BREAKING: Apple Music Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show – Rihanna makes a triumphant return to the stage with careful and deliberate choreography, a mix of some of her biggest hits and performance on an elevated, mid-air platform in addition to the ground stage. Well, it isn’t exactly brea king news anymore, more like the biggest thorn in my side this week. And here’s why… Now, when we hear this was a Super Bowl perfor mance where Rihanna would be returning to the stage, anyone who considers them selves to be a fan of the artist or keeps track of Super Bowl performances, would auto matically get excited. The excitement would follow curiosity: what songs would she showcase from the several albums to her name and many collaborations? A fan would also wonder what the result would be like? With Super Bowl, we come to the table expecting something polished. Would Rihanna surpass Beyonce, JLo/Shakira, the hip-hop special edition (feat uring Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, Eminem, 50 Cent, and Mary. J. Blige), Bruce Springsteen, Coldplay ft. Beyonce, Bruno Mars and Mark Ronson, Whitney Houston, U2? Or, would the Barbadian singer, actress, and business woman join the rank of those who have given cringe worthy performances such as Maroon 5, Madonna, Katy Perry and The Weeknd (or however he spells his name). 

After being away from the stage for so long, it was an important performance for Rihanna. And, while she didn’t surpass JLo/Shakira, the hip-hop special edition, Bruce Springsteen, Coldplay ft. Beyonce, Bruno Mars and Mark Ronson, Whitney Houston, U2 or Prince, she did come very close to giving us one of the more memo rable Super Bowl perform ances. (Adam Levine, please take note. Also, The Weeknd, who can or cannot feel his face now?). Why, then, is Riri’s Super Bowl performance the biggest thorn in my side? People tuned in to watch Rihanna (RiRi), but the headlines that followed were not about her triumphant effort. They were mostly about one thing: Rihanna’s pregnancy. Out of all the dialogue that could’ve taken place with that performance, including the music, the production design, what she got right and what she got wrong, the focus was on her pregnancy as if it was the first time a pregnant woman did something. Here’s the thing though. I don’t think pregnant women doing things should even be a topic. Women do it everyday. They take it in their stride, it’s so normal. But not to be, my friends. The performance is being seen more as a revolutionary message for women. But this interpretation doesn’t do justice to what Rihanna achieved as an artist. So, let us first do some justice to the artist and see what she got right. And the answer is three-folds. She may not have surpassed the likes of JLo/ Shakira but she did make an effort to put her best foot forward. Did she get all of them right. Well, almost. Having won nine Grammys, and being a shrewd business woman, Rihanna can and did push herself to do the limit. Performing during the half time of a game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles, Rihanna sang a set of 12 songs during her 13-minute performance. She opened the show from an elevated, sparkling platform with ‘Bit*h Better Have My Money’. The minimal and deliberate choreography, the non chalance with which Rihanna performed were admirable moments. She ended the show by an ascension to the sky above by returning to the platform. Even her synchronized dancers had their own platforms. The only other artist who offers such a mix of nonchalance and confidence when performing onstage is Bey once. Rihanna’s decision to pack 12 songs into the set was both ambitious and elating. 

   Among the songs she sang were hits like ‘Bit*h Better Have My Money’, ‘Where Have You Been’, ‘Only Girl (In The World)’, ‘We Found Love’, ‘Rude Boy’, ‘Work’, ‘Wild Thoughts’, ‘Pour It Up’, ‘All of the Lights’, ‘Run This Town’, ‘Umbrella’ and ‘Diamonds’. Some of it was very, very good because Rihanna does indeed have the vocal chops. She isn’t flat during any song. She brought emotion to each song. And that makes her one of the better performers in Super Bowl’s long, controversial, and illustrious history. 

  So, why didn’t she surpass the likes of JLo/Shakira or Beyonce (solo). The primary reason is that half of these songs are collaborations with other artists but they didn’t join her on the songs like Jay-Z for ‘Umbrella’ and ‘Run This Town’ or the now-cancelled Kanye West. The Kanye West collaborative songs she sang were from a period when Kanye West hadn’t been cancelled or was even close to it. However, (and this also depends on how you interpret Rihanna as an artist), the biggest mistake was not including songs like ‘This Is What You Came For’, ‘Lift Me Up’(from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever), ‘Love The Way You Lie’, ‘The Monster’, ‘Don’t Stop the Music’ and ‘Disturbia’. These are the songs that put Rihanna on the music map as an artist to follow because they signified that she wasn’t a one-hit wonder. So, why they were not part of the set is somewhat baffling. What truly didn’t work was what Rihanna wore: The all-red Loewe ensemble. “A fitted bodysuit with a glossy leather breastplate emphasized her shape, while a boiler suit and a long Alaia puffer coat worn overtop kept her covered up with Salomon sneakers” finishing the look. What does that remind you of? Edgy fashion choice. Sure, but it was an eerie reminder of someone else. 

Kanye West. 

This was Kanye West’s all-red look during the listening party of Donda in 2021. The edgy Rihanna look was overpowered by the ghost of Kanye West. This was not the stage to pay tribute to Kanye West who is no longer living up to expectations, as a musician or an inspirational figure. Just ask TMZ. When you say things that even a tabloid is offended by, something is amiss. White Lives Matter? Where did that come from? Mr. West. As an artist, going on the Super Bowl stage means knowing what you want to do and how to execute it. In the end, as we look back at Rihanna’s performance, there were some wonderful moments, reminding us how strong an entertainer Rihanna can be – when she wants to be. Case closed.