Rihanna Says Headlining Super Bowl Halftime Show Sent "a Really Strong Message"

Rihanna's highly anticipated Super Bowl halftime performance on Feb. 12, 2023, left an impact, especially considering the superstar used the performance to announce her second pregnancy to the world. In her Feb. 15 interview with British Vogue, Rihanna unpacked exactly why she accepted the big gig after years of turning down the NFL's halftime show offer.

"There's still a lot of mending to be done in my eyes," Rihanna said about the NFL's treatment of Colin Kaepernick after his peaceful on-field protest against police brutality during the 2016 season. "But it's powerful to break those doors, and have representation at such a high, high level and a consistent level. Two Super Bowls back-to-back representing the urban community, globally. It is powerful. It sends a really strong message."

Rihanna's decision to perform at the Super Bowl despite the NFL's handling of Kaepernick's protest was not an easy one, but the superstar has always been vocal about her support for the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback. In 2018, Rihanna declined an offer to perform at the Super Bowl in solidarity with Kaepernick, telling US Weekly, "I couldn't dare do that. For what? Who gains from that? Not my people. I just couldn't be a sellout. I couldn't be an enabler."

However, in the years since, Rihanna's stance has evolved, and she now sees the Super Bowl halftime show as an opportunity to create meaningful change. "I think that's what's so powerful about representation at the highest level, especially in the entertainment industry," she said in her British Vogue interview. "When we're in the room, the conversations change. It's just a different kind of energy, a different kind of focus."

Rihanna's decision to perform at the Super Bowl was also influenced by her new role as a mother. In May 2022, she and her boyfriend A$AP Rocky welcomed their first child, a son named Levi. "Raising a young Black man is one of the scariest responsibilities in life," she told British Vogue. "You're like, 'What am I leaving my kids to? This is the planet they're gonna be living on?' All of those things really start to hit differently."

Despite the challenges of performing at the Super Bowl while pregnant, Rihanna felt empowered by motherhood and her ability to take on any challenge. "It's this knowing that you can do anything, even things that seem the craziest," she said. "It was almost like an out-of-body experience. I have not been on stage in seven years. Seven years! From zero to Super Bowl? That's mental."

One of Rihanna's biggest concerns ahead of the Super Bowl was her setlist, which she had to narrow down to fit within the 13-minute time slot. "The set list was the biggest challenge," she admitted during a press conference with Apple Music. "That was the hardest, hardest part — deciding how to maximize 13 minutes but also celebrate." Ultimately, Rihanna and her team were able to create a setlist that showcased her catalog in the best way possible.

In addition to her Super Bowl performance, fans are eagerly awaiting new music from Rihanna. Her last album, "Anti," was released in 2016, and while she has released a few singles since then, she has yet to announce a new album. "I'm feeling open to exploring, discovering, creating things that are new, things that are different, things that are off, weird, might not ever make sense to my fans and the people that know the music I put out," she said. "I just want to play. I want to have fun with music."

Rihanna's Savage X Fenty brand has also been keeping her busy