Rihanna to headline Super Bowl halftime show

Rihanna will be the halftime headliner at this winter’s Super Bowl LVII on Fox, the NFL announced Sunday.

The game is scheduled for Feb. 12 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, just outside Phoenix.

The show, sponsored by Apple Music and produced by Rihanna’s label, Roc Nation, could be something of a performing comeback for the pop music superstar, who has released little music in recent years. Rihanna has been active promoting her various Fenty fashion and beauty lines, and in May she had her first child, a baby boy with partner A$AP Rocky.

“Rihanna is a once in a generation artist who has been a cultural force throughout her career,” Seth Dudowsky, NFL Head of Music, said in a statement. “We look forward to collaborating with Rihanna, Roc Nation and Apple Music to bring fans another historic halftime show performance.”

Last year’s Emmy-winning halftime show featured several headliners: Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, Eminem and Mary J. Blige, plus surprise cameos from 50 Cent and Anderson .Paak. Other performers in the last decade include The Weeknd, Jennifer Lopez and Shakira, Maroon 5, Justin Timberlake, Coldplay, Katy Perry, Bruno Mars and Beyoncé.

In an interview with Vogue in October 2019, Rihanna said she turned down the opportunity to perform at the 2018 Super Bowl halftime show in Atlanta. The Grammy-winning singer confirmed she did so to stand in solidarity with quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who became the subject of controversy after kneeling during a pregame national anthem in protest of police brutality and social inequality.

Contributing: USA Today