Washington (AFP) - Superstar Rihanna will return to the stage for the Super Bowl halftime show in February, Apple Music -- the main sponsor of the event, which draws massive audiences each year -- announced Sunday.
"IT'S ON.@rihanna will take the stage for the first ever Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show on 2.12.23," Apple Music said in a tweet featuring a photo of the "Umbrella" and "Diamonds" singer's raised hand holding a football.
Rihanna, 34, and the NFL also tweeted the same image.
The Barbadian-born Robyn Rihanna Fenty has in recent years put music aside, at least publicly, to focus on her cosmetics brand Fenty Beauty.
The entertainment and fashion mogul's Super Bowl performance will follow an impeccably choreographed 2022 halftime show that featured rap legends including Dr.Dre, Snoop Dog and Eminem.
The 2021 halftime show featured Canadian artist The Weeknd, while Jennifer Lopez and Shakira performed the year before.
The halftime show has since 2019 been produced by Roc Nation, founded by New York rapper-turned-businessman Jay-Z.
Apple Music announced in September that it would be the main sponsor of the event, ousting Pepsi and reportedly paying $50 million for the privilege.
The 2022 Super Bowl, in which the Los Angeles Rams defeated the Cincinnati Bengals, drew an average of 112.3 million viewers on television and streaming, according to NBC Sports.
