Hip hop star Rihanna put on an impressive performance at this year’s Super Bowl halftime show. Her 13 minute performance attracted 118.7 million viewers to tune into the game in Glendale, Az. 

She opened her show with the 2015 hit “B**** Better Have My Money” on LED-lit floating platforms anywhere from fifteen to sixty feet above the field.

Rihanna first hit stardom after her debut single “Pon de Replay” and focused more on, “cramming seventeen years of work into a thirteen minute performance.”

“The setlist was the biggest challenge. That was the hardest, hardest part,” she said. “Deciding how to maximize 13 minutes, but also celebrate… it’s gonna be a celebration of my catalog in the best way that we could’ve put it together.”

She ended up incorporating “B**** Better Have My Money, “Where Have You Been” (2011), “Only Girl” (2010), “Diamonds”(2010), “We Found Love”(2011), “Rude Boy”(2009), “Work”(2016), “Wild Thoughts”(2017), “Pour it Up” (2012), “All the Lights” (2010), “Run This Town” (2009) and “Umbrella” (2007). 

“I was a bit disappointed by the songs; I expected some more iconic songs, but I like how she ended with ‘Diamonds’,” said senior Danny Pham. 

Rihanna took the opportunity at the show to promote her music as well as her makeup line, “Fenty Beauty”. The singer touched up her makeup with the Fenty Beauty Invisimatte Instant Setting and Blotting Powder and this boosted visibility for her brand. According to Launchmetrics, Fenty Beauty earned $5.6 million in media impact value (MIV) within the first twelve hours of her performance. 

Her full look premiered an all red outfit, a custom boiler suit with a red bodysuit and breastplate by the British designer Jonathan Anderson.  Her designer also included three vintage diamond brooches from Joseph Saidian & Sons. The look was inspired by Loewe’s spring 2022 collection which featured a red turtleneck dress with a transparent red bodyplate. Her dancers were dressed in all white and they were also able to keep their outfits after the show. 

“Rihanna is a true icon, and working with her to bring these stage looks to life feels like a wild, wonderful dream,” Anderson said. 

Not only did she impress her audience with her outfit, she rocked the show pregnant. Rihanna confirmed her pregnancy shortly after as many fans noticed while she performed. She had her first child in May 2022 with rapper A$AP Rocky.