Image Source: Mike Coppola/Getty Images
Rihanna‘s highly anticipated Super Bowl halftime performance is quickly approaching, and we’re counting down the days. And we finally have a little more of an idea about what the show will include, thanks to a press conference the pop superstar did with Apple Music on Feb. 9.
During the Q&A, Rihanna assured curious fans that she, too, was worried about which of her many hits should feature on the set list. “The set list was the biggest challenge,” she admitted. “That was the hardest, hardest part — deciding how to maximize 13 minutes but also celebrate. That’s what this show’s gonna be, it’s gonna be a celebration of my catalog in the best way we could’ve put it together.”
She noted that she has to “cram 17 years of work into 13 minutes, so it’s difficult.” Elaborated Rihanna of what she teased as the 39th version of the set list, “Some songs we had to lose because of that, and that’s gonna be OK. But I think we did a pretty good job of narrowing it down.”
Rihanna said she is aware of the significance of her headlining gig — “representing for Barbados, representing for Black women everywhere. That’s really important. That’s key for people to see the possibilities.”
The singer also addressed the ongoing fervor for news about if — and when — she’ll release new music beyond her last single. “Im feeling open to exploring, discovering, creating things that are new, things that are different, things that are off, weird, might not ever make sense to my fans and the people that know the music I put out,” she said. “I just want to play. I want to have fun with music.”
Last month, on Jan. 27, Rihanna released a 12-second teaser on Twitter showcasing her pregame style. In the teaser, the “Umbrella” singer shows off an outfit from her new Savage X Fenty Game Day Collection while dramatic music plays in the background.
The teaser came just a couple of weeks after Apple Music, the NFL’s new partner for the Super Bowl halftime show, released a 30-second trailer titled “Rihanna Is Back,” teasing the headlining show on Jan. 13. The short clip features a silhouette of Rihanna as she walks into a dark, empty room while several sound bites inquiring about her return play in the background.
“It’s been 2,190 days,” one voice says, while another chimes in with, “Dude, Rihanna, we’ve waited for you.” A third voice then announces, “It’s been six years since the nine-time Grammy winner dropped an album,” until, finally, a spotlight focuses on Rihanna and her 2016 track “Needed Me” drops.
Fans aren’t the only ones anticipating Rihanna’s big halftime show. On Jan. 8, the NFL and Apple Music shared a joint video on Instagram of Rihanna sporting a hoodie with her tattooed hand holding a football on it, captioned, “5 weeks from today 🔥🔥 #AppleMusicHalftime.” The clip originally appeared on the “Anti” singer’s Instagram Stories earlier that day.
Additionally, Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty brand also shared photos of new merch on Instagram on Jan. 8 in support of her upcoming halftime show. “A @badgalriri concert during a football game? Say less. #SavageXGameDay,” one caption reads.
The NFL announced Rihanna’s performance, also the first-ever Apple Music Super Bowl halftime show, on Sept. 25, 2022, confirming rumors of her being the midgame entertainment on Feb. 12, when the league’s top two teams (still to be determined) face off in Glendale, AZ.
On Oct. 4, 2022, a TMZ cameraperson caught up with Rihanna at Los Angeles grocery store Bristol Farms and asked how she’s feeling about the performance. In response, she admitted to being “nervous” but also, in the outlet’s words, “excited” about the gig.
Rihanna initially shared the news with her fans via a post featuring her hand holding up an NFL football. Although she didn’t add a caption, the NFL quickly confirmed the announcement on Twitter, writing, “Let’s GO – @rihanna @rocnation #SBLVII @AppleMusic @NFLonFox.”
The famed singer has big shoes to fill this year — not that the Grammy winner has anything to worry about. In 2022, Kendrick Lamar, Mary J. Blige, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Dr. Dre, and 50 Cent collaborated for an epic hip-hop halftime performance, and the year prior, The Weeknd helmed the show. Other recent headliners have included Shakira, Jennifer Lopez, Justin Timberlake, Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, and Katy Perry.
Lindsay Kimble
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