Pregnant with her second child, Rihanna delivered a sparkling performance at the Super Bowl halftime show on Sunday, racking up her biggest hits for 13 minutes.
The singer, who was making a return to the stage, started and ended her show on a platform that transported her to the heights of the State Farm stadium in Glendale, Arizona. The images were stunning.
For the occasion, she wore a bright red jumpsuit with a tight, rubbery outfit underneath, while the many dancers wore white jumpsuits and shaded goggles.
With songs like “Work,” “Where Have You Been,” and “Only Girl,” viewers quickly learned that Rihanna would release her biggest commercial hits for this performance.
There were no costume changes or surprise guest appearances, as has been the case at several recent Super Bowl halftime shows.
But Rihanna didn’t need it.
Lights twinkled from the bleachers as the singer was isolated in the air to sing “Diamonds,” closing the number.
Rihanna’s performance was her first live event in years, and her first since becoming a mother nine months ago.
After the show, a representative for the singer confirmed that Rihanna was pregnant with her second child during her performance. Her belly was clearly visible.
The 34-year-old artist already has a son with rapper A$AP Rocky.