Usher is not only an R&B music icon, he is a singer, dancer, actor, producer, dynamic performer, coach on ‘The Voice’ and mentor to Justin Bieber. Born Usher Terry Raymond IV in 1978, the Texas native spent much of his youth in Tennessee. He joined a boy band at age 11, but started his professional career in earnest at 13 after being discovered via TV talent show ‘Star Search.’ His self-titled debut album dropped before he even graduated high school. Second album ‘My Way’ put him on the pop-music map and featured his first No. 1 hit, ‘Nice & Slow.’ But it was 2004’s ‘Confessions’ that made him a superstar, with four consecutive Billboard Hot 100 chart-toppers ('Yeah!,' 'Burn,' 'Confessions Part II' and 'My Boo').
Selected discography: ‘My Way’ (1997), ‘Confessions’ (2004), ‘Raymond v. Raymond’ (2010)
Related artists: Justin Bieber, Chris Brown, Nicki Minaj
Further reading: Watch Usher + Nicki Minaj at the VMAs, Usher Discusses Justin Bieber, Usher’s Revealing Instagram Photo