Dropping hints? Pregnant Rihanna shocked fans by revealing her baby bump at the 2023 Super Bowl — but she may have given a few subtle clues before the big game.
The Fenty Beauty founder, 34, shed light on how she prepared for her halftime show gig days before taking the field at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on Sunday, February 12. During an Apple Music press conference, Rihanna confessed that rehearsals were rigorous.
“It’s a jam-packed show and it takes a toll on your body,” the Barbados native said on Thursday, February 9. “The physical challenge has definitely been immense for many reasons, of course.”
The pop star last performed live at the 2018 Grammys. “I haven’t done this in a minute, first things first,” she added. “You’re just running around for 13 minutes, trying to put a two-hour set in 13 minutes. And you’re gonna see on Sunday, from the time it starts, it just never ends until the very last second.”
Rihanna delivered a show-stopping medley — from “Diamonds” to “Umbrella” — on Sunday, but the set list wasn’t the only surprise of the night. The makeup mogul donned a figure-hugging red bustier and jumpsuit by Loewe, pairing the monochrome look with two different overcoats. As she belted out her biggest hits, Rihanna unveiled her baby bump and cradled her stomach.
Ahead of the halftime show reveal, the “Don’t Stop the Music” artist teased to CBS Sports that she was “thinking about bringing someone” to join her on stage. (Rihanna’s NFL performance did not include any special guests.)
“I’m not sure. We’ll see,” she hinted on Saturday, February 11, joking that “it wouldn’t be a surprise” if she spilled the beans before the game.
A source confirmed to Us Weekly on Sunday that Rihanna and partner ASAP Rocky are expecting their second child. The couple, who were first linked in 2019 after years of friendship, welcomed a baby boy in May 2022 but have not yet revealed their son’s name.
“They are keeping it a secret until they’re ready to share it with the world,” an insider exclusively told Us after Rihanna gave birth, noting that the pair had only let “close family members” in on the secret.
At the time, the source revealed that the Savage x Fenty founder was a “hands-on” and “nurturing” mom to her little boy. “They want a big family for sure. Rihanna loved being pregnant and fully embraced her pregnancy body.”
During her pre-show press conference, Rihanna explained why this was the perfect time for her to return to the stage. “It feels like it could have only been now,” she said on Thursday. “When I first got the call to do it again this year, I was like, ‘You sure? Like, I’m three months postpartum. Should I be making major decisions like this right now? I might regret this.'”
Despite her concerns, the “Love on the Brain” singer wanted to set an example for her son. “When you become a mom, there’s just something that just happens where you feel like you can take on the world, you can do anything, and the Super Bowl is one of the biggest stages in the world,” she said. “There’s something exhilarating about the challenge of it all, and it’s important for me to do this this year. It’s important for representation. It’s important for my son to see that.”
