Rihanna stuns at Super Bowl halftime performance

Rihanna returned to the stage after seven years to fill the highly-anticipated Super Bowl halftime slot show in the US.

The performance, solely featuring Rhanna did not disappoint. As she began suspended high above the stadium amongst a stunning stage, dressed in red surrounded by an army of white dancers, Rihanna took one long look at the camera before revealing a pronounced bump and stroking her stomach. Representatives for the singer later confirmed she was indeed expecting again.

Credit: NFL

Hits old and new featured with a career-spanning setlist, reminding us of the true musical icon Rihanna is, and has remained. ‘B**** Better Have My Money’, kicked off the show, followed by ‘Where Have You Been’ which transitioned into ‘Only Girl (In the World)’.

The 34-year-old burst with an explosiveness from the stage throughout her return, asserting herself in her natural domain, as she strolled up and down the stunning set, belting hit after hit.

Credit: NFL

The artist touched up her makeup before the anthemic ‘All of the Lights’ began, with whom she recorded with now controversial Kanye West, and is included in his 2011, My Dark Twisted Fantasy. She also performed ‘Run This Town’, which West also features on, and was written by her former mentor and West’s long-time collaborator Jay-Z.

Immersed in the stunning set which featured floating platforms and flashing strobe lights, famous faces such as Jay-Z, Floyd Mayweather, Adele, and Paul McCartney were spotted amongst the 63,000-strong crowd.

A strong vocal rendition of ‘Umbrella’ and ‘Diamonds’ sang out the show as tens of thousands of lights twinkled in the background where Rihanna stood suspended high above the stage, cloaked in red.

Credit: NFL

Speaking ahead of the show at the Apple Music pre-game press conference, Rihanna discussed the exhilaration of the challenge that the performance would pose. Following the birth of her son, the singer said she felt as though she “could take on the world".

The Barbados native welcomed her first born- a boy- with long-time boyfriend A$AP Rocky in May.

"When you become a mom, there's something that just happens where you feel like you could take on the world. You can do anything, and the Super Bowl is one of the biggest stages in the world.”

"So as scary as that was, because I haven’t been on stage in seven years, there’s something exhilarating about the challenge of it all,” she continued.

"And it’s important for me to do this, this year it’s important for representation and it’s important for my son to see that."

Credit: NFL

Despite her seven year hiatus, the Barbadian singer hadn’t lost her natural proclivity for performing, taking to the stage with an ease, and commanding the attention of her audience with the bold attitude she’s known for.

The singer, taking a moment at the end for herself, gazed up at the bright lights of the fireworks as she received a deafening roar of applause.

Stream the singer’s full Super Bowl performance below.

Rihanna's full Superbowl Halftime Performance pic.twitter.com/2CrDybfJJn

— 🎥 (@megsmedia) February 13, 2023