Rihanna delivered a career-spanning set at tonightâs (February 12) Super Bowl Halftime Show as she gave her first live performance in five years.
The Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs are facing off against each other in Glendale, Arizona, tonight in the big game.
Rihanna began the performance on a square platform that hovered above the main red stage below. On platforms on either side of her and down below, she was joined by dancers dressed all in white.
The singerâs set kicked off with âBitch Better Have My Moneyâ, before it segued into âWhere Have You Beenâ. The latter was emblematic of the songs in the setlist, which often featured subtle mash-ups with other songs from Rihannaâs catalogue. âWhere Have You Beenâ was mixed with âCockiness (I Love It), while later âWe Found Loveâ featured parts of âS&Mâ.
SHEâS BAAAACK
@Rihanna #AppleMusicHalftime pic.twitter.com/rH2G9r2RSc
— NFL (@NFL) February 13, 2023
Rihanna performing Umbrella at the Super Bowl Halftime show pic.twitter.com/UnPO4Qw3im
— Justwhodafuq (@Justwhodafuq) February 13, 2023
RIHANNA LOOKS SO GOOD #SuperBowl pic.twitter.com/ru4UrYt4tM
— Gaga Crave
(@AMENARTPOP) February 13, 2023
rihannaâs performance of âdiamondsâ was amazing pic.twitter.com/Rddfp6scrd
— 2000s (@PopCulture2000s) February 13, 2023
the looks. the dancers. the stage. rihanna ainât playing #SuperBowl pic.twitter.com/fdC49im33L
— Gaga Crave
âWe Found Loveâ also saw the star zoom back down to the stage on the pitch, where one song later on âRude Boiâ, she delivered her first full choreography of the night. âWorkâ saw her conduct her dancers, who later crawled and hopped after her as she moved along the stage, while.
The set also featured 2012âs âPour It Upâ, which originally appeared on the âUnapologeticâ album, as well as Kanye West collaboration âAll Of The Lightsâ, the Jay-Z and West team-up âRun This Townâ and her hit single âUmbrellaâ.
Rihanna concluded her set with a grand version of âDiamondsâ that saw her return to hovering high above the stage, as the audience members lit the stadium with their phone torches. Watch footage of Rihannaâs performance above now.
Rihanna played:Â
âBitch Better Have My Moneyâ
âWhere Have You Beenâ
âOnly Girl (In The World)â
âWe Found Loveâ
âRude Boiâ
âWorkâ
âWild Thoughtsâ
âPour It Upâ
âAll Of The Lightsâ
âRun This Townâ
âUmbrellaâ
âDiamondsâ
The performance was the first live performance the star has given in five years. Speaking at an Apple Music press conference in the days before the big event, Rihanna said: âThe Super Bowl is one of the biggest stages in the world, itâs an entertainerâs dream to be on a stage like that. But itâs nerve-racking. You want to get it right. You know, everybodyâs watching. And theyâre rooting for you. And I want to get it right.â
She also revealed that she had changed the setlist for the show 39 times. âSome songs we have to lose because of that, and thatâs going to be OK,â she explained. âWe did a pretty good job at narrowing it down. Thereâs probably been about 39 versions of the setlist right now. Weâre on our 39th. Every little change counts.â
Chris Stapleton kicked off the big night by performing the US national anthem. The country starâs rendition of âThe Star-Spangled Bannerâ brought Eagles coach Nick Sirianni to tears.
Another star-studded Super Bowl advert saw Cardi B and Offset launch their own McDonaldâs meal, following the likes of BTS and Travis Scott in the collaboration. Dave Grohl also delivered a salute to Canada in a new advert for whiskey brand Crown Royal, while Ozzy Osbourne, Billy Idol, Joan Jett and more defined a rock star in another commercial, and Jack Harlow lost Triangle Player Of The Year to Elton John in a Dorito’s ad.
Meanwhile, U2 are also reportedly set to announce a new Las Vegas residency during the game. The Irish band teased the announcement earlier tonight with a clip shared on social media with the hashtag #U2SPHERE.
The post Watch Rihanna play career-spanning set for Super Bowl Halftime Show 2023 appeared first on NME.
