SIMI VALLEY, Calif. –
Rihanna knew that if she was going to return to the stage lower than a yr after giving beginning to her first youngster, the efficiency must prime something she’d carried out earlier than.
“If I’m going to depart my child, I’m going to depart my child for one thing particular,” the multi-Grammy winner informed The Associated Press in an interview.
That one thing particular turned out to be the upcoming 2023 Super Bowl halftime present. “It was now or by no means for me,” she stated.
The singer had beforehand declined to carry out within the 2019 halftime present out of solidarity with Colin Kaepernick. But in a latest interview forward of her “Savage X Fenty Show Vol. 4,” Rihanna stated that the timing and circumstances this time round have been proper for her. “It was a problem that I welcomed. It was a stage larger than something I’ve ever carried out,” she stated.
After the NFL introduced in late September that Rihanna would headline the February present, hopeful rumors unfold of a long-awaited new album, which she has been teasing lately. Her final album, “ANTI,” was launched in 2016.
Although the pop star not too long ago dropped her first new tune in six years, the lead single for “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” she was fast to close down speculation that her Super Bowl efficiency meant an album was imminent. “That’s not true. Super Bowl is one factor. New music is one other factor. Do you hear that, followers?” she stated, laughing.
“The second that I introduced this, I stated, `Oh, my God, they’ll assume my album is coming. I must get to work,”‘ she recalled.
Despite her fast return to the general public eye after giving beginning, Rihanna and rapper A$AP Rocky have stored the small print about their child non-public. The two have but to share his title or any photographs of him.
“We simply did not get round to it but, actually. We’ve simply been residing. But I assume there is a sure freedom that comes with sort of identical to getting it on the market,” she stated.
In addition to adjusting to life as a brand new mother, Rihanna stated she has been busy outdoing final yr’s “Savage X Fenty Show Vol. 3,” which earned an Emmy and included a protracted checklist of high-profile stars.
“It’s all the time difficult to beat the one earlier than,” she stated. “Next yr goes to really be the primary problem as a result of this yr was such an enormous scale of a present and I do not know the way we’ll beat it, however we’ll should strive.”
This yr’s present contains performances by Anitta, Maxwell and others, in addition to a protracted checklist of appearances, together with Taraji P. Henson, Cara Delevingne and Sheryl Lee Ralph. AP’s interview with Rihanna got here earlier than phrase leaked that Johnny Depp was slated to take part. Some individuals sad with Depp’s authorized battle with ex-wife Amber Heard referred to as for a boycott of Rihanna’s line if Depp was a part of the present.
The “Savage X Fenty Show Vol. 4” shall be obtainable to stream Wednesday on Amazon Prime Video.