Last night was a big night in America. Not only was it the Puppy Bowl, but Rihanna gifted us with an amazing 13-minute long comeback concert (which was weirdly interrupted by a football game). As soon as Rihanna came out on stage in her iconic Jonathan Anderson-designed all-red outfit, everyone watching was all thinking the same thing, though we were simultaneously all too afraid to ask: Is Rihanna pregnant?
Luckily for us, several brave Twitter users took one for the team to try to solve this mystery. One fan tweeted “Me trying to figure out if Rihanna is pregnant or not” followed by that famous video of Bad Bunny suspiciously drinking wine. Another tweeted, “Everybody tryna see if Rihanna pregnant again.”
Me trying to figure out if Rihanna is pregnant or not
— ♡ Aaliyah ♡ (@Abookishdiaries) February 13, 2023
pic.twitter.com/MIvlJVi9cS
Everybody tryna see if Rihanna pregnant again pic.twitter.com/MEUgbSiN15
— Josiah Johnson (@KingJosiah54) February 13, 2023
Thankfully, Rihanna’s representatives confirmed Sunday night that yes indeed, the “Umbrella” singer is pregnant with her second child!
Rihanna didn't introduce a new song during her Apple Music Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show performance but she did introduce a new pregnancy.https://t.co/T4wNlEXiwv
— CNN Philippines (@cnnphilippines) February 13, 2023
Turns out in the end there was no need for our confusion, as the singer did in fact start off her performance with a camera zoom down to her rubbing her belly, which somehow we all collectively missed. We were all too excited to see Rihanna grace the stage again to pay attention to her subtle gestures!
Media/pop culture literacy is really, really bad, if we can see someone do this and then sincerely ask if they’re trying to tell us something. pic.twitter.com/6vN736Kyrw
— Kimberly Nicole Foster (@KimberlyNFoster) February 13, 2023
Rihanna also hinted at her announcement during a recent interview with TV host Nate Burleson, stating (in reference to her halftime performance), “I'm thinking about bringing someone, I'm not sure.”
As you would have expected, Rihanna gave us an amazing show. Though she may not have been able to give us the same level of dancing that we have seen in previous halftime shows from artists like Beyonce or Shakira & J-Lo, Rihanna still very much delivered with sharp movements, grand spectacles, elevated platforms, and a crew of very talented dancers all wearing coordinating outfits to hers. Not to mention, every song that Rihanna performed was a hit, and she had so many more hits that she couldn’t even fit into the 13 minute set, which is impressive in and of itself. Another greatest hit of her halftime show was her nod to her cosmetic company, Fenty beauty, as she appeared to apply her Invisimatte Instant Setting + Blotting Powder as she transitioned from “Pour it Up” to “All of the Lights.”
Rihanna’s performance also marked the first time the Super Bowl has had a pregnant halftime show performer, and just like peanut butter and jelly, Rihanna and making history are two things that just go together.
Top Photo: Screesnhot from NFL on YouTube
Emily Lauletta is pursuing her MA in applied gender studies at Claremont Graduate University. She enjoys reading feminist theory and collecting records. Follow her on Instagram @emilylaul
