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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Entertainment
David Kent

Rihanna to headline Super Bowl half-time show as pop icon confirms return to music

Rihanna will headline the halftime show at February's Super Bowl, the NFL and Apple Music have announced.

The pop icon announced the news during Sunday evening's games in the league, posting a photo of an NFL football to her social media channels.

It will be her first time performing at the Super Bowl as she joins a list of iconic names to have taken to the stage at the break in one of the world's most-watched sporting events.

READ MORE: I'm A Celebrity icon to leave Virgin Media show after two decades ahead of return to Australia

Rihanna has been the selected performer for Super Bowl 2023. (Twitter/@Rihanna)

In a statement shared shortly after the tweets, the NFL confirmed the popstar and businesswoman will finally become a Super Bowl performer next year.

Seth Dudowsky, NFL head of music, said: "We are thrilled to welcome Rihanna to the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show stage.

"Rihanna is a once in a generation artist who has been a cultural force throughout her career. We look forward to collaborating with Rihanna, Roc Nation and Apple Music to bring fans another historic Halftime Show performance."

Rihanna has announced she will be headlining the Super Bowl (Getty)

Jay-Z, founder of Roc Nation, added: "Rihanna is a generational talent, a woman of humble beginnings who has surpassed expectations at every turn. A person born on the small island of Barbados who became one of the most prominent artists ever. Self-made in business and entertainment."

Previous Super Bowl half time performers include Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Madonna, Prince, Michael Jackson and U2.

Rihanna had previously been offered a slot at the Super Bowl - but turned it down over the way that the NFL treated San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who refused to stand for the American national anthem at the beginning of games to protest police brutality and racial inequality across the country.

"I just couldn't be a sell-out," she told Vogue magazine at the time.

"There's things within that organisation that I do not agree with at all, and I was not about to go and be of service to them in any way."

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