NFL replaces Taylor Swift with Rihanna for Super Bowl Halftime Show

The NFL is set to tap Rihanna as the headline performer for the Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show, which will be held in Glendale, Arizona.

Following up last year’s epic Super Bowl Halftime Show was going to be a tough act for anyone and the NFL is going big. After initial rumors had Taylor Swift as the top contender to take the stage in Arizona this February, the NFL has landed on another pop superstar as the league announced today that Rihanna will be the headliner for this year’s halftime show.

The buzz surrounding Rihanna as the NFL’s choice intensified throughout the day on Sunday, offering a quick resolution to the headlining act after the Swift situation fizzled earlier in the week. The show itself will have a brand new look as Apple Music has taken over as the presenting sponsor from Pepsi, promising fans plenty of previews and sneak peeks at Rihanna’s performance over the next few months. Twitter was already buzzing about the news.

Can Rihanna deliver an epic Super Bowl performance?

Now that the NFL’s pick has been made, all eyes will be on Rihanna to see if she can deliver the type of spectacle that defines the truly legendary Super Bowl halftime performances. Last year’s show in Los Angeles, headlined by Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg, and Dr. Dre, was widely praised on Twitter and in the mainstream media for bringing so many incredible artists together to put together a show befitting the Hollywood stage.

Time will tell if Rihanna will simply look to fill the time by herself or bring in a secondary performer to help out like Jennifer Lopez did with Shakira during the 2020 halftime show in Miami. Either way, the drama will be intense since this halftime show will be her first live performance in five years.