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Past Super Bowl music performers wish Rihanna well ahead of halftime show: ‘You got this’

Rihanna will make her return to live music at the Super Bowl halftime show on Sunday (12 February)

Maanya Sachdeva
Sunday 12 February 2023 20:22 EST
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The Super Bowl LVII is rapidly approaching the halftime mark, when Rihanna will make her return to live music after a five-year hiatus.

The Philadelphia Eagles face off against the Kansas City Chiefs in what is shaping up to be a thrilling finale to the National Football League (NFL) season this year.

Ahead of Rihanna’s performance, which she teased in a slick trailer last month, past halftime show performers took to social media to wish the “Diamonds” singer.

Follow live updates from the halftime show here.

Rihanna previously revealed she had turned down the opportunity to perform at the Super Bowl 2019, in solidarity with Colin Kaepernick.

The former 49ers quarterback alleged he was blacklisted from the NFL after taking the knee during NFL games in 2016.

However, the Fenty founder and nine-time Grammy winner was confirmed as this year’s halftime headliner in a statement from the NFL last September.

When asked how she was feeling about stepping into centre stage at the biggest football event in America, Rihanna said she was “nervous but excited”.

Ahead of Rihanna’s 13-minute show on Sunday (12 February), past performers took the opportunity to wish her good luck.

Katy Perry, who took the stage at the halftime show in 2015 with Missy Elliott and Lenny Kravitz, tweeted: “Sending you all the love. You got this Rihanna.”

Shakira, who performed at the Super Bowl halftime show with Jennifer Lopez in 2020, sent Rihanna “the best vibes for tonight’s show”.

Others who have performed at the halftime show include Eminem, Mary J Blige, Dr Dre, and Snoop Dogg in last year’s all-stars hip-hop spectacle, The Weeknd in 2021, and Justin Timberlake along with The Tennessee Kids in 2018.

Scandal star Kerry Washington tweeted a picture of herself wearing a t-shirt from Rihanna’s 17-piece Savage x Fenty Super Bowl collection.

The t-shirt reads: “Rihanna concert interrupted by a football game, weird but whatever”

Several celebrities, including Adele, Cher and LeBron James, are in attendance at the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.

The “Easy on Me” hitmaker previously she was “going just for Rihanna... I don’t give a flying f***”.

Follow live updates here.

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