Usher still learning from his experiences

April 2, 2010 at 12:00a.m.

Associated Press

NEW YORK

Less than two years ago, Usher was glorifying his evolvement as a man with “Here I Stand,” a CD that found him celebrating his new role as husband and father while shunning the image of a sexy bad boy unable — or unwilling — to make a lasting commitment.

Now, with the release of his latest album, “Raymond v. Raymond,” the 31-year-old talks about maturity again. But this time, it comes from lessons learned after disappointment — not only in the discouraging sales of that album, but in the failure of his two-year marriage to Tameka Foster Raymond, the mother of his two young sons.

“Having one of the most sincere moments and occurrences take place in that period of my life, it taught me a lot,” Usher said one recent day as he reflected on his life in an empty stage room at a Manhattan studio. “It was very beautiful. ... It just simply didn’t work. But I never undermine that moment in my life because it’s valuable ... and in my life, I try to learn from my experiences.”

And his experiences have taught him a lot in a very short period. In 2007, he was still soaring from the 10 million-selling 2004 album “Confessions,” which firmly established him as a superstar with such smashes as “Yeah!” and “Burn,” when he decided to get married. Stylist Tameka Foster was eight years his senior and had three children of her own.

The elimination of one of music’s most desirable bachelors made the union unpopular among his fans. The more serious blow to his career, though, came from his professional priorities. With “Here I Stand,” Usher, who had built his career on his appeal as a playboy — even as a 15-year-old crooner — decided to focus firmly on family.