Usher doesn’t sweat going shirtless at 45: ‘I look good, I make love good’
He may be hitting middle age — after three decades in his iconic recording career — but Usher is still giving the ladies what they want: skin.
From the Super Bowl halftime stage to his current Past Present Future Tour to his new concert film “Usher: Rendezvous in Paris” — which is in theaters Sept. 12-15 — the 45-year-old R&B superstar is still taking it off to show off his ripped torso.
“I mean, to stay shirtless at 45 is work, man,” Usher told The Post in an exclusive interview for our new “Music to My Years” video series. “You can’t fake that part.”
“The hardest part is holding on to it, man. But I’m doing well. You know … four shows to five shows a week is keeping me in shape.”
Indeed, 30 years after releasing his self-titled debut as a 15-year-old, Usher Raymond IV is still maintaining the stud status that he has earned from slow jams such as “Nice & Slow” and “U Got It Bad” to party bangers such as “驰别补丑!” and “Love in This Club.”
It’s a sexy vibe that was intensified during his 2022-23 “My Way” residency in Las Vegas — which became a go-to girls-night-out destination — and that has continued into his Past Present Future Tour, which just completed four sold-out nights of soul seduction at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center.
Despite the fact that Usher got married to longtime love Jenn Goicoechea right after the Super Bowl halftime show in February, he remains the object of desire of his largely female fan base — whether he’s humping the stage or pouring water over his shirtless self.
“Why is that, ladies?” he asked before answering his own question with a wink to the image he has worked hard to maintain: “I feel good, I smell good, I look good, I make love 驳辞辞诲.”
And he gets intimate with those ladies when he goes into the crowd during his shows. It’s an old-school move — making like a modern-day Marvin Gaye — that never gets old.
“It’s about a very classic R&B experience that is all about serenading and connecting with the audience,” said Usher. “When I actually go out into the audience … sometimes they take my mike. Sometimes, you know, I’m able to sing and connect and just enjoy them. I want my fans to feel free and happy. And I want them to enjoy themselves.”?
Fans can get up close and personal with Usher in “Rendezvous in Paris,” which was filmed over an eight-night stand at La Seine Musicale during Paris fashion week last fall.
“In essence, this is the equivalent of actually going to the show,” said Usher. “The way we captured it, it makes you feel as though you were in the room.”
And you can experience Usher live on the Past Present Future Tour, which kicked off Aug. 20 in Washington, DC.
“We had a bit of a rough start with this tour,” said Usher, who had a neck injury that caused him to postpone the first three dates in his Atlanta hometown. “But I feel great, I feel wonderful … and have many shows to go.
“But I’m not losing any steam. I’m getting a little bit more rest and trying to really take care of myself … The experiences that I’ve had have only helped me grow wiser.”