It was confirmed in October that Rihanna would headline the 2023 Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show to entertain and keep fans engaged in the super bowl stats and gameplay. NFL Head of Music Seth Dudowsky released the following statement: “We are thrilled to welcome Rihanna to the stage of the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show” (via The Hollywood Reporter).
“Rihanna is a unique artist who has been an integral part of culture throughout her entire life. We’re thrilled to collaborate with Rihanna, Roc Nation, and Apple Music to provide fans with another unforgettable Halftime Show performance. ”
On the other hand, Rihanna just uploaded a photo of her holding a football with a caption.
Rihanna Stuck to her Principles
Rihanna was previously asked to perform at the Super Bowl, but she declined due to the NFL’s treatment of Colin Kaepernick.
Rihanna stated in an interview with Vogue that the NFL had invited her to perform at the Super Bowl halftime show.
In 2016, quarterback Colin Kaepernick began kneeling during the national anthem before games to protest racism in the United States. Since his 2017 departure from the San Francisco 49ers, he has not played in the NFL. Later, he settled a lawsuit with the league, claiming that team owners refused to play with him due to his protests.
The former quarterback was accused of being blackballed by the National Football League. Rih, however, stood by her beliefs and decided to support Kaepernick.
The singer stated in an interview with Vogue that she chose to support Colin Kaepernick because she “couldn’t be a sellout.”
She told the publication, “I would never have the courage to do that. To what end? Who benefits from this situation? It does not belong to me. I am incapable of selling out. I could never support the cause. There are aspects of that group with which I strongly disagree, so I had no intention of assisting them.”
Instead, Maroon 5 was the featured act at the February concert, which deserved underwhelming reviews. Cardi B was also asked to be the headliner, but she declined to show solidarity with Kaepernick.
Rihanna To Headline the Super Bowl
Super Bowl 57 will occur on February 12 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
Next year, Rihanna will perform at the Super Bowl halftime show, according to the pop star, her record label, the NFL, and the new halftime show sponsor, Apple Music.
Rihanna has expressed that she is both “nervous” and “excited” to perform at the Super Bowl Halftime Show in 2023.
The next concert, announced at the end of last month, will be the pop star’s first live performance since 2018. Rihanna’s eighth studio album and most recent, “Anti,” was released in 2016.
People began to speculate who the Barbadian superstar might bring to the show after the news broke. According to TMZ, Rihanna’s team is considering collaborating with over 50 artists, including Drake, Calvin Harris, Jay-Z, and others.
Roc Nation, Rihanna’s record label, founded by rapper Jay-Z- and the NFL each posted a photo of what appears to be Rihanna’s tattooed arm holding an NFL football with the caption “Let’s Go.” Rihanna uploaded the identical image to Instagram.
In other news, Apple Music also replaced Pepsi as the sponsor of the halftime show, as confirmed via Twitter.
More than 200 million people watched the halftime show, which featured performances by Eminem, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, Mary J. Blige, and a surprise appearance by 50 Cent, according to the NFL.
The game and the halftime show are typically highly watched on television. This season, the Los Angeles Rams defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 23–20.
In July, Forbes dubbed her the youngest self-made female billionaire when her music, beauty, and fashion businesses brought in $1.4 billion.
30% of her lingerie brand Savage X Fenty and 50% of her beauty brand Fenty Beauty are owned by Rihanna. Her beauty brand alone should generate $550 million in 2020.
It’s too early to tell which songs Riri will perform at halftime, but it’s a safe guess that many of her prior hits will be featured.
Jay-Z and Roc Nation will help organize Rihanna’s concert, which makes sense given that he signed her when she was only 16.
With Jay’s assistance, the performance is sure to be unforgettable.
The rapper described Rihanna as “a woman from humble beginnings who has consistently surpassed expectations.” Additionally, he stated that she is “one of the most well-known artists in history.”
The halftime show typically lasts approximately 14 minutes, so we may expect Rihanna to perform a variety of anthems and possibly be joined by special guests.