Earlier this year, Rihanna had the world on their feet with her Super Bowl halftime show. After a long wait and much anticipation for her return to the music scene after seven years, her performance did not disappoint fans. There were no special guests, as many thought, but it turns out Riri didn’t need anyone else. According to USA Today, the halftime show pulled in 115 million viewers. A report from Neilson confirms this. That makes Rihanna’s halftime performance the most watched in all of history. It’s an incredibly impressive feat considering the legends that have come before. Then again, she is Rihanna. She is a living legend in her own right.
Riri’s performance was remarkable, and she exuded palpable confidence as she sang her top hits. The show began with a brief video before revealing Rihanna suspended on a platform. The tracks on the setlist seamlessly blended into each other. She performed classics like “We Found Love,” “S&M,” “Rude Boy,” and “Work.” Her performance concluded with a live band and two of her most popular songs, “Umbrella” and “Diamonds,” during which some fans speculated that she announced her pregnancy. This was later confirmed to be true.
That Rihanna Reign Just Won’t Let Up
Rihanna attends The 2023 Met Gala Celebrating “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line Of Beauty” at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. (Photo by Ray Tamarra/GC Images)
Since her Super Bowl performance, Rihanna has become a daily staple in the headlines again. Yesterday, she and A$AP Rocky attended the Met Gala together. Of course, Rihanna has shown up to the event in some of the most iconic looks ever created. As such, there was much anticipation for her arrival. The singer did not disappoint. Rihanna stunned in a beautiful white dress with white flowers all over. She used the flowers as a hood to cover her head and then draped it down for a classic, elegant look. Meanwhile, A$AP Rocky wore a traditional black suit with a white shirt, bedazzled jeans, and a red flannel skirt over his pants as a tribute to Karl Lagerfeld. He also showcased several Gucci belts.
Even after seven years without releasing an album, Rihanna continues to be one of the most influential artists in the industry. Her Super Bowl performance and her extremely hyped appearances at events like the Met Gala only cement her status as an icon. While fans have had to wait quite some time for new music, it looks like the wait may be coming to an end very soon. Rihanna has already said that wants to drop her new album this year. Whether or not she will remains to be seen. What do you think of Rihanna’s record-breaking Super Bowl performance? Are you looking forward to new music? Let us know in the comments!
Usher says that he hopes the NFL invites him to perform at the Super Bowl Halftime Show. The legendary singer discussed the hypothetical opportunity during an interview with Access Hollywood’s Scott Evans at the Flipper’s Roller Boogie Palace pop-up in Los Angeles, earlier this week.
“I’d be a fool to say no,” Usher said. “Well, I mean, you know, things line up that we would all hope. You know, one day, that moment will happen.” From there, Usher mentioned several famous performances, including Michael Jackson, Prince, and Dr. Dre. He added that adding his name to the list is on his “bucket list.” While it’d be his first time headlining the iconic show, Usher previously performed at the Super Bowl XLV Halftime Show. The Black Eyed Peas brought him on stage for their collaboration, “OMG.”
Usher At Super Bowl XLV
Usher performs with will.i.am of The Black Eyed Peas during the Bridgestone Super Bowl XLV Halftime Show at Dallas Cowboys Stadium on February 6, 2011 in Arlington, Texas.
He also addressed the idea of headlining the Super Bowl Halftime show during an interview with AP News in February. “What I am thankful for is the fact that there’s even any conversation about me — period,” he said at the time. “I feel humbled that at this age and this juncture of my life, people still have to ask the question, (even) after all of the No. 1s that I’ve had and all the diamond (selling songs), that I have enough records to perform 15 minutes. If I were ever asked to perform at the Super Bowl, of course I would definitely be into it.” The interview came after Rihanna headlined Super Bowl LVII. Her set drew in 118.7 million viewers, making it the second most-watched halftime show in history, behind the Super Bowl XLIX Halftime Show (2015).
Usher is currently hosting a residency in Las Vegas. Earlier this week, he brought out Yung Miami to perform their collaboration, “Good Love.” He also took the stage with 21 Savage, earlier this month, to team up for a “My Boo” duet.
The Super Bowl Halftime Show is sometimes called “the world’s biggest stage” This is because millions of people watch the Super Bowl every year. These include people watching for the game itself, the commercials or just the halftime show. In the past, the Super Bowl Halftime Show was not always a Billboard charting artist. In fact, it may not have even been a traditional musical artist at all. Oftentimes, a matching band would be the frontrunner or the only performer. This changed in the 1990s. Since then, the Halftime Show performances have become bigger and bigger with multiple artists performing in the 12 (or so) minute time limit. We’ve gathered a list of ten performances that we think truly took advantage of being on “the world’s biggest stage”.
#10 Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar feat. Anderson Paak. and 50 Cent – Super Bowl 56, 2022
When these artists were announced as performers, it was a very popular topic on social media. With each of them having a multitude of hits in their discography, people wondered how the time limit would be utilized. Once the night of the performance arrived, people saw if their predictions paid off. The stage was a replica of a house and the artists performed on top of, inside and in front of it. Kendrick and his backup dancers had exceptional choreography and Mary J Blige’s vocals and dancing were excellent. Dreand Snoop showed their age a little but still looked to be having a ton of fun. For many viewers, this was an excellent group to showcase several eras of hip-hop/rap and blend old and new school.
#9 Justin Timberlake feat. The Tennessee Kids and the University of Minnesota Marching Band – Super Bowl 52, 2018
Justin Timberlake has been performing for years and has proven he’s very good at it. His performance took full advantage of the space he was in as he moved from area to area throughout the stadium. Before he even made his way to the main stage, he was in what looked like a small performance venue. Making his way through the crowd and up the stairs, he was singing and dancing the entire time. He then moved to a runway-like stage and then a mini stage before heading to the main large stage. This gave his performance a sense of creative immersion with his movement. Throughout all this movement, Justin let some of the backing track do the work as he ad-libbed and talked to the crowd. This performance was a redemption of sorts for the infamous 2004 situation.
#8 Boyz II Men, Smokey Robinson, Martha Reeves, The Temptations and Queen Latifah feat. Grambling State University Marching Band – Super Bowl 32, 1998
This one was special because it celebrated 40 years of Motown. Each act performed one of their hits on the label and Queen Latifah put a modern spin on a classic. During the performance, there were giant sheets that looked like records that rotated on the field. This imagery was creative and captured the theme of the tribute well. There was even an intro with various celebrities from the year singing “The Way You Do the Things You Do” by The Temptations. This part is nostalgic for those who remember seeing those people everywhere. Even though some acts were a little older, their vocals still sounded just as good as they did in the past. Seeing their coordinated outfits and choreography was a joy to those who remembered them from the past. It also helped showcase history to the younger viewers and maybe even got them interested in learning more about Motown.
#7 Bruno Mars feat. Red Hot Chili Peppers – Super Bowl 48, 2014
Bruno Mars is prioritizing his duo with Anderson .Paak titled Silk Sonic these days. However, many know he had an excellent solo career before this. The throwback sound and imagery was still present years ago. Bruno’s hair, dancing and outfits for himself and his bandmates all line up with the music he’s performing. Surprisingly, he actually began his performance with a drum solo that built on “Locked Out Of Heaven”. After starting off with this much high energy, it was only right he kept it going. It continued when Red Hot Chili Peppers came out and they brought even more energy as Bruno sang along with their frontman Anthony Kiedis. In an effort to perhaps cool everyone – including himself – down, Bruno ended his performance with “Just The Way You Are” one of his most intimate songs. This showed the range of talent he had as a performer well.
#6 Lady Gaga – Super Bowl 51, 2017
Lady Gaga is someone that can put on a spectacle. From her outfits for award shows to her performances, she was known for being eye-catching. Her Super Bowl performance showcased these aspects and took advantage of the setting without a doubt. Her performance began with her at the literal top of the stadium. Red, white and blue drones floated in the sky behind her forming an American flag as she sang “God Bless America” and “This Land Is Your Land” Following this, she jumped from the platform and floated through the air on wires and even did some flips/rotations. After this solo display, she joined costumed dancers for choreography that she did right along with them. She even found time to do an outfit change amongst everything happening. The fact she never truly lost her breath and still sounded excellent live is a testament to her commitment to putting on a show.
#5 Coldplay feat. Beyonce and Bruno Mars – Super Bowl 50, 2016
For many viewers Beyonce and Bruno Mars stole the show this year. And “stole” was a good or bad thing depending on who you ask. This one was unique because it had a “battle” between Beyonce and Bruno Mars. Bruno’s “Uptown Funk” led into Beyonce’s “Formation” and the two came face-to-face at the end of her song. Each artist’s backup dancers went up against each other before joining together for a reprise of “Uptown Funk” that included Coldplay’s frontman Chris Martin. After this the trio transitioned into Coldplay’s “Up&Up” and everyone’s background dancers joined together on stage. Fans in the stadium had boards they held up that when combined formed a rainbow of colors that also read “Believe In Love” For many viewers, this was an excellent example of different artists coming together to create something that was truly a performance.
#4 Beyonce feat. Destiny’s Child – Super Bowl 47, 2013
Beyonce is someone whose performance skills are well documented. Something that stuck out immensely during her performance were the visuals. The stage had multiple digital effects that enhanced her performance and utilized different camera angles to display it in the best way. Some portions had an overhead camera angle as kaleidoscope-esque images of Beyonce dancing roasted around the stage. At other moments, a traditional horizontal view was used as a rectangular screen had replicas of Beyonce performing choreography while she performed it live. However, the biggest surprise of the night was the reunion of Beyonce’s former group, Destiny’s Child. Members Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams literally burst through the stage to the shock of everyone. They joined Beyonce for their group hits “Bootylicious“ and “Independent Women, Pt. 1”. They also gave her backup vocal support on one of her solo anthems “Single Ladies” After lots of choreography, Beyonce concluded her set with “Halo” a song that puts her vocals on full display.
#3 Michael Jackson – Super Bowl 27,1993
Michael Jackson’s Super Bowl entrance is the most iconic one of all time. He started “inside” one of the jumbotrons, “flew” out of it, and “teleported” to another one and flew out of it too. Then, he burst through the center stage and posed while the crowd cheered merely because of his presence for two minutes.This was also a performance where the audience’s participation was essential to the show. There were people with boards on the field of the stadium that had choreographed movements as Michael performed. However, when he performed “Heal The World” it was the audience’s turn. They held up boards that formed a huge picture of children of different colors holding hands. A children’s choir performed “We Are The World” before this. Michael used these songs because he wanted the world to hear his message of love, peace and unity.
#2 The Weeknd – Super Bowl 55, 2021
The Weeknd began his performance on top of a city skyline. Once he descended there was a smaller multi-tier skyline stage with people who danced while he sang. Once he left this area, he went into a room with lights and mirrors and held the camera himself as he sang into it. To leave this area, he navigated through a crowd of body doubles dressed like the injured version of his red blazer character. He returned to the multi-tier skyline stage and violinists joined him to perform a powerful version of “Earned It”. The visual display reached a new level when the body doubles lined the entire field. As The Weeknd performed amongst them, they turned on lights they had on their hands while he sang “Blinding Lights” Fireworks concluded his performance but they had also been used throughout the entirety of it.
#1 Prince feat. Florida A&M University Marching 100 Band – Super Bowl 43, 2007
Some moments are genuinely historic and iconic. Prince’s Super Bowl performance is one of those moments. The first thing that validates this is the fact the stage itself was Prince’s symbol. It changed colors as he performed. Then, there’s the fact he used three different guitars for his performances and each one sounded excellent. The last one he used was purple and also in the shape of his symbol. This was his guitar of choice for his mega hit “Purple Rain” As he played that one, a huge white sheet appeared and Prince’s silhouette was the only thing visible. During this guitar solo, the shape of the guitar stood out even more as he played to the cheering fans. As the camera lens showed, it had actually been raining his entire performance. However, the purple lighting combined with it as he played the song was truly an exceptional moment.
Did you see these memorable performances when they happened? Do you think a different one should be in our list? Let us know in the comments section below.
2023 has already been huge for Rihanna thanks to her kicking the year off by performing the Super Bowl Halftime Show. Some folks thought the performance was obscene enough to file complaints with the FCC, with at least one viewer likening it to pornography. Residents at Arcadia Senior Living Bowling Green in Kentucky were apparently cool with it, though, so much so that they re-created the performance themselves (and earned the attention of Jay-Z in the process).
A TikTok video shared back in February starts with two rows of white-clad seniors lined up, parting to reveal the Rihanna of the video, wearing all red and enthusiastically mouthing along to Rihanna’s “Rude Boy.” The clip was a viral hit and has since been viewed over 30 million times.
Jay-Z was apparently tickled by the video, as he sent a bouquet of roses to the Arcadia Senior Living memers. Arcadia resident Sue Evans told Bowling Green’s WNKY, “There’s 100 of them. And they’re from Jay-Z. My granddaughter was worried and she told her mother, ‘I hope she knows who Jay-Z is!’”
The senior living facility that recreated Rihanna’s Super Bowl halftime show on TikTok said Jay-Z sent them ‘100 red roses’ pic.twitter.com/K0qOgll8rI
Fellow Arcadia resident Dora Martin also said, “My grandchildren and I watched and there were flips and flops and I was standing there thinking, ‘Wow, I wish I could do that,’ and then I did do that.” She added, “I went to the doctor the other day and the nurses, as soon as I walked in there, knew who I was.”
Martin also said of Jay-Z’s gesture, “I thought that was wonderful, very nice of him!”
According to a report from TMZ, the Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show performance featuring Roc Nation songstress Rihanna was hit with 103 Federal Communications Commission(FCC) complaints for being too sexual for football viewers.
According to the report, Super Bowl watchers littered the FCC’s email with complaints about Rihanna’s performance being “pornographic”, with the lyrics and dancing being suggestive in a sexual nature.
One person in particular compared RiRi’s set to Kim Petra and Sam Smith’s sultry performance at the 2023 Grammys, saying, “I don’t care what someone worships but children shouldn’t be exposed to pornography and as an adult I don’t wish to see it … Where has decency gone? How about respect for others and self.” Another person in Utah said, “This year the halftime show was so indecent I had to turn off the TV because of the pornographic content.”
The “Umbrella” singer was also criticized for spreading “her ass cheek at the crack. She rubbed her pants where her labia were three times.”
Rihanna’s comeback performance was a historic one as she revealed to the world she’s expecting her second child with rapper A$AP Rocky. She also reportedly earned over $350K in song royalties after the show due to a massive increase in streaming. According to a report from Apple Music, the day after the Sueor Bowl, Rihanna’s worldwide listeners on the streaming service jumped by a whopping 331%.
Like the passage of time and Pusha T dropping a Cocaine Bear remix, FCC (Federal Communications Commission) complaints about major TV events are an inevitability. So, it turns out that some people out there didn’t particularly care for Rihanna’s Super Bowl Halftime Show earlier this month, so much so that they let the FCC know about it (as TMZ reports).
The publication notes that of the 103 FCC complaints made about the Super Bowl broadcast on February 12, “almost all of them” were about Rihanna’s performance. One viewer wrote in their complaint, “This year the halftime show was so indecent I had to turn off the TV because of the pornographic content.” Another compared it to Sam Smith and Kim Petras’ “Unholy” performance at the 2023 Grammys, writing, “I don’t care what someone worships but children shouldn’t be exposed to pornography and as an adult I don’t wish to see it. […] Where has decency gone? How about respect for others and self?”
Others made note of “overtly sexual dancing” in the performance, with one person saying Rihanna’s background dancers had moves that “were patently offensive and completely inappropriate for children.” Another person noted of Rihanna, “She spread her ass cheek at the crack. She rubbed her pants where her labia were three times.”
As TMZ notes, though, this is nothing to the infamous Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake wardrobe malfunction at the 2004 Super Bowl, which drew 540,000 complaints at the time.
Beyoncé’s former choreographer, Frank Gatson, labeled Rihanna’s Super Bowl Halftime performance the best that he’s ever seen. In response, Beyoncé’s fanbase was not happy with him. He defended himself in the comments section of his own post, explaining that Beyoncé is an adult who can handle hearing his opinion.
Gatson revealed his opinion during a birthday post for Rihanna on Instagram. “Happy Birthday @badgalriri I have to say,” Gatson captioned a photo of himself with the singer. “You have done the best SuperBowl of anyone in my book. I always knew you were a true superstar the moment we met. So proud of you. Enjoy your day. I can’t wait to see where you go from here.”
“You’ve been hateful as fuck ever since you started selling B’s routines to JLO back in 2014,” one user commented. Another accused him of being “bitter and jealous.” “Beyoncé is not hurt,” Gatson replied to the posts. “Beyoncé and I would always disagree on what’s is good and what is not. But mostly .. We both believe in pure magic. That’s why I worked with her so long. I was always honest about my opinion. I will never say something just to please an artist. Artist need the truth and other opinions to be great. That’s why Beyonce is on the great island alone. She can handle a grown men opinion. That’s why I have so much respect for her. She does the work with no drama like the people on this post. Thank You sir for you honest thoughts by the way.”
Gatson choreographed Beyoncé’s first Super Bowl performance in 2013. The event came after a over decade of working together. Gatson served as the choreographer on a number of her music videos including “Crazy in Love,” Check on It,” “Upgrade U,” “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It),” among others. Further, he served as the director, creative director, and choreographer for her tours, The Beyoncé Experience, I Am… World Tour, and The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour. He’s also worked with a number of other artists including R. Kelly, Michael Jackson, TLC, En Vogue, Kelly Rowland, Jennifer Lopez, and more.
Rihanna’s father found out about her second baby during her Super Bowl halftime show, just like the rest of us mortals. Moreover, Ronald Fenty told TMZ that he’s incredibly happy that her daughter’s expecting again with her husband A$AP Rocky. However, since he has four grandsons already, Ronald expressed that he’s hoping for a girl this time. Also, he added that he’s very excited at the idea of having a granddaughter, especially considering how RiRi turned out. Though he expressed those hopes for her first pregnancy, too, maybe a second go at it will yield more luck.
GLENDALE, ARIZONA – FEBRUARY 12: Rihanna on the field during Apple Music Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show at State Farm Stadium on February 12, 2023 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Roc Nation)
Furthermore, Ronald detailed to TMZ how the superstar singer got him tickets to the Super Bowl. Still, she didn’t let him know that she’s going to drop some big news soon. So, he felt very surprised when he looked up at the floating Smash Bros.-esque stage design and saw her girl’s bump from the stands. “Oh, my God!” he exclaimed to his partner in the audience. “My baby girl looks pregnant!” Many might remember how difficult it was to tell as the halftime show aired. While Twitter came to conclusions quickly, surely many Super Bowl parties took a while to debate or notice the bump.
Regardless, Rihanna’s statement shook the world and elevated an already compelling performance for some. With that statement came renewed hopes for a daughter for Ronald, which he likely doesn’t feel too pressed over all things considered. After all, he said back when she announced her first pregnancy that he had a feeling they wouldn’t stop at two. Not only that, but it also represents another chance for him to be more involved. Given he lives in Barbados and the “Diamonds” singer’s incredibly busy schedule, he said he isn’t very involved in his grandson’s life. While the two went through some rough patches, hopefully they reconcile amid celebration of new life in the family again. For what it’s worth, he said he’d love to be more present in his family’s extended life.
Meanwhile, RiRi recently shared that her and Rocky never got a nanny for their son. Also, Nicki Minajshowed her love for her pictures of her baby boy and for “bodying” the Super Bowl. Overall, Rihanna’s Super Bowl halftime show was great, whether for the actual show or seeing people celebrate life with her. Regardless, stay up-to-date on HNHH for the lates updates and news on Rihanna and her family.
Rihanna is of course fresh off performing the Super Bowl Halftime Show. Just a few years ago, though, it was Katy Perry’s turn in the NFL spotlight, when she put on a memorable Super Bowl performance of her own (never forget Left Shark) in 2015. Rihanna and Perry are friends, but despite having a former Super Bowl halftime performer at her disposal, Rihanna opted not to seek advice about the big show from Perry (which Perry totally gets, by the way).
Perry and Lionel Richie were on Jimmy Kimmel Live! last night (February 16) to promote American Idol. During the interview, Kimmel asked Perry if Rihanna called her before the Super Bowl looking for some halftime show insight, and Perry said, “She don’t need no pointers: she’s Rihanna!”
The host then wondered if Perry knew about Rihanna’s pregnancy beforehand. She noted that she was filming American Idol in Hawaii on the day of the Super Bowl, and that she had to go to set right when Rihanna was about to start her performance. She continued, “So we were trying to drag our feet, because we all want to see Rihanna play the Super Bowl. We actually had to film and then it happened and we came back, and we found a cut of it, and no, we all saw it then for the first time then, and it was amazing! It was so beautiful.”
Rihanna’s Super Bowl halftime performance is still being talked about as it was her first performance in 7 years. However, a few years ago Rihanna said in an interview that she didn’t want to perform at the Super Bowl because of the treatment of Colin Kaepernick and didn’t want to be considered a sellout. However, in a recent interview, she addressed her past remarks and explained why she finally decided to do the performance.
In a new interview with British Vogue, Rih said that becoming a mother changed her outlook on everything and that despite there still needing to be a lot of mending between the Black community and the NFL, representation is important and to have two Black halftime shows back to back would send a “strong message.”
“There’s still a lot of mending to be done in my eyes,” Rihanna said, “but it’s powerful to break those doors, and have representation at such a high, high level and a consistent level. Two Super Bowls back-to-back, you know, representing the urban community, globally. It is powerful. It sends a really strong message.”
She continued: “Raising a young Black man is one of the scariest responsibilities in life. You’re like, ‘What am I leaving my kids to? This is the planet they’re gonna be living on?’ All of those things really start to hit differently.”
A new era begins – and for @Rihanna nothing will ever be the same. Fresh from the Super Bowl and that very special announcement, Rihanna is British Vogue’s phenomenal March 2023 cover star – but this is no ordinary cover. This is a family portrait: https://t.co/dYosr4a6Ahpic.twitter.com/xx4h7LisKU
Elsewhere in the interview, Rihanna said revealed that she had been asked to perform at the Super Bowl every year for the last decade but turned it down. She had even been asked to the Super Bowl in Atlanta, but once again turned it down because of the NFL’s treatment of Colin Kaepernick. In her 2019 Vogue article, Rih said “I just couldn’t be a sellout. There’s things within that organization that I do not agree with at all, and I was not about to go and be of service to them in any way.”
Rihanna’s performance at Super Bowl LVII ended up being one of the biggest ever, with more people tuning in to see her performance than the actual game.
