Review: The 2023 Superbowl Halftime Show featuring Riri, some Fenty and a baby-themed surprise!
Rihanna is back! That's it; that's the post!
What exactly did you expect from the 2023 Super Bowl halftime show? A lot, that's for sure! But not another pregnancy bump as 9-time Grammy award winner Rihanna headlined the show.
After declining the invitation to perform at the 2019 Superbowl in solidarity with Colin Kaepernick and others protesting against police brutality, fans were more than excited when it was announced that Rihanna would be the halftime performer at this year's event.
After an excruciatingly long break from performances (at least for us fans), Riri took to the Superbowl stage to deliver what she tagged as "a celebration of my catalog".
Dressed in resplendent red and accompanied by dozens of dancers clad in white. Rihanna delivered some fan favorites, including B**** better have my money, Wild thoughts, Umbrella, Only girl in the world, Work, and Diamonds, among others.
While typical for halftime performers to feature some other guest artists, Rihanna chose to go solo, or should we say, she chose a different type of guest than we had in mind.
The entire performance was stunning from start to finish. It featured multiple fireworks and diamond-worthy light displays, anti-gravity performances on levitating platforms, and some very artistic dance moves. While the whole performance was well received, some fans admittedly expected more, with most of the song set being lip-synced.
But in spectacular Riri fashion, there's no performance if we're not all talking about it weeks after she's done. Another highlight during the performance was Riri stylishly powdering her nose with a Fenty beauty compact and continuing to drop it like it's hot without missing a beat while staying in perfect sync with her dancers. (Brand representation at its best.)
All eyes were on her postpartum body throughout her performance, with fans squinting to see what she had us all suspecting only seconds into her set. It's been confirmed, people; Rihanna is expecting a second child with partner A$AP Rocky.
Rihanna has been praised for being body positive and has encouraged women to draw strength from how they look. She certainly blew us out of the water with her spectacular pregnancy reveal, which was confirmed by a representative after her performance. Riri admitted that her new role as a mother drove her decision to perform at this year's Superbowl. She fully embraced motherhood by sharing her wonderful news with us in such a heartfelt way.
We expect nothing less from Rihanna when she puts on a show. Let's be honest; this was a Rihanna concert with a Philadelphia Eagles vs Kansas City Chiefs game. While we're getting a new baby, we can't help but ask, when are we getting that new Riri album? It's been a long wait since she drooped "Anti" in 2016. But oh well, it's Rihanna; let her take all the time she needs!
It was indeed a celebration of her catalog. The ingenious mix and flow of music, the choreography, the choice of red in a sea of white, the baby bump, the body-positive message behind her performance, that fenty compact, and a loving reminder of why we all love Rihanna.