To like Rihanna, the musical famous person, billionaire magnificence mogul, style designer, part-time actress, present mom of 1 and future mom of two, is to be left ready and wanting. The following single, the subsequent make-up drop, the subsequent outfit: Rihanna is likely one of the few people on this overexposed, over-curated world that folks merely can’t get sufficient of.

At Tremendous Bowl LVII, 5 years since her final stay efficiency (the 2018 Grammys) and 7 years since her final album (2016’s Anti), she confirmed us how simply — possibly too simply — she instructions stardom, by means of how nice her earlier hits have been.

Levitating on a platform excessive above the sector at some weak-in-the-knees ft within the air, Rihanna — draped in purple with an identical crimson lip, little doubt some shade of Fenty Magnificence — descended upon Arizona’s State Farm Stadium with a command: “Bitch higher have my cash.” Rihanna is the one billionaire in existence who might ask for more cash and never have it’s cheesy. Rihanna doesn’t want more cash, however no matter Rihanna needs, she will get, with thousands and thousands of followers cheering her on.

For what it’s value, the NFL famously doesn’t pay its halftime performers, nevertheless it does cowl manufacturing prices, of which there all the time appears to be no expense spared. This yr, a number of platforms had been suspended and lowered, lifted, and lowered repeatedly in synchronization together with her run of songs; the set appeared like an enormous audio equalizer. The route and digicam work had been on level, with large pictures capturing the dimensions and grandeur of the floating phases. Although easy, the visible impact was nonetheless bigger than life, matching the gravitational pull of Rihanna’s largest hits.

After her financial menace, Rihanna eased right into a medley of a few of her most memorable dance singles. “The place Have You Been” bopped into “Solely Lady” which seamlessly slinked into “We Discovered Love.” Though these comprised the membership soundtrack of the final 20 years, Rihanna largely grooved alongside reservedly, leaving the huffing and puffing to her dancers and many of the aesthetic work to the big set items.

To be honest, Rihanna’s reps confirmed she is pregnant together with her second youngster after a speculative social media frenzy (that stomach rub did imply one thing!). It’s additionally value noting that Rihanna’s calling card has by no means been full-throttle dancing. She is a hitmaker; it’s in regards to the sound. Her voice is an engine that may take any track in any style to the highest of the charts. She sings, we dance. That’s the way it goes.

If there was some extent within the night time the place the star gave the impression to be having fun with herself most, it was throughout the phase the place the tempo slowed, and he or she sashayed into “Impolite Boy,” “Work,” and “Pour It Up.” With the cameras up shut, she cracked a wry smile right here and flashed a squint there. A grasp of face-ography. As she transitioned to her ultimate set of songs, one of many dancers handed her what gave the impression to be a Fenty compact (web sleuths deduced it was her model’s $34 blotting powder) and the make-up entrepreneur dusted her nostril and undereyes.

It was time for Rihanna’s closeup.

Freshly powdered, Rihanna eased her option to middle stage through “The entire Lights” and “Run This City,” solo, deigning to deliver on collaborators Jay-Z and Kanye West for what would have been quintessential Tremendous Bowl cameos. After which similar to she entered the stadium, she planted herself on a kind of death-defying platforms and ascended excessive above the sector, powering via “Umbrella” and “Diamonds,” two of the most important singles of her profession. In each songs, you may hear that particular sheen in her voice, a glowing metallic sound — just like the style and bounce of completely chilled champagne. It’s that particular high quality in Rihanna’s voice that’s created so many memorable songs, and criss-crossed so many genres.

The dancers cleared. The stage dimmed aside from one single highlight. Excessive above the sector Rihanna shined vivid, on a pedestal. She makes stardom look really easy, and left us, as all the time, wanting somewhat bit extra.