PHOENIX – Rihanna has work ahead of her super bowl halftime show and was so focused on what she promises, “a jam-packed show,” that she almost missed the upcoming birthday and Valentine’s Day.
“The setlist was the biggest challenge. That was the hardest, hardest part. Deciding how to maximize 13 minutes but also celebrate – that’s going to be this show. It’s going to be a celebration of my catalog in the best way we’ve been able to put it together,” said Rihanna.
At a media preview Thursday ahead of Sunday’s matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs, the music superstar and new mom said their performance — their first live event in seven years — feels “like it could have just happened.”
The singer said she was initially unsure about taking on the challenge of performing at a time when she was three months postpartum, wondering, “Should I be making big decisions like this right now? I could regret that.”
“But when you become a mom, something just happens where you feel like you can take on the world, you can do anything,” Rihanna said. “The Super Bowl is one of the biggest stages in the world. As scary as it was because I haven’t been on stage in seven years, the challenge has an intoxicating quality of it all.”
A nine-time Grammy winner, Rihanna has 14 #1 Billboard Hot 100 hits, including “We Found Love,” “Work,” “Umbrella,” and “Disturbia.” She and rapper A$AP Rocky recently had her first child.
“At the end of the day, if it flops or flies, my name has to be there. And so I’m really involved in every aspect of everything I do,” she said.
Halftime performance sponsor Apple Music hosted a moderated event Thursday, but host Nadeska Alexis was the only journalist allowed to ask Rihanna questions.
Rihanna joins a list of acclaimed entertainers to have performed during Super Bowl halftime shows including Beyoncé, Madonna, Coldplay, Katy Perry, U2, Lady Gaga, Michael Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, Shakira and The Weeknd. Last year, Hip hop was celebrated with dr Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige and Kendrick Lamar all appearing.
The singer had previously refrained from appearing in the 2019 halftime show out of solidarity with Colin Kaepernick. But she has said the timing and circumstances were right for her this time.
Country star Chris Stapleton will do it sing the national anthem, while R&B legends Babyface will perform “America the Beautiful.” actor-singer Sheryl Lee Ralph will also perform “Raise every voice and sing.” When asked who they were cheering for on Sunday, Ralph said she would be cheering for the Eagles, while Stapleton and Babyface said they would support Rihanna.
Ralph applauded the NFL for striving to be inclusive and “representing all people” through the three songs.
“In one day, Super Bowl Sunday, 200 million people come together to sit here and experience what a time and what a way to bring us all together,” she said. “I’m very excited and very happy to be able to stand at the 40-yard line.”
Babyface said he first started singing “America the Beautiful” as a sophomore in high school for a play.
“It’s hard to believe it’s been so many years since I’ve been here singing ‘America the Beautiful,'” he said. “My mom was in the audience at the time and couldn’t believe I was singing up there on stage. Like that shy kid that stood up there singing. When I think of her watching it now and seeing me singing ‘America the Beautiful’ in that moment, it comes full circle.”
Oscar winner Troy Kotsur will sing the national anthem in American Sign Language. Colin Denny will be autographing America the Beautiful and Lift Every Voice and Sing will be autographed by Justina Miles.
Through an interpreter, Kotsur said that performing makes him prouder to be an American. Miles said “Lift Every Voice and Sing” represents resilience.
“The national anthem never really resonated with me personally, but the black national anthem is really inspiring and empowering,” said Miles. “This song is so positive and so beautiful. You don’t hear or see it very often. There are many people who don’t even know that the black national anthem even exists. It’s not just my job to share this experience with the world, but to truly bring this empowerment to millions of black deaf people across the country who have never seen this before.”
Apple Music this year replaced Pepsi, which has sponsored the show for the past 10 years. Terms weren’t disclosed, but analysts had expected the league to be paid at least $50 million a year for the rights.
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