GLENDALE, Ariz. — Rihanna delivered on her promise, giving viewers a “jam-packed” 13-minute Super Bowl halftime extravaganza.
The Barbadian singer brought an energetic performance during the big game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
Dressed in an all-red ensemble, Rihanna started the halftime show on a high platform. From “Umbrella” to “Run This Town,” Rihanna’s performance celebrated the star’s musical catalog.
The star even plugged her makeup brand Fenty Beauty during the performance.
It was her first live performance in seven years.
Dancers wearing what looked like white ski suits moved in sync on their own suspended platforms and several danced on a stage on the field. Fireworks went off outside the stadium throughout her set.
“The setlist was the biggest challenge. That was the hardest, hardest part. Deciding how to maximize 13 minutes but also celebrate — that’s what this show is going to be. It’s going to be a celebration of my catalog in the best way that we could have put it together,” Rihanna said during a pre-game interview.
Fireworks went off and lights sparkled from the stand as she was raised alone back into the air and sang “Diamond” — with its refrain of “shine bright like a diamond” — as the set closed.
Even without a check from the NFL, performers can still get massive exposure from their halftime show singing, which leads to an uptick in music sales and streaming.
Last year’s show had five performers: Mary J. Blige, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Kendrick Lamar and Eminem. All of them saw a surge in music sales after their performance was watched live by an estimated 103.4 million people. Snoop Dogg and Blige, who both released albums days before the Super Bowl, saw the highest gains, with streams of their music jumping to 143% and 132% from pre-game levels respectively, according to Billboard.
The increase in streams and music sales is even higher when the musician performing isn’t sharing the stage.
For instance, The Weeknd’s music sales soared by 385% in the wake of his 2021 performance, according to Billboard. Streaming of his songs on apps like Spotify and Apple Music increased by around 41%.
Rihanna, for all of her fame and continued plays, hasn’t released a new album since 2016 — although fans have speculated that she may release new music for the first time in seven years soon after the Super Bowl.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.