Superstar Rihanna will headline the Super Bowl half-time show in February, the main event sponsor Apple Music announced on Sunday.
The move marks a long-awaited return to performing for the singer, who had previously turned down the gig in protest.
"IT'S ON. @rihanna will take the stage for the first ever Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show on 2.12.23," Apple Music tweeted, along with a photo of the musician's raised hand holding a football.
Rihanna, 34, and the NFL tweeted the same image.
The Barbadian Robyn Rihanna Fenty recently become a billionaire, parlaying her music achievements into successful make-up, lingerie and high-fashion brands.
She made history by becoming the first black woman to head a fashion house for the French powerhouse LVMH, which owns legacy brands including Fendi and Givenchy.
For the past few years, the singer behind the hits Diamonds and Umbrella has put music aside, at least publicly, to focus on her various businesses.
In January, she and rapper A$AP Rocky, 33, announced they were expecting a child with a set of glamorous snow-dusted images taken in Harlem.
She reportedly had the baby, a boy, in May. No other details, including the child's name, have been made public.
Return to music
Rihanna's fierce fan base has been clamouring for her ninth album, R9, which she has said will be "reggae-infused" and has hinted, since 2019, that it is nearly finished.
Performing at the Super Bowl is an about-face for the singer who, in 2019, confirmed reports to Vogue that she had turned down the NFL's offer to play the coveted half-time show in solidarity with former player Colin Kaepernick.
The quarterback, who has not played in the NFL since opting out of his contract with the San Francisco 49ers in March 2017, began kneeling in protest of social injustice and racial inequality during pre-game renditions of the US national anthem six years ago.
"I couldn't dare do that. For what? Who gains from that? Not my people. I just couldn't be a sellout. I couldn't be an enabler," she told the magazine in an interview.
Rihanna's Super Bowl performance will follow an impeccably choreographed half-time show this year that featured rap legends including Dr Dre, Snoop Dog and Eminem.
The 2021 show featured Canadian artist The Weeknd, while Jennifer Lopez and Shakira performed the year before.
Since 2019, the half-time show has been produced by Roc Nation, founded by New York rapper-turned-businessman Jay-Z.
Apple Music announced in September that it would be the main sponsor of the event, taking over from Pepsi and reportedly paying $50 million for the privilege.
This year's Super Bowl, in which the Los Angeles Rams defeated the Cincinnati Bengals, drew an average of 112.3 million viewers on television and streaming, according to NBC Sports.
62 photos that chart Rihanna's style journey: 'SOS' singer to billionaire mum — in pictures
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Rihanna, in a sequinned vest and cropped jeans, poses backstage during a MTV Networks Tempo Channel launch event on October 22, 2005, in Barbados. Getty Images -
Rhianna, in a gold top and embellished jeans, poses in the press room at the T4 Poll Winners' Party on November 20, 2005 in London, England. Getty Images -
Rihanna, in an embroidered blouse and shorts, at a party to celebrate the release of her new album 'A Girl Like Me' on April 22, 2006 in her hometown of St. Michael, Barbados. Getty Images -
Rihanna, in a floral mini dress, arrives at the MTV Video Music Awards at the Yoyogi National Athletic Stadium on May 27, 2006 in Tokyo, Japan. Getty Images -
Rihanna, in a classic LBD, arrives at the Mobo Awards held at the Royal Albert Hall on September 20, 2006, in London, England. Getty Images -
Rihanna, in a sequinned mini, arrives at the 13th annual MTV Europe Music Awards on November 2, 2006 in Copenhagen, Denmark. Getty Images -
Rihanna, in a patterned midi dress, attends a press conference for the Nobel Peace Prize Concert on December 11, 2006 in Oslo, Norway. Getty Images -
Kumi Kouda and Rihanna, in a black playsuit, on July 7, 2007 in Tokyo, Japan. Getty Images -
Rihanna, in an emerald gown, arrives at the World Music Awards held at the Sporting Club on November 4, 2007 in Monte Carlo, Monaco. Getty Images -
Rihanna, in leopard print, attends the annual Bambi Awards on November 29, 2007 in Dusseldorf, Germany. Getty Images -
Rihanna, in metallic Dolce & Gabbana, arrives at the Brit Awards at Earls Court on February 20, 2008 in London, England. Getty Images -
Rihanna, in Givenchy, at the Givenchy show during Paris Fashion Week on October 4, 2009 in Paris, France. Getty Images -
Rihanna, in Chanel, arrives at the Chanel show during Paris Fashion Week on October 6, 2009 in Paris, France. Getty Images -
Rihanna, in Jean Paul Gaultier, attends the NRJ Music Awards at Palais des Festivals on January 23, 2010 in Cannes, France. Getty Images -
Singer Rihanna, in a blazer and tulle skirt, attends at press conference on February 11, 2010 in Seoul, South Korea. Getty Images -
Rihanna, in patterned separates, on February 14, 2010 in Sydney, Australia. Getty Images -
Rihanna, in Alexandre Vauthier, arrives at the Echo Awards at Messe Berlin on March 4, 2010 in Berlin, Germany. Getty Images -
Rihanna, in Miu Miu, attends the Miu Miu show during Paris Fashion Week on October 6, 2010 in Paris, France. Getty Images -
Rihanna, in a Zambesi top, turns on the Westfield Shopping Centre Christmas lights on November 4, 2010 in London, England. Getty Images -
Rihanna, in voluminous Marchesa, attends the MTV Europe Awards at the La Caja Magica on November 7, 2010 in Madrid, Spain. Getty Images -
Rihanna, in Stella McCartney, arrives at the Met Gala in New York on May 2, 2011. EPA -
Rihanna, in Dolce & Gabbana, attends a Nivea event on May 6, 2011 in Paris, France. Getty Images -
Rihanna, in Stella McCartney, arrives for the Stella McCartney show during London Fashion Week on February 18, 2012 in London, England. Getty Images -
Rihanna, in Givenchy, attends The Brit Awards at the O2 Arena on February 21, 2012 in London, England. Getty Images -
Rihanna, in Pucci, attends the 'Battleship' premiere on April 3, 2012 in Tokyo, Japan. Getty Images -
Rihanna, in Raf Simons, switches on the Christmas Lights at Westfield Stratford City on November 19, 2012 in London, England. Getty Images -
Rihanna, in Alaia, arrives for the 55th annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, California, on February 10, 2013. EPA -
Rihanna, in a sleek LBD, at the Oxford Street River Island store on March 4, 2013 in London, England. Getty Images -
Rihanna, in Chanel, attends the Chanel show as part of Paris Fashion Week on July 2, 2013 in Paris, France. Getty Images -
Rihanna, in Lanvin, attends the Lanvin show as part of Paris Fashion Week on February 27, 2014 in Paris, France. Getty Images -
Rihanna, in Givenchy, attends the Givenchy show as part of Paris Fashion Week on March 2, 2014 in Paris, France. Getty Images -
Rihanna, in Miu Miu, attends the Miu Miu show as part of Paris Fashion Week on March 5, 2014 in Paris, France.Getty Images -
Rihanna, in Stella McCartney, arrives for the Met Gala in New York on May 5, 2014. EPA -
Rihanna, in Stella McCartney, attends the British Fashion Awards at London Coliseum on December 1, 2014 in London, England. Getty Images -
Rihanna, in Zac Posen, arrives for the first annual Diamond Ball in California on December 11, 2014. EPA -
Rihanna, in Guo Pei, arrives for the Met Gala in New York on May 4, 2015. EPA -
Rihanna, in Dior, arrives at the Christian Dior show on June 16, 2015 in Tokyo, Japan. Getty Images -
Rihanna, in Dior, attends the Vogue 95th Anniversary Party on October 3, 2015 in Paris, France. Getty Images -
Rihanna, in Armani, attends the Brit Awards at the O2 Arena on February 24, 2016 in London, England. Getty Images -
Rihanna, in her own designs, at the Fenty x Puma by Rihanna show on September 28, 2016 in Paris, France. Getty Images -
Rihanna, in Dior, attends the Christian Dior show at Paris Fashion Week on September 30, 2016 in Paris, France. Getty Images -
Rihanna, in Armani, arrives for the 59th annual Grammy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles, California, on February 12, 2017. EPA -
Rihanna, in Dior, attends the Christian Dior show as part of Paris Fashion Week on March 3, 2017 in Paris, France. Getty Images -
Rihanna, in Comme des Garcons, arrives at the Met Gala in New York on May 1, 2017. EPA -
Rihanna, in Ralph & Russo, attends the Chopard dinner in honour of the Rihanna X Chopard Collection during the 70th annual Cannes Film Festival on May 18, 2017 in Cannes, France. Getty Images -
Rihanna, in Dior, attends the 'Okja' screening during the 70th annual Cannes Film Festival on May 19, 2017 in Cannes, France. Getty Images -
Rihanna, in Giambattista Valli, attends the 'Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets' premiere on July 24, 2017 in London, England. Getty Images -
Rihanna, in Molly Goddard, attends the Fenty Beauty by Rihanna launch at Harvey Nichols on September 19, 2017 in London, England. Getty Images -
Rihanna, in Marianna Senchina, attends the Fenty Beauty launch on September 23, 2017 in Madrid, Spain. Getty Images -
Rihanna, in Versace, attends a Fenty Beauty launch on April 5, 2018 in Milan, Italy. Getty Images -
Rihanna, in John Galliano for Margiela, arrives at the Met Gala in New York on May 7, 2018. EPA -
Rihanna, in Poiret, attends the 'Ocean's 8' premiere on June 13, 2018 in London, England. Getty Images -
Rihanna, in Louis Vuitton, attends the Louis Vuitton show as part of Paris Fashion Week on June 21, 2018 in Paris, France. Getty Images -
Rihanna, in Burberry, poses during her Fenty Beauty talk in collaboration with Sephora on September 29, 2018 in Dubai, UAE. Getty Images -
Rihanna, in Versace, attends the Fenty Beauty by Rihanna anniversary event on October 3, 2018 in Sydney, Australia. Getty Images -
Rihanna, in a denim shirtdress, at the opening of the Fenty pop-up store on May 24, 2019 in Paris, France. Getty Images -
Rihanna, in Givenchy, at the 5th Annual Diamond Ball in New York on September 12, 2019. EPA -
Rihanna, in John Galliano, at the premiere of 'Queen & Slim' in Hollywood, California, on November 14, 2019. EPA -
Rihanna, in Fenty, arrives for The Fashion Awards at the Royal Albert Hall in London, UK, on December 2, 2019. EPA -
Rihanna, in custom Demna Gvasalia, poses on the red carpet for the 2021 Met Gala on September 13, 2021. EPA -
Rihanna, in a short white Maximilian blazer and dress, attends Barbados's National Honours ceremony and Independence Day Parade in Bridgetown, Barbados, on November 30, 2021. AFP
