Rihanna came back from a long hiatus to perform at the Super Bowl this year. Having boycotted the game in 2019, it was a surprise when the NFL announced her name. But what changed since she turned down the previous offer? Having said no in solidarity with Colin Kaepernick, the pop star got candid on finally performing at the Super Bowl.

Riri performed live on stage for the first time since 2018. And she put forward her reason to make a comeback through the NFL finale.

Why did Rihanna take up the Super Bowl offer?

Rihanna opened up about the reasoning behind her comeback at the Super Bowl level. Especially after turning it down in the past. In a recent interview, she admitted that her decision came after very long deliberation.

“I was approached…. But for this Super Bowl, I was approached a few weeks before [the announcement] and I kind of kept putting off my answer,” Rihanna told ‘British Vogue.’

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Riri is of the opinion that a lot needs to change. But for her, representation at a high level is as important as everything else.

“There’s still a lot of mending to be done in my eyes, but it’s powerful to break those doors and have representation at such a high, high level and a consistent level,” the pop star added.

Rihanna turned down the 2018 NFL offer to perform at the 2019 Super Bowl. She did it in solidarity with the San Francisco 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick, who took a knee in 2016 in protest but the league quickly banned the gesture. And it all went downhill in the NFL for Kaepernick.

The Colin Kaepernick Story

Colin Kaepernick became the face of protest against police brutality in the US. It was the 2016 season and the then-Niners QB sat down or took a knee during every game of that term. He and the NFL faced a lot of backlash. The Niners released him at the end of the 2016 season and he hasn’t played in the league since.

Clip of Rihanna’s “Censored” Illuminati Gesture During the Super Bowl Halftime Performance Leaves NFL World Curious

Rihanna told the US Vogue in 2019 that she couldn’t be a sellout, explaining her move to turn down a chance to perform at the halftime show. “There’s things within that organization that I do not agree with at all, and I was not about to go and be of service to them in any way,” she had said.

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The fans loved her comeback in 2023. And hope is that she will continue to mesmerize her audience for a long time to come.