Nnadi: Mmm. Will Welch: This isn't actually possible, because of all the, like, signifiers baked into the collection, but if there was a way to sort of anonymize, like, a board of all the looks, and showed them to me and s-, and you just said, "What, what is this?" I would've been like, "I d-, it looks like Pharrell Williams designing Louis Vuitton," you know? Chloe Malle: Yeah. Chioma Nnadi: [laughs] Will Welch: In a way, it was like, as the, as the looks were coming out, you were seeing, like, a, a, a retrospective of Pharrell's style over the years, but with, like, lots of new twists. Um- Chloe Malle: What are some examples of that? Will Welch: The camouflage, uh, tailoring, but with shorts- Chloe Malle: Mmm. Will Welch: ... instead of pants- Chioma Nnadi: I like those shorts, 'cause I'm usually anti-shorts, for me. Chloe Malle: Oh! Chioma Nnadi: I mean, this is a way to do shorts. Chloe Malle: Changing your stance. Chioma Nnadi: Sorry, I just, I mean, that, that show had me feeling very... It did feel like, between, and I'm just gonna call it, I think between this and, like, Phoebe Philo coming back, it was, like, the show of the year. Like, this was the show that everybody was anticipating, and it delivered. Chloe Malle: Okay, but this is- Chioma Nnadi: Even from afar. Chloe Malle: ... my question: was it- Will Welch: I just wanna point out that- Chloe Malle: Yes? Will Welch: ... to the male listeners of, of this podcast, Chioma does not wanna see your hairy legs. Chioma Nnadi: [laughs] Will Welch: Pharrell, Pharrell would love to see your hairy legs. Chioma is not interested in your hairy legs. I just, sort of point out. Chloe Malle: Don't wear that to your interview with Chioma. Chioma Nnadi: [laughs] Will Welch: [laughs] Chloe Malle: But Will, would you say, because it l- seemed like a lot of fireworks, like, v- definitely the show of the year in terms of star power, wattage, excitement. Did the fashion hold up to that? Like, the show itself, would you say that it sort of carried through the actual content of the show, or was it more about an event and a, and moment? Will Welch: I think the collection lived up to all of the production and celebrity and pop-culture- Chloe Malle: Okay. Will Welch: ... insanity. Now, if you hated Pharrell being appointed to being the menswear creative director of Louis Vuitton, then this show isn't gonna change your mind. But if you were open to this appointment and excited about it, I think Pharrell's first collection was just incredibly honest. Like, it's just the word I keep coming back to. It was honest. It was, like, him taking on Louis Vuitton, especially a sort of, like, post-Virgil Louis Vuitton, and all that that represents and, you know, the, fashion's favorite word, the codes, the, the logos, the symbols, all that stu-, and, like, filtering it through who he is, what he has always worn, what he gravitates to as, like, a, um, prolific shopper. And he's new to this, and he, Pharrell, you know, humble pupil king that he is, i- will be the first one to tell you this, this is the first full fashion collection he's ever designed, and I thought it was a, just a fantastic first step. And I also thought it was appropriate to what LVMH and the Arnault family are clearly trying to do with Louis Vuitton. Chioma Nnadi: Mmm. Chloe Malle: Which is why- Will Welch: You know, there's a lotta... Which is to create a pop-culture juggernaut that- Chloe Malle: Okay. Will Welch: ... goes way beyond... There's been some interesting pieces that I, that I think were really thought-provoking and accurate, that sort of suggested that Mark Jacobs took a handbag and luggage line in Louis Vuitton and turned it into fashion. And now, with a sort of, like, table set by Virgil, Pharrell is taking a fashion line and turning it into this, like, sort of place where all of pop-culture and luxury can, can coexist- Chloe Malle: Interesting. Will Welch: ... under this big umbrella. And I think there's something really intre-... Like, I'm in Paris now, I just came from Milan, and if you think about the dichotomy between this idea of a luxury house becoming something bigger than fashion on one side, with Pharrell and Louis Vuitton, and you think about this quiet luxury conversation that's happening. So, in Milan, I hosted a dinner with Loro Piana, celebrating our March cover star, Jeremy Strong. So on the one hand, you have, like, logos, and damouflage, and LeBron, and Zendaya, and Rihanna. And now, on the other hand, you have, like, you know, we did this quiet dinner in a garden with Loro Piana and Jeremy Strong, not a logo in sight, you know? But their both owned by LVMH, so [laughs] it's like- Chloe Malle: Right. Will Welch: ... they're using the various masons to sort of, like, catch it all, I would say. Chloe Malle: That's great point, though. I feel like it's been such an annoying conversation the last few months of, like, quiet luxury, quiet luxury. And this show really just blew that up as, in terms of- Will Welch: Yeah. Chloe Malle: ... what's covering the zeitgeist. I mean, this is- Will Welch: But the quiet luxury thing is real, too. Chioma Nnadi: Yeah. Will Welch: You know? Chloe Malle: Yeah, they can both exist, but- Will Welch: It's a bo- Chloe Malle: Yeah. Will Welch: It's a both/and, not an either/or. Chioma Nnadi: And also, they're, they're appointing designers who are not mega-stars anymore, too, you know? I think Bottega's a great example of that. Matthieu Blazy was a behind the scenes person, you know? I think there is this other trend happening in fashion, too, where I think you're, you're, you're, you're not necessarily having the cult of personality at every single house. Like, there's a, there's a real v- variety of, of personalities happening. Will Welch: And, you know, the pairing, which is the other big luxury group often talked about as a rival to Louis Vuitton- Chloe Malle: It's the Capulet to their Montagues, so to speak. Will Welch: There you go. Yeah. They also have a new designer incoming, and it's sort of the, to your point, Chioma, the antithesis of the Pharrell appointment. It, they, it's, his name is [inaudible 00:13:57], and he was the [inaudible 00:13:59] number two at Valentino. Chioma Nnadi: Mmm. Will Welch: You know, to the people outside of, like, the real inside fashion industry, a total unknown. He will be presenting his first collection from, you know, the other huge global house in September. So you do have both- Chioma Nnadi: Gucci. Will Welch: ... things happen- happening at once. At Gucci, forgive me. Thank you. Thank you for having me, guys! That was super fun. Chioma Nnadi: Aww, thank you so much for coming on! We really appreciate it. Chloe Malle: Thanks for making time, Will. I know it's a crazy week. Chioma Nnadi: Yeah. Will Welch: No, it's my pleasure. Chloe Malle: The Run-Through will be back in just a moment. Chioma Nnadi: And we're back, with The Run-Through. We had Usher come into the studios, which was such a treat. Chloe Malle: Ah! He was, he just sauntered right in- Chioma Nnadi: [laughs] Chloe Malle: ... he was cozy and comfy. Chioma Nnadi: He was wearing Bianca Saunders, a designer who he also wore to the Met, and who we're super excited about, who showed in Paris this week. Chloe Malle: He also spoke to us about his new album, which is very exciting, because he hasn't released a new album since 2018. And I feel like his residency in Las Vegas is, like, the place to see and be seen. Chioma Nnadi: Ah! I'm dying to go. Chloe Malle: It's like, everyone is going there. I know, it looks so fun. Chioma Nnadi: Right? Chloe Malle: We got our own little mini, mini concert at the studio. Chioma Nnadi: We did, we did. We're almost as good. [laughs] Chloe Malle: All right, Usher, can you hear us? Usher: I can hear you. Chloe Malle: All right. Usher: Can you hear me? Chloe Malle: We can! Chioma Nnadi: We can. Usher: All right, here we are. Chioma Nnadi: Tell us what you're wearing, 'cause I've been dying to know. Usher: Oh, wouldn't you like to know? Chioma Nnadi: [laughs] Chloe Malle: [laughs] Usher: Bianca Saunders is actually what I'm wearing. And, uh- Chloe Malle: Wow! Chioma Nnadi: I love her. Usher: Yeah. Chioma Nnadi: I love her. Usher: The jacket is, is, uh, one of one. You've seen it in a design, but never quite cut like this. Chioma Nnadi: And the jewelry. You should keep wearing those jewels, because... Amazing. Chloe Malle: They're, yeah, they're very good. Usher: Well, thank you. Thank you very much. Chloe Malle: Can you tell us what they are, for people who can't see? Usher: So for people who can't see, uh, I'm wearing, uh, how many necklaces? Uh, like, maybe- Chioma Nnadi: Three. Usher: ... s- thr-, no. Chioma Nnadi: More? Usher: It's more. There's more. Chloe Malle: Four. Usher: Four. There you go. Four. Four. Uh, some are pearls, uh, and others are diamonds, uh, but, uh, this is designed by Jackie Aiche. Chloe Malle: Mmm. Usher: And, um, you know, these, these wonderful pieces, uh, are a part of my personal collection. Uh, if you come to Las Vegas, you'll see more if it. Chioma Nnadi: Wow. Usher: [laughs] Chloe Malle: Are you dripping onstage? Usher: I drip everywhere, baby. Chloe Malle: [laughs] Usher: It's, it's called the sauce. You know what I'm saying? [laughs] Chioma Nnadi: I, personally, really respect the fact that you have so much, uh, respect for the creatives in the fashion world, 'cause I think a lot of the time, they don't get elevated to the status of artists. Tell me a bit about when you kind of fell in love with fashion, and why it's important to your creative process. Usher: I think I've always admired, uh, fashion, or clothings, first and foremost. I always wanted to dress up. As a kid, I can remember- Chioma Nnadi: So even before you, uh, w- it became part of your job? Like, it was something that you enjoyed? Usher: I think it was something that my mother made me enjoy. Chioma Nnadi: [laughs] Chloe Malle: Interesting! Usher: As a kid, she would always dress us up in knickers, like, little, little shorts. Yeah- Chloe Malle: Oh, I love that! Chioma Nnadi: Are there pictures online of, of- Usher: Yeah, a new- Chioma Nnadi: ... baby Usher? Usher: I could show you pictures, and you would die laughing. Chloe Malle: [laughs] Usher: So, so every... [laughs] Every Sunday, we'd have on our knickers and our bucks, and our socks pulled up to our- Chloe Malle: For church? Usher: ... kneecap... For church, yeah. Chloe Malle: Oh, wow! And what would she wear? Usher: She would wear, like, a beautiful, you know, dress or gown, or something that she created. M- more than likely, either she made it, or either someone in our family- Chloe Malle: Wow! Usher: ... made it. Chioma Nnadi: So you come from a family of real, like, fashion lovers and dressmakers. Usher: Well, I mean, if it weren't for my grandmother, my, my... One of the most bespoked, um, gentlemen that I know, uh, was my grandfather. And, uh, man, Sunday's best is an understatement. He would, you know, shine those shoes up, you know, Saturday night, and have them waiting at the edge of the bed, you know, socks pulled, you know, [laughs] starched shirt [laughs]- Chloe Malle: Wow! Usher: ... ties, double breasts, uh, you know, whatever it might have been for that showing. It was always like a fashion show for them. And then there was, you know, the lifestyle, you know? We were breakers in the street, you know? We would dance. I'm a, I'm an '80s baby, you know what I'm saying? So would... It was a little bit about dressing up on Sunday, but every other day was, okay, trying to figure out how to be a part of this cultural thing that obviously came from New York, but made its way all the way over to Chattanooga, Tennessee. And then Atlanta, you know, having its imprint and, and style there, I picked up a lotta things there, as well. Chioma Nnadi: Tell me about Atlanta, because Atlanta is a, I think, is a really special city, and has a, a cultural impact on music that's quite significant. For me, Atlanta style is big, it's bold, it's about, it's expressive, like, but I'm an outsider; I'm not from Atlanta. You can tell from my voice- Usher: Yeah. Chioma Nnadi: ... I'm not from Atlanta, but what's special about Atlanta? What is the style of Atlanta? How would you describe it? Usher: I don't know if I could describe it. I think it's a melting pot, is what it would be. That's probably what I would say. Chioma Nnadi: Right. Usher: A combination of, you know, kind of lifestyle, um, that might be a bit excessive if we could obtain it, and if you could manage to afford it. And the other half is, you know, the personality of the city and the fact that, you know, we're kinda tied in between these two spaces, you know? Close enough to Miami and the South, and, and the water, and being kind of a part of this African diaspora, and being this place of, like, true freedom for Black people, and being able to be expressive in a different way, uh, in Atlanta. Uh, we weren't comparing, we weren't never comparing ourself to New York, or comparing ourself to Los Angeles, or any of those other places. Chicago, whatever it might be. But, you know, it was, in some way, a lot of our childhood ambition, uh, created, I think, the style. One, you wanted to have the big designers, but you didn't necessarily have access to it. You gotta remember, we didn't have a lotta access. Chioma Nnadi: What was your first big designer purchase? Usher: My first big designer purchase, Versace. Chioma Nnadi: Oh, love. Chloe Malle: Versace what? Chioma Nnadi: What did you, what, what was it? Usher: I had a full yellow Versace, uh, suit. It was like a- Chioma Nnadi: Stop it! Chloe Malle: Oh, wow! Usher: ... quilted- Chioma Nnadi: You went big! I, I, I bought a D&G- Chloe Malle: That's bold! Chioma Nnadi: ... tank top, and you bought a Versace suit? Usher: Nah, and by the way, it wasn't, it wasn't by choice. This was, this was a part of imaging. Chioma Nnadi: Ah. Usher: But it was, it was the first time that I began to realize, "Oh, this is about something other than just my talent and my voice." Chioma Nnadi: So this was for a music video? Or was- Usher: No, this was my f-, this was actually my first cover, right? Chioma Nnadi: Ah! Usher: I'll show you a picture of it. Their, their, um- Chloe Malle: Do you still have it? Usher: Do I still own it? Yes, I do. Chioma Nnadi: So you must have a crazy archive. Where do you... Do you keep all your stuff? Or are you, are you, are you someone who purges and getting rid, rid of stuff? Usher: I do not like to purge, [laughs] which is- Chioma Nnadi: Same! Usher: This one here. This right here. If you've ever s-... You've never seen this photo? Chioma Nnadi: I'm sure I'll recognize it when I see it. Um, but I'm trying to- Chloe Malle: I mean, yellow can go many ways. Chioma Nnadi: Yes. Chloe Malle: I'm curious to see what yellow. Oh, wow! Chioma Nnadi: Oh! Yes! Of course I know that! Usher: That's 12, that's 12-year-old Usher- Chioma Nnadi: Oh my God! Usher: ... in Versace right there, baby. Chioma Nnadi: Baby Ush- Chloe Malle: That's a real taxi cab- Chioma Nnadi: Oh my God, it's- Chloe Malle: ... quilted- Chioma Nnadi: ... so good! Chloe Malle: ... black piping... That is a beautiful suit. Usher: But by the way, and yellow was my favorite color, so I was just thinking, "Oh, I really-" Chioma Nnadi: 12. Usher: "... I really wanna figure out," you know, "how to have a-" Chloe Malle: Well, not actually 12. How old are you? Usher: No, I was 12 at the time! Chloe Malle: Oh, wow! Okay. Sorry, I thought that was- Chioma Nnadi: So you grew up, you grew up in the industry. Usher: So I grew up... Yes, I grew up in the industry. Um- Chloe Malle: Wow! So you keep all your stuff. Usher: I do. Chloe Malle: I wanna know if you still have the diamond encrusted shoes from- Usher: I do. Chloe Malle: All right. Usher: I have the diamond encrusted shoes. So, so, so- Chioma Nnadi: Oh, tell me that story about- Chloe Malle: So the, from the My Way, uh, music video. Chioma Nnadi: Ah! Chloe Malle: And what about the shoes with the wheels in them? Usher: Abs-, the Heelys? Chloe Malle: Yeah! Usher: From, uh, You Don't Have to Call? Chloe Malle: Yeah. Chioma Nnadi: You got those? Okay. Usher: Yeah. I may be being a little ambitious in, in, um, telling the story of how I've evolved as a, as a, you know, kinda fashion person, right? Um, I started, like, Adidas, Nike- Chioma Nnadi: Mmm. Usher: ... you know? Uh, Sports Authority. Things that- Chioma Nnadi: [laughs] Usher: ... [laughs] you know, yeah, it w-, while it may not necessarily be fashionable to wear sweatpants and, and shit like that, that was always kind of our culture. It's like, now we, and now it's found its way to become more relevant in this time, because those things that are more obtainable are more attractive. But back then, we were trying to, we were looking over the things that were naturally fresh, you know? It was like, LA Gears, and, and, and, uh, British Nikes and things like that. I was- Chioma Nnadi: I had the LA Gears, and they had, like, three different laces- Usher: Yeah! Chioma Nnadi: ... different colors. Usher: Reeboks- Chioma Nnadi: It were ridiculous, actually. [laughs] Chloe Malle: But that takes so long, to change out your laces! Chioma Nnadi: I was so happy with them. I was, it was- Usher: And if you were- Chioma Nnadi: ... important. Usher: ... fly enough, you had the ability to, you know, really lace them up really cool- Chioma Nnadi: Yeah. Usher: ... and take your time- Chioma Nnadi: I wasn't quite there with that. Usher: [laughs] Chloe Malle: [laughs] Usher: Yeah. Chloe Malle: What's your shopping process now? Usher: Shopping process. Um- Chloe Malle: Like, y- you're, you're at this, the door of the Rick Owens shop. What happens? Usher: Oh, Jesus. Chioma Nnadi: Yeah, do you do, 'cause I'm sure you don't have time to do all of your own shopping- Usher: I don't know if there's anybody who owns more Rick Owens than me. Chioma Nnadi: Oh! Usher: Yeah. Chloe Malle: In the whole world. Chioma Nnadi: We might need to d-... I, I feel like there needs to be- Usher: I don't know. Chioma Nnadi: ... a whole video on your Rick Owens collection. Usher: Have you seen it? Chioma Nnadi: I, I mean, I've seen you out in the world in Rick Owens. Usher: Yeah. It's p- Chioma Nnadi: Tell us about... When did the, when did your obsess-, like, how did you discover Rick Owens? 'Cause I feel like there's, I ha-, like, Rick has such a cult following, and if you know, you know, and other people know, but it's not s-, it's not, like, a label that screams itself, that makes itself known when you wear it. You just know- Usher: Yeah. Chioma Nnadi: ... from the aesthetic, not because it's a label that is, you know, logos or anything. Usher: Yeah, no. I, and always very consistent. Chioma Nnadi: Mmm. Usher: Um, I think it was nine-... No, it was 90- Chioma Nnadi: Wow- Usher: No, it was two-... Probably 2000, oh, three or four? Chioma Nnadi: Huh. Usher: And I went to show here in the meatpacking district, and it was my first time ever, meeting him. He didn't know who I was. Chioma Nnadi: He's quite a personality, right? Usher: Yeah. Uh, and, but he was busy, you know, kinda doing whatever he was doing. And I was like, "Man," but I just real-, and it was my first time being introduced to him. And I just began to ch-, you know, just watch, follow, and become a supporter. And, and then, when I began to really engage in collecting, um, I just, I think I just, I, I went overboard. And then the pandemic hit, and I think I just went overboard. I had to figure out- Chioma Nnadi: Online shopping in the pandemic- Usher: Online shopping. I went nuts. Chioma Nnadi: [laughs] Chloe Malle: [laughs] Usher: I think I lost my shit. I just went crazy. [laughs] Chioma Nnadi: Were you at the last show in, that he did- Usher: Mm-hmm. Chioma Nnadi: ... in Paris? I was also at that show. I saw you. Usher: Yes. Chioma Nnadi: I mean, his shows are an experience. Do you have a favorite, do you have, what is it about what he does that appeals to you and speaks to you? 'Cause it's quite... the aesthetic is quite, it's quite dark, it's quite melancholic, but it's really powerful and emotional. Like, so what about Rick is, like, "Usher." Like, what is, where's the crossover? Where's the intersection of Usher and Rick? Usher: I'm not certain, but I do know that, um, either my, you know, uh, the silhouette, and the fact that it actually f- makes me feel very, very comfortable. Um, you kinda feel defiant, in a way, for some reason, w- whenever... And it, but I, but I feel like, no matter where I am, I'm, I'm just comfortable when I'm wearing, um, a- a- any, any, uh, um, Dark Shadow or w- whatever it might, might be. But I do, I feel- Chloe Malle: But what is Dark Shadow? Usher: What is Dark Shadow? Dark Sh- Chioma Nnadi: Please, tell us. I- tell us, in your own words. Usher: Well, no, Dark... [laughs] Dark Shadow is one of the many collections that Rick Owens has. And- Chloe Malle: Like a sub-mark, or like an actual, just, that was one collection, or one sh- Usher: One of the collections- Chloe Malle: Okay. Usher: ... with him, yeah. So, uh- Chioma Nnadi: Is that a favorite collection? Usher: I love the sneakers. Chioma Nnadi: Right. Usher: Uh, I lo-, I, I don't get into the, that man I was just with, Tyrone- Chioma Nnadi: Right. Usher: ... uh, Dylan in, uh, in, in Las Vegas, Tyrone, uh, Dylan is, uh, one of the, uh, top advisors, and also, too, um, models- Chloe Malle: Okay. Usher: ... uh, for Rick Owens. He happened to come to Las Vegas. Chloe Malle: Okay. Usher: We're really good friends, and, uh, I hosted him and a f-, and, uh, a few friends. So we had a really good time, just hanging out there w-, uh, at my show, uh, in Las Vegas. But he takes, it's me, Wiz Khalifa, and we're all at Delilah's. And it's about 12:00, or 1:00 at night, and he's, like, "Hey, you gotta put these shoes on." I'm like, "There's no way possible I'm gonna put those shoes on and manage to walk outta here. Just can't do it. I'm j-, I'm not, I'm not meant for heels, bro. I just can't [laughs] do it." So he's like, "I don't take my shoes off-" Chioma Nnadi: What, what, how many inches are we talking about? Usher: Yo, this is, like, super, super high. Chioma Nnadi: Oh, no, no, no. Chloe Malle: Oh, wow. Like, many inch platforms? Usher: [inaudible 00:26:16]. Chloe Malle: Yeah. Usher: Yeah, platforms is an understatement. These things are, like, I, I'm not even meant to be that tall. I admire models, thank you, you guys, but I'm, I'm, I'm cool at 5'9"/10"/11". What else? [laughs] Chloe Malle: Wow. Chioma Nnadi: Wow. What's the craziest Rick, or the most daring Rick piece that you own? Like, what's, what feels like, "Okay, this is really, like-" Usher: There was this one jacket, um, that I wore to the opening of Flippers in London. It was, it was, it wa-, it wasn't too risky. Chloe Malle: I wanted to ask you about Flippers. Usher: The purpose and point of Flippers is to just reignite our energy and our, our, you know- Chloe Malle: Flippers is a roller skating rink, for people- Usher: Is a rollerskating rink. Chloe Malle: ... who don't know. Usher: Yes, it's a rollerskating rink. Chioma Nnadi: I loved skating as a kid. Chloe Malle: Really? Chioma Nnadi: And... Yes, I loved skating. I used to go to the park- Chloe Malle: Oh, you went rollerskating... Did you know she wrote a cover story on Michaela Coel, and she went rollerskating with her in Ghana. Chioma Nnadi: So you an Michaela Coel would get along l- like a house on fire, 'cause she skates, we, she took me on the highway in skates. Usher: Really? Chioma Nnadi: It was insane. And I, I- Usher: Like Rollerblades, or actual quads? Chioma Nnadi: So here's the thing: I'm a ha- die-hard quad person. I grew up doing, like, skating on quads, so I never got into blades. But that was all they had in the store- Usher: Boo! Chioma Nnadi: ... in Accra, Ghana, where we were. And so sh- Usher: You were Rollerblading in the streets of Accra? Chioma Nnadi: Yeah. Usher: How does that happen? Chloe Malle: Were you wearing a helmet? Usher: Yeah, you better have been wearing a helmet. Chioma Nnadi: I was wearing pads and elbow- Chloe Malle: That is not a helmet, Chioma. Chioma Nnadi: ... not a helmet. Chloe Malle: [laughs] Chioma Nnadi: I mean, I was, I did fear for my life. Chloe Malle: Yeah! Chioma Nnadi: [laughs] But it was a great story. I'm so intrigued, because, like, your residency has become kind of the thing t-, I mean, you've had people fly in and do, go to, huge stars come in- Chloe Malle: The place to be see-, to see and be seen. Chioma Nnadi: It's a place to be seen in. What i-, what is special for an artist to do? Like, what makes Vegas sort of, like, a fun proposition to someone like you? Like, what's special about it? Usher: Well, I mean, it's the time, um, that I put into curating a show, that I really feel, uh, elevates the music, the experience that we've had in the, with the song. Who knows, these songs probably have been, you know, benchmarks for everybody. Maybe you, you know, you, you broke up with someone, you had an amazing night with someone. Tours are normally dedicated towards one specific album, yeah, you play a few classics, but you're really focused on that one album. With the residency, I'm able to go back in time, from the beginning- Chioma Nnadi: Mmm. Usher: ... and pick the best pieces, and curate something- Chioma Nnadi: And don't you also have an album coming out? What's, you've got a busy schedule. Usher: Well, the album's finished. Now I just gotta work on all the creatives and things. Chioma Nnadi: Okay. Chloe Malle: Yeah, but it's still a big- Chioma Nnadi: Still a big deal, no? Don't you, you know, how do you, like, w- how do you look after yourself when you're, like, you know, you're zipping between Vegas, you're doing these shows that really- Chloe Malle: Like, the, the Usher self-care? Chioma Nnadi: Yeah, what's the self-care routine? 'Cause your skin is looking great. [laughs] Chloe Malle: [laughs] Usher: Thank you. You know what, man? Less stress. Chioma Nnadi: Yeah. Usher: Lots of water. You know, I think, if anything, being happy is probably what I'm wearing on my skin right now. Chioma Nnadi: Oh, God, I love it. Eau de Happy. Usher: Yeah, just, just, just, just, it's your state of being. I mean, of course, you gotta have a regimen, right? I mean, e- every day I wake up and I, I'll take a hot rag and I'll wipe over my face. It's really a simple thing to do, right? It's kinda like an exfoliating type thing. Chioma Nnadi: Yeah. Chloe Malle: Hmm. Usher: Uh, but for the most part, it's just kinda... Whatever residue you have on your skin- Chloe Malle: Yeah. Usher: ... it, it just, it, it neutralizes, right? A hot rag every morning! Chioma Nnadi: And good genes. [laughs] Chloe Malle: Yeah, exactly. Usher: Yeah, Black don't crack. You know what I'm saying? Chioma Nnadi: [laughs] True. Usher: Yeah. I'm happy, man. I'm really happy right now, in this place that I'm in. And, um, I'm enjoying myself. I'm really enjoying myself. Chioma Nnadi: It shows! On YouTube, there are lots of, um, YouTube creators who listen to these m-, like, young, super young, will listen to songs for the first time that have been- Chloe Malle: Right. Chioma Nnadi: ... like, listening to My Way for the first time, if you've never heard it, and seeing their reaction. Chloe Malle: Yeah. Chioma Nnadi: Like, it must be g- n- amazing to have, like, a whole generation of young people suddenly discovering, like, you've got hits going back so far. Like, what's your, with the younger fans, like, what's the connectivity there, and what, and how does that excite you? Usher: Well, it's interesting, right? Because, I mean, you can't really obsess too much over how people receive music- Chioma Nnadi: Right. Usher: ... and you really don't know how much of an effect you're having, uh, on people, i- in, in the way we did in the '90s, and also two- early 2000s, because there's just not as many albums, physically, sold. There was something incredible about being able to say, "Oh, wow, you sold a million albums in one week," right? Or either- Chloe Malle: Yeah. Usher: ... you've sold a specific, l-... Downloads and, and, and streams, I don't know, you know? I think that- Chioma Nnadi: It's not the same. Usher: ... it's, it's, it's quite, it's not quite the same. Chioma Nnadi: I felt people were listening to something all at the same time, or you had to listen to an album, every single albu-, every single song through. There's a different listening experience now. People cherry-pick a lot more how they listen to music. It's, like, much more of a smorgasbord, whereas, I remember having cassette tapes. I had to listen to the entire album before I got to the next song, so I knew... I still know the words to some albums from the '90s. Usher: It's funny, I'm an, I'm, you know, I'm, I look at an audience, and there's so many different, you know, people who have come, rather they like DJ Got Us Falling in Love, or they got, you know, caught up with Caught Up, or either they fell in love way back with Nice and Slow. But I see almost an education happening among my fans- Chloe Malle: Mmm. Usher: ... when they're discovering in that moment. So, you know. Chloe Malle: I also, I loved seeing the, uh, video of you feeding Kimora Lee Simmons a strawberry again. Usher: Yeah, I loved that. Chioma Nnadi: [laughs] Chloe Malle: Did that bring a bunch of new fans- Usher: Yeah, baby! Chloe Malle: ... too, uh- Chioma Nnadi: I'm sure it did. [laughs] Usher: It brought, it brought one hell of an expectation, 'cause now I gotta do it again. Chioma Nnadi: Jesus! Usher: But, but yeah, that was a one on one, like- Chloe Malle: [laughs] Chioma Nnadi: It's just spontaneous. Usher: It was very sponta-... I had no idea that Kimora was coming. Chloe Malle: Oh, God. Usher: I knew that Kim was coming, 'cause she had, uh, come the week prior. A friend of hers got married there, and, uh, she snuck in and saw the show. She said, "The girls are gonna be really mad at me, that I didn't," you know, "do the girl trips, 'cause the last time, we couldn't land our plane." So I was like, "Okay, cool. Well, hopefully they can find a runway long enough to land your plane this time-" Chloe Malle: Oh my God. Chioma Nnadi: [laughs] Usher: And- Chloe Malle: What a flex. Usher: "... and you d-..." Right? "And you, and you don't miss this incredible experience." So she's like, "Oh my God, this is the most amazing thing I've experienced." I'm like, "You should bring your girls back!" So she brought the girls, and Kimora was there. Now, not many people know that Kimora Lee was my, was the leading lady in Nice and Slow, my first- Chioma Nnadi: Yes! Usher: ... video. One of my first major videos. Chloe Malle: Yes! Chioma Nnadi: Yes. Usher: Right. So it was like a- Chloe Malle: It was a recap! Chioma Nnadi: Full circle moment! Chloe Malle: Yeah, full circle. Usher: [laughs] Chloe Malle: [laughs] Do you have a personal ranking of favorite outfits for your music videos? Usher: Favorite outfits. Chloe Malle: Like, is there a number one that you're like, "Ah, that was the best"? Usher: That was the best. I think, yeah, it was a moment, it was a cultural moment, uh, it was a fashion statement, being able to wear blazers and, you know, kind of a woven was, like, a new thing. It became, like, the, the new silhouette, or either, you know, the ensemble of that year. You know what I'm saying? Chloe Malle: Yeah. Usher: The baseball cap kicked to the side- Chloe Malle: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Chioma Nnadi: Yeah, that was a real look. Usher: It was a moment, you know? Chloe Malle: It was a moment. Usher: And then it became about a leather jacket, and, or the bomber and jeans. So those are kinda, like, my favorite, too. Chloe Malle: Okay. Usher: My worst was, uh- Chioma Nnadi: You have regrets? Usher: I do have one. Chioma Nnadi: Wow, okay, tell us. Usher: This is hard... It was just very difficult to dance in. Chioma Nnadi: Tell us, tell us what it was. Usher: Encarta. My pants were, like, they were just, I, it was just a really bad moment. [laughs] If I could change any one, it would, it would be that one. Chioma Nnadi: All right. Chloe Malle: [laughs] Usher: If you seen me in these things, like, tripping over my, my legs. It's just crazy. Chloe Malle: Do you ever get involved in designing clothes that you're wearing to perform, or- Usher: Yeah. I mean, e- every aspect of it. You know, um, rather working with designers, um- Chloe Malle: Will we ever see an Usher line? Usher: You should. Would you, would you participate in it, is the question. Chioma Nnadi: Ah. Chloe Malle: Sure! We're, we're here to participate. Chioma Nnadi: Yes! We're here for that. Chloe Malle: Yeah. Usher: Yeah, so, I mean, I have ambition, right, to do these kinds of things, but I do like collaborating. I'd be, I'd really be interested in developing, um, quads or skates of my own. Chioma Nnadi: Oh, you should absolutely do that! Usher: That's something that's underway. Chloe Malle: Okay. Usher: I'd love to do, like, lingerie or something like that. Chloe Malle: Ooo! Chioma Nnadi: Oh! Well, speaking of lingerie [laughs], I have a question that our colleague was dying for us to ask you. Chloe Malle: She wants to know which song you think the most babies have been made to. Usher: Mmm. Chloe Malle: [laughs] Usher: Mmm, that's really hard. Okay. N- no pun intended. Chioma Nnadi: [laughs] Usher: Or intended. [laughs] Maybe Nice and Slow? Chloe Malle: Mmm. Usher: Maybe, um, yeah, I, I have a few songs that are all about, like, all about the music. More about the music than the actual song, right? Chloe Malle: Are there any young artists, music artists, that you're excited about, and that you're keeping your eye on, tracking? Usher: Well, I never turn my eye away from- Chloe Malle: I see. Usher: ... you know, an- anything that's there. Uh, and my children won't let me. Chloe Malle: Oh, I love that! Chioma Nnadi: Ah. So do they keep you up to, up to speed with what- Usher: They keep, yeah, they keep me completely informed everywhere. Hip-Hop, R&B, K-Pop, uh, Classical, e- e- everything. I'm like, "Well, how do you, how do you even know this, R&B? How did, who, who, how, what?" Chloe Malle: How old are they? Usher: 14 and 15. Chloe Malle: Okay. Chioma Nnadi: So they're that really good age for discovery. Usher: Yeah! Chloe Malle: And who do they love right now, that they're showing you? Usher: Um, let me see. Brent Faiyaz was one that my- Chioma Nnadi: Oh, I love his work. Usher: Yeah, my- Chioma Nnadi: His album's great. Usher: My son, he really, he really loves... You were asking about people to look, that I look after- Chloe Malle: Yeah. Usher: ... Brent is one. Chloe Malle: Okay. Usher: Um, you know, um, let me see. Navid, Billie Eilish. That's his favorite, one of his favorites. Chioma Nnadi: Oh, yeah. Chloe Malle: Are you going to Men's Fashion Week in June? Usher: Ah, yeah. Chloe Malle: All right. What, what shows are you excited about? Usher: Um- Chloe Malle: Like, what are you usually, you know, get hyped to see? Usher: Oh, man. I do have my favorites. Colm, I love every, every year. Chioma Nnadi: Yeah, I mean, it's a real experience. Usher: Yeah, always. Always. Chloe Malle: I've never been to a [inaudible 00:36:15] show. Chioma Nnadi: Oh, my goodness. Girl, buckle up your seat. It's like no other show. Usher: It is. Of course, Rick. Chioma Nnadi: Yes. Usher: And, um, I wanna see... Is Burberry sh- showing? Chioma Nnadi: Yeah. Usher: Yeah. Yeah- Chioma Nnadi: Yep. Usher: ... really, really excited. Chioma Nnadi: New creative director- Usher: Yes. Chioma Nnadi: ... Daniel Lee. Usher: Daniel Lee, really excited to see him. Um, yeah. Chloe Malle: And are you still shopping online, post-pandemic? Are you, like, going in, in store? Usher: I don't... Yo, by the way, I don't really get that much time to hang, hang out, you know? I love to window-shop every so often, and I look through and I see if I see something, but for the most part, I'm calling over, like, "What you got, new? Send me what you got!" Chloe Malle: You don't have a RealReal account? Usher: I do! Chioma Nnadi: [laughs] Usher: I w-, I told you, I went crazy! Chloe Malle: It's in your name? Usher: It's in... I'm not telling you that. Chioma Nnadi: [laughs] Usher: [laughs] But man, I absolutely went, in a sense, bonkers. Like, I lost my shit. I was like, I went broke. [laughs] Man, there is... It's like, "I, I gotta go to work now!" [laughs] Chioma Nnadi: Well, it sounds like you're making up for lost time. [laughs] Usher: Yeah. Chloe Malle: [laughs] That's right! Usher: [laughs] Chioma Nnadi: Definitely got a busy work schedule right now. Usher: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Chloe Malle: [laughs] Chioma Nnadi: [laughs] Chloe Malle: Usher, every now and then, we do a lightening round of questions. Usher: Okay. Chloe Malle: So we're gonna just hit you with a couple. Usher: Go! Let's go! Chloe Malle: Favorite song of all time. Usher: Favorite song of all time? That's really difficult! That's- Chloe Malle: I know, I know. Okay, a song you're loving right now. Usher: A song I'm loving right... A song that I've loved consistently, for years, is What's Going On, Marvin Gaye. You feel? Chloe Malle: Yes. Great. Usher: Never too much- Chioma Nnadi: Good choice. Usher: Never too much, uh, Luther Vandross. Chioma Nnadi: What do you sleep in? Usher: I prefer naked. Chloe Malle: Okay. [laughs] Chioma Nnadi: Prefer? [laughs] Usher: I prefer naked, uh, underwear, alone would be enough. Chioma Nnadi: Okay. Usher: But every so often, you need to, you know, you need a little, air that thing out a little bit, you know what I'm saying? Chioma Nnadi: [laughs] Well, what item of clothing will you never part with? Usher: Mmm. Chloe Malle: Sounds like none of them, but- Usher: I'm, b- yeah, I'm really bad. Chloe Malle: Right. Chioma Nnadi: Can your boys borrow, wanna borrow your clothes, or- Usher: They love my sneakers. Chioma Nnadi: Okay, yeah. Usher: They don't really wanna wear my clothes. Chloe Malle: Right now. Chioma Nnadi: They will, later. Usher: Oddly enough, my oldest son, he does. He'll sneak in my closet and he'll grab some of my Rick- Chloe Malle: Okay. Usher: ... you know, and he'll, you know. Chioma Nnadi: Love that. Usher: Yeah. Chloe Malle: Do you yell at him as he's running out the door? My mom used to do that. "Oh, hey! That's my favorite sweater!" [laughs] Chioma Nnadi: [laughs] Usher: No, he didn't tell me! I just got- Chloe Malle: Yeah, but as she recognizes it as she sees me leaving. Usher: Someone else always tells on him. Chioma Nnadi: [laughs] Usher: Like, "You know he went in your closet and got your shoes. He got your Virgils." And I'm like, "What? You did what? Where, where are they?" And he's like, "Dad, I just, I didn't really, I didn't play basketball in them. I just walked around in them and went to school." Like, "What?" Chloe Malle: [laughs] Usher: "Dude. Do you realize how important these are?" He's like, "They're just shoes, Dad." I'm like, "You're right. But put them back," you know what I'm saying? Chloe Malle: [laughs] Chioma Nnadi: Yeah, I would want them back. Usher: Yeah. [laughs] Chioma Nnadi: Um, which red carpet look has been your favorite so far? This is a tough one. Usher: The, the last Rick show was really amazing. The all gray? I haven't seen it anywhere- Chioma Nnadi: Wow. Usher: ... by, by the way. What a compliment. It's like, "Thank you so much." I haven't seen that gray leather anywhere. Chioma Nnadi: Yeah. Usher: So it, it rains at the top for me. Chioma Nnadi: Okay. Okay, good. Usher: I probably woulda changed the orange hair. I liked, I really enjoy, and I, I embrace- Chioma Nnadi: It's a nice complement to- Usher: It was a complement to gray on that moment, but I woulda changed it. Yeah. Chioma Nnadi: Okay. Mmm, yeah. Usher: I don't regret it. Chloe Malle: Do you have a nickname? Usher: Big Time. Chioma Nnadi: Oh! Chloe Malle: Hidden talent that most people don't know about. Usher: I, I've actually revealed all of my talents. Chioma Nnadi: [laughs] Usher: Uh- Chloe Malle: There's nothing hidden with Usher here. [laughs] Usher: It's- Chioma Nnadi: Dream vacation. Usher: Uh, dream vacation. Um, I've always, I wanna go to Tel Aviv. Chloe Malle: Oh, cool! Usher: I've never been to Tel Aviv. Chioma Nnadi: W- wow. I've heard it's a really cool city. Good food, as well. Chloe Malle: Mm-hmm. Chioma Nnadi: Go-to karaoke song. I mean, [laughs]- Chloe Malle: [laughs] Chioma Nnadi: ... I don't know if you ever go to kara-... Do you do karaoke? Usher: I do karaoke. Chioma Nnadi: No way. Usher: Favorite karaoke song. Um, It Ain't No Fun if the Homies Can't Have None. Chioma Nnadi: Oh, that's a good one. Chloe Malle: [laughs] Usher: Yeah. It gets crazy. Chioma Nnadi: [laughs] Usher: [laughs] Chioma Nnadi: So fun! Usher: [singing] Chloe Malle: [laughs] Chioma Nnadi: Such a good song. Usher: Don't get shy now. Chloe Malle: There you go! Usher: [laughs] Chioma Nnadi: I would never sing along with you. That's not gonna happen. Chloe Malle: [laughs] Usher: [laughs] Chioma Nnadi: [laughs] Chloe Malle: There's a great photo- Usher: Mm-hmm. Chloe Malle: ... of you chatting with Kim and Pete Davidson- Usher: Yeah. Chloe Malle: ... at a reunion. What were you guys talking about? Usher: There's no reunion. He, she, there, there was no reunion. We lit-, me and Kim were literally there s- talking about why she didn't hang out the, uh, the night after the show. She had to get ready for the Met. And Pete comes up, and he just says hello. And it was, you know, ph- photos are worth a million expressions if you don't know what's going on. But they- Chloe Malle: No kidding! That's why I'm asking! Usher: Yeah, nah, it was, it, it was just a, a, a casual conversation. They didn't- Chloe Malle: All right, all right. Usher: Yeah. We were talking about [laughs] Pete bringing his mom to Las Vegas, sitting front row. Chloe Malle: Oh, that's so cute! Chioma Nnadi: Oh, that's cute. Usher: [laughs] Chioma Nnadi: That's pretty cute. Usher: I was like, "What?" She, yeah, sh- 'cause she's like, "Oh, you gotta come see the show." That's what we were talking about, yeah. Chloe Malle: That's amazing. Chioma Nnadi: That's a, that's lovely. Chloe Malle: That's it for this episode of The Run-Through. Chioma Nnadi: The Run-Through with Vogue is a production of [inaudible 00:41:16] Entertainment. Chloe Malle: The show is produced by Suzie Lechtenburg, Chelsea Daniel, and Alex John Burns. It's engineered by Jake Lumos, Gabe Quiroga, and Kevin Bourassa, and mixed by Mike Cutrim. Chioma Nnadi: See you soon! Chloe Malle: Bye!