Usher attends the Vanity Fair Oscar Party on February 9, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. Jason Merritt/Radarpics/Shutterstock
A longtime loyalty. Usher is sharing an update on Justin Bieber following his Ramsay Hunt syndrome diagnosis — and giving thanks to those who have stuck by his friend’s side.
“He is doing great,” Usher, 43, told Extra during an interview that was published Sunday, July 17. “Seeing him on vacation, we managed to hang out with each other, and I think that whatever he may be experiencing right now, it’s actually really great to see that he has the support from his fans and his family.”
The Voice alum, who recently went on holiday with the “Sorry” artist, 28, and his wife Hailey Bieber (née Baldwin), went on to praise the Canada native’s career path over the past decade. “[Justin] has obviously taken the world on a journey. I am happy that I was at the beginning of, and I am still a part of [his journey] to this day, as a friend,” he gushed at the time.
The Texas native and Grammy Award winner have been musically linked since 2009, collaborating on songs including 2009’s “First Dance,” “Somebody to Love (Remix),” in 2010, and 2021’s “Peaches (Remix).”
“As an artist, I think we are all going to experience some things that people may not necessarily understand,” the Yeah! singer explained to the outlet, adding that a performer’s life “comes with a great deal of pressure.”
In June, Justin, who has battled with Lyme disease for years, was diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt syndrome, a rare neurological disorder that causes temporary paralysis of the face. At the time, the “Love Yourself” crooner was in the midst of his Justice World Tour and forced to put the remainder of his U.S. performances on hold.
“This is pretty serious as you can see,” the “Baby” singer said in an Instagram video at the time, showing how his ability to blink and move other parts of his face were impacted. “I wish this wasn’t the case. But obviously, my body is telling me I need to slow down.”
An insider exclusively told Us Weekly later that month that Justin is “working with a top team of specialists and following their advice to the letter.” Along with “doing facial exercises” and “getting as much rest and relaxation as possible,” the dancer has been relying on his faith for guidance.
“[He] has every faith this will resolve itself eventually, but of course, it’s a stressful situation to be dealing with and a tough time for both [him and Hailey] right now,” the source explained. “The last thing he wanted was to postpone the concerts.”
The insider added that Hailey, 25, has been an “absolute rock” for the dancer, revealing that “she’s by his side for whatever he needs, as are his other close friends and family.”
The model, for her part, suffered her own health scare in March after experiencing “stroke-like symptoms.” Following a hospital stay, the socialite revealed via Instagram Story that she had “suffered a very small blood clot in my brain, which caused a small lack of oxygen, but my body had passed on its own and I recovered completely within a few hours.”
