Rihanna talks upcoming Superbowl performance!
Just days ahead of the Super Bowl and an even bigger performance, Rihanna sat down with Apple Music’s Nadeska Alexis in front of a live studio audience to discuss all of the hard work she’s put into her first live performance in seven years.
“It feels like it could have only been now,” she said about the timing of her Super Bowl Halftime Show performance at this point in her career.
The nine-time Grammy award-winning singer will perform during the halftime of Sunday's game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles in what usually is the most-watched broadcast of the year on US television.
"The Super Bowl is one of the biggest stages in the world. As scary as that was because I haven't been on stage in seven years, there's something exhilarating about the challenge of it all,” she told Apple Music.
In 2019 she said she had rejected the opportunity from the NFL in solidarity with Colin Kaepernick, the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback who had been protesting against racism and police violence by taking the knee.
However, she said her Caribbean culture will be a huge part of the performance, revealing, “That’s a big part of why it’s important for me to do this show. Representing for my country, Barbados. Representing for Black women everywhere. That’s really important.”
Rihanna said the biggest challenge in creating her Super Bowl halftime show has been nailing down a setlist. The show will run 13 minutes, but Rihanna has a career that spans eight albums and 17 years. Jamming all of that material into 13 minutes has been “difficult,” she said.
“Some songs we have to lose because of that, and that’s going to be okay,” Rihanna continued. “We did a pretty good job at narrowing it down. There’s probably been about 39 versions of the setlist right now. We’re on our 39th. Every little change counts.”
Rihanna did not reveal who is expected to join her on stage but said her set-list would be a "celebration of her catalog.” Many rumors indicate that Jay-Z and/or Eminem are most likely to join the superstar.
Ahead of Rihanna's Super Bowl performance, her fans have been hoping it leads to new music and a tour (which is what is going around the rumor mill). While she didn't say whether she'll be releasing new music, she said she wants to have fun.
Also taking the Super Bowl stage are Sheryl Lee Ralph, Babyface and Chris Stapleton, who will be singing "Lift Every Voice and Sing," "America the Beautiful" and the "Star Spangled Banner," respectively.
Academy Award-winner Troy Katsur of the 2021 film "CODA" will also perform at this year's Super Bowl to sign the national anthem.
