2023 Super Bowl Halftime Show: Rihanna Comes in as Headliner, Taylor Swift Declines Invite

The performer for the Super Bowl LVII halftime show has been revealed, and she is none other than Rihanna. The Barbadian singer shared a photo of her hand holding an NFL-branded football on her Instagram on Sunday.

According to Variety, the announcement from the iconic singer came amid reports that she was in talks to be the headliner for the next Super Bowl halftime show. Roc Nation also officially confirmed that she will indeed be headlining the Super Bowl LVII halftime show in February 2023.

The next Super Bowl is slated to happen on February 12, 2023. It will be played at the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, and it is expected to draw one of the largest single TV audiences of the year.

In the official announcement, Jay-Z praised Rihanna as a "generational talent, a woman of humble beginnings who has surpassed expectations at every turn." He added that while she was born on a small island such as Barbados, she has become one of the biggest artists ever.

He also said she was "self-made in business and entertainment." Jay-Z's Roc Nation will be helping in organizing the halftime show.

The BBC reported that Rihanna previously turned down an offer to headline the show in 2019. At that time, she declined the offer because she was showing solidarity with NFL star Colin Kaepernick.

Before Rihanna Was Picked, Taylor Swift Turned Down Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show Headliner

Rihanna might not have been the first choice to perform, as there are reports that Taylor Swift had declined offers to perform during the Super Bowl LVII halftime show.

Sources with direct knowledge of the Super Bowl halftime show's production told TMZ that Swift was approached by organizers months ago if she would headline it. However, she made it clear that she did not want to perform until she finished re-recording all of her first six albums.

Swift is currently in the process of re-recording all six of her albums after veteran manager and entrepreneur Scooter Braun bought her former label, Big Machine, in 2019.

Braun has reportedly sold the master rights to Swift's first six albums. However, the country music star found an ingenious way to regain ownership of her own music that she claimed was sold without her permission, and that's by re-recording all her six albums.

So far, Taylor Swift has already re-recorded and released "Red" and "Fearless." Only four albums remain, and they are "Taylor Swift," "Speak Now," "1989," and "Reputation."

A Long History of Super Bowl Spectacles

The Super Bowl is not just one of the biggest sporting events in the world that draws in one of the largest single TV viewership in North America but is also one of the biggest entertainment spectacles in the world. Thanks to the Super Bowl halftime show.

The halftime show has already featured legendary performances from Maroon 5, Michael Jackson, and Beyonce in the past. However, it was also the source of some controversial performances, including Janet Jackson's infamous wardrobe malfunction incident.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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