[6][7] His follow-up record was originally rumored to be titled The Shanetance and due for release on March 23, 2012, though Usher later refuted the speculation.

"[11] Some of these locations included the Coachella Music Festival, Ibiza, Germany, Las Vegas, Miami and Southern France.

[15] Diplo, Rico Love, Jim Jonsin, Salaam Remi and Max Martin were the first producers confirmed for Looking 4 Myself in March 2012.

They discussed the concept throughout the song's development and how it relates to Usher's life, as Diplo "tried to help realise these lyrics and feelings.

[18] Usher and Diplo worked on the song's production for two months, recording in studios in Los Angeles, New York, and Atlanta.

"[11] Steve Angello, a member of Swedish House Mafia, told MTV News that the group hung out with Usher in Ibiza after the awards ceremony; they worked with him in Atlanta for five days.

[11] Usher contacted several producers and musicians who he endeavoured to, but ended up not collaborating with, including Skrillex, Calvin Harris, Afrojack, Kaskade, Little Dragon, and David Guetta.

The latter had revealed to The Hollywood Reporter in May 2012 that he and Usher had worked on a "crazy" record,[11][20] though it did not appear on the album due to a scheduling conflict; rapper Ludacris was involved in the song's production.

[22] In a later interview, Usher clarified that his latter quote was misinterpreted, in that it is not a specific type of sound, but rather what he found as inspiration behind where he was and what he was working on "was revolutionary".

[24][26] The third track, "Climax", is a quiet storm-style slow jam,[27][28] built around a haunting riff, complemented by sparse drum machine and some musical accompaniment.

"Show Me", another Danja produced record, is described by Randall Roberts of Los Angeles Times to feature "driving house synth-claps with a propellant techno rhythm bubbling beneath it.

[24] Usher described the track as "nostalgic", and explained that his intent was to also "modernize it", similar to records produced by Cee Lo, Bruno Mars and Andre 3000.

[34] The album's title track features Empire of the Sun member Luke Steele, and is both new wave and soft rock.

The song received generally positive acclaim from contemporary music critics with many of them praising its club-oriented production, labeling it as a potential success as a single.

Directed by Chris Applebaum, its music video shows Usher getting intimate with Victoria's Secret Angel model Chanel Iman, who plays as his love interest.

[67] On April 27, 2012, he debuted the album in the off-broadway show Fuerza Bruta: Look Up, in Daryl Roth Theater in New York City.

[69] Steven Horowitz of Rolling Stone commented that Usher "theatrically sequenced the entirety of the project to strobing lights and choreographed moves".

[70] Horowitz also praised the singer's performance, concluding that "the veteran entertainer reasserts himself as a master of rapturous dance fodder, capable of turning a room into a thumping rave with ease".

[75] Usher promoted the album on its release date in the UK—June 11—by performing in a one-off concert in the HMV Hammersmith Apollo in London.

[76] The same week, he appeared on BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge, where he covered the song "Pumped Up Kicks" by Foster the People, and performed "Scream".

[77] The singer appeared on Good Morning America, where he spoke about Looking 4 Myself, and discussed his legal battle with ex-wife Tameka Foster.

[81][82] Usher planned to perform in countries including France, Germany, Belgium, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

[91] Alex Macpherson of The Guardian complimented Usher's vocals, saying that they "are in fine fettle", and found the album "most interesting" when it "goes in directions that don't cleave to obvious aesthetics".

[86] AllMusic's Andy Kellman felt that, despite Usher's shift to dance music, "he's more of a creative force when he's working with slower, soul-rooted material".

[1] Randall Roberts of the Los Angeles Times described the album as not genre defying, but instead uses the music styles of the [current] era– it's "more pop than it is revolutionary".

[32] Pitchfork Media's Carrie Battan felt that his strength "lies in R&B, and he's adjusted well to shifting ground", although "not everything on Looking 4 Myself hits the mark".

[33] At USA Today, Steve Jones stated that on the release Usher has "chosen to keep growing and moving ahead" on which he "confidently steps out of his sonic comfort zone.

[105] It sold sixteen units less than Amy MacDonald's third studio album Life in a Beautiful Light which debuted one place ahead at number 2.

[112] Derrick Corbett, operator of urban based radio stations under Clear Channel Communications, credited its underwhelming sales to the "alienation" of Usher's core audience.

[113] In an interview with singer-songwriter Eric Bellinger by Rap-Up, the former explained that he, along with Jermaine Dupri, Bryan-Michael Cox, and Brian Alexander Morgan, were working on Usher's next album.