Usher painfully recalls TLC's Chilli rejecting his proposal amid their past three-year whirlwind romance: 'I went through a great deal of pain after that'

Usher is opening up about feeling heartbroken following his split from Rozonda ‘Chilli’ Thomas after three years of dating in 2004.

While looking back at their high-profile relationship, the 45-year-old rapper, who wed his longtime girlfriend Jennifer Goicoechea in Las Vegas over the weekend, recalled looking at Chilli, 52, as a ‘superstar.’

‘If I am to be honest, I was her No. 1 fan,’ he admitted. ‘At the age of 8, I put her poster on my wall and said, ‘Man that girl is so beautiful. One day I’m going to meet her.’

While Usher is seven years her junior, he insisted that, at the time, he wanted a more serious relationship, but she ‘didn’t believe that’ he was ‘actually in love with her as much as’ he said.

Usher is opening up about feeling heartbroken following his split from Rozonda ‘Chilli’ Thomas after three years of dating in 2004 (pictured over the weekend)

‘I was a young man, and she had very specific rules that didn’t work for me,’ he told People. ‘We were missing each other. I really did want to have a different type of relationship where she was there with me, and she couldn’t be.’

Still, he said ‘wanted to marry her.’

‘I proposed and she told me no,’ he revealed. ‘I went through a great deal of pain after that, not trusting women or wanting to open up.’

The performer admitted he ‘hurt her too’ but their separation ‘broke’ his heart.

Chilli previously told the outlet that while their relationship ‘looked great,’ she said ‘he knew he had to be a certain way with’ her, but ‘couldn’t.’

Meanwhile, Usher said they ‘were cool with each other’ after their breakup.

‘I was very careful with that,’ he insisted. ‘I really did love that girl, and I was like, I don’t want to play with you. Like, ‘I can’t give you what I gave you. I did everything that I thought you would’ve wanted me to do, but I guess my good wasn’t great enough.’

Now, he’s ‘not hurt over that at all’ and says they are able to ‘celebrate each other and it’s always light when we see each other.’

While looking back at their high-profile relationship, the 45-year-old rapper, who wed his longtime girlfriend Jennifer Goicoechea in Las Vegas over the weekend, recalled looking at Chilli, 52, as a ‘superstar’

‘If I am to be honest, I was her No. 1 fan,’ he admitted. ”At the age of 8, I put her poster on my wall and said, ‘Man that girl is so beautiful. One day I’m going to meet her’ (Chilli seen with her former TLC bandmates)

Like Usher, Chilli has moved on, and is dating actor Matthew Lawrence.

Following his epic Super Bowl halftime show on Sunday, Usher wed Goicoechea, days after obtaining a marriage license in Nevada.

Earlier this week, DailyMail.com exclusively revealed their plans to tie the knot in Sin City.

Records show the pair obtained a marriage license in Clark County on February 8 – five days ago.

Following his epic Super Bowl halftime show on Sunday, Usher wed his longtime girlfriend Jennifer Goicoechea, days after obtaining a marriage license in Nevada

A source told DailyMail.com that the OMG singer made the decision to wed after taking advice from his spiritual advisor Amba Kahly Su.

The wedding, which will follow what is sure to be a smashing performance, will be an intimate affair attended only by close friends and family.

The marriage will be the star’s second: his previous wife is fashion designer Tameka Foster, 53, with whom he shares teenage sons Usher ‘Cinco’ Raymond V, 16, and Navid Ely, 15.

Usher also has two children with Goicoechea, 39 – daughter Sovereign Bo, three, and son Sire Castrello, two.