Rihanna is ready to own 2023.
The superstar Barbadian singer and songwriter will make her long-awaited live comeback next month when she graces the biggest stage of them all, the Super Bowl Halftime Show.
The NFL and Apple Music, the league’s partner for the entertainment slot, ratchet-up the hype with a new 30-second spot.
In the clip, posted to Rihanna’s social accounts, the returning star twirls and snakes to a montage of broadcasters commenting on RiRi and her lengthy absence from the spotlight.
As the voices overlap and form a cacophony, a dramatic pause. Rihanna gets her close-up with her hair in a dramatic twist, she stares down the barrel and gives us the universal sign for “shush”.
The promo closes out with a snippet of “Needed Me,” lifted from her eighth studio album, Anti — a possible nod to her setlist for the newly rebranded Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show,
As previously reported, RiRi will perform Feb. 12 during the long break for Super Bowl LVII, which is being produced by DPS with Roc Nation.
State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona will host the big game.
Just last week, Rhianna used the platform of football’s showpiece event to show off a new limited-edition collection of football-inspired Fenty gear under the “Game Day” banner. The sporty drop features 17 styles, from hoodies to boxers, sweatpants, two-tone varsity jerseys, beanies, bandanas and tube tops, with sizes ranging from XXS to 4X.
There’s a good chance Rhianna will back up the Super Bowl with a performance at the 2023 Academy Awards on March 12, assuming “Lift Me Up” from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is nominated for best original song.
“Lift Me Up,” which reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, was co-written with Ludwig Göransson, Ryan Coogler and Tems, and is one of 15 songs shortlisted in that category last month.
Across her career, Rihanna has bagged 14 No. 1s on the Hot 100, and two leaders on the Billboard 200 chart, including Anti.
Watch the latest Super Bowl teaser below.