The highly anticipated Super Bowl LVII was Sunday, and the hype was high for the halftime show: Rihanna, one of the best-selling singers of all time, would be headlining. The Barbadian superstar hasn’t released a new album or gone on tour in years, so to say people were excited was an understatement. Then the actual show began, and it only got better: Queen Rihanna floated in mid-air, visibly pregnant.
Rihanna had her first baby with A$AP Rocky last year, and though she hasn’t spoken about any particular pregnancy plans, she did talk about how important being a mom is to her in an interview with the Hollywood Reporter before the game — and how it inspired her to take the job, even though she had just given birth.
“I was like, ‘You sure? I’m three months postpartum,” she said. “Should I be making major decisions like this right now? I might regret this.”
READ: RELATABLE: Marie Kondo has three kids, and has ‘given up’ on tidying
But, as we know, she did perform, and added that she wanted her son to see her performance and be inspired by his mom.
“When you become a mom, there’s something that just happens where you feel like you could take on the world — you can do anything,” she said. “And the Super Bowl is one of the biggest stages in the world, so as scary as that was … there’s something exhilarating about the challenge of it all. It’s important for my son to see that.”
And she proved that moms can take on anything with her performance. Wearing all red, floating in the sky, she rocked out to a medley of her biggest hits, like “We Found Love,” “Rude Boy,” “Work,” “Only Girl (In the World)” and “Umbrella.” Being pregnant didn’t slow her down, either, as she impressively kept up with her army of backup dancers. Her form-fitting ensemble included a jumpsuit with the zipper pulled down low enough to show off her belly. Afterwards, her reps confirmed she was, in fact, pregnant.
With this performance, Rihanna became the first pregnant woman to headline a Super Bowl halftime show.
Not only did Rihanna slay at the Super Bowl, she showed the world that there is nothing moms can’t do. And it’s a message she wants all moms to learn: that being pregnant shouldn’t keep you from doing anything. “I’m hoping that we were able to redefine what’s considered ‘decent’ for pregnant women,” she told Vogue. “My body is doing incredible things right now, and I’m not going to be ashamed of that. This time should feel celebratory. Because why should you be hiding your pregnancy?”
