UPDATED 9/27, 12:05 p.m. ET:According to TMZ, Rihanna is hard at work getting ready to perform at the Super Bowl halftime show in February.
The singer is reportedly looking though a list of around 50 people to see who will join her on stage during the highly-anticipated performance. According sources that spoke with the publication, the list includes names like Kanye West, Jay-Z, Drake, Calvin Harris, Paul McCartney, Pharrell, and others that she’s previously worked with on music.
Rihanna not being joined by anyone else on stage is also still a possibility as nothing has been finalized yet, TMZ added.
See original story below.
Rihanna will headline the Super Bowl LVII halftime show on Feb. 12 in Glendale, Arizona, per the Hollywood Reporter.
Shortly after the report came out, Rihanna took to Instagram to confirm the news, posting a picture of herself holding up an NFL football.
Roc Nation later released a statement regarding the news.
“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,” Jay-Z said.
Seth Dudowsky, NFL Head of Music, said: “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.”
The news arrives a few days after Taylor Swift was approached to headline the Super Bowl but turned it down, according to TMZ. Sources close to the artist say that the singer doesn’t want to perform until she re-records her first 6 albums.
Sources close to Swift told both People and TMZ that she won’t headline the show, despite speculation among her fans and a report from Variety that delved into the possibility. Rumors first started to circulate earlier last week, with many highlighting the upcoming release of her new album Midnights and the NFL’s Apple Music partnership as potential evidence.
