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Oneohtrix Point Never was the musical director behind The Weeknd’s Super Bowl half-time show, it has been revealed.
Abel Tesfaye became the first Canadian to perform solo at the NFL event, taking to the stage in Tampa, Florida last night (February 7).
After the performance was finished, 0PN’s label Warp Records posted a photo of The Weeknd with a cigar in his mouth and a leather jacket emblazoned with a “Super Bowl” design, stood next to the American producer.
“Congrats Oneohtrix Point Never, musical director of The Weeknd’s halftime show,” they captioned the post. 0PN has been signed to the label since 2013. See the tweet below.
Congrats @0PN musical director of @theweeknd's halftime show
#SuperBowl pic.twitter.com/TH6RATxhl1
— Warp Records (@WarpRecords) February 8, 2021
The Super Bowl isn’t the first time that the producer – whose real name is Daniel Lopatin – and The Weeknd have worked together. Lopatin worked on Tesfaye’s latest album ‘After Hours’, while the Canadian R&B star returned the favour by co-executive producing the Brooklyn-based musician’s 2020 record ‘Magic Oneohtrix Point Never’.
They also teamed up on the soundtrack to the Safdie Brothers’ film Uncut Gems, while Lopatin joined The Weeknd for his Saturday Night Live performance in March 2020.
During his Super Bowl half-time show, The Weeknd performed from both the stands of the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa and on the field. The setlist for his under 15-minute performance included old favourites like ‘Can’t Feel My Face’ and ‘Starboy’, 2011 track ‘House Of Balloons’ and ‘After Hours’ era cuts like ‘Save Your Tears and ‘Blinding Lights’.
H.E.R., Jazmine Sullivan and Eric Church also performed at the event, while US poet laureate Amanda Gorman also read a poem before the game kicked off.
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