Young Star Is Building His Own House of Usher

Usher, whose “You Make Me Wanna . . .” single has been one of the top R&B-pop; hits of the year, is in a playful mood as he poses for a photographer on the set of the television sitcom “Moesha.”

The 19-year-old native of Chattanooga, Tenn., has a determined look on his face as he makes signals with his hands--moving his right hand across his chest before tapping his left shoulder with two fingers.

He’s not trying to flash gang signals the way some rappers have done. He’s merely trying to signify that “You Make Me Wanna . . . ,” an upbeat song about relationships, recently spent 11 weeks at the top of the nation’s R&B; singles chart.

“I don’t know how to say it,” he says, explaining his hand signals. “Maybe I should just use one finger . . . for No. 1.”

After only two albums, the youthful crooner has made his mark on the pop world. The video for “You Make Me Wanna . . .” has been all over MTV, and it’s nearly impossible to listen to urban radio without hearing the song twice an hour. Little girls scream when he walks through malls.

And now Usher is hoping to make a name for himself as an actor, which is why he’s on a Paramount sound stage in Hollywood. He’s about to film his second guest stint on “Moesha,” the UPN series that stars Brandy, another singer-actor.

“All this sort of just sprung up on me,” he says earnestly. “But you should always expect the best to come out when you’ve given your best and put forth positivity. Fortunately I’ve received a lot of positive things in my life--this acting thing, the record on the pop charts. . . . That makes me feel real good. I’m a brand-new artist in the eyes of the mainstream.”

Usher--whose last name is Raymond--may be a new name to some, but he’s already a soul veteran. He was a precocious 13 when he performed Boyz II Men’s “End of the Road” on “Star Search” and impressed some talent scouts at powerhouse LaFace Records, which was started by Babyface and partner L.A. Reid.

“I went to their office, sang [the song] again, and L.A. Reid asked me if I wanted a record deal,” Usher says matter-of-factly, as if it’s commonplace to be so easily handpicked by one of the top record producers in the industry. “They saw the marketability of this All-American kid, but they also liked my voice.”

Three years later, the kid who once sang in a church youth choir under his mother’s direction was billed as the latest in a series of teen soul sensations that has ranged from Frankie Lymon and Michael Jackson to Tevin Campbell.

But his 1994 debut album, “Usher,” didn’t turn the singer into a star. The collection yielded a gold single, “I Think of You,” but it didn’t capture the singer’s full potential. Usher sounded “cute” but far from fully involving.

Dallas Austin changed that.

When the producer who helped shape hits for such acts as TLC and Madonna teamed fellow teen protegee Monica with Usher in 1995 for a spirited remake of a Latimore ballad, “Let’s Straighten It Out,” he pulled grit out of the duo that few knew existed. Usher’s voice had fully matured, making it deep yet melodically agile, like a young Teddy Pendergrass’.

“That soul came from listening to jazz and blues records,” Usher says. “I had everybody in the studio laughing at me because I was singing with so much passion, but I wanted to show people what I could really do. I wanted to outdo Latimore and Usher--at least what people thought Usher was.”

Now, two years later, he shows that personality and passion in his second album, “My Way,” which has sold nearly 500,000 copies in less than three months. The songs, many co-written by Usher, take the perspective of a young man still learning about life and love.

About the difficulty of having relationships in his own life, he says, “It’s really hard to get involved with someone right now, because a relationship is about growing together, and understanding each other and spending time . . , and I really don’t have a lot of time.

“But I’ll have time when I get older. My mind right now is on success, and I have to utilize this time to pursue television opportunities, touring and a whole bunch of other things that I don’t want to miss out on.”