SUPER BOWL HALFTIME SHOWS

Rihanna Didn’t Call Katy Perry, Friend And Fellow Super Bowl Halftime Show Performer, For Advice (Which Perry Understands)

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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.”

Watch Perry and Richie’s Kimmel interview above.

Not Even Rihanna’s Dancers Knew She Was Pregnant Ahead Of Her Super Bowl Performance

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During her Super Bowl Halftime Show performance, Rihanna shocked the world with the reveal of her second pregnancy. It wasn’t just Super Bowl attendees and viewers at home who were caught by surprise, though; not even her fleet of dancers knew what was up before the big game.

In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, two of her dancers, Laila Hayes and Luhnyae Campbell, said that the cold weather during rehearsals allowed Rihanna to hide her baby bump. In fact, because they were too busy absolutely nailing their elaborate choreography, they didn’t even see it until they watched the televised replay later.

Hayes said, “We were all confused watching it during the real thing when she went up there and was showing her stomach. She wore the same outfit for one of the dress rehearsals but it was zippered up.” Cambell echoed, “I never saw a bump. Not even the day of. I had to rewatch the performance on YouTube to realize.”

@luhnyae

Replying to @koochiepotpie tried to answer most of the main questions with this one! And did we get paid? YESSS AHH #rihannahalftimeshow #fyp

♬ original sound – Luhnyae

The Loewe coat Rihanna wore onto the field — a nod to André Leon Talley — was large enough to cover up, but at the start of the performance, she opened it to reveal the custom molded breastplate that hugged her belly. Fans were left to speculate — and crack jokes — until a representative confirmed the pregnancy just a few minutes after the performance.

Since you’re already here, why not watch it again below?

Rihanna’s Super Bowl Halftime Show Brought In More Viewers Than The Super Bowl Itself

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Rihanna’s halftime show at Super Bowl LVII between the Philadelphia Eagles and the victorious Kansas City Chiefs was already a massive draw, even with the two teams having incredibly eager fan bases. As she took the suspended stage over Arizona’s State Farm Arena, Rihanna used just minutes to announce her second pregnancy and perform her biggest hits, including “Umbrella,” “Diamonds,” and the powerful opener, “B*tch Better Have My Money.”

According to Fox Sports (via Bleacher Report), Rihanna’s halftime show drew in 118.7 million viewers, while the Super Bowl game itself only got 113 million. And, as someone who switched the channel after her performance ended, it seems I wasn’t alone.

She also reportedly had the second most-watched halftime show in the Super Bowl’s history, trailing right behind Katy Perry (remember left shark?) at 121 million in viewership numbers.

Before her performance, Rihanna sat down for a press conference and noted that she had changed her setlist over 30 times. “You’re trying to cram seventeen years of work into thirteen minutes so it’s difficult,” she said.

“Some songs we have to lose because of that, and that’s going to be okay,” Rihanna added. “We did a pretty good job at narrowing it down. There’s probably been about 39 versions of the setlist right now. We’re on our 39th. Every little change counts.”

The Kansas City Chiefs’ Coach Didn’t Let Players Watch Rihanna’s Halftime Performance

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Sure, it’s a lot of pressure to play in the Super Bowl, but imagine doing so in front of Rihanna. The players were obviously excited to have her on the field, so much so that Brandon Marshall pranked Patrick Mahomes into thinking the “Umbrella” singer called him the greatest quarterback ever. “Whatever Rihanna says is like the gospels,” Mahomes replied earnestly. “So I’m glad that she went with me for that honor.”

Unfortunately, Mahomes explained on Jimmy Kimmel Live! that the Chiefs players weren’t allowed by their coach to watch Rihanna’s halftime performance. “Coach Reid told us, he said, ‘If you go out to watch the performance, just keep walking because you’re not playing the rest of the game,’” he said.

That’s a shame considering how hard Rihanna worked on her iconic performance. In an interview with Apple Music, she revealed that she changed the setlist a whopping 39 times while picking which of her hits to cram into 13 minutes.

She also explained why it was so important to her: “The Super Bowl is one of the biggest stages in the world, so as scary as that was because I haven’t been on stage in seven years, there’s something exhilarating about the challenge of it all. It’s important for me to do this year. It’s important for representation. It’s important for my son to see that.”

Watch Mahomes’ full interview above.

Cardi B Ran (As Well As She Could In Heels) To Make It To Rihanna’s Super Bowl Halftime Show In A Hilarious Video

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The Super Bowl is the biggest sporting event of the year in the United States. Pair that with the fact that Rihanna performed the halftime show this year, and it must have been a real challenge to actually get to the stadium for those lucky/rich enough to have tickets. It seems like that was the case for Cardi B and Offset, as the two ended up running in an effort to not miss Rihanna’s performance.

In a video shared on Cardi’s Instagram Story last night (February 12), Cardi and Offset are seen running to get into the stadium. It wasn’t a particularly fast run, though, as Cardi was wearing high heels that made speedy travel a challenge.

It appears their effort paid off, though, as it was apparently a really close call for them: In another Instagram Story video, Cardi films the start of the performance and exclaims, “We just made it on time.” She also offered some general excitement and cheering in other clips.

That wasn’t Cardi and Offset’s only Super Bowl presence this year. The pair just launched their own meal at McDonald’s and had a commercial for it during the game. The menu item is named after them and includes a cheeseburger, Quarter Pounder with cheese, barbecue sauce, large fries, an apple pie, a large Hi-C, and a large Coke.

Cardi B is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Where To Buy The Clothes From Rihanna’s Super Bowl Halftime Show

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Rihanna’s Super Bowl Halftime Show still has fans buzzing, whether it’s over her ASL interpreter’s awesome accompaniment, her newly-announced second baby’s front-row experience, or her video game-like set design.

Another aspect of the show that’s captured fans’ attention is Rihanna’s wardrobe, which consisted of a bright red coverall with a matching molded breastplate underneath it. Meanwhile, Rihanna could be seen touching up her makeup just before the performance, applying (of course) a little powder from her own Fenty Beauty line.

Obviously, the question on plenty of fans’ minds is, “Where can I get that look?” Well, while much of the ensemble was custom, there’s good news: Most of the pieces are readily available for public consumption — although they aren’t cheap.

Rihanna’s two coats (she changed midway through the performance) were Alaïa originals according to Russh. Meanwhile, the jumpsuit and vinyl bustier were designed by Spanish brand Loewe. Her sneaker, were Maison Margiela X Salomon. The MM6 Cross Low retails for $360, while the Fenty Skin collection (Fenty Skin’s Pre-Show Glow Instant Retexturizing 10% AHA Treatment, Hydra Vizor Invisible Moisturizer with SPF 30, Pro Kiss’r Lip-Loving Scrubstick, and Plush Puddin’ Intensive Recovery Lip Mask) will run a little over $100 according to The Hollywood Reporter.

ASAP Rocky Was Rihanna’s Biggest Fan During Her Super Bowl LVII Halftime Performance

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The Kansas City Chiefs topped the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35 in Super Bowl LVII on Sunday night, February 12, but for millions of people, Rihanna’s halftime performance was the one and only reason to watch.

Rihanna tore through 12 of her hits, reminding everyone just how deep her bag is. ASAP Rocky was spotted on the field, and he looked like a giddy fan hearing “Diamond” live for the first time.

@entertainmenttonight

A$AP Rocky is Rihanna’s biggest fan #halftimeshow #superbowl #rihannahalftimeshow

♬ original sound – Entertainment Tonight – Entertainment Tonight

At the end of her set, Rihanna appeared to hint that she’s pregnant with her and Rocky’s second child. Her representatives later confirmed her pregnancy to The Hollywood Reporter once the second half of the game was underway.

Rihanna and Rocky welcomed their son last May. During her Apple Music press conference last week, Rihanna shared with Nadeska how becoming a mother influenced her decision to take on the coveted Super Bowl halftime stage.

“When you become a mom, there’s something that just happens where you feel like you could take on the world, you can do anything,” Rihanna said. “The Super Bowl is one of the biggest stages in the world, so as scary as that was because I haven’t been on stage in seven years, there’s something exhilarating about the challenge of it all. It’s important for me to do this this year. It’s important for representation. It’s important for my son to see that.”

Rocky also shared insight into the moment with Apple Music 1’s Zane Lowe in January.

“I’m just as excited as you guys, if not more. I’m super excited. This is huge. This is incredible. I’m so glad that my lady’s back making music again and whatnot, and getting back out there,’ Rocky told Lowe, adding, “It’s just incredible, especially for both of us — it is a good year for both of us to be more active and be out there. But the Super Bowl is huge, and her being the creative she is, she going to bring it, man.”

There had been rampant speculation that Rihanna’s first performance in seven years would trigger an album or tour announcement. Instead, Rih doubled down on motherhood and living her best life with Rocky.

Watch the full Apple Music Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Show here.

Rihanna Actually Hinted At Her Super Bowl Pregnancy Announcement Days Before The Halftime Show Baby Bump Reveal

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During her Super Bowl Halftime Show performance last night (February 12), Rihanna came through with something you don’t see in that environment every day: a pregnancy announcement. While that news shocked the entertainment world, Rihanna actually appears to have publicly hinted at it days before the big game.

A preview clip of Rihanna’s NFL+ interview with CBS Mornings co-host and former NFL player Nate Burleson was shared on February 10. Burleson’s final question of the video was, “People want to know: Are there any surprises?” Rihanna responded, “I’m thinking about bringing someone. I’m not sure.” Burleson asked if she’d tell him about it off-camera and she laughingly shut that request down.

Burleson later addressed this moment on Twitter. Last night, a Twitter user wrote, “So when #rihanna told @nateburleson there was gonna be a surprise guest at the halftime show, I’m betting that the BABY is the surprise guest #JustSayin #SuperBowl.” He shared the tweet and added, “Bingo,” along with a bullseye emoji. In another tweet responding to a similar post, he added, “She had that preggo glow…”

The baby will be Rihanna and ASAP Rocky’s second. Once the pregnancy was revealed, people came through with memes and jokes about what it was like for the kid inside of their mother’s womb during the halftime performance.

People Had Jokes About What Rihanna’s Newly Announced Baby Was Doing During Her Super Bowl Halftime Show

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Yesterday (February 12) was huge for Rihanna. Obviously, she performed the halftime show at Super Bowl LVII, hosted in Glendale, Arizona’s State Farm Stadium. Perhaps of more personal significance, though, was that Rihanna took the opportunity to announce that she’s pregnant with her and ASAP Rocky’s second baby (after hinting at it days before). While it wasn’t explicitly clear right away that Rihanna had announced a pregnancy on stage, representatives later confirmed it.

After Rihanna dropped that bit of news, halftime show viewers couldn’t help but wonder: What did it look like for baby No. 2 inside of Rihanna’s womb, as the singer moved around and put on her epic performance? Naturally, the internet came through with memes aplenty, mostly communicating one of two ideas: The baby was either dancing and enjoying itself or being uncontrollably jostled inside their mother. Here are examples of each take:

When the new baby is born, Rihanna and Rocky’s two children will be close in age, as their first child was only just born back in May 2022. The two haven’t offered many details about their first kid yet, although in December, Rihanna did share an adorable video of the baby strapped in a car seat and doing cute baby stuff.

Check out some more reactions below.

Rihanna’s Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show Performance Included A Slew Of Her Biggest Hits

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The moment everyone was waiting for — or at least, non-football fans and everybody outside of Philly, Kansas City, and Phoenix (where the game was held) — has arrived: Rihanna’s Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show performance has brought the house down.

While the set included such hits as “Rude Boy,” “Work,” and “We Found Love.” The set opened with “Bitch Better Have My Money” as Rihanna stood on a suspended platform high above the field, and as it dropped down to hover just over the field, she launched into a dance breakdown-driven “Where Have You Been” and “Only Girl.” She even threw in a little of DJ Khaled’s “Wild Thoughts,” as a treat. The final song was “Diamonds,” a showstopping number that once again saw her ascend to the top of the stadium as thousands of fans’ phone lights glittered around her like, well, diamonds in the sky.

It’s obviously difficult to squeeze 15+ years into just 13 minutes of performance — as evidenced by Rihanna remixing the set no fewer than 39 times — but fortunately, all those comparisons between Rihanna and Beyoncé turned out to be good for something. Rihanna watched Beyoncé’s 2013 and 2016 Super Bowl Halftime performances for inspiration, telling iHeartRadio, “She is a beast and a whole other level. Just to be inspired, really.”

In addition to the challenge of compressing so much music into such a short amount of time, Rihanna also had to contend with conservative pushback to her playing the Halftime Show. Ronny Jackson, a Republican Congressman from Texas, tweeted, “Why is the NFL showcasing this crap? Rihanna SHOULD NOT be the halftime performer!!” However, he was quickly (and rightly) shouted down by Twitter users who recognized his outburst for the cry for attention it obviously was.

Now that the performance itself is in the rearview, fans are looking forward to Rihanna’s next move — hoping for a new album or tour announcement — although she’s warned that just because she’s returned to the stage, doesn’t mean she’s automatically jumping headfirst back into the music spotlight. But we can hope!

Watch Rihanna’s Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show performance above.

This post is being updated.