Rihanna's Half-Time Performance Takes Super Bowl Ratings To An All-Time High
By Afouda Bamidele on February 15, 2023 at 8:00 PM EST
Rihanna's performance at the 75th Super Bowl has scored a touchdown with ratings!
The annual final playoff game of the NFL to crown a league champion has earned a reputation as the most popular televised event in the United States. The Super Bowl has been watched by millions since its 1966 debut, bringing in more viewers each year and ultimately breaking the 100-million mark in 2010. Since then, the game's total audience has stayed close to this milestone, doing it again with Sunday's telecast, thanks partly to Rihanna's halftime performance.
Rihanna's Performance Becomes Second-Most Watched Halftime Show Ever
When Rihanna climbed the makeshift stage on the field on Sunday night, an average of 118.7 million viewers tuned in to watch her perform at the Apple Music Halftime Show. With those numbers, the "Diamonds" singer drew in more viewers than the Super Bowl LVII playoffs itself, even though the game received the highest viewership ever in six years.
Per Forbes, the game was watched by 113 million viewers, just 5.7 million shy of Rihanna's numbers. These viewership ratings mean that the playoffs topped last year's rankings by 1% since 112 million people watched it.
The numbers also mean that Rihanna’s performance brought in a 15% increment from the average of 103.4 million that watched the 2022 halftime show featuring Dr. Dre.
Of Fox's 113 million audiences, an estimated 106 million watched the main broadcast on the network and a Spanish-language feed on Fox Deportes, with the rest bingeing it on NFL and Fox digital platforms.
The ratings make the Super Bowl LVII the third biggest TV program of all time, with Rihanna's return to the big stage being the second most-watched Super Bowl halftime performance. It is the most-watched Super Bowl halftime show since Katy Perry's record 114.4 million viewers in 2015.
Variety further noted that the only telecasts to outdo the Kansas City Chiefs' victory over the Philadelphia Eagles are the 2015 New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks game (114.4 million) and the 2017 Patriots and Atlanta Falcons game (113.7 million).
Fox additionally broadcasted a slew of attention-grabbing and expensive ad campaigns, including T-Mobile's "Grease" tribute featuring John Travolta, Donald Faison, and Zach Braff and Tubi's "Interface Interruption" ad that made it seem like viewers' TVs were flipping through channels unrelated to the game.
The Super Bowl LVII, which took place at the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, started at 3:30 p.m. Pacific Time/6:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
The 'Diamonds' Singer Confirms Pregnancy With Unzipped Designer Red Jumpsuit
Rihanna had the crowd at the stadium singing along and dancing passionately as she belted out the tunes of some of her biggest hit songs at the Apple Music Halftime Show.
PEOPLE observed that her robust 13-minute set included singles such as "Bitch Better Have My Money," "Where Have You Been?" "Rude Boy,""Only Girl in the World," "We Found Love," "Work," "Wild Thoughts," "All of the Lights," "Run This Town," "Pour It Up," and "Umbrella."
The mother-of-one rounded up with "Diamonds," bringing the crowd to their feet for the rendition. For the show, Rihanna made a statement in a catchy custom-made red Loewe jumpsuit which was unzipped to her midriff to highlight the matching shiny breastplate and bodysuit beneath.
She finished the look with drop diamond earrings, a high ponytail, and her feet clad in red MM6 Maison Margiela x Salomon Cross Low sneakers. When it was time for her final rendition, the "Love on the Brain" hitmaker added a dramatic custom-made Alaïa coat with integrated gloves.
Rihanna balanced herself on a high-hanging platform above the field for the performance itself, occasionally joining her numerous dancers on the stage beneath. While she wowed with her performance, the most significant part of the event was her bump.
The Barbados beauty seemingly confirmed to fans that she is expecting a second baby with her beau, ASAP Rocky, nine months after welcoming their son.
The rapper was not far from his girlfriend as he supported her from the stands, even bringing out his phone to make videos of Rihanna as she performed. The pair have been together since 2020, after being in each other's close circle for almost ten years.
