Apple Music, the primary sponsor of the event, said on Sunday that pop icon Rihanna will perform at the Super Bowl halftime show in February. For the singer, who had previously declined the engagement out of protest, the action represents a long-awaited return to performing. The singer posted a photo of a football with an NFL logo to her Instagram. The post was made in the midst of rumours that the singer was “in talks” to perform at the next halftime show.
Jay Z said in a statement that “Rihanna is a generational talent, a woman of humble beginnings who has surpassed expectations at every turn.” He added, “A person born on the small island of Barbados who became one of the most prominent artists ever. Self-made in business and entertainment.”
On February 12, the match, which regularly draws one of the largest single TV audiences of the year, will take place at Glendale, Arizona’s State Farm Stadium. Although it makes sense for Roc Nation to have Rihanna perform at Halftime, the artist hasn’t put out an album since 2016. Since then, she has made cryptic comments regarding two distinct albums, one of which was referred to as a dancehall record. Details, however, are still lacking.
Rihanna previously stated that she declined a similar offer for the 2019 Super Bowl, which ultimately featured Maroon 5. Many musicians at the time expressed support for Kaepernick, the former quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers, who knelt during the playing of the national anthem in 2016 to denounce police brutality against Black people and other minorities. In a dispute that was ultimately resolved in early 2019, Kaepernick alleged that the NFL had conspired to keep him out of the league.
The NFL and Roc Nation, which represents Rihanna, teamed together in 2019 to choose artists for the Super Bowl and plan the half-time performance. Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, and Mary J. Blige performed on the highly praised 2022 show. Rihanna is one of the best-selling female musicians of all time, with more than 250 million records sold globally.