Super Bowl

Everything The Weeknd Has Said About His Super Bowl 2021 Halftime Show

February 7, 2021

The Weeknd Announced as 2021 Super Bowl Halftime Performer

Starboy’s secrets! The Weeknd remained tight-lipped about what he had in store for his performance at Super Bowl LV ahead of the big game on Sunday, February 7.

The NFL, Pepsi and Roc Nation announced in November 2020 that the three-time Grammy winner, 30, had been tapped to headline the 2021 halftime show at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.

“We are thrilled to have The Weeknd join us in Tampa Bay on the Pepsi halftime stage,” the league’s chief media and business officer, Brian Rolapp, said in a statement at the time. “Halftime show performances have a history of excellence and creativity, and we look forward to seeing what he will bring to Super Bowl LV.”

Jay-Z, whose company Roc Nation began working with the NFL in August 2019 to produce the annual halftime show, said in a statement of his own, “The Weeknd has introduced a sound all his own. His soulful uniqueness has defined a new generation of greatness in music and artistry. This is an extraordinary moment in time, and the Pepsi Super Bowl LV halftime show is going to be an extraordinary experience with an extraordinary performer.”

The Weeknd (real name Abel Tesfaye) joined the long list of artists who have taken the stage during past championship games, including Michael Jackson, Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones, Prince, Madonna, Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Justin Timberlake, Jennifer Lopez and Shakira.

Being asked to perform at the Super Bowl was just the latest accomplishment for the Toronto native, who had a massive year following the release of his fourth studio album, After Hours, in March 2020. In addition to becoming his most critically acclaimed release yet, After Hours had two singles reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100: “Heartless” and “Blinding Lights.” The album itself topped the Billboard 200 and has been certified platinum in addition to shattering multiple streaming records.

For more hot celebrity news, listen to Us Weekly editors dish on top topics & trends with these clips from the Hot Hollywood Podcast!

While fans ate up The Weeknd’s latest release, the Recording Academy came under fire in November 2020 for failing to nominate him in any category at the 2021 Grammy Awards. In response to the headline-making snub, the entertainer tweeted that the “Grammys remain corrupt.” The academy’s chair and interim president/CEO, Harvey Mason Jr., meanwhile, said in a statement that even he was “surprised” to find out that The Weeknd had received zero nods.

Ahead of Super Bowl LV, where the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will take on the Kansas City Chiefs on CBS, scroll down to read everything The Weeknd has said about his halftime performance!

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Everything The Weeknd Has Said About His Super Bowl 2021 Halftime Show

Starboy’s secrets! The Weeknd remained tight-lipped about what he had in store for his performance at Super Bowl LV ahead of the big game on Sunday, February 7. The NFL, Pepsi and Roc Nation announced in November 2020 that the three-time Grammy winner, 30, had been tapped to headline the 2021 halftime show at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. “We are thrilled to have The Weeknd join us in Tampa Bay on the Pepsi halftime stage,” the league’s chief media and business officer, Brian Rolapp, said in a statement at the time. “Halftime show performances have a history of excellence and creativity, and we look forward to seeing what he will bring to Super Bowl LV.” Jay-Z, whose company Roc Nation began working with the NFL in August 2019 to produce the annual halftime show, said in a statement of his own, “The Weeknd has introduced a sound all his own. His soulful uniqueness has defined a new generation of greatness in music and artistry. This is an extraordinary moment in time, and the Pepsi Super Bowl LV halftime show is going to be an extraordinary experience with an extraordinary performer.” The Weeknd (real name Abel Tesfaye) joined the long list of artists who have taken the stage during past championship games, including Michael Jackson, Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones, Prince, Madonna, Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Justin Timberlake, Jennifer Lopez and Shakira. [jwplayer mzJcY2yW] Being asked to perform at the Super Bowl was just the latest accomplishment for the Toronto native, who had a massive year following the release of his fourth studio album, After Hours, in March 2020. In addition to becoming his most critically acclaimed release yet, After Hours had two singles reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100: “Heartless” and “Blinding Lights.” The album itself topped the Billboard 200 and has been certified platinum in addition to shattering multiple streaming records. For more hot celebrity news, listen to Us Weekly editors dish on top topics & trends with these clips from the Hot Hollywood Podcast! While fans ate up The Weeknd’s latest release, the Recording Academy came under fire in November 2020 for failing to nominate him in any category at the 2021 Grammy Awards. In response to the headline-making snub, the entertainer tweeted that the “Grammys remain corrupt.” The academy’s chair and interim president/CEO, Harvey Mason Jr., meanwhile, said in a statement that even he was “surprised” to find out that The Weeknd had received zero nods. Ahead of Super Bowl LV, where the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will take on the Kansas City Chiefs on CBS, scroll down to read everything The Weeknd has said about his halftime performance!

Credit: Adela Loconte/Shutterstock

On Fulfilling His Dream

“We all grow up watching the world’s biggest acts playing the Super Bowl, and one can only dream of being in that position,” the “In Your Eyes” singer said in a statement released by the NFL on November 12, 2020. “I’m humbled, honored and ecstatic to be the center of that infamous stage this year.”

Credit: Arthur Mola/Invision/AP/Shutterstock

On His Fans’ Support

“Just wanted to thank the fans for committing to this journey with me,” The Weeknd tweeted on November 23, 2020. “I love you guys so much, none of this is possible without y’all seriously. XO.”

Credit: Micaiah Carter

On Creating an Experience

“We’ve been really focusing on dialing in on the fans at home and making performances a cinematic experience, and we want to do that with the Super Bowl,” the hitmaker told Billboard on January 28, 2021. His manager, Wassim “Sal” Slaiby, meanwhile, revealed that The Weeknd used $7 million of his own money to “make this halftime show be what he envisioned.”

Credit: Pjp Photos/Shutterstock

On the Setup

“Due to the COVID and for the safety of the players and the workers, we kind of built the stage within the stadium,” The Weeknd said during an NFL press conference on February 4, 2021, confirming a Page Six report that much of his performance will take place in the stands. “We’re also using the field as well, but we wanted to kind of do something that we’ve never done before.”

Credit: Amy Sancetta/AP/Shutterstock

On His Biggest Inspiration

The “Earned It” crooner called Diana Ross’ 1996 halftime show his favorite of all time during the press conference, saying he watched it “over and over again” while preparing for his own.

“She’s just so glamorous,” he added. “The show just makes me smile. She has a great exit with the helicopter — when she lands in the middle of the field, grabs onto it and flies out into the clouds. I wish I could’ve done that. I wish I thought of it, to be honest.”

Credit: Scott Garfitt/Shutterstock

On Keeping Things PG

The Weeknd confirmed that he “for sure” tried to make sure that his set would be family-friendly: “I definitely want to be respectful to the viewers at home. I will still incorporate some of the story line. It’s a very cohesive story I’ve been telling throughout this [After Hours] era and throughout this year.”

Credit: Courtesy of NFL

On Whether He’ll Have Special Guests

“I’ve been reading a lot of rumors. I wouldn’t bet on it,” the XO cofounder said in his NFL GameDay Morning interview on February 7, 2021. “There wasn’t any room to fit it in the narrative and the story that I was telling in the performance. So, yeah, there’s no special guests.”

Credit: Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP/Shutterstock

On His Preshow Ritual

“Me and the band just blast James Brown right before the performance, every show,” The Weeknd told NFL Network’s Kay Adams.

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