The 2023 Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show has found its main number.
Rihanna has signed on to perform at the mega-event, which is set to take place during Super Bowl LVII on Feb. 12 just outside of Phoenix, Arizona.
DPS with Roc Nation and Jesse Collins will produce the telecast, with the two serving as executive producers while Hamish Hamilton serves as director. Roc Nation also acts as a strategic entertainment advisor for live performance.
“Rihanna is a generational talent, a woman from humble beginnings who exceeded expectations at every turn. A person born on the small island of Barbados who became one of the most prominent artists of all time. Self-taught in business and entertainment,” Jay-Z said in a statement.
“We are thrilled to welcome Rihanna to the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show stage,” NFL Chief Music Officer Seth Dudowsky added in his own statement. “Rihanna is a one-of-a-kind artist who has been a cultural force throughout her career. We look forward to working with Rihanna, Roc Nation and Apple Music to bring fans another historic Halftime Show performance.
The Super Bowl halftime show is one of the biggest music events of the year, with artists usually going all out for their performances and guest appearances being commonplace. 2023 will also mark the first year that Apple Music will be the main sponsor of the event, taking over Pepsi, which had sponsored the show for the past decade. Apple promises behind-the-scenes previews and other content ahead of the big game.
“Rihanna is an incredible recording artist who is a favorite of millions of Apple Music customers around the world,” said Oliver Schusser, vice president of Apple Music and Beats. “We’re thrilled to partner with Rihanna, Roc Nation and the NFL to bring music and sports fans a memorable show – what an amazing artist for the first Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show.”
More details about the upcoming show, including previews, will be released over the coming months on Apple Music’s various social media platforms.
The 2022 Super Bowl halftime show featured Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar and 50 Cent at SoFi Stadium. Other recent artists include The Weeknd, Lady Gaga and Beyonce.
But the halftime show has become more important than just the performance, with artists frequently using the event to announce tours or new albums, and with documentary cameras often rolling to capture the build-up and preparation for the big event. The NFL says the 2022 Pepsi Halftime Show was viewed by more than 120 million people, underscoring the reach of the platform.
Roc Nation, which helped produce the halftime show for the past 3 years, is also returning to work with the NFL and Apple Music on the performance and live show.
