Superstar, business mogul and new mom Rihanna delivered a stunning performance at the 2023 Super Bowl halftime show on Feb. 12. The performance, marked by iconic songs, impressive stage choreography and a surprise pregnancy announcement was memorable, to say the least.
The performance began with Rihanna and her backup dancers standing on floating platforms that moved up and down to the beat of her hit song “B**h Better Have My Money.” From the get-go, Rihanna’s stage presence was incredibly strong — her simple, controlled dance moves exuded a suave charisma, and her chemistry with her dancers was impeccable.
She then moved onto a remixed version of “Where Have You Been” that melded into “We Found Love.” The next portion of her medley had Rihanna singing a mashup of “Rude Boy” and “Kiss It Better” that included a dance breakdown in which she performed a “controversial” crotch grab dance move that some criticized as unclassy and tasteless.
The 12-song show continued with other performances of Rihanna’s chart-topping discography including “Work” and “All of the Lights” before concluding with an emotional rendition of “Diamonds.”
Despite her seven year-long musical hiatus, Rihanna delivered a top-tier vocal performance and maintained her glamorous stage presence. Though the performance wasn’t as overtly game-changing or innovative as the 2022 halftime show, Rihanna still managed to hold her own and provide an exciting performance that reinforced her reputation as an R&B legend.
Rihanna’s performance notably lacked gimmicks that surprised the audience like unannounced guests or crazy set design, simply being a medley of popular, beloved songs with aesthetically pleasing dance moves choreographed to match the vibe. Some may say that it was boring or lazy, but it cannot be denied that Rihanna’s stage presence was palpable.
Rihanna wasn’t the only attributing factor in the show’s success; the energy and talent of her backup dancers significantly increased the quality of the event. The dancers were dressed head-to-toe in white baggy pants and puffer jackets, alongside opaque black sunglasses. Not only did the costumes contrast with Rihanna’s all-red outfit, it also helped them stand out in the dark stadium. The dancers were impressively synchronized and the fluid choreography added to the spectacular scale of the performance.
The most exciting part of Rihanna’s halftime show was the ending. Towards the end of “Diamonds,” Rihanna revealed her baby-bump, instantly fueling rumors that she was pregnant with her and ASAP Rocky’s second child. This fact was confirmed by her representative after the performance.
This pregnancy reveal was reminiscent of Beyoncé’s 2011 MTV Video Music Awards performance, where she surprised the world with the news that she was pregnant with her first child. While Beyoncé’s baby bump was cleverly disguised with a sequin suit jacket, Rihanna’s bump was quite conspicuous through her skin-tight red bodysuit.
Rihanna’s Super Bowl performance garnered over 5 million more views than the football game itself, making it the second-most watched halftime show in history.
Despite the high view-count, some were quick to criticize her performance, — most notably former President Donald Trump, who berated her on his Twitter-esque social media platform, Truth Social. His post stated that Rihanna’s performance was “the single worst Halftime Show in Super Bowl history” and ended with a barbed comment about her stylist. This is unsurprising due to Rihanna and Trump’s strained history, but the fact that he went out of his way to insult her online is a typical Trump move.
Other critics have also pointed out that Rihanna publicly refused to perform at the 2019 Super Bowl out of solidarity with Colin Kaepernick, suggesting that she “sold-out” and was a hypocrite for doing the show. Despite these sentiments, the overall feedback for Rihanna’s halftime show has been positive, with fans rejoicing at her comeback performance come-back.
Rihanna’s absence from the music industry has been a long-standing point of contention between her fans. After releasing her last album “Anti” in 2016, she took a step back from making music to focus on other ventures like launching her makeup company, Fenty Beauty, and lingerie line, SAVAGE X FENTY. Despite the pressure she faced when releasing “Anti,” she revealed in an interview with British Vogue that she still has plans to drop new music in 2023. Her performance at the 2023 Super Bowl could be an indication that she also intends to return to the stage.
Rihanna’s halftime performance was as special and unique as the R&B queen herself. Her vibrant energy and mesmerizing stage presence is evidence of Rihanna’s innate star quality. The Super Bowl LVII halftime show is one that will be remembered in pop culture indefinitely.
Lauren Koh is an Arts & Entertainment Intern for the winter 2023 quarter. She can be reached at lkoh@uci.edu.