Photo Credit: Apple Music
“Rihanna is Back” in the first trailer for the 2023 Super Bowl halftime show — the first to be sponsored by Apple Music.
Officially one month before the 2023 Super Bowl, Apple Music dropped the first trailer for its halftime show featuring Rihanna. This show will be the first to be sponsored by Apple Music, replacing longtime NFL partner Pepsi.
The release of the Super Bowl trailer has Rihanna fans and media outlets alike buzzing with speculation. While the trailer notes she has not released an album since 2016, it also leaves the impression that Rihanna may have new music on the way. But she has denied that a new album would be coming out soon.
When asked at her Savage x Fenty lingerie show in November if a new album was on the way, she said, “That’s not true. Super Bowl is one thing. New music is another thing.” Still, in the same interview, she said that because fans would think a new album was coming, “I need to get to work.”
“Rihanna is a generational talent, a woman of humble beginnings who has surpassed expectations at every turn,” said Jay-Z when she was announced as the halftime performer in September. “A person born on the small island of Barbados who became one of the most prominent artists ever. Self-made in business and entertainment.”
Jay-Z not only signed Rihanna to Def Jam Records in 2004, but he also owns Roc Nation, her management company and the official NFL entertainment partner.
The Super Bowl LVII will be played at the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on February 12 and will be telecast and produced by DPS. Roc Nation and Jesse Collins serve as executive producers, while Hamish Hamilton serves as director. Roc Nation will also serve as the strategic entertainment advisor for the live performance.
Last year’s Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show assembled a legendary cast of artists, including Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, and Kendrick Lamar. A first for the halftime show, the performance earned five Creative Arts Emmy nominations, winning three Creative Arts Emmys, including Outstanding Live Variety Special.