Rihanna has seemingly slyly confirmed that she’ll be the Super Bowl Halftime Show headliner next year.
Super Bowl LVII will take place in February 2023, but organisers have already been searching for a pop superstar to headline the event. Taylor Swift was touted but turned it down, which led to reports that Rihanna was “in talks” instead to headline the Halftime Show.
And now the singer has shared a picture of an NFL-branded football on her Instagram. There was no caption to the post, but its meaning seems to be clear.
As per Variety, Roc Nation provided concrete confirmation of Rihanna’s booking in a statement. “Rihanna is a generational talent, a woman of humble beginnings who has surpassed expectations at every turn,” Jay-Z said. “A person born on the small island of Barbados who became one of the most prominent artists ever. Self-made in business and entertainment.”
“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,” Seth Dudowsky, NFL’s head of music, shared in a statement. “We look forward to collaborating with Rihanna, Roc Nation and Apple Music to bring fans another historic Halftime Show performance.”
Although Rihanna definitely has the star power to headline the Halftime Show, her booking is perhaps slightly surprising since she’s not released an album in six years. She’s commented on a follow-up record several times since 2016, but no official release has been announced. Rihanna also declined an offer to headline the event back in 2019.
Past Halftime Show headliners include Shakira, Justin Timberlake, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Bruno Mars, and Madonna. A star-studded lineup including Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, and Kendrick Lamar performed at this year’s Super Bowl LVI, with the collective’s performance eventually earning three Creative Arts Emmys.
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