I don’t know if you’ve heard but Rihanna is doing the Super Bowl Halftime Show. Seems like kind of a big deal, but I’m not sure. Anyway, today, Apple Music held a pre-game interview with the long-absent star, where journalist Nadeska Alexis asked her all about the upcoming performance, doing her best to get Rihanna to give away some spoilers.
And while there weren’t many — Rihanna did say the show is jam-packed and was also exhausting — Rihanna did reveal some interesting details about the preparations for the show. For instance, she says that she and her time have changed the setlist 39 times, which, considering her extensive catalog and all the hits she has to choose from and cram into a 13-minute set, is understandable.
So, here’s the thing: I was joking earlier when I said “it seems like kind of a big deal.” It really, really is. Here’s why: Rihanna hasn’t performed live since the tour for her 2016 album Anti. So, that’s about six years between performances. Needless to say, people are really excited about her music return after she took several years off to start a beauty company, start a lingerie line (that recently expanded into sportswear), and have a baby with ASAP Rocky.
But more than that, her return could presage a full run of new Rihanna content, including an album and a tour. And although Rihanna herself denies that either is in the works just because she’s performing at the Super Bowl, that isn’t stopping fans from holding out hope that 2023 becomes the year of Rihanna.
You can watch the Rihanna Super Bowl interview from YouTube above.
