Rihanna's Halftime Performance
…A concert with a side of football.
by ALI ROSENBERG ★ FEBRUARY 13, 2023
Thirteen minutes was simply not enough for Rihanna to showcase all of her top hits. The 57th Super Bowl was a full out battle between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles, but that’s not all we tuned in for. As far as my viewership was concerned, I was there for the halftime show and the commercials.
Predictions of Rihanna’s opening song were what populated my For You Page for the few days before the Super Bowl. Fans had been hard at work with not only their predictions but also data to support their thoughts.
No one knew what to expect from the performance, seeing as her last live performance was in 2018, but, Rihanna’s Navy was certainly not disappointed, to say the least. The performance started with the camera zooming in on Rihanna, looking gorgeous as ever, wearing a red bespoke boiler suit with a bodysuit underneath. But, that wasn’t the only thing that stood out as viewers shortly picked up on the fact that Rihanna is… pregnant???
Credit: Instagram @seventeen
For Rihanna not to tell fans that she was pregnant but rather release a hard launch at the Super Bowl (the most viewed event of the year) was just iconic. Just when you may have thought that it couldn’t get any more iconic, in the midst of Rihanna performing “All of the Lights,” she plugged her beauty brand, Fenty Beauty, by powdering her nose. Talk about strategic advertising!
Rihanna opened the show with one of her hit singles, “Bitch Better Have My Money,” on an elevated surface, surrounded by dancers who were dressed head to toe in white. Rihanna’s performance also featured hits like “Work,” “Umbrella,” “Only Girl in the World,” “Where Have You Been,” and “Rude Boy,” along with an abundance of other top hits. It really says a lot about an artist when viewers are familiar with every single song performed.
The performance received glowing reviews; however, fans were slightly disappointed that Rihanna did not bring out any special guests or perform some of her other hit songs like, “Needed Me,” “S.O.S.,” “Love on the Brain,” and “Disturbia.” Other TikTok users had responded with the argument that the special guest was the Fenty Beauty appearance. Some spectators also complained that they were underwhelmed and expected more.
Credit: Instagram @people
Still, this year’s Super Bowl was one for the ages. Celebrities that attended Super Bowl LVII included Adele, A$AP Rocky, Bradley Cooper, LeBron James, and Kevin Hart, to name a few. Even more, the game itself was one of the most intense Super Bowl games in history, as the two teams were neck and neck through the entirety of the game.
Last but not least, of course, was Rihanna. Her performance at the Super Bowl will definitely go down in history. The performance was not only captivating but featured songs that have been in the media for ages. And then there’s the fact that she announced her pregnancy at the Super Bowl. Can you name something more iconic?
Cover Photo Credit: Instagram @people