MUMBAI: On its 15th annual 'Entertainer of the Year 2004: An E! Entertainment Television Special' on 17 December, E! Entertainment Television bestowed the multi-platinum selling artist Usher with the Entertainer of the Year award.

In his exclusive interview, Usher spoke candidly about his success and the record-breaking album that established him as the year's number one act with four number one singles and eight Grammy nominations including Album Of The Year and Record of the Year.

"2004 was honestly a very well anticipated year," said Usher. "This is a career that has been built over the last ten years. And for those of you who were able to see, or that watched it, you got a chance to see an evolution." Said Usher self-effacingly of Confessions, "I tried to make an album that would be remembered, an album that would stand the duration of time. I didn't know that it would make me the number one selling artist in the world."

In addition to Usher, 'Entertainer of the Year 2004: An E! Entertainment Television Special' also highlighted the benchmark achievements of Jude Law (Role Hog), Jessica Simpson (Cover Girl of the Year), Ashlee Simpson (Freshman Phenom of the Year), Beyonce (Dynamic Diva), Dave Chappelle (Baddest Comic), The Cast of Desperate Housewives (Sizzling Suburbanites), Donald Trump (TV Titan), Jamie Foxx (Box Office Breakthrough), Jon Stewart (Daily Fix), Lindsay Lohan (Hollywood Hottie), Mel Gibson (Higher Power Player), Michael Moore (Dogmamentary Director), Renee Zellweger (Chick Flick Chick) and Shrek (Ogre Achiever).

E! Entertainment Television has been bestowing its Entertainer of the Year award since 1990. Last year's recipient was Johnny Depp. Other past winners include Jennifer Aniston (2002), Nicole Kidman (2001), Tom Cruise (2000), Julia Roberts (1999), Helen Hunt (1998), Will Smith (1997), Robin Williams (1996), Jim Carrey (1995), Tom Hanks (1994), Steven Spielberg (1993), Whoopi Goldberg (1992), Arnold Schwarzenegger (1991) and Kevin Costner (1990).