With an extraordinary level of starpower and millions of fans across the world, Rihanna graced the Super Bowl halftime show with a widely publicized performance. 118.7 million viewers tuned in to the self-made billionaire’s show, all anticipating countless, iconic moments on stage. From announcing her pregnancy, to belting her biggest hits, to leading multiple dance numbers, she certainly delivered. Of course, because it’s Rihanna, she made numerous headlines in just 13 minutes.
Social media spiraled after Rihanna made several hints of her pregnancy throughout the performance. She wore a head-to-toe bright red jumpsuit with a jacket that exposed her stomach. Speculations circled, and people went into a complete frenzy.
The artist’s second pregnancy comes shortly after the birth of her newborn son with boyfriend A$AP Rocky. The rapper was seen supporting Rihanna from the sidelines, proudly singing along and filming her with a smile on his face; fans cherished his obvious support.
Rihanna’s pregnancy did not stop her from singing and dancing to her biggest hits like “Work,” “Where Have You Been” and “Only Girl in the World.” Some viewers noticed the great work of the sign language interpreter, Justina Miles. Her ability to simultaneously portray Rihanna’s powerful hits while converting the lyrics into sign made her a trending topic on TikTok. She held intense emotion and enormous energy, performing her role and truly giving it her all.
Not only did Rihanna include an interpreter, she was also accompanied by an array of talented dancers. They sported puffer jackets with hoods and sunglasses, surprising the audience with their unique costumes. Their choreography was clearly designed to highlight Rihanna, as several moves involved bowing down and crawling around her. Naturally, several memes arose, with people comparing their own selves to Rihanna and labeling the dancers as the “fans” of their lives.
For this highly anticipated show, expectations were set high for the singer. Having not released music since 2016, this halftime show existed as her big comeback in the industry. Luckily for Rihanna, she has the unique ability to effortlessly create a stunning performance. She celebrated her catalog while focusing on the beauty of her voice. Rather than performing complicated choreography and utilizing intense visual effects like artists in the past, Rihanna surprised fans with the simplicity of her show. She didn’t have costume changes, flashing visualizations, or even a special guest.
Rihanna is Rihanna, and she is a force big enough to grace the stage by herself.