Usher's new album is an "art-in-motion diary" which reflects on some of the "heavy transitions" in his life.
The singer has had a tumultuous few years. He got divorced from Tameka Foster in 2009, and is still embroiled in custody issues over their two sons, Usher and Naviyd.
Usher says his upcoming record Looking 4 Myself is about his personal life.
"There's an emotional side to it. Over the last three years of my life, it's no secret I went through some heavy transitions and in that I really came out new. I came out feeling a sense of entitlement and a sense of ownership of all of that I went through to become better and in being able to survive it. So I was looking for something in the music," he told MTV News during MTV First.
"I was looking for something in life. I was looking for something in it has always been right here. It has always been there. So I kind of used the music as a diary in a way, but a creative, artistic, art-in-motion diary."
Usher has explained the concept behind the lead single from the album, Climax.
The promo sees him as a jilted lover who is contemplating shooting his girlfriend's other interest. Usher insists the song isn't about sex.
"Climax was an interpretation to really give people a better understanding 'cause I felt like people really looked at the record for what you heard first, which was Climax. So, people thought sex. It's not about sex. Well, climax is about sex, but not the song. Just so we're clear," he smiled.
"The song is really about kind of the crescendo of a relationship, where you've reached a place where you're gonna dive in or let it go. And the Climax is what it is."
