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When US superstar Robyn Rihanna Fenty was announced as the 2023 Super Bowl halftime show act, the internet went absolutely bonkers. Considering she had been out of the music game for almost seven years, everyone was excited but curious about what she would bring to the stage.
Memes started flying around social media, some saying that motherhood meant that Rihanna would never return to music, while others teased that the Umbrella singer would be doing a makeup tutorial in honour of her makeup brand Fenty, instead of performing her music.
Mentally preparing myself for Rihanna to come out here and give us a 30 minute makeup tutorial.
— chapterbook (@Paixso_) February 13, 2023
Rihanna Super Bowl performance gonna be a full face fenty beauty makeup tutorial
— WAR READY ???? (@rollingnyash) February 7, 2023
To be honest, she might as well have given us a 15-minute makeup tutorial, because her Super Bowl performance left a lot to be desired.
Rihanna’s last album release in 2016 called Anti was the last musical offering the artist gave us. On it were some of her most iconic songs, including, B*tch Better Have My Money, Work and Love on the Brain. The album was not only another one of Rihanna’s brilliant offerings to the industry, but also solidified her place in music as a fierce icon and trendsetting artist. Many thought her next offering would only elevate her status, but seven years later, we are yet to see it.
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After taking time off to focus on her makeup and lingerie brands, Rihanna had a child with rapper A$AP Rocky and became a billionaire in 2021.
As a loyal Rihanna fan, I think we were patient enough and gave the artist plenty of time to settle into some of her new roles, while we recycled her hits in clubs and with friends. Her 2023 Super Bowl performance was intended to be a comeback of sorts, but unfortunately left so many disappointed.
In 2022, some of the hip-hop greats took to the Super Bowl stage and delivered what could be considered one of the greatest Super Bowl contributions in history. Dr Dre, 50 Cent, Mary J Blige, Snoop Dogg, Eminem and Kendrick Lamar were all a part of the history-defining moment and delivered some of their most famed hits with class and a classic Compton California flavour.
At half the age of most of those music veterans, Rihanna couldn’t even give half of the energy or performance stamina. She opened the show with an ambiguous insinuation that she was pregnant again, which was later confirmed by her representatives, and this could possibly be the reason that we only saw the Rudeboy singer perform in the middle of the stage with almost no performance energy.
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Rihanna has always been a fashion icon, setting trends with whatever she boldly decides to wear. Who could forget the naked dress she wore to the CFDA Awards in 2014, when she dazzled in an eye-catching Swarovski crystal-encrusted dress by Adam Selman or her many iconic moments with her first baby bump that influenced a whole era of pregnant people using their bellies as the focal point of their fashion looks?
I wish the same could be said for her Super Bowl look, the singer took to the stage with a bright red puffer coat by Alaïa and a Loewe red jumpsuit that was paired with a glossy bustier, and a baby bump that was peeking through the ensemble. While the ensemble definitely made a statement, it left us feeling uninspired as it struggled to break through the barrier of her dancers who were dressed fully in white.
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The objective of this auspicious occasion was supposed to be a comeback of sorts, as Rihanna sang all her number-one hits in a medley-style performance. Unfortunately, what we got was a performance with an artist who just has different priorities at the moment, showing admirable growth but still a disappointing start to her highly anticipated comeback.
Could it be time for Rihanna to hang up her music boots to focus on the other ventures we love and adore her for?
