Celebrity3 min(s) read
Published 11:48 10 Aug 2026 GMT
It's been a busy few weeks for R&B star Usher, and he has now responded to claims that he used a "clone" at one of his recent shows.
The US artist has been on tour with Chris Brown across North America, with the pair managing to make headlines.
Just two months into their 33-date tour, Usher has caused controversy after bringing a female audience member up on stage in July to engage in a steamy moment, but it quickly turned awkward.
In the exchange, a shirtless Usher sang to an unimpressed female fan, who remained stiff and gave him a tight smile.
While Usher's attempt ended awkwardly, as he waved her off stage after she refused to join him on an onstage bed then later claimed on social media that she only went to see Brown.
But now, Usher has received some criticism, as many believed that he sent a clone to perform in his place during a show in New York.
Fans were accusing the "Yeah!" artist of getting a lookalike to perform on the Raymond & Brown Tour with Chris Brown, but he quickly shot these rumors down.
Users had pointed out that the singer's face is hidden behind a hat and sunglasses in these clips, resulting in accusations of an Usher lookalike performing on stage instead of the real deal.
Usher took to Instagram on Sunday (August 9), commenting on a video shared to the official R&B Tour account, with the post including a video of him performing.
Alongside it was a screenshot of Instagram comments he made, speaking about the clone allegations.
He started his first comment with a laughing emoji, before adding: “Ya’ll are funny…clone? They can’t clone this??”
“How ya’ll come up with this?” he asked in a different comment, adding more laughing emojis before pointing out in jest: “AI ain’t that advanced.”
Questions started to be raised after footage of Usher performing at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium on Friday went viral, as many believed that the singer looked different in several clips.
The claims started to circulate online earlier this month, despite Usher and Brown starting their tour in June, with it set to run until December.
One viral X post read: “Usher you can’t fool New York that’s not you bro i want my money back.”
Another penned: “Usher, why’d you have to play us all like that last night??”
Other users said that he had "sent out his doppelganger," but one particular viral TikTok called the man on stage “a very bad” likeness.
They went on: “I have to say that these people do not look the same in my opinion, at all,” speaking while the viral footage is showing in the background.
