Usher

"With every album, I try to better myself. I'm a perfectionist and with the success of my last record, I wasn't sure about where my growth should be - as a performer, as a vocalist. I always felt like I held

something back on my albums - on every album, I was playing a 'role'. This time, I decided to shake my fears and allow my personality to come through. I've really 'lived' this album: I'm in a healthy place right now. I'm 25-years old and I'm dealing with my responsibilities as a man and I'm not afraid to speak, to be realistic and talk about the issues men deal with [in relationships]."