Super Bowl half-time show attracts biggest names in music

Kansas City Chiefs v Philadelphia Eagles – Super Bowl LVII – State Farm Stadium

Usher will make his Super Bowl headline debut in the much-anticipated half-time show on Sunday.

The half-time show of the American football showpiece is one of the most coveted slots in music, attracting the biggest names in the industry.

Here, the PA news agency looks back at previous performers:

– Rihanna

Last year the pop megastar kicked off her live headline performance with a major reveal, confirming she was pregnant with her second child.

The hit-heavy show saw Rihanna suspended above the stadium, dressed in a bold red jumpsuit, treating fans to a selection of tracks from her extensive catalogue, including Bitch Better Have My Money, We Found Love and Umbrella.

Throughout the performance, Rihanna commanded the stage, strolling up and down alongside a flock of dancers dressed in white hoodies and sweat pants, at one point stopping to touch up her make-up and performing razor-sharp choreography.

– Dr Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J Blige and Kendrick Lamar

In 2022, the hip hop heavyweights took to the stage alongside a surprise appearance from 50 Cent, real name Curtis Jackson, who appeared hanging upside down before joining the party with a performance of his hit song In Da Club.

R&B star Blige showed off her vocal range, while Eminem performed a rendition of Lose Yourself, and Lamar, Dr Dre and his protege Snoop Dogg sang their song The Next Episode.

A performance of West Coast rap anthem California Love followed, with Dre singing the lyrics by the late Tupac Shakur.

– Jennifer Lopez and Shakira

The pop superstars delivered a colourful display of Latin pride during their much-anticipated show, which was the first time two Latina woman had headlined the event.

The performance contained hit songs, fireworks, a small army of backing dancers and a cameo from J-Lo’s daughter, who was 11 at the time.

Colombian singer Shakira kicked off the performance with a medley of some of her biggest songs, including Empire, She Wolf and Whenever, Wherever, singing in Spanish and English.

Bronx-born Lopez arrived on a pole, a reminder of her acclaimed turn in stripper drama Hustlers, and opened with a snippet of her hit Jenny From The Block.

– Maroon 5

The band, fronted by Adam Levine, performed some of their best-known hits, including This Love, Girls Like You, She Will Be Loved and Sugar during their 2019 headline slot.

The performance featured a surprise appearance from US rapper Travis Scott, who was introduced by a SpongeBob SquarePants animated short before an asteroid light installation announced his arrival on stage.

Fans were unimpressed by the performance and voiced their displeasure on Twitter.

– Lady Gaga

The US star performed a medley of her biggest hits during a patriotic performance, singing God Bless America and This Land Is Your Land.

She also performed Poker Face, Born This Way and Telephone before donning a gold jacket with spiked shoulders for her rendition of Just Dance.

Gaga ended the half-time show by jumping off the stage to catch a football thrown towards her.

– Beyonce

In 2013, the US star performed hit after hit, as well as bringing out Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams, treating fans to a Destiny’s Child reunion.

Beyonce returned to the Super Bowl in 2016 for a star-studded half-time show alongside headliners Coldplay and guest Bruno Mars, performing a medley of hits for the 50th Super Bowl.

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