People were surprised to hear that the 2023 super bowl halftime show would be no other than Rihanna. The reason for such shock was that Rianna has not been on tour since 2016 or performed since the 2018 Grammys. During this time she had a kid and pursued her relationship with rapper A$ap Rocky. People have become restless wanting to know when she would release new music.
Her most popular songs “Umbrella”, “Diamonds”, and “Love on the Brain” have been on top charts and been favorites of her fans for years. Even though she is known for her strong singing voice and undeniable talents, some were still disappointed with the show she put on during the halftime of the super bowl.
During her show, Rhianna wore red. Her performance contained many backup dancers and floating platforms that move up and down, taking her from the main stage to high up in the air. Even though she only had 13 minutes to show off her many incredible songs, her setlist was well done and included songs like “All of the Lights”, “Rude Boy”, and “Where Have You Been”.
Rose Renner a senior who enjoyed the show described it as “very creative and well choreographed”.
During the show, her dancers didn’t fail to impress the masses with their all-white outfits and impressive synced dance routines. With 80 dancers and 7 members of her band crew, she pulled off hosting the 2023 halftime show but not without some controversy.
For a while, after introducing Rihanna as the halftime entertainer, she had been teasing a special guest that would be included in her show. Many people had speculations about who it could be when, in reality, it was her unborn child that was the special guest.
Throughout the performance, Rihanna had her baby belly showing through her outfit, which surprised viewers that she was pregnant for the second time. Even though many people were happy to find out that she was pregnant, many were also disappointed that she didn’t bring out anyone to sing with her.
Additionally, some people felt that the dancing was provocative and not appropriate for live TV.
“Personally, I think that the Rihanna halftime show was quite overrated and over-sexualized,” said junior Hogan Connors.
This is not an uncommon opinion and many people expected more from Rihanna’s comeback. In retrospect, being the performer for the Super Bowl while pregnant, dancing, and going up in the sky on tilted platforms is already impressive. Additionally, Rihanna has a good stage presence and doesn’t need another person to make her already amazing show better.
After watching the show many people wish she got more than 13 minutes because they were so captivated by seeing such a well-renowned singer perform once again. Rihana doesn’t need anyone else to make her entertaining other than herself.
