Popstar and billionaire Rihanna admitted that she had to take notes from Beyoncé on how to put on an excellent Super Bowl Halftime performance.
The singer is billed to headline the Super Bowl halftime show after such a long time away from performing, and she has now revealed she studied Beyoncé’s past halftime performances to draw inspiration.
Given her nearly two decades of experience, Rihanna expressed how difficult it was to choose which songs to perform on the show.
Keep on reading to learn more.
Rihanna Studied Beyoncé For Her Halftime Performance
In an appearance on The Process podcast with Nate Burleson, Rihanna opened up about the proactive measures she had to take to ramp up her Super Bowl halftime performance.
The singer pointed out that she watched footage of Beyoncé’s groundbreaking Super Bowl performances to draw inspiration and prepare for hers.
“I watched Beyoncé’s halftime performances a couple of times. She is a beast and a whole other level. Just to be inspired, really,” she told the host, per People.
Beyoncé has performed on the Super Bowl halftime show twice in the past, in 2013 and 2016. In the former, she starred on the show as the headlining act, bringing out her Destiny’s Child bandmates, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams, for an extraordinary rendition. She then joined headliner Coldplay for another jaw-dropping performance in 2016.
Rihanna Had A Hard Time Choosing Her Songs
The “Diamonds” singer noted how much of a difficult task it was to come up with the perfect choice of song for her performance in the game.
Rihanna’s career as a singer and performer spans more than 15 years, racking up a considerable number of songs available to be performed for the halftime show in the process.
She said per People, “That was the hardest, hardest part; deciding how to maximize 13 minutes but also celebrate. That’s what this show is gonna be. It’s gonna be a celebration of my catalog in the best way that we could’ve put it together.”
The Grammy-award-winning singer went on to reveal that with the necessary pruning, the song choice was streamlined, and the resulting options are what will be performed tonight.
“Some songs we have to lose because of that, and that’s gonna be okay, but I think we did a pretty good job of narrowing it down,” she shared while referencing how hard it was to summarize her long career in a 13-minute performance.
She Previously Turned Down The NFL
Rihanna, 34, was not having it with the NFL and turned down their request to perform at the 2019 Super Bowl halftime show to stand in solidarity with Colin Kaepernick.
Kaepernick had come under fire and heavy scrutiny for taking a knee during the national anthem in a peaceful protest against police brutality and racial inequality.
A source told US Magazine at the time, “The NFL and CBS really wanted Rihanna to be next year’s performer in Atlanta. They offered it to her, but she said no because of the kneeling controversy. She doesn’t agree with the NFL’s stance.”
All of that is now in the past, as one of her primary concerns is her performance at the game, which will pit the Philadelphia Eagles against the Kansas City Chiefs at State Farm Stadium in Arizona.
In a recent press conference organized ahead of the game, Rihanna stated that she’d even forgotten about her upcoming birthday and Valentine’s Day due to her preparation.
“Sunday, now that’s the one. I’ve been so focused on the Super Bowl that I totally forgot that my birthday’s coming up. I totally forgot about Valentine’s Day,” she divulged.
Shakira Shows Her Support For Rihanna Ahead Of Her Halftime Show
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The world is waiting to see Rihanna perform again as fans and celebrities have shown their support for the singer’s comeback. Her former collaborator, Shakira, sent her all the love, support, and best wishes ahead of her Super Bowl halftime show.
The “Hips Don’t Lie” singer took to Instagram to express her goodwill to Rihanna, posting a photo of the two smiling broadly. She captioned it, “Remembering good times and wishing you the best vibes for tonight’s show, Rih!”
Shakira, 46, headlined the Superbowl halftime show in 2020 alongside Jennifer Lopez, leaving fans and viewers stunned by their performance.
