Rihanna has confirmed she will be headlining the Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show in February 2023. She was something of a surprise, as she has taken a step back from music as of late. She has not released any new music since 2016 and has just had a baby with A$AP Rocky. Further, she has turned down an offer to play the Halftime Show in 2018, according to Rolling Stone.
The singer and beauty mogul shared a picture of her arm carrying an NFL-branded football on her Instagram on Sunday (September 25). Her caption only read “.”
Per Variety, Jay-Z said in the official announcement, “Rihanna is a generational talent, a woman of humble beginnings who has surpassed expectations at every turn. A person born on the small island of Barbados who became one of the most prominent artists ever. Self-made in business and entertainment.” In 2019, Jay-Z partnered with the NFL “to enhance the NFL’s live game experiences and to amplify the league’s social justice efforts.”
Seth Dudowsky, NFL’s head of music added, “We are thrilled to welcome Rihanna to the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show stage. Rihanna is a once-in-a-generation artist who has been a cultural force throughout her career. We look forward to collaborating with Rihanna, Roc Nation and Apple Music to bring fans another historic Halftime Show performance.”
The Halftime performance announcement is sure to re-ignite the fire for fans of RiRi to expect new music, and may well be her way of announcing new music. On the other hand, it may simply be a one-off performance.