DETROIT – Four Detroit young adults are getting a rare, behind-the-scenes education in the entertainment industry, touring the country with Usher as part of a first-of-its-kind live-touring internship program.
The program, called Usher’s Entertainment Industry Club, is a partnership between Usher’s New Look and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Detroit.
It places young people directly at the heart of major tour production, giving them real, hands-on experience in one of the world’s most demanding industries.
The interns are working backstage on the Usher and Chris Brown 2026 R&B Tour, helping shape everything audiences see on stage, from wardrobe to camera operations.
“We’re in charge of making sure they look good,” said Logan Hrabowski, a wardrobe production intern from Detroit.
Nina Williams, who serves as the tour’s camera operations and multimedia lead intern, said the experience has already turned heads among seasoned professionals.
“They’re like, ‘OMG, you’re like 21, 22, 23, and you guys know how to operate all of this and almost better than the crew themselves,’” Williams said.
More than glamour — it’s a grind
Backstage, the work is fast-paced and unforgiving. Every decision happens in real time, and the interns are expected to keep up.
Madisyn Wilson, a wardrobe production intern, has embraced the role fully. “My name is Fit CheK with a capital K,” she said.
Wilson also noted that Usher himself has made a point to connect with the young interns throughout the tour.
“He even like takes time out of his way to come talk to us sometimes and make sure that we’re good,” Wilson said. “And you know he talks to his dancers a lot, so just seeing that, it’s just great to see, and I just feel like he puts so much into the community.”
The hours are long. Allison Lewis, an ambiance intern, described one of her most grueling days on the road.
“I think one of my longest days was we had a meeting in the lobby around 9, after that I got to the stadium around 11, and I didn’t leave until 6 a.m. the next day,” Lewis said.
Building a network, bringing it home
Despite the demanding schedule, the interns say the relationships and connections they’re building will last long after the tour wraps.
“Coming back to Detroit, I’m going to always keep in mind — I know this stylist in New York, I know this stylist in LA,” Hrabowski said.
For Williams, the bonds formed on the road have become something deeper than professional networking.
“Even though we maybe started as strangers, we’re all like a big family right now,” she said.
Shawn H. Wilson, president and CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Detroit and co-founder of Usher’s New Look, said the program was designed with intention and with pressure.
“This is the first program of its kind, right? A major artist to run an internship program,” Wilson said. “I wanted them to feel the pressure. If they do well, right, they’re setting up opportunities for other young people, which I think is powerful.”
Reports indicate some of the interns have already been offered jobs as a result of their work on the tour. Details have not been confirmed.