Usher looks back on the ‘bidding war’ between him and Justin Timberlake over who would sign budding singer Justin Bieber 15 years ago

Usher is looking back on a tumultuous chapter in his career that helped launched then-budding singer Justin Bieber to superstardom.

The 45-year-old Confessions Part II singer spoke to People this week about how he and fellow singer Justin Timberlake, 43, duked it out in hopes of signing Bieber, now 29.

Usher — who hosted a wildly popular halftime show performance at Super Bowl LVIII this month — recalled how in 2008 he and Timberlake squared off in a ‘bidding war’ in hopes of getting Bieber on one their labels ahead of what they both correctly predicted would be a lucrative career.

‘When you are at the top of your game, some of the greatest things will be presented to you, and it was, I think, right after [my album] Confessions that I was introduced to Justin Bieber and Scooter Braun,’ the hitmaker recalled.

Usher knew Braun from years earlier when he had been working under the rapper and super-producer Jermaine Durpi, and they formed the record label Raymond Braun Media Group.

Usher, 45, spoke to People this week about how had a ‘bidding war’ with Justin Timberlake in 2008 as they competed to sign then-unknown Justin Bieber; seen February 14 in Atlanta

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Usher added that he and Braun were determined to close the deal because ‘there can only be one Justin,’ suggesting that he thought Timberlake’s film might overshadow Bieber at the start of his career; seen on The Kelly Clarkson Show

Bieber ultimately signed on Usher and Scooter Braun’s record label, and Braun became his manager; pictured in 2009