Rihanna’s halftime performance at Super Bowl LVII was full of hits. But what Rihanna didn’t say drew perhaps the biggest response online.
Nate Burleson confirmed a Twitter user’s suspicion that Rihanna’s “surprise guest” during her performance was a baby. She had her first child — with rapper A$AP Rocky — in May 2022 and a rep for the singer confirmed the news of a second pregnancy via Rolling Stone.
Her Super Bowl LVII halftime show was her first live performance in seven years. She hasn’t released an album in just as long, but no one noticed as she delivered a career-spanning medley with countless hits.
She opened the performance with “B-tch Better Have My Money,” which unfortunately the NFL won’t. The league doesn’t pay its halftime performers an appearance fee.
The set continued with “Where Have You Been” and also featured hits including “Rude Boy,” “Pour It Up,” “We Found Love” and “Work.”
She also performed two songs she sings the hook on, Kanye West’s “All of the Lights” and Jay-Z’s “Run This Town.”
Rihanna closed her set with “Umbrella” and “Diamonds,” the latter of which featured Rihanna singing atop a platform suspended in the air.
The performance was universally praised online, with particular attention drawn to Rihanna’s deep discography.
Eagles fans were likely even bigger fans of the halftime show since it kept Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes off the field.
Rihanna was on the field for over 17 minutes while Mahomes and the Chiefs offense only saw the field for eight minutes in the first half.
The Eagles could have used Rihanna to stall Mahomes some more in the second half. Kansas City trailed 24-14 through the first two quarters but the offense got going in the second half and the Chiefs won a thrilling Super Bowl, 38-35.
Rihanna’s halftime performance was one for the ages. The Eagles and Chiefs made sure the game live up to the occasion.
