Super Bowl 2023: Rihanna reveals second pregnancy during blockbuster solo halftime show

The Barbadian singer treated fans to a medley of hits such as Umbrella, Diamonds and We Found Love in her 13-minute performance
Lizzie Edmonds @lizzieedmo13 February 2023
The Weekender

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Rihanna revealed she is pregnant with her second child during her blockbuster 2023 Super Bowl halftime show.

The Barbadian singer, 34, kicked off the highly-anticipated live performance, her first in seven years, suspended high above the stadium on a floating stage.

Dressed in red, the star made a knowing look to the camera and then opened her jacket and stroked her pronounced stomach.

The news was later confirmed by her representative.

Rihanna & Stars at Super Bowl LVII - In pictures

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Rihanna welcomed her first child, a boy, with partner Asap Rocky in May. The couple confirmed the star was pregnant in January 2021 - only a few months after confirming they were an item.

Fans were treated to a selection of hits from her catalogue during her show, which was produced with Apple Music for the first time, including Bitch Better Have My Money, We Found Love and Umbrella, as well as two tracks she recorded with rapper Kanye West. West, who has recently come under fire over a series of antisemitic remarks, featured on Run This Town and All of The Lights.

Other hit songs included on Sunday were Only Girl in the World, Rude Boy, Work, Wild Thoughts.

Rihanna previously said that the “biggest challenge” for the 13-minute show had been curating the setlist – creating around 40 versions.

Throughout the performance Rihanna danced and sang amid an army of dancers dressed in white hoodies and sweat pants. At one point, she stopped to touch up her make-up. There were periodic strobe light and fireworks throughout.

The star chose not to bring on any special guests on to stage to join her at the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. In an interview with Total Access NFL before the show, she hinted that she might by saying she was “thinking about bringing someone”.

Rihanna at the Super Bowl halftime show (Ross D Franklin/AP)
AP

Famous faces spotted among the crowds in the 63,000-seat stadium included Jay-Z, Floyd Mayweather, Adele, and Sir Paul McCartney – who headlined the Super Bowl halftime show himself in 2005.

On Sunday night, the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35 to claim their second Super Bowl in four years.

As well as the sport and the halftime show, another major part of Super Bowl Sunday is the advertisements, which can reportedly cost up to 10 million dollars (£8.3 million) for a 30-second slot.

In one of the most amusing ads, Hollywood power couple Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck appeared in the commercial for Dunkin’ Donuts.

Affleck is seen working at the drive-thru, serving unsuspecting customers, before his wife makes a surprise appearance.

“What are you doing? Is that what you do when you say you’re going to work all day?” she asks him.

Dunkin’ Donuts

Meanwhile, Sir Elton John was seen feuding with Jack Harlow in an advert for Doritos, also featuring Missy Elliot as the US rapper attempts to become an award-winning triangle player.

After "quitting" his rap gig, Harlow appears to excel at playing the instrument, building up a new career and business empire - including a new fragrance "Triangle by Harlow".

But he is later upstaged for triangle player of the year by Sir Elton who takes to the stage in a vibrant pink and orange outfit, covered in triangles.

Two separate T-Mobile commercials saw appearances from Bradley Cooper and John Travolta.

Cooper and his mother appear in a heart-warming scene, in which he attempts to coach on her acting for the commercial.

"I’ve been nominated for nine of these (Oscars)," he tells her, to which she responds "but you haven’t won any of them".

Travolta later joined Scrubs stars Zach Braff and Donald Faison, parodying Summer Nights from Grease for an advert for T-Mobile.

In an advert for GMC cars Will Ferrell parodies a number of popular TV shows, including The Walking Dead and Netflix’s Stranger Things.

Award-winning White Lotus star Jennifer Coolidge appeared to promote Elf make-up, in a comical skit in which she became stuck to walls and objects around her apartment.

Ben Stiller and Steve Martin both also appeared in adverts for Pepsi, with Stiller reprising his character of dim-witted male model Derrick Zoolander.

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