ES Explains: Despite 118.7 Million Views, Rihanna’s Half-Time Show Became News For Wrong Reasons. How?

Rihanna’s halftime performance was the main agenda for many fans’ schedules ahead of Super Bowl LVII. After a hiatus from the music industry, a live performance from the internationally best-selling superstar was highly anticipated. The biggest night of the football season alongside a performance from RiRi was the best possible combination of events. Then what attracted so much criticism for the superstar? Let’s have a look.

Clad in red, the 35-year-old soared above the packed State Farm Stadium as cheers erupted. A true spectacle to behold, Rihanna’s return was off to a fantastic start. Unfortunately, the events that unfolded, following her dramatic entrance, were not as savory. 

Rihanna encountered a thorn in her side after angry viewers made their complaints known

The NFL world came in with the expectation of witnessing surprise performances from guest artists during the show. But much to everyone’s shock, RiRi performed solo. The only guest was her unborn baby. Subtle gestures from the 9x Grammy winner had fans distracted. Pushing aside the performance, they took to Twitter to inquire and speculate if Rihanna was pregnant. The singer later confirmed that she indeed is expecting a second child.

If the pregnancy revelation wasn’t a shock by itself, some viewers were taken aback by the profanity and explicit moves RiRi’s performance entailed. While fans of the star know that her discography is far from PG-13 content, a section of viewers were affronted by the apparent ‘indecency.’ Rihanna was escorted by a horde of dancers, all of whom were reportedly paid for their effort. In the past, complaints of volunteers, who were asked to join the shows, were not compensated. Rihanna’s dancers stole the show with their energetic choreography. But, from the looks of it, their groovy moves were not appreciated by some.

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The Federal Communications Commission received 103 complaints concerning the Super Bowl, with a reported majority of them directed at the halftime show. But the backlash didn’t stop there.

And yet, RiRi emerged on top

Over the years, the halftime show has morphed into a spectacle that continues to push the limits of live performances. Despite being highly anticipated and well-received for the most part, RiRi received criticism for the lack of theatrics and drama in her performance. 

To top it all off, former president Donald Trump waged war on the Barbadian singer, calling her performance an insult to the nation. The backlash and criticism that RiRi has received comes as a surprise given the anticipation that took over the atmosphere ahead of the game. But at the end of the day, despite not receiving a paycheck from the league, Rihanna profited in more ways than one. The sales of her music alongside her cosmetics brand ‘Fenty’ skyrocketed during the performance. Perhaps her decision to perform at the Super Bowl was a smart move after all.

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