KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD) — When Usher takes the stage for this year’s Super Bowl halftime performance, a Kalamazoo native will be among the musicians who join him.

Darek Cobbs is a 2008 graduate of Portage Northern High School who says music has always been a part of his life.

“Both of my parents sing. My cousins play instruments,” Cobbs said. “I would say around 2 or 3 years old, I started playing the drums, and I was just always around music in church. And then I started taking piano lessons around 4.”

Coming out of college, Cobbs said videos he made with friends went viral on YouTube, which helped him become noticed. He also made the move to Los Angeles with a chance to propel his career.

“I just wanted to do it at the highest level. And as soon as I got there, people showed me so much love, and it was a huge blessing. I didn’t have to struggle long,” Cobbs said.

Throughout his career, Cobbs has worked as a musician on the side, produced shows and concerts and worked on live arrangements for some of the biggest names in music.

Darek Cobbs performs with musicians Charlie Puth (left) and Wiz Khalifa (right). (Courtesy Darek Cobbs)
Darek Cobbs performs with musicians Charlie Puth (left) and Wiz Khalifa (right). (Courtesy Darek Cobbs)

“It just worked out. A bunch of people kept recommending me. It’s like, ‘You’ve got to meet Cobbs, you’ve got to meet Cobbs,'” he said. “I started arranging for Rihanna, and then it went from Rihanna to Nicki Minaj, and it went from Nicki Minaj to Justin Timberlake.”

Now, one of his biggest opportunities is ahead of him. During the upcoming Super Bowl halftime show, Cobbs will synthesize and play the keys when Usher takes the stage.

This isn’t his first time taking the stage with Usher: Cobbs also performed with the R&B singer during his residency in Las Vegas in 2023.

“Late middle school, early high school, my mom bought me an Usher DVD. I think it was from Circuit City. And I used to watch it every day when I came home from school, because it was so wild. There was so much going on. It was so aggressive, it felt futuristic to me,” Cobbs said. “Playing with him now is unbelievable, honestly.”

Cobbs says he’ll be one of two Kalamazoo natives who are a part of the show. The other is also a musician. He wants to make sure the city is represented well.

“We do great things, and there’s a lot of great people. So just making the city proud and just letting people know anything is possible,” he said.

Cobbs couldn’t share much about the performance itself but said he considers Usher the greatest performer alive. He told News 8 fans will be in for a treat.