Rihanna hosted an electrifying and hit-packed Super Bowl halftime show on Sunday, but social media collapsed when the singer revealed an unexpected special guest.
In an interview last week, the bayan singer was asked if there would be any surprises when she performed at State Farm Stadium in Arizona.
“I’m thinking of bringing someone,” she replied. “I’m not sure, we’ll see.”
Of course, fans assumed she was talking about one of the many artists she’s worked with throughout his illustrious career. A cameo for Jay-Z, Drake, or Eminem seemed to be right in the halftime show tradition of surprise duets.
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But Rihanna didn’t refer to any of them. Though no one thought of it at the time, she hinted that she was pregnant with her second child.
The singer may not have debuted any new music during her Sunday Super Bowl performance, but the baby bump she debuted nearly destroyed the internet. Wearing an all-red Loewe jumpsuit, Rihanna appeared on one of several floating platforms that towered over the crowd while a group of energetic dancers all dressed in white gathered below.
The crowd went wild as the singer jumped right into Better Have My Money, a slightly tongue-in-cheek start considering she wasn’t paid to perform at the Super Bowl.
While the 34-year-old dazzled the crowd from above, her dancers below her performed at breakneck speed, in a sharp choreography that they maintained throughout the performance.
The singer performed several well-known hits and filled her set with some of her most danceable and upbeat numbers, including Only Girl (In The World) and the excellent Where Have You Been.
was a halftime show that didn’t fall short even after being lowered to the floor. Fireworks went off over the stadium as the euphoric “We Found Love” began. While there were no rumors the star might jump at the chance to perform new music, the decision to rely on her extensive back catalog, one of pop’s strongest, was sensible.
The singer packed a slew of hits into a tight 14-minute set, playing only the first verse or chorus of certain songs. But monster hits like Rude Boy were offset by the slightly heavier and lesser-known Pour It Up.
Somewhat disappointingly, the setlist was based on some of her best-known collaborations, and none of her collaborators stepped on the stage for her.
Performing Run This Town, All of the Lights, and Wild Thoughts did not include performances by Jay-Z, Ye (formerly of Kanye West), or DJ Khaled, who typically appear on those tracks.
But his absence didn’t matter. At this point, everyone’s attention turned to a very different and unmissable special guest.
