Super Bowl Sunday is nearly here and with it Rihanna’s highly anticipated half-time performance. Though the singer-turned-business mogul has been relatively hush-hush about what we can expect on Feb. 12., we’re here to give you all information we have so far.
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The NFL tried to book the “Lift Me Up” singer back in 2019 but she declined in solidarity with Colin Kaepernick following the backlash against him for protesting police brutality. Despite initially declining, Rihanna has agreed to take the headlining slot this year.
What To Expect
Jay-Z is reportedly helping organize Rihanna’s performance. Her former duet partner released a statement on the performance, calling her “a generational talent.”
He went on to call her, “a woman of humble beginnings who has surpassed expectations at every turn” and “a person born on the small island of Barbados who became one of the most prominent artists ever.”
With Jay-Z’s involvement, it’s speculated that she might bring a host of famous friends along with her to Arizona. Looking at her long list of collaborations, potential special guests include Drake, Eminem, Paul McCartney, and Future.
In typical Super Bowl fashion, Rihanna’s performance will likely be a career retrospective. If she chooses to play her biggest hits, we’re looking at renditions of “Work,” “We Found Love” and “Umbrella.”
What Song Will Rihanna Sing First?
If we had it our way, Rihanna would kick things off with her Calvin Harris-assisted hit “This Is What You Came For.” On top of being a certified banger, the lyrics are right in tune with the pop star’s highly-anticipated appearance. You are what we came for, Rihanna.
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Is Rihanna Officially Coming Back?
In the years since she released her last full-length album, Anti, Rihanna has been focusing on other pursuits, namely her beauty brand and fashion label. Rihanna followed up her Super Bowl announcement with the release of “Lift Me Up,” a ballad featured on the soundtrack for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Many fans marked the release as confirmation that Rihanna’s music career was indeed coming out of hibernation.
To further confirm the news, Apple Music (NFL’s sponsor of the event) released a teaser video for the Super Bowl performance. The thirty-second clip was titled “Rihanna Is Back,” which ostensibly promises that future releases from the singer are on the way.
Rihanna spoke to the Associated Press earlier this year about returning to music. “Super Bowl is one thing. New music is another thing,” she said. “Do you hear that, fans? The second that I announced this, I said, ‘Oh, my God, they’re going to think my album is coming. I need to get to work.”
Though nothing is official, all signs point to the Super Bowl being Rihanna’s much-needed re-entry into music. Fingers crossed.
Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic
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