Rhianna has shared an insight in to the intense preparations that have gone in to her Super Bowl Halftime Show.
The Umbrella singer, who turns 35 later this month, has said that planning for her 13 minute performance has become all consuming.
Tonight’s highly-anticipated show in Arizona will be her first time performing in seven years, and watched by millions of people across the world.
Speaking to Apple Music, she revealed that 400 people had been involved in the production process and there had been 39 different set-lists as she laboured over what songs to perform, and how.
She admitted this curation process was the “biggest challenge”.
Rihanna said: “That was the hardest part. Deciding how to maximise 13 minutes but also celebrate it. That’s what the show is going to be, it’s going to be a celebration of my catalogue in the best way that we could have put it together.
“You only have 13 minutes, that’s the challenge, so you’re trying to cram 17 years of work into 13 minutes so it’s difficult – we know some songs that you have to lose because of that.
“But I think we did a pretty good job at narrowing it down.”
She faced other challenges too, with the mum-of-one explaining that physically it had been “immense for many reasons”. She welcomed a baby boy with her partner A$AP Rocky last year.
Rihanna elaborated, “I haven’t done the show in a minute. You’re just running around for 13 minutes trying to put a two-hour set into 13 minutes, and… from the time it starts it just never ends until it’s the very last second.
“It takes a toll on your body, it does.”
And while exactly what she has planned is a tightly guarded secret, it is sure to be a jaw-dropping performance, with a crew of around 400 preparing for the coveted half time gig, and they have been practising building and dismantling the stage in a matter of minutes.
But despite the support of an immense professional crew, Rihanna stressed the importance of being personally involved with every aspect of the show, whether or not it “flops or flies”.
She said: “My name has to stand by that, and so I really get involved with every aspect of anything that I do, whether it’s a Super Bowl, whether it’s a makeup product, whether it’s Savage lingerie – whatever I do.
“I care about it and love it. I really do.”
She added that her performance was “important” for representation and that she was excited to bring her homeland of Barbados to the world.
“Representing for immigrants, representing for my country Barbados, representing for black women everywhere… I just think that’s really important, (it’s) key for people to see the possibilities, and I’m honoured to be doing this,” she said.
“It’s a long way from home. It’s a beautiful journey that I’m on, and I could have never guessed that I would have made it here.
“So it’s a celebration of that. I’m excited to do that and I’m really excited to have Barbados on the Super Bowl.”
What songs do you hope Rhianna performs tonight? Tell us in the comments!
