Robyn Rihanna Fenty, better known as Rihanna, has become one of the most popular artists of the century. Gaining fame from a musical trio she curated in her early teens, her rise to fame can be described as nothing short of impressive. At the age of sixteen, Rihanna’s girl group, which consisted of herself and two friends, caught the attention of  American record producer, Evan Rodgers. This was the main contributor to Rihanna’s later signing with Def Jam Records and their then-president, Jay-Z. 

Her instant success was measured in the two albums she quickly produced following the signing. Topping charts early in her career, it was clear that Rihanna was going to majorly impact the music industry. Today, Rihanna is known as one of the greatest self-made musicians of all time. 

Rihanna further proved her musical capabilities during this year’s Super Bowl game. Though the primary focus of the Super Bowl Championship is to determine the league champion among the best football teams in the country, some argue that the chosen entertainment during the halftime portion of the game is even more exciting. Past halftime shows of the Super Bowl range from performances by Michael Jackson in 1993 and Katy Perry in 2015, to The Weeknd in 2021. Usually, through a combination of singing and dancing, those who perform for the halftime show exert an exciting energy and curate a visually attractive display for viewers. 

The halftime performance during this year’s Super Bowl game consisted of a compilation of Rihanna’s most popular songs. Though she hadn’t performed live for close to five years, the multi-platinum artist gave an entertaining show with a massive display. In addition to her slew of songs, Rihanna decided to share her pregnancy with partner A$AP Rocky. The thirteen-minute performance starts with “B**ch Better Have My Money.” This was followed by “Only Girl (In the World),” “We Found Love,” “Umbrella,” and finally “Diamonds.” 

Though there has been controversy surrounding the overall idea of the halftime show before, most viewers reported satisfaction with the performance this year. Racking in around 118.7 million viewers across all TV and digital platforms, the show has become the second-most watched halftime show on record, directly behind Katy Perry’s halftime show in 2015. Being described as “slick” and “elevated,” those who tuned into the show were highly impressed with Rihanna’s comeback in the entertainment industry and are hoping to hear new music from her in the following years.