Rihanna has spoken amid reports that she will headline the 2023 Super Bowl halftime show.
“I’m nervous, but I’m excited,” Rihanna told TMZ on Tuesday (Oct. 4). As previously reported by REVOLT, the 34-year-old sent social media into a frenzy after announcing that she’ll be stepping in as the headlining act for February’s big game. The upcoming event will be the first time in 10 years that Pepsi will no longer sponsor the entertainment for the Super Bowl. Instead, Apple Music will curate the festivities.
“We are proud to welcome Apple Music to the NFL family as our new partner for the iconic Super Bowl halftime show,” said Nana-Yaw Asamoah, SVP of partner strategy for the NFL. “We couldn’t think of a more appropriate partner for the world’s most-watched musical performance than Apple Music, a service that entertains, inspires, and motivates millions of people around the world through the intersection of music and technology.”
See Rihanna make the big announcement below.
Super Bowl LVII, which is set to take place on Sunday, Feb. 12 in Glendale Arizona, will kick off a new era for the NFL franchise who has welcomed guests like The Weeknd, Beyoncé, Bruno Mars, and more to serve as the musical guests for the show in recent years. Rihanna’s upcoming performance will follow behind Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, and Kendrick Lamar’s production earlier this year. The show featured a surprise appearance from 50 Cent and marked the first time that all five of the multi-award-winning artists hit the stage at once.
JAY-Z, whose Roc Nation will serve as the strategic entertainment advisor for the live performance, opened up about the “Love On The Brain” singer hitting the stage next year. “Rihanna is a generational talent, a woman of humble beginnings who has surpassed expectations at every turn,” said Hov in an official press release of the news. “A person born on the small island of Barbados who became one of the most prominent artists ever. Self-made in business and entertainment.”
Check out Rihanna’s reaction to the news in the clip below.