Was it as good as it was expected to be?
Listen, I love RiRi as much, if not more, than the next person, and this show was exactly what I needed before midterm season to keep me going.
Going into Super Bowl weekend, I was unsure of what to expect from the show. She has been M.I.A. from the music scene since her child was born, and I was honestly shocked that she agreed to perform. I was looking forward to this show bringing me back to middle school, listening to all her hits and jamming out in my homeroom.
She started with a classic with perfect beat drops and seamless adlibs. The camera then panned out and showed her whole body. Now I, like everyone, was very quick to defend her looks because everyone was unsure if she was pregnant. After the show, it was announced that she was pregnant and she was absolutely glowing during this performance. She had a perfect mix between 2010’s hits and newer songs. Of course, the critics detailed how they wished there were specific classic hits included that were missing, but she did the very best she could with the 13 minutes she was given. There was one specific transition between “Work” and “Wild Thoughts,” which was the best by far in my opinion.
With the choreography, I thought it was visually pleasing, and I have a very limited background in dance so, as a viewer, I thought it was cohesive and didn’t take away from the main performer. I thought the costumes were a little strange and hard to perform in but I liked the idea of the white background with Rhianna in a red outfit.
Not only was she a genius artistically she also was with her marketing strategies. She pulled out her makeup mirror to plug her Fenty beauty line. This is so smart considering 113 million viewers tuned in according to CNN. Another moment worth noting was when ASAP Rocky pulled out his phone to record her singing “Diamonds” with the flashlights lighting her up on the platform in the air. This song was perfect to showcase her raw vocal talent. Some specific songs that were the best, in my opinion, included “Umbrella” and “Diamonds”.
The show then concluded with the classic fireworks display in the air above the Glendale skyline. The perfect end to the perfect show. I honestly had goosebumps on my arms and did not want it to be over so fast.
Overall, it was so nice to see this influential person back doing what she naturally does. She was truly born to be a performer and this performance serves as further evidence. I highly encourage everyone to go watch it if you haven’t yet. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I am going to stream her songs on repeat until further notice.