Going into the Super Bowl Halftime Show, Usher didn't really have anything to prove – in a career that's going on three decades, he's managed to cultivate a significant amount of good will and, in recent years, a resurgence in cultural relevancy, thanks to a hugely successful grown and sexy Las Vegas residency.

Nevertheless, getting to headline the event can be akin to earning an EGOT for any pop superstar, and on Sunday evening, Usher approached it as a hard-earned capstone to his legacy.

"They said I wouldn't make it, they said I wouldn't be here today, but I am," he pronounced early into his ebullient set, before shouting out his mother. For anyone who's been a fan of his going back to the days of "My Way" and "U Make Me Wanna," it was hard not to feel joyful about this moment.

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