To love Rihanna, the musical famous person, billionaire magnificence mogul, trend designer, part-time actress, present mom of 1 and future mom of two, is to be left ready and wanting. The subsequent single, the following make-up drop, the following outfit: Rihanna is likely one of the few people on this overexposed, over-curated world that folks merely can not get sufficient of.
At Super Bowl LVII, 5 years since her final reside efficiency (the 2018 Grammys) and 7 years since her final album (2016’s Anti), she confirmed us how simply — possibly too simply — she instructions stardom, by the use of how nice her earlier hits have been.
Levitating on a platform excessive above the sphere at some weak-in-the-knees ft within the air, Rihanna — draped in purple with an identical crimson lip, little question some shade of Fenty Beauty — descended upon Arizona’s State Farm Stadium with a command: “Bitch better have my money.” Rihanna is the one billionaire in existence who may ask for more cash and never have it’s cheesy. Rihanna doesn’t want more cash, however no matter Rihanna needs, she will get, with tens of millions of followers cheering her on.
For what it’s price, the NFL famously doesn’t pay its halftime performers, but it surely does cowl manufacturing prices, of which there at all times appears to be no expense spared. This 12 months, a number of platforms had been suspended and lowered, lifted, and lowered many times in synchronization together with her run of songs; the set regarded like a large audio equalizer. The course and digicam work had been on level, with huge pictures capturing the dimensions and grandeur of the floating levels. Though easy, the visible impact was nonetheless bigger than life, matching the gravitational pull of Rihanna’s greatest hits.
After her financial risk, Rihanna eased right into a medley of a few of her most memorable dance singles. “Where Have You Been” bopped into “Only Girl” which seamlessly slinked into “We Found Love.” Although these comprised the membership soundtrack of the final twenty years, Rihanna principally grooved alongside reservedly, leaving the huffing and puffing to her dancers and many of the aesthetic work to the large set items.
To be truthful, Rihanna’s reps confirmed she is pregnant together with her second baby after a speculative social media frenzy (that stomach rub did imply one thing!). It’s additionally price noting that Rihanna’s calling card has by no means been full-throttle dancing. She is a hitmaker; it’s in regards to the sound. Her voice is an engine that may take any track in any style to the highest of the charts. She sings, we dance. That’s the way it goes.
If there was some extent within the evening the place the star gave the impression to be having fun with herself most, it was throughout the phase the place the tempo slowed, and she or he sashayed into “Rude Boy,” “Work,” and “Pour It Up.” With the cameras up shut, she cracked a wry smile right here and flashed a squint there. A grasp of face-ography. As she transitioned to her remaining set of songs, one of many dancers handed her what gave the impression to be a Fenty compact (web sleuths deduced it was her model’s $34 blotting powder) and the make-up entrepreneur dusted her nostril and undereyes.
It was time for Rihanna’s closeup.
Freshly powdered, Rihanna eased her technique to heart stage through “All of the Lights” and “Run This Town,” solo, deigning to convey on collaborators Jay-Z and Kanye West for what would have been quintessential Super Bowl cameos. And then similar to she entered the stadium, she planted herself on a type of death-defying platforms and ascended excessive above the sphere, powering by means of “Umbrella” and “Diamonds,” two of the largest singles of her profession. In each songs, you’ll be able to hear that particular sheen in her voice, a glowing metallic sound — just like the style and leap of completely chilled champagne. It’s that particular high quality in Rihanna’s voice that’s created so many memorable songs, and criss-crossed so many genres.
The dancers cleared. The stage dimmed apart from one single highlight. High above the sphere Rihanna shined vibrant, on a pedestal. She makes stardom look really easy, and left us, as at all times, wanting a bit bit extra.
