Usher and Chris Brown are showcasing their bodies of work during “The R&B Tour,” with performances at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland, through Monday.
WTOP’s Acacia James spoke with the producer behind Usher’s performances.
“This tour is amazing,” Bobby Ross Avila, a Grammy Award-winning producer, said. “Seeing these two iconic artists on one stage and taking this experience on the road is amazing.”
“Their music has really transcended so many different boundaries and brought so many people together,” he said.
Their trio of performances at Northwest Stadium started July 10, with the remaining shows on Saturday and Monday.
Avila is Usher Raymond’s musical producer during the tour. He also performs in Usher’s band and gets a solo spotlight.
“I get to see my music come to life on stage,” he said.
Avila started in the music business “as an artist when I was 12 years old and signed at RCA Records,” he said, and he has released a new project, “Return of the Gentleman,” and a single titled “Lucky Fella.”
“It really just kind of demonstrates what I feel right now. I’m super blessed, and I feel lucky to be able to do what I’m doing,” he said.
Avila said the tour is a great experience, but it takes a tremendous amount of work to put on a seamless show.
It’s “working with multiple producers, music directors, engineers” and creative and technical teams to pull everything together night after night, from the creative team on the music side, “and then working with production, working with lighting, working with the content team, working with choreography. There’s so much that goes into this,” Avila said.
But it’s not his first time assembling a team for a stadium show.
In 2024, the Avila Brothers — Bobby and his brother, Issiah “IZ” Avila — made history as the first Chicano duo to produce the Super Bowl Halftime Show.
Along their musical and production path, which spans decades, the two have collaborated with producer powerhouses Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. They’ve also created music for other industry names, including Usher, Janet Jackson, Mary J. Blige, Chaka Khan, Anthony Hamilton, Gwen Stefani and Earth, Wind and Fire.
Avila sees their longevity in the music business as a chance to show others that they can achieve their dreams as well.
“I think it’s our duty. It’s each one teach one, right? So having us out here, it’s really important for us to be pouring back into the cups in these communities and letting people see that they can do so much in life if they just put their mind and their heart into it and work hard, it’s very possible,” he said.
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