Rihanna’s extremely anticipated Tremendous Bowl halftime efficiency got here and went on Feb. 12, nevertheless it left an affect, particularly contemplating the celebrity used the efficiency to announce her second being pregnant to the world. In her Feb. 15 interview with British Vogue, Rihanna unpacked precisely why she accepted the large gig after years of turning down the NFL’s halftime present supply.
“There’s nonetheless plenty of mending to be carried out in my eyes,” Rihanna stated concerning the NFL’s remedy of Colin Kaepernick after his peaceable on-field protest towards police brutality throughout the 2016 season. “Nevertheless it’s highly effective to interrupt these doorways, and have illustration at such a excessive, excessive degree and a constant degree. Two Tremendous Bowls back-to-back representing the city group, globally. It’s highly effective. It sends a extremely sturdy message.”
One of many largest causes Rihanna was moved to simply accept the supply was her new function as a mom (she and her boyfriend A$AP Rocky welcomed their first baby in Might 2022). “Elevating a younger Black man is without doubt one of the scariest duties in life. You are like, ‘What am I leaving my children to? That is the planet they’re gonna be residing on?'” she stated. “All of these issues actually begin to hit in a different way.”
Motherhood has made Rihanna really feel like she will be able to tackle something, together with performing on the Tremendous Bowl whereas pregnant (though that wasn’t a part of the plan when she accepted the gig). “It is this realizing that you are able to do something — even issues that appear the craziest, like, ‘I’ll say sure to the Tremendous Bowl in the course of postpartum?’ What the heck am I pondering? However you are geeked on a problem like that as a result of you recognize what your physique simply did. You are feeling this sense of ‘Nothing is inconceivable,'” she stated. “It was virtually like an out-of-body expertise. I’ve not been on stage in seven years. Seven years! From zero to Tremendous Bowl? That is psychological.”
Forward of the large night time, one in all Rihanna’s largest issues was the identical as followers’: what songs will she embody on her setlist? Throughout the celebrity’s press convention with Apple Music on Feb. 9, she admitted, “The set record was the most important problem.” “That was the toughest, hardest half — deciding tips on how to maximize 13 minutes but in addition rejoice,” she shared. “That is what this present’s gonna be, it is gonna be a celebration of my catalog in one of the best ways we may’ve put it collectively.”
Rihanna famous that she needed to “cram 17 years of labor into 13 minutes, so it is troublesome.” She then elaborated on what she teased because the thirty ninth model of the set record, saying, “Some songs we needed to lose due to that, and that is gonna be OK. However I believe we did a reasonably good job of narrowing it down.”
The singer stated she’s conscious of the importance of her headlining gig — “representing for Barbados, representing for Black ladies in every single place. That is actually necessary. That is key for folks to see the probabilities.”
She additionally addressed the continued fervor for information about if — and when — she’ll launch new music past her final single. “Im feeling open to exploring, discovering, creating issues which might be new, issues which might be completely different, issues which might be off, bizarre, may not ever make sense to my followers and the people who know the music I put out,” she stated. “I simply need to play. I need to have enjoyable with music.”
On Jan. 27, Rihanna launched a 12-second teaser on Twitter showcasing her pregame type for the Tremendous Bowl. Within the clip, the “Umbrella” singer reveals off an outfit from her Savage X Fenty Sport Day Assortment whereas dramatic music performs within the background.
The video got here simply a few weeks after Apple Music, the NFL’s new companion for the Tremendous Bowl halftime present, launched a 30-second trailer titled “Rihanna Is Again,” teasing the headlining present on Jan. 13. The quick clip encompasses a silhouette of Rihanna as she walks right into a darkish, empty room whereas a number of sound bites inquiring about her return play within the background.
“It has been 2,190 days,” one voice says, whereas one other chimes in with, “Dude, Rihanna, we have waited for you.” A 3rd voice then pronounces, “It has been six years because the nine-time Grammy winner dropped an album,” till, lastly, a highlight focuses on Rihanna and her 2016 observe “Wanted Me” drops.
Followers weren’t the one ones anticipating Rihanna’s massive halftime present. On Jan. 8, the NFL and Apple Music shared a joint video on Instagram of Rihanna sporting a hoodie together with her tattooed hand holding a soccer on it, captioned, “5 weeks from right now ?? #AppleMusicHalftime.” The clip initially appeared on the “Anti” singer’s Instagram Tales earlier that day.
Moreover, Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty model additionally shared pictures of recent merch on Instagram on Jan. 8 in assist of her halftime present. “A @badgalriri live performance throughout a soccer sport? Say much less. #SavageXGameDay,” one caption reads.
The NFL introduced Rihanna’s efficiency, additionally the first-ever Apple Music Tremendous Bowl halftime present, on Sept. 25, 2022, confirming rumors of her being the midgame leisure for the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs (now the 2023 Tremendous Bowl champions) and Philadelphia Eagles’ face-off in Glendale, AZ.
On Oct. 4, 2022, a TMZ cameraperson caught up with Rihanna at Los Angeles grocery retailer Bristol Farms and requested how she’s feeling concerning the efficiency. In response, she admitted to being “nervous” but in addition, within the outlet’s phrases, “excited” concerning the gig.
Rihanna initially shared the information together with her followers by way of a put up that includes her hand holding up an NFL soccer. Though she did not add a caption, the NFL rapidly confirmed the announcement on Twitter, writing, “Let’s GO – @rihanna @rocnation #SBLVII @AppleMusic @NFLonFox.”
The famed singer had massive footwear to fill this yr — not that the Grammy winner had something to fret about. In 2022, Kendrick Lamar, Mary J. Blige, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Dr. Dre, and 50 Cent collaborated for an epic hip-hop halftime efficiency, and the yr prior, The Weeknd helmed the present. Different latest headliners have included Shakira, Jennifer Lopez, Justin Timberlake, Woman Gaga, Beyoncé, and Katy Perry.
