On Sunday February 12th, superstar Rihanna was the halftime show performance for the Super Bowl.
International music Icon, Rihanna, was the act for Super Bowl LVII and boy did she not disappoint! (If you disagree, we have beef).
Many people online went back and forth debating what the first song of her act would be, and to my personal shock, she sang her hit, “B**ch Better Have My Money.” Personally, I was betting on either “All of the Lights,” or one of my favorite Rihanna songs, “We Found Love”, but I was not upset by her powerhouse choice. As this was her first performance in 5 years, Rihanna knew she had to come back with a bang. And that she did.
The rest of her performance was a medley of her top hits, and overall was an homage to her colorful and successful career. She had hit songs off her first album from 2005, like “Pon de Replay,” and handfuls of songs from each album following the first. Some of my favorite songs included were, “Where Have You Been,” “Pour It Up”, “We Found Love,” “Diamonds,” and quite literally everything else that came out of her mouth. Clearly, I am a Rihanna fan.
As she was singing her pop hits and powerful ballads, she stood on LED platforms that towered from 15 to 60 feet above the field. These platforms were moving up and down while she was singing, and her dancers were performing. When I saw Rihanna on her Anti Tour in 2016, she had similar platforms. Clearly, this is a well-liked choice by the singer.
Perhaps the most iconic part of this performance, was the announcement that was made along with it. We now know confirmed, that Rihanna is expecting her second child with rapper A$AP Rocky.
This announcement was made the second her performance began, with a quick stomach rub over her forming baby bump. However, I would argue that this rub was WAY too quick. The camera moved upward so quickly, that I couldn’t even tell she was making the announcement. When people near me suggested she was pregnant I quickly went on the defense assuming they were judging her for her post-partum figure, when in actuality, I was quite wrong.
This sentiment seemed to be something shared by many, as lots of posts on social media shared confusion on whether Rihanna was pregnant or not. Lucky for us, since the performance we’ve received much confirmation on Rihanna’s pregnancy status, and even got a British Vogue cover of Rihanna, A$AP, and their new baby boy.
Clearly despite what anyone says, this performance was an absolute hit for Rihanna and the Super Bowl. But the question now on everyone’s minds is what’s next for Rihanna? Many assume with her baby on the way that means no new music. But others believe she is hinting at a new path.
Regardless of what is next for Rihanna, something that I know for certain, is that this was one of the best Super Bowl performances in recent years, and that her music will forever represent an era of nostalgia and fun. Much love to Rihanna forever.