Rihanna is putting in the work ahead of her halftime show, focusing so hard on what she promises will be 鈥渁 jam-packed show鈥� that her upcoming birthday and Valentine鈥檚 Day almost slipped her mind.
鈥淭he setlist was the biggest challenge. That was the hardest, hardest part. Deciding how to maximize 13 minutes but also celebrate 鈥� that鈥檚 what this show is going to be. It鈥檚 going to be a celebration of my catalog in the best way that we could have put it together,鈥� Rihanna said.
At a media preview Thursday ahead of Sunday鈥檚 matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs, the music superstar and said her appearance 鈥� her first live event in seven years 鈥� feels 鈥渓ike it could have only been now.鈥�
The singer said she was initially unsure about taking on the challenge of performing during a time when she was three months postpartum and wondered 鈥渟hould I be making major decisions like this right now? I might regret this.鈥�
鈥淏ut when you become a mom, there鈥檚 something that just happens where you feel like you can take on the world, you can do anything,鈥� Rihanna said. 鈥淭he Super Bowl is one of the biggest stages of the world. As scary as that was, because I hadn鈥檛 been on stage in seven years, there鈥檚 something exhilarating about the challenge of it all.鈥�
A nine-time Grammy Award-winner, Rihanna has 14 No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hits, including 鈥淲e Found Love,鈥� 鈥淲ork,鈥� 鈥淯mbrella鈥� and 鈥淒isturbia.鈥� She and rapper A$AP Rocky .
鈥淎t the end of the day, if it flops or it flies, my name has to stand by that. And so I really get involved with every aspect of anything I do,鈥� she said.
Halftime performance sponsor Apple Music held a moderated event Thursday, but moderator Nadeska Alexis was the only journalist allowed to ask Rihanna questions.
Rihanna joins a list of celebrated entertainers who have played during Super Bowl halftime shows, including Beyonc茅, Madonna, Coldplay, Katy Perry, U2, Lady Gaga, Michael Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, Shakira and The Weeknd. Last year, with Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige and Kendrick Lamar all performing.
The singer had previously declined to perform in the 2019 halftime show out of solidarity with Colin Kaepernick. But she has said that the timing and circumstances this time around were right for her.
Country music star Chris Stapleton will , while R&B legend Babyface will perform 鈥淎merica the Beautiful.鈥� Actor-singer 鈥淟ift Every Voice and Sing.鈥� When asked who they were cheering for on Sunday, Ralph said she was rooting for the Eagles while Stapleton and Babyface said they were backing Rihanna.
Ralph applauded the NFL for making an effort toward being inclusive and 鈥渞epresent all people鈥� through the three songs.
鈥淥n a day, Super Bowl Sunday, 200 million people coming together to sit and experience it here, what a time and what a way to bring us all together,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檓 very pleased and very happy to be able to be on the 40-yard line.鈥�
Babyface said he first started singing 鈥淎merica the Beautiful鈥� as a sophomore for a play in high school.
鈥淚t鈥檚 hard to believe that so many years ago, which is a lot of years ago, that I鈥檓 here to sing 鈥楢merica the Beautiful,鈥欌�� he said. 鈥淏ack then, my mom was in the audience and she couldn鈥檛 believe I was up there on the stage singing. Like the shy kid who actually got up there singing. To think of her looking at this now and see me at this moment singing 鈥楢merica the Beautiful,鈥� it鈥檚 full circle.鈥�
will perform the national anthem in American sign language. Colin Denny will sign 鈥淎merica the Beautiful鈥� and 鈥淟ift Every Voice and Sing鈥� will be signed by Justina Miles.
Through an interpreter, Kotsur said performing makes him feel prouder to be an American. Miles said 鈥淟ift Every Voice and Sing鈥� represents resilience.
鈥淭he national anthem never really resonated with me personally, but the Black national anthem is really inspiring and empowering,鈥� Miles said. 鈥淭his song is so positive and so beautiful. You don鈥檛 really hear or see it very often. There鈥檚 many folks who don鈥檛 even know the Black national anthem even exist. It鈥檚 not only for me to share this experience with the whole world, but to really bring that empowerment to millions of Black, deaf people all over the country who鈥檝e never seen that before.鈥�
Apple Music this year replaced Pepsi, which sponsored the show for the past 10 years. Terms were not announced, but analysts had expected the league to get at least $50 million per year for the rights.
鈥擩onathan Landrum Jr., The Associated Press
