Usher discussed his decades-long connection with fellow artist Beyoncé and a period when he had to act like her “nanny” because he was the eldest person around in a recent interview with the UK radio show Capital Breakfast With Roman Kemp.
The 44-year-old musician stated Queen Bey was a member of a group called “The Dolls” at the time, and that he functioned as her nanny during a session, according to Insider.
“Fun fact: I knew Beyoncé when she was 12 years old, or 11 years old, she used to be in a group by the name of The Dolls,” the Burn singer said. “I don’t know if I could consider myself their babysitter, but I actually had a time when I had to watch The Dolls.”
Usher said he performed his supposed nanny duties while they were having a session at the home of songwriter and record producer Daryl Simmons. “He was working with them at the time, and I just happened to be over there,” the Grammy award-winner recalled.
Usher said he ultimately had to keep an eye on Beyoncé and her bandmates because they were younger. “I kind of found my way into being their, like, I don’t know, chaperone, nanny, or something like that, because I was kind of the oldest person in the room,” he added.
Beyoncé, along with Kelly Rowland, Michelle Williams, and LeToya Luckett, rose to fame as members of the Destiny’s Child R&B group. However, before to becoming famous, the group was known as GirlsTyme, Something Fresh, and The Dolls, according to an archival Essence Magazine story.
Usher and Beyoncé have now gone on to have tremendously successful careers in music and other forms of entertainment. The singers have previously worked, with Beyoncé appearing on Usher’s 2008 song, Love in This Club, Part II.