By Jae-Ha Kim
Variety
March 31, 2998
With his pants falling down just enough to keep the young women screaming for another peek at his well-toned bod, baby-faced Usher stole the show from Mary J. Blige with a potent blend of musical diversity, showmanship and just plain old fun.
Usher, only 19 and far from his peak, possesses a deep, rich voice that translates well in a live setting, regard-less of whether he’s crooning or rapping. Focused on material from his debut disc, the “Star Search” winner provided a highly theatrical spectacle, borrowing liberally from the steps of Michael Jackson.
He seemed to relish the sexier numbers, seducing the audience with charisma to spare, but even his dimples couldn’t compensate for his eventually annoying onstage mantra: Are you with me, ladies?