R&B artist Usher has addressed fan speculation that he used a clone to perform during a recent tour stop in New Jersey, while also commenting on viral incidents from his ongoing R&B Tour with Chris Brown.
Concerns about whether it was truly Usher onstage emerged after an August 7 performance, with some fans suggesting a body double was used. Usher responded to these theories on social media, commenting on a video addressing the claims. "Y'all are funny...clone? They can't clone this??" he wrote, adding, "How y'all come up with this? AI ain't that advanced."
Usher's tour has also generated attention due to interactions with fans onstage. One notable incident involved Gabrielle Cheyenne, a fan pulled from a VIP section at Nissan Stadium in Nashville. As Usher performed and danced suggestively, Cheyenne appeared visibly uncomfortable and stiff. Usher eventually acknowledged the fan's reaction, stating to the audience, "I don't think she wanna be on the stage."
Cheyenne later addressed the viral video on social media, defending her reaction. She explained that she was not told which artist she would join onstage and that her reaction was genuine. Her aunt, Tia Byrd, also defended her niece, emphasizing Cheyenne's respect for her family and boyfriend and noting that she spoke with Usher's wife backstage.
Following the Nashville incident, Usher appeared to make a statement at a subsequent show in Birmingham, Alabama. He invited another fan onstage and engaged in a more overtly sexual simulation, saying, "Now before we get started, don’t bring your ass up here if you don’t want to be here."
Cheyenne later posted on Instagram Stories, asserting that her initial Facebook post was directed at critics in her hometown and that she would not be bullied. She described herself as quiet in person but stated she would respond when provoked.