Release and Promotion
Usher originally hoped to release Here I Stand in November 2007, but "issues in his personal life" delayed the album. According to reports, Usher pushed back to album to spend more time with his then-pregnant wife. The expected November release was booked to coincide with that of Usher's fragrance line. The album's release was rescheduled for June 2008, but was brought forward, and Here I Stand was released on May 13, 2008. The continually changing release dates became frustrating for Usher; Dupri said to Billboard, "The last couple times I've been around, you could tell he's got the bug to hurry up and put this record out. He wants to get back out here and give the people that. He's got that itch." Here I Stand was released by LaFace Records in Mexico and most European countries on May 13, 2008, in Germany on May 20, in Australia and New Zealand on May 23 in Canada and the United States on May 27, and in Japan on May 28.
Usher promoted Here I Stand by appearing at Radio 1's Big Weekend in 2008, where he performed "This Ain't Sex", "Moving Mountains", "What's Your Name", "Here I Stand" and "Love in This Club", as well as singles from his previous albums. On the day of the album's release, Usher appeared on television shows TRL and 106 & Park, and on May 30, 2008 he performed on Good Morning America. In June 2008 he performed "Love in This Club" on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Jimmy Kimmel Live!. Usher sang "Love in This Club" with Young Jeezy on reality television show The Hills' third season finale on May 12, 2008, and again, by himself, at the finale of the sixth season of Dancing with the Stars on May 20, 2008. The 2008 BET Awards, hosted on June 23, were opened by Usher performing the single. "Love in This Club" and "This Ain't Sex" were sung by Usher on Saturday Night Live on May 17, 2008. Usher performed a one-off showcase concert for 1,500 fans at indigO2, London on May 22, 2008, for which the tickets were allocated by ballot. On September 4, 2008, Usher performed "Here I Stand", "Trading Places" and "What's Your Name" at the warmup concert for the 2008 National Football League Kickoff game, at Columbus Circle, New York City. Natasha Bedingfield and Keith Urban also sang before the game, which saw the Washington Redskins play the New York Giants.
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