Justin Bieber & Usher Cover 'Billboard'

Usher poses with Justin Bieber on the cover of Billboard‘s latest issue, a special edition for the 2012 Billboard Music Awards.

Here’s what the two artists had to share with the mag:

Justin, on pushing himself and taking risks: “I don’t want to lose my young fans, but I also want to mature and develop. I always keep one foot out of my comfort zone, trying new things and experimenting – if you don’t, people will get bored. Seeing the smiles on people’s faces and how I affect them when I perform makes me want to give them the absolute best experience they can possibly get.

Usher, on how Justin rates as an MC: “He’s always been a dope MC. C’mon. Easy. ‘Boyfriend‘ was really the defining moment; it became No. 1 everywhere, which is what dreams are made of. Both of us are being modest about what our journeys have been in terms of songwriting: Justin really has participated in every writing session -that’s amazing. It’s easy to just dial something in, but if you make the music authentic, people feel connected to you as an artist from the beginning.”

Justin, on what he learns from Usher: “What’s great is that in Usher, I have a mentor that’s been doing it so long and has been successful in everything that he’s done. He’s made some mistakes, too, but he’s learned from them, so he can tell me what to do and what not to do.”

For more of Justin and Usher‘s interview, check out Billboard.com!