The Weeknd announced he will headline the Super Bowl LV halftime show on Feb. 7, 2021.
“Performing on the iconic stage. see you 02/07/21,” he wrote on Instagram.
The Super Bowl is set to take place at the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay, Florida. This is the second year Pepsi, the NFL, and Roc Nation have collaborated on the halftime performance.
“We all grow up watching the world’s biggest acts playing the Super Bowl and one can only dream of being in that position. I’m humbled, honored and ecstatic to be the center of that infamous stage this year,” the Weeknd said in a press release.
Jay Z also commented on the forthcoming performance, saying in a statement, “The Weeknd has introduced a sound all his own. His soulful uniqueness has defined a new generation of greatness in music and artistry.” Hov continued, “This is an extraordinary moment in time and the Pepsi Super Bowl LV Halftime Show is going to be an extraordinary experience with an extraordinary performer.”
Abel Tesfaye teased the news on Wednesday night with two mysterious Instagram posts:
The performance will cap off another extraordinary year for the Weeknd who was named one of the most influential people of 2020 by Time magazine and whose album After Hours was one of the biggest releases of 2020.
“After a year that’s largely been void of live music, we can’t wait to watch The Weeknd transform the world’s biggest stage with his limitless talent and creativity, delivering what will most certainly be an unforgettable performance that will be remembered for years to come,” said Pepsi VP of marketing Todd Kaplan. Adam Harter, the company's senior VP of sports, media, and entertainment, added, "We expect The Weeknd will continue to raise the bar, setting a new precedent both musically and visually for the most-watched performance of the year.”
Last year, Pepsi, the NFL, and Roc Nation worked together to bring Jennifer Lopez and Shakira to the halftime stage, where pulled in over 104 million viewers. The NFL recently announced plans to downsize the upcoming Super Bowl due to the pandemic, with intentions to probably only fill 20 percent of the stadium seats.
