Don't get it twisted: Just since Usher is known for smooth dance moves and rock-hard abs, it doesn't mean he didn't have to push himself for his small run in the trippy, off-Broadway show "Fuerza Bruta."
For one night last month, Ush played the show's lead, Running Man, and offered lucky attendees an advance listen to his June 12 baby book release, Looking 4 Myself.
As fans will see in the exclusive clip ? and on Wednesday night's "MTV First: Usher" at 7:54 p.m. ET ? "Fuerza" required Usher to use every muscle of his body as he danced, ran, jumped and tumbled his way through the show, where no one speaks, as a replacement for telling the tale through bright lights, music and dance. MTV News had a front seat as Usher rehearsed for his onstage advent in April, and when we chatted with him on set, he opened up about by the physicality of the show to tell the tale of his baby book.
"It's not regularly that you're able to give somewhat of a visual or an emotional kind of basis of what your songs mean," he said. "A lot of times we're running through life and we're tiresome to find ourselves, and I feel like that was somewhat of what the messaging was with the show, but it was really artistic.
"This is more artistic an baby book than I've had in history and I felt like, yeah, it would be a physical challenge, yeah it would be a lot for me, but [I want to] at least try it," he added. "Here are many times I'd seen the show and I'd only hoped that I would make it happen. It looked it really hard, they made it look simple, but it was obviously hard. But, of course, I've been training and it came at a perfect time."
Watching Usher do all persons acrobatics may have had fans wondering whether it was all that hard for him since he makes it look so simple. He joked, "I work hard, baby."
Usher will dish on the show, his baby book and more during "MTV First: Usher," all set to take place on Wednesday at 7:54 p.m. ET on MTV and MTV.com. He will introduce exclusive footage and his new single, the Pharrell-bent "Twisted," and will stick around for a meaty interview with MTV News' Sway Calloway to discuss his new baby book and more on MTV.com.
The performances featured in "MTV First: Usher" were shot exclusively by MTV News during a special baby book-listening encounter with the off-Broadway show "Fuerza Bruta" in New York City.
Be sure to catch "MTV First: Usher" tomorrow at 7:54 p.m. ET on MTV and MTV.com!
Dita Von Teese Dominique Swain Donna Feldman Drea de Matteo Drew Barrymore Ehrinn Cummings Elena Lyons
