International R&B superstar Usher expressed his desire to be a part of the Afrobeats music scene, citing his admiration for the genre and its artists.

He claimed that he collaborated with Nigerian artists, Burna Boy and Pheelz, on his latest album because he wants to be part of the Afrobeats surge.

Usher was the latest Western musician to catch the Afrobeats trend when he featured Pheelz in ‘Ruin,’ the lead single from his current album, and Burna Boy in the album’s title tune, ‘Homecoming’.

Usher claimed in a recent interview with Apple Music that Pheelz had influenced his working with Burna Boy.

He said:

“I am all about collaboration and bringing African, you know, Nigerian culture to my own world. Their music is really popular now. I wanted to be part of it [Afrobeats], that’s why I went to Africa to make this album.

“I picked up things when I was in Ghana. I picked up things when I was in Nigeria. And working with Pheelz, he created the record [‘Homecoming’]. I just felt that Burna Boy would take it to a different level of credibility. I really do enjoy him as an artist. I just felt that this song would only be lifted better if he was part of it.”