Rihanna Super Bowl: is singer performing at NFL event, what did she post on Instagram - when is it?

It has officially been announced that Rihanna will be taking centre stage during the 2023 Super Bowl halftime show.

Earlier this year, the previous Super Bowl halftime show, which featured musicians like Dr Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J Blige and Kendrick Lamar, made history, bagging five Creative Arts Emmy nominations, and taking home three - including Outstanding Variety Special (Live).

This is everything you need to know.

When was Rihanna announced for the Super Bowl?

On Sunday 25 September, it was confirmed that Rihanna will be performing at the next Super Bowl.

The multi award-winning singer, 34, shared a photo of her hand holding an American football on Instagram and Twitter on Sunday evening.

Soon afterwards, the picture was reposted by her record label, Roc Nation, the NFL and Apple Music – a new partner for the show – which confirmed the news in a tweet.

Apple Music said: “It’s ON. Rihanna will take the stage for the first ever Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show on 2.12.23.”

Jay-Z, founder of Roc Nation, said: “Rihanna is a generational talent, a woman of humble beginnings who has surpassed expectations at every turn. A person born on the small island of Barbados who became one of the most prominent artists ever. Self-made in business and entertainment.”

Seth Dudowsky, NFL head of music, added: “We are thrilled to welcome Rihanna to the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show stage.

“Rihanna is a once in a generation artist who has been a cultural force throughout her career. We look forward to collaborating with Rihanna, Roc Nation and Apple Music to bring fans another historic Halftime Show performance.”

When is she performing?

Rihanna will take centre stage at State Farm Stadium for the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show at Super Bowl LVII, which will take place on Sunday 12 February 2023 in Glendale, Arizona.

The Super Bowl is held annually and has been running since 1967.

Why did Rihanna decline the halftime show in 2019?

In October 2019, Rihanna revealed that she had declined the invitation to perform at the 2020 Super Bowl halftime show in solidarity with American football player Colin Kaepernick.

Kaepernick had been at the centre of controversy after he stopped standing for the American national anthem, in protest against the oppression of Black people, and other minorities, in the United States, especially in the aftermath of the police shootings of Alton Sterling, Philando Castile and Charles Kinsey.

He told NFL Media: “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of colour.

“To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.”

Speaking to Vogue in 2019, Rihanna was asked if it was true that she had turned down the Super Bowl show

She said: “Absolutely. 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. There’s things within that organisation that I do not agree with at all, and I was not about to go and be of service to them in any way.”