Usher unveils past role as Beyoncé's 'babysitter' during her early years

In anticipation of his upcoming series of concerts in Paris scheduled for next month, Usher has unveiled a delightful tidbit about his past involvement with a fellow music luminary, back when they were both in their formative years.

The renowned artist behind "Don't Waste My Time" made a guest appearance on the popular UK radio program, Capital Breakfast With Roman Kemp. During the show, he shared an endearing anecdote from his earlier days involving none other than Beyoncé, shedding light on their initial interaction when she was just a young girl.

Usher reminisced, "Fun fact, I knew Beyoncé when she was 12 years old, 11 years old. She used to be in a group by the name of The Dolls. I don’t know if I could consider myself their babysitter, but I had a time where I had to watch The Dolls.”

Despite the mere three-year age difference between Usher, aged 44, and Beyoncé, who is now 41, their paths crossed significantly earlier in life. Usher was signed onto his first recording contract at the tender age of 14, following an unexpected audition that caught the attention of record executive L.A. Reid. This audition led to Usher securing a contract with the esteemed LaFace Records, the label co-founded by Reid and Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds.

Usher continued his recollection, stating, "I was at Daryl Simmons’ house.” Simmons is a renowned record producer and songwriter closely associated with the LaFace Records duo Reid and Edmonds.

“[Simmons] was working with [The Dolls] at the time, and I just happened to be over there and they were working on a session. I kind of found my way into being their like, I don’t know, chaperone, nanny, or something like that — the oldest person in the room,” Usher added.

While no documented evidence suggests that Usher and Beyoncé, at the ages mentioned, collaborated on any musical endeavors during those early interactions, their paths did cross again in 2008. 

At that time, they joined forces to record "Love In This Club, Pt. II," a collaboration that also featured rapper Lil Wayne. The song garnered significant attention, spending an impressive 14 weeks on the music charts and reaching a peak position of No. 18 on the illustrious Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Beyoncé, who has since become a mother of three alongside her husband JAY-Z, boasts a thriving career that recently included her captivating Renaissance World Tour. Commencing in May in Stockholm, Sweden, the tour has continued to captivate and delight fans across various locations.