Usher’s New Series Reveals How Romance With Chilli Shaped His Music and R&B History
Rozonda ‘Chilli’ Thomas stopped talking to Usher Raymond in 2019, ending their high-profile relationship. “We definitely had some chemistry, but working chemistry does not mean it works in your personal life. If we were working, it was great. But outside of that, we’re so different,” Thomas told Entertainment Tonight.
The singers connected in 2001 when recording sessions sparked a romance. Their connection was evident in music videos like Usher’s “U Remind Me” and “U Got It Bad.”
In the early 2000s, they made news wherever they went. Trust issues and different lifestyles, however, pulled them apart. “It looked great, but in real life … he knew he had to be a certain way with me and he couldn’t,” Thomas said.
Thomas denied rumors that “Confessions” was about their relationship. She was in the studio when the album was being made.
Now dating actor Matthew Lawrence, Thomas has found new love. Meanwhile, Raymond talks about their time together in his new Audible series “The Last Showman,” explaining how she influenced his music.
Their relationship shows how much media attention famous couples got before social media platforms became mainstream. The public got its celebrity gossip through entertainment news and magazines.
Both had successful careers after breaking up and have shown each other mutual respect as artists.
