Is Rihanna pregnant?
Rihanna delighted the crowd with song after hit during her energetic and very entertaining halftime show at the Super Bowl on Sunday. Nevertheless, it was the unexpected special visitor that showed up during her performance that really had people talking on social media.
The Barbadian singer was asked if there would be any surprises during her concert at Arizona’s State Farm Stadium during an interview last week. In response to a query about it, Rihanna said, “I’m thinking about inviting a particular someone. We’ll have to wait and see since I’m still not sure.”
As a result of this response, people began to speculate that the guest may be one of the several musicians she has worked with during the course of her illustrious career. The halftime show is known for its surprising collaborations, so it felt appropriate that Jay-Z, Drake, or Eminem may appear.
Rihanna’s surprise, though, had nothing to do with any of these musicians. The singer was really teasing her second pregnancy, it was only subsequently discovered.
While Rihanna did not play any brand-new songs during her appearance at the Super Bowl on Sunday, the news of her pregnancy nonetheless generated headlines and almost crashed the internet.
Rihanna took the stage in a custom red jumpsuit by Loewe and was elevated on one of the floating platforms above the crowd. The performance was accompanied by a group of energetic dancers dressed in white, who gathered below her.
The singer began her performance with “Better Have My Money,” a perfect selection given that she is not being compensated for her attendance at the Super Bowl. The audience exploded in applause.
The 34-year-old performer astonished the crowd from a raised stage, while her dancers below did their performances quickly to show off their flawless choreography.
Starting with her most lively and danceable songs, including “Only Girl (In The World)” and the fascinating “Where Have You Been,” Rihanna blasted through a sequence of her most well-known singles.
Halftime show
Even after Rihanna fell to the ground, the halftime spectacle remained visually exciting. She performed the uplifting “We Found Love” as a blast of pyrotechnics lit up the stadium, capping up the performance.
Rihanna stuck to her tried-and-true songs despite rumours that she could debut new music during her performance. Given her vast and strong pop music career, this turned out to be a smart decision.
The singer was only able to perform the opening verse or chorus of several of the songs, but she still managed to cram a lot of her classics into a brief 14-minute performance. She achieved a balance between lesser-known but nonetheless potent songs like “Pour It Up” and her most well-known songs like “Rude Boy.”
Unfortunately, the set list included some of her most famous collaborations, but without any of the artists who originally performed with her on those tracks appearing on stage.
There were no appearances by Jay-Z, Ye (previously known as Kanye West), or DJ Khaled, who are usually featured on the tracks “Run This Town,” “All of the Lights,” and “Wild Thoughts,” which Rihanna performed.
Yet, the performance was not diminished by the absence of these artists. At that time, the special visitor in question had changed and was now the centre of attention.
Which songs did Rihanna perform?
- Better Have My Money
- Where Have You Been
- Only Girl
- Rude Boy
- We Found Love
- Wild Thoughts
- Work
- Birthday Cake (instrumental) / Pour It Up
- Run This Town
- All of the Lights
- Umbrella
- Diamonds
First, there was a lot of misunderstanding on social media as people hastily posted their theories on Rihanna’s apparent pregnancy bump. Other people pointed out that the singer is well known for advocating body acceptance, so it’s conceivable that she was just enjoying her curvier shape after giving birth to her first kid.
While Beyoncé made a big move at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards when she dropped her microphone, unzipped her jacket, and caressed her tummy, Rihanna did not make a dramatic gesture despite the fact that the baby bulge was visible the whole performance.
Nevertheless, as Rihanna’s performance went on Sunday, more and more people began to believe that she was truly expecting her second child—nine months after she and her boyfriend A$AP Rocky had their first son—and that she was indeed pregnant.
After Rihanna’s performance ended, fans were discussing which trimester she might be in and within an hour, her representatives officially confirmed her pregnancy news.
The reaction on social media was mostly positive, despite some fans being upset that this would result in another delay in the release of Rihanna’s eagerly awaited ninth studio album.
There were no wardrobe changes made during her performance, which is understandable, and her band seemed considerably smaller in comparison to the quantity of dancers.
Rihanna’s performance did not make any significant political remarks, in contrast to Eminem’s performance at the half-time show the year before, where he took a knee on stage. Those who are aware of the reasons why she has previously rejected to perform at the Super Bowl might find this surprising.
In a 2019 interview with Vogue, Rihanna said that she turned down an earlier request to play at the Super Bowl in support of quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who knelt during the national anthem to show his opposition to racism and police brutality. She said at the time, “I was unable to be a sellout. I could not act as a facilitator.”
Yet with the rise in “taking the knee” in recent years, particularly after the 2020 Black Lives Matter demonstrations, Rihanna’s choice to perform at this year’s Super Bowl half-time show would imply that she approves of the NFL’s efforts to address these concerns.
Rihanna’s performance
The much anticipated Super Bowl performance by Rihanna delivered a dynamic set list that had been honed over the course of 39 draughts, proving that the wait was worthwhile.
The singer made a break during her performance to touch up her makeup, advertising her cosmetics line while keeping the crowd enthralled with her enthusiasm and assurance. This unassuming deed soon rose to the top of the list of the evening’s most popular online moments.
Fans made jokes on social media about the disparity between pop music and sports supporters as the performance progressed. Even Rihanna herself got in on the fun by designing T-shirts for her clothing line that read: “Football game interrupts a Rihanna concert. Strange, but ok.” The shirts were worn by a number of spectators, including model Cara Delevingne, throughout the performance.
Despite not having the loudest voice in music, Rihanna’s distinctive tone is instantly recognised and has come to represent her. Her unusual voice doesn’t need strenuous singing and exudes a calm disposition.
Throughout the late 2000s and early 2010s, Rihanna released a staggering number of hits, with chart-topping songs appearing frequently. She put out seven albums in seven years, solidifying her place as one of the most successful musicians of her generation.
Unfortunately, despite her wide repertoire, several of her songs weren’t included in her Super Bowl performance. She has generated a staggering amount of songs, making her one of the most recognisable musicians of all time, yet despite this, even her admirers admit that this is what makes her unique.
The more sexually explicit songs, such “S&M” and “Birthday Cake,” were left off of Rihanna’s Super Bowl performance, but their catchy beats were nonetheless incorporated into her set. For instance, the popular song “We Found Love” had the hook from “S&M” overlaid on it. In addition, shortly before “Pour It Up,” a portion of “Birthday Cake” was teased.
She also left off the most current single, “Lift Me Up,” from the “Wakanda Forever” soundtrack because it might not have been appropriate for the Super Bowl’s family audience. Instead, Rihanna wrapped up her concert with some of her most well-known songs, including the stirring anthem “Diamonds” and “Umbrella”.
Even if the pregnancy announcement was not the main event, Rihanna’s performance nevertheless made an impact on fans and provided an amazing halftime show.
