The world is ready to see Rihanna make her way back to the stage once again. The “Umbrella” singer is set to give us a rocking show at this Sunday’s Super Bowl. With anticipation high, the singer sat down with Apple Music to discuss the return everyone is waiting for.
The conversation was with music journalist, Nadeska Alexis, at the official Apple Music Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show Press Conference. RiRi opened up about creating more music again after a seven-year hiatus. She said that musically she’s “feeling open.” She continued, “I’m feeling open to exploring, discovering, creating things that are new, things that are different, things that are off, weird. Might not ever make sense to my fans … I want to have fun with music.”
Her last album, “Anti,” was released in 2016 and had chart-topping hits like “Needed Me” and “Love on the Brain.” It has been said that she has been working on the follow-up album since then. There have been rumors about who she had featured on the album, producers who were working on the project, and more. However, after today’s conversation, it seems as though she has scrapped all of that music and has started fresh.
Although we are still unclear of when this new music will be released, she has given us a few projects to hold us over. She appeared on PartyNextDoor’s 2020 song “Believe It.” She also released “Lift Me Up” from the “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” soundtrack.
Rihanna At The Super Bowl
During the conversation, Rihanna revealed that the setlist was going to be a journey through her catalogue. She also revealed that creating it was no easy task. “The set list was the biggest challenge. That was the hardest hardest part. Deciding how to maximize 13 minutes, but also celebrate. That’s what this show’s gonna be, it’s gonna be a celebration of my catalogue in the best way we could have put it together,” she said. “And you only have 13 minutes, that’s the challenge, so you’re trying to cram 17 years of work into 13 minutes.”
This was not her first time being asked to perform at the Super Bowl. In an interview with Vogue in 2019, she shared that she turned down the opportunity due to the controversy surrounding the NFL’s treatment of former San Francisco 49ers quarterback, Colin Kaepernick. She shared in the press conference for Sunday’s show, that this time around was different.
“It feels like it could have only been now. I mean, when I first got the call to do it again this year, I was like, ‘Psst, you sure?’ I’m three months postpartum, like, should I be making major decisions like this now? Like I might regret this,” she recalled. “But when you become a mom, there’s something that just happens where you feel like you could take on the world, you could do anything. And the Super Bowl is one of the biggest stages in the world. So as scary as that was because I haven’t been on stage in seven years, there’s something exhilarating about the challenge of it all. And it’s important for me to do this, this year. It’s important for representation, it’s important for my son to see that.”
More Goodies From The Conference
Following the interview, the singer revealed a newer video. It is a promo for Sunday’s show however, it’s to the tune of “Run This Town,” a song she was featured on with Kanye West and Jay-Z. The video takes place on Rihanna street in Barbados, her home country.
She even mentioned that she is excited to take Barbados on that stage with her during Sunday’s performance. “I mean, it’s a long way from home, right? It’s a long way from home. It’s a beautiful journey that I’m on, and I could’ve never guessed that I would have made it here. So it’s a celebration of that. I’m excited to do that. I’m really excited to have Barbados on the Super Bowl stage.”
You can watch Rihanna make her return to the stage Sunday during the Superb Bowl halftime show.