Usher's Mission Possible

Everything about US singer Usher's trip to South Africa feels like it is a diplomatic visit.

The 33-year-old Climax singer arrived in the country on Tuesday evening, uncharacteristically early for his show on Saturday night.

But it is not so that he can visit a game reserve or visit former president Nelson Mandela, as is often the case with international celebrities.

The singer has been doing philanthropic work in Johannesburg and Cape Town, and clearly doesn't want interruptions.

Promoter Big Concerts and PR company Corporate Image have no clue of his itinerary, and Big Concert's Gwen Ironsi said yesterday that Usher's managers were upset to find media awaiting their arrival in Cape Town yesterday morning.

"I found out only today that he's in Cape Town," Ironsi said. "He has his own agent and management who are taking care of his travels and accommodation while he's here and we're not privy to that because it's not show day."

She said concert partners e.tv and Metro FM were the only ones who had been granted interviews with the singer.

On Tuesday evening, Usher and four students from his New Look Foundation met mining magnate Tim Tebeila to announce a partnership with the latter's foundation.

It is understood that through the partnership five South African teens will be picked to go to New Look's annual World Leadership conference in Atlanta, US, in June. Teenagers from all over the world take part in leadership workshops at the conference.

Usher clearly still has pulling power. By yesterday, ticket sales for his one-off concert at Orlando stadium in Soweto on saturday night had reached more than 25000. Capacity for the concert is 30000, according to Big Concerts' John Langford.

But while Usher can still fill arenas and stadiums, his Billboard charts history suggests hits are harder to come by these days.

Of his 10 Billboard Hot 100 No1 hits, only two were after 2004 - OMG (2010) and Love In This Club, featuring Young Jeezy, (2008).

Fans will be hoping most of his set comprises songs from early in his career, including Burn, U Remind Me, U Got It Bad, U Don't Have To Call, My Boo, Caught Up and Confessions part 2. These are the numbers that received much airplay and sold millions of his albums worldwide.

Usher collaborated with DJ David Guetta on Without You, which reached number four on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

His newest single, Climax, is steadily climbing the charts.

Usher will headline the Hansa Festival of Legends, with local acts including Zakes Bantwini, Gang of Instrumentals, Liquideep, Teargas, Oskido and DJ Tira.