Usher is recognized for his extraordinary talent on the stage and his ever-changing, attractive hairstyles. Throughout his career, the renowned R&B entertainer has showcased a range of trendy haircuts and fresh looks, captivating fans and starting trends.
From his burst fade mohawk to his classic buzz cut, Usher’s hair has become synonymous with his personality, fashion-forward style, and legendary status.
In this article, we will explore Usher’s iconic hairstyles over the years, examining how they have influenced fans and left an indelible mark on pop culture.
Iconic Usher Hairstyles
Buzz Cut Fade
Usher’s iconic buzz cut fade became his signature in the early 2000s and he brought it back around for the 2016 Hands of Stone premiere. This low-maintenance, short buzzed style created a clean, sharp look that added structure to the singer’s relatively soft and youthful features. He rocked a tight line up with a scruffy goatee and stubble to balance the face and match his contemporary, R&B discography. Keep an eye out for this low-maintenance cut in the “U Got It Bad” music video released in 2001.
Low Burst Fade Mohawk
Usher has often been found rocking a cool burst fade mohawk, a new variation of the classic cut. After the raging success of his album 8701, he grew out his top, back and sides slightly to achieve a more relaxed style with a rebellious edge. He buzzed the sides into a low burst fade and accentuated the longer top with a full middle strip to create a subtle modern mohawk. The shape up and trimmed beard stayed put to keep his appearance slick and balanced.
Blonde Curls
Usher followed his militaristic buzz-cut phase with a significant transformation, switching up his look with kinky blonde curls at the iHeartRadio Music Awards. While it was a far cry from his intense Cheeto-orange look of 2023, the blonde tips created contrast against his extremely dark roots. The R&B legend kept his structured sides and line up to lend the fluffy, voluminous top a hint of structure.
Short Afro with Mid Fade
After deciding that blondes didn’t necessarily have more fun, Usher returned to his roots with a short afro and a mid fade. His natural texture shined through with light volume on top, complemented by sharp, buzzed sides and connected stubble. It captured the fun-loving feel of the mid-2010s and resonated with hard-working black guys who wanted a more manageable style for their shorter, textured locks.
High Top Fade
While he may have dominated the style columns with his low-maintenance afro, Usher chose to wear a retro high top at the 2019 Espy Awards. He fashioned his slim coils upward and used an afro pick to add volume and lift around the crown and front. Ask your barber to keep the hair on top longer to recreate this cut and the singer’s signature lift.
Waves
Usher sported distinct waves and his famous line up at the premiere of Netflix’s Hustle in 2022. He brought the line up further toward the center of the face and grew the hair slightly longer to support the textured, S-shaped waves. The uniform length created an extreme, rounded look across the entire head that contrasted with his old-school, messy beard and mustache. This style offered a sleek, laid-back, stylish vibe that matched his youthful energy.
Short Afro Mohawk Fade with Beard
The King of R&B is no stranger to a mohawk fade, and this style dialed up the tufts across the central strip for a punk-rock look that leaned retro. The sleek mid-fade and uniform lineup work against the fluffy top to create a striking, dimensional look that perfectly complements Usher’s natural texture. He was regularly seen with this style around the mid-2010s, marking the release of his album Hard II Love.
Short Afro
Casual elegance meets natural texture with Usher’s playful, short afro. This style represented a move in his style towards geek-chic territory, but his signature stubble remained firmly along his chin and jawline. The fluffy afro was short and trimmed but left messy for a fun-loving, textured appearance on top.
Classic Buzz Cut
Although he’s experimented with everything from bright orange locks to blonde curls, Usher took the plunge with an extremely short buzz cut in 2014. The hair was buzzed to a uniform length and connected to short stubble with a connected line next to the ear. The sleek line up offered this style light structure, preventing the cut from looking overly one-note.
Braids
Usher has worn braids several times throughout his career, but they looked exceptionally handsome at the Art of Elysium’s 12th Annual Black-Tie Event. He pulled out this sleek cornrow style back in 2019 and created a distinctive pattern across the scalp with super-tight, small braids. The sharp top was paired with subtle, buzzed sides to add light structure.
Short Afro Blowout with Line Up
This short afro blowout took everyone’s breath away at the 92nd Academy Awards, bringing natural texture, subtle shaping and dimension to Usher’s look. The classic edge up worked seamlessly with the closely cropped sides to create contrast and angles that pulled all eyes to the fluffed, voluminous top.
