Usher Raymond received an honorary degree on Saturday from Boston’s Berklee College of Music in recognition of his major contributions to music and philanthropy, according to News 3. The 44-year-old began singing when his mother entered him in music competitions at age 12, and he has since given us some of the best tunes to ever be heard on the radio.
Top music producers noticed the seasoned performer, which led to the release of his debut album, Usher, in 1994, and My Way, three years later. The Burn singer thanked the esteemed university on Instagram after receiving the honorary degree.
“Thank you @berkleecollege for honoring me and presenting me with a Doctor of Music degree,” he captioned. “I’m so grateful for this opportunity to share a message with the next generation of artists, producers, vocalists, arrangers, dancers, and more.”
The award-winning singer also shared some words of advice to the graduating class during the ceremony. “Break the barriers, identify that spark in you that motivates you to keep going, and don’t expect everything to be perfect and run smoothly. …Take what you’ve learned here [at Berklee], go into the world, and make great things,” he said.
The singer joins a long list of other prominent musicians who have received honorary degrees from Berklee College of Music, Billboard reported; including Duke Ellington, Aretha Franklin, Quincy Jones, Celine Dion, B.B. King, Joni Mitchell, Chaka Khan, Esperanza Spalding, Willie Nelson, Missy Elliott, Ringo Starr, Gloria Estefan, and John Legend.
“No. 1 is always going to mean a lot to everybody. But it doesn’t, and shouldn’t, change your passion,” the Yeah singer told the news outlet in 2021. “It hasn’t changed mine, whether I put out a record that hit No. 1 instantly or took time to get there. I have a record company that’s willing to fight for it and get it heard, to connect with my audience and prospective new fans. I’ve tried a lot of stuff. There’s a way to play in R&B where you can be as creative as you want. Don’t cut yourself off — don’t feel you need to be tied so authentically to one thing.”