Rihanna will headline the 2023 Super Bowl halftime show, the National Football League, Apple Music and Roc Nation announced Sunday.
The official press release arrived shortly after the Grammy winner ignited fans’ excitement by posting a photo of an NFL football on her social media pages. According to Pitchfork, the halftime program will mark the musician and business mogul’s first public performance in five years.
“Rihanna is a generational talent, a woman of humble beginnings who has surpassed expectations at every turn,” Roc Nation founder Jay-Z said in a statement. “A person born on the small island of Barbados who became one of the most prominent artists ever. Self-made in business and entertainment.”
“We are thrilled to welcome Rihanna to the … Halftime Show stage,” added Seth Dudowsky, who oversees music at the NFL. “Rihanna is a once in a generation artist who has been a cultural force throughout her career.”
The halftime show announcement comes about six years after the singer released her last studio album, “Anti.” Since then, the billionaire entertainer and philanthropist has been busy building her Fenty empire, including her popular beauty and lingerie collections.
In May, Rihanna welcomed her first child with partner ASAP Rocky. The “Umbrella” hitmaker and the “Praise the Lord” rapper have yet to reveal the name of their baby boy.
Amid Rihanna‘s ongoing musical hiatus, hopeful fans have speculated that the halftime show news could mean a new album is finally on the way. In 2018, Us Weekly reported that the pop sensation turned down an offer to headline the Super Bowl halftime show because of how the NFL treated quarterback and civil rights activist Colin Kaepernick.
This year’s electrifying halftime show at Inglewood’s SoFi Stadium was an homage to hip-hop and Los Angeles headlined by Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar and Dr. Dre. Other past headliners include the Weeknd, Jennifer Lopez, Shakira, Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, Prince and Madonna.
Super Bowl LVII will take place Feb. 12 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.
