Rihanna Won’t Be Paid For Viral Super Bowl Halftime Performance Where She Announced Second Pregnancy

Rihanna Won’t Be Paid For Viral Super Bowl Halftime Performance Where She Announced Second Pregnancy

After years of declining to perform at the Super Bowl, Rihanna finally took the stage over the weekend and didn’t receive a penny. 

As you may know, on Sunday (Feb. 12) the pop international superstar put on an outstanding (unpaid) performance during the Philadelphia Eagles vs. the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl game. During her now-viral halftime show, Rihanna shocked the world by confirming she’s expecting her second baby with boyfriend A$AP Rocky. The pair welcomed their first child together in May 2022.

A$AP Rocky, Rihanna

Arizona’s State Farm Stadium cheered as Rihanna opened up her epic performance singing her hit single “B*tch Better Have My Money” on a gravitating stage. The nine-time Grammy Award winner, who was styled in a baggy red scarlet jumpsuit, sent the stadium and almost 200 million home viewers into a frenzy as they spotted her rubbing her stomach while on stage. 

Rihanna

Many may expect that musicians picked to perform at a gig this big would be greatly compensated, however, Super Bowl headliners don’t get a penny for their performance. 

It’s standard for stars to perform at the Super Bowl for free due to the multiple opportunities (and exposure) that will come their way following the famed event. A few stars that have previously performed during the Super Bowl are; Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez, Shakira, Justin Timberlake, and Coldplay.

According to reports, Following Lady Gaga’s set in 2017, her album and single sales rocketed by 1,000 per cent. Jennifer Lopez reportedly gained 2.3 million followers on her social media platforms after her performance with Colombian singer Shakira in 2020. Last year, hip-hop legend Dr. Dre took the stage and was joined by Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar, Eminem, and 50 Cent. The show reportedly increased Dr. Dre’s album sales by 183 per cent.

This was the first time Rihanna has performed on live television since her 2018 Grammy performance alongside DJ Khaled.

For her latest performance, she was only given 13 minutes to perform. Her lineup included “Where Have You Been,” “Only Girl (In The World),” “We Found Love,” “Rude Boy,” “Work,” “Wild Thoughts,” and “Pour It Up.”

The hitmaker made seemingly controversial song choices, including a piece of her verse from the rapper Kanye West’s “All Of The Lights,” and a part of Jay-Z’s “Run This Town,” which also features West in its original version. As previously reported, Kanye West made headlines last year for his antisemitic remarks. Rihanna concluded her performance with “Umbrella,” reportedly originally written for Birtney Spears, and then “Diamonds” as the closer. 

Watch the full performance below:

Fuck it, Rihanna’s entire Super Bowl performance ?pic.twitter.com/5lgm8uYB06

— vids that go hard (@vidsthatgohard) February 13, 2023

The Fenty founder’s pregnancy comes as a shock after she previously told Apple Music’s Nadeska Alexis before the performance that she didn’t feel completely comfortable with performing due to recently giving birth.

The 34-year-old said:

“I was like, ‘You sure? I’m three months postpartum. Should I be making major decisions like this right now? I might regret this.’”

She continued:

“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 … there’s something exhilarating about the challenge of it all.”

She added:

“It’s important for my son to see that.”

What are your thoughts on Rihanna’s Super Bowl half-time show performance? Tell us below.

[VIA 1,2]