R&B superstar Usher and his Pop/R&B protege Justin Bieber — who are both gearing up for the release of their new albums — share the cover of a special edition of Billboard Magazine.

Usher also poses solo on a separate cover for the same issue, in which the singer talks about growing as an entertainer and more.

Check out an excerpt (via Billboard.com) below:

He also has new management behind him. Grace Miguel of Coup D’Etat/URIV Group now heads up his management, taking over from AEG Live CEO Randy Phillips, who briefly managed Usher after the star relieved his mother, Jonnetta Patton, of managerial duties a second time in late 2008.

“I see this record continuing the artistic journey Usher began the first time he was recognized for fusing sounds with Lil Jon to create ‘Yeah!’” Miguel — [GOT Note: Usher's rumored girlfriend] — says. “Usher revels in the challenge of expansion and is courageous enough to take risks to grow as a performer.”

“In life we have to grow,” Usher says of his management changes, “and one thing that’s been beautiful is that I’ve been able to grow along with my mother and people of my past. They’re proud of me as I move forward, and are able to acknowledge the work I’ve been doing and say, ‘I like what you’re doing, and I like that you’ve been able to pick it up and continue to move on.’”

Both Usher and Justin Bieber are also scheduled to perform — separately, of course — at this year’s Billboard Music Awards on May 20th.

Usher’s next studio album “Looking 4 Myself” is set for a June 12th release, while Justin Bieber’s third project “Believe” (preceded by the hit single “Boyfriend”) will be released a week later on June 19th.