If your jaw is still on the floor from Rihanna’s Halftime Show, ours are two. Not only did the singer perform without a single featured artist, she also opened the show by rubbing what has been confirmed to be baby bump number two, just nine months after giving birth to her first son –while wearing a belly-baring red jumpsuit no less.
A marketing genius and master of surprise, the “Lift Me Up” singer took some well-deserved time off after releasing a string of smashes. Having not released an album since 2016’s Anti, anticipation for today’s show was high and, per usual, Rih Rih delivered. Here are four things we loved about the 13-minute medley of hits she performed during her Halftime show.
The Daring Introduction
Rihanna kicked off her half-time performance floating above the crowd at the Professional Football Championship Game in Glendale, Arizona. The superstar descended from the sky singing, “B***h Better Have My Money.”
The Focus On Her Own Accomplishments
Rihanna stood in the center of the mirrored platform alone, choosing not to tap any of her famous collaborators to aid in her act.
The original bad gal stole the shine from Philadelphia and Kansas City’s faceoff with a stacked setlist featuring hits from every era in her iconic career.
The spotlight stuck on her parts of tracks and skipped others’ verses. Most half-time performers mix genres by inviting a ton of guest stars but she proved one star can carry the moment.
The Playfulness of the Choreography
Rihanna wound her hips to transition into “Where Have You Been” as dozens of backup dancers spilled out onto the field.
She shimmied with a few of them during flirtatious tracks like “Rude Boy.” A few of them stroked their fishnet-covered chests and stuck their tongues out at the singer as they slinked across the stage.
The Fenty Factor
The Fenty founder stole a moment to touch-up her face during the show. She quickly swept some of her signature makeup across her mug before slipping back into performance mode.