Sounds like Usher’s long-awaited follow-up to his multi-Grammy-winning 2004 “Confessions” CD will be an even more intimate look into the superstar singer’s life. “It’s very personal. Usher is in a completely different place than where he was on the last record. He’s married now. He’s a father. He’s definitely matured, and I think you’re going to hear that through the music,” reports Iz Avila, half of the Grammy-winning producing team The Avila Brothers, who masterminded several tunes on “Confessions” with his brother/partner Bobby Avila.
The new album, due May 27, is titled “Here I Stand.” “People keep asking, ‘Is it better than ‘Confessions’? It’s a great record overall,” says Iz “He’s taking the listeners on the adventure with him.” The brothers produced the tune “Play Me” on the new Usher album. Meanwhile, Iz and Bobby — who’ve worked with such heavy hitters as Mary J. Blige, Gwen Stefani, Aretha Franklin, Mariah Carey and Missy Elliott, most recently winning two Grammys for Chaka Khan’s “Funk This” — continue to keep all burners going at once.
“We’re real excited about the two records we just finished for Sean Garrett’s new album, ‘Turbo 919,’” says Avila. “We’ve been working with Taboo from The Black Eyed Peas the last three months. We’re finishing a mix for Anthony Hamilton. His album ‘Point of It All’ is dropping during this summer. And next we’re going to be doing a couple records for Jamie Foxx.”







