By Jonathan Landrum Jr., Entertainment Writer
PHOENIX (AP) --Rihanna is putting in the work ahead of her Super Bowl halftime show, focusing so hard on what she promises will be "a jam-packed show" that her upcoming birthday and Valentine's Day almost slipped her mind.
"The setlist was the biggest challenge. That was the hardest, hardest part. Deciding how to maximize 13 minutes but also celebrate — that's what this show is going to be. It's going to be a celebration of my catalog in the best way that we could have put it together," Rihanna said.
At a media preview Thursday ahead of Sunday's matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs, the music superstar and new mom said her appearance — her first live event in seven years — feels "like it could have only been now."
The singer said she was initially unsure about taking on the challenge of performing during a time when she was three months postpartum and wondered "should I be making major decisions like this right now? I might regret this."
"But when you become a mom, there's something that just happens where you feel like you can take on the world, you can do anything," Rihanna said. "The Super Bowl is one of the biggest stages of the world. As scary as that was, because I hadn't been on stage in seven years, there's something exhilarating about the challenge of it all."
A nine-time Grammy Award-winner, Rihanna has 14 No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hits, including "We Found Love," "Work," "Umbrella" and "Disturbia." She and rapper A$AP Rocky recently welcomed her first child.
"At the end of the day, if it flops or it flies, my name has to stand by that. And so I really get involved with every aspect of anything I do," she said.
Halftime performance sponsor Apple Music held a moderated event Thursday, but moderator Nadeska Alexis was the only journalist allowed to ask Rihanna questions.
Rihanna joins a list of celebrated entertainers who have played during Super Bowl halftime shows, including Beyoncé, Madonna, Coldplay, Katy Perry, U2, Lady Gaga, Michael Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, Shakira and The Weeknd. Last year, hip-hop was celebrated with Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige and Kendrick Lamar all performing.
The singer had previously declined to perform in the 2019 halftime show out of solidarity with Colin Kaepernick. But she has said that the timing and circumstances this time around were right for her.
Country music star Chris Stapleton will sing the national anthem, while R&B legend Babyface will perform "America the Beautiful." Actor-singer Sheryl Lee Ralph will also perform "Lift Every Voice and Sing." When asked who they were cheering for on Sunday, Ralph said she was rooting for the Eagles while Stapleton and Babyface said they were backing Rihanna.
Ralph applauded the NFL for making an effort toward being inclusive and "represent all people" through the three songs.
"On a day, Super Bowl Sunday, 200 million people coming together to sit and experience it here, what a time and what a way to bring us all together," she said. "I'm very pleased and very happy to be able to be on the 40-yard line."
Babyface said he first started singing "America the Beautiful" as a sophomore for a play in high school.
"It's hard to believe that so many years ago, which is a lot of years ago, that I'm here to sing 'America the Beautiful,'" he said. "Back then, my mom was in the audience and she couldn't believe I was up there on the stage singing. Like the shy kid who actually got up there singing. To think of her looking at this now and see me at this moment singing 'America the Beautiful,' it's full circle."
Oscar winner Troy Kotsur will perform the national anthem in American sign language. Colin Denny will sign "America the Beautiful" and "Lift Every Voice and Sing" will be signed by Justina Miles.
Through an interpreter, Kotsur said performing makes him feel prouder to be an American. Miles said "Lift Every Voice and Sing" represents resilience.
"The national anthem never really resonated with me personally, but the Black national anthem is really inspiring and empowering," Miles said. "This song is so positive and so beautiful. You don't really hear or see it very often. There's many folks who don't even know the Black national anthem even exist. It's not only for me to share this experience with the whole world, but to really bring that empowerment to millions of Black, deaf people all over the country who've never seen that before."
Apple Music this year replaced Pepsi, which sponsored the show for the past 10 years. Terms were not announced, but analysts had expected the league to get at least $50 million per year for the rights.
“Heretic” and “Maria” Set As Red Carpet Premieres At AFI Fest
The American Film Institute (AFI) has announced that Heretic, the psychological thriller starring Hugh Grant, and Maria, based on the life of opera singer Maria Callas starring Angelina Jolie, will round out the Red Carpet Premieres section at this year’s AFI Fest. The Heretic Gala Screening will take place on Thursday, October 24, and the Maria Gala Screening will be held on Saturday, October 26. The complete Red Carpet Premieres section includes the world premieres of Music By John Williams, Robert Zemeckis’ Here, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl and Clint Eastwood’s Juror #2. All Red Carpet Premieres will take place at the historic TCL Chinese Theatre. The full lineup for AFI Fest 2024 will be unveiled on October 1.
“At the heart of AFI Fest is an unwavering dedication to celebrating the best in global cinema--together,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI president and CEO. “We look forward to uniting artists and audiences once again to be inspired by the art form in a powerful sense of community.”
Heretic follows two young missionaries (Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East) who are forced to prove their faith when they knock on the wrong door and are greeted by a diabolical Mr. Reed (portrayed by Grant), becoming ensnared in his deadly game of cat-and-mouse. The film is directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods and produced by Stacey Sher, Beck, Woods, Julia Glausi and Jeanette Volturno. The film will be released nationwide by A24 on November 8.
Directed by Pablo Larraín, Maria presents a tumultuous and beautiful depiction of one of the world’s most renowned artists and reimagines the legendary soprano in her final days in Paris, as Callas (Jolie)... Read More