After breaking the internet with the announcement that she will be the main performer at the 2023 Super Bowl, Rihanna is set to take the stage in a matter of days. But with eight albums, 14 number one hits, and a limited amount of time, fans can’t help but wonder what songs she will perform at the halftime show this Sunday.
As one of the best-selling musicians of all time, Rihanna has no shortage of hits, and after taking a long break from performing, her halftime performance is shaping up to be one of the most-watched in Super Bowl history.
Her latest single, and first in several years is “Lift Me Up,” and the Oscar-nominated track off of the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack is one song that many are keen on seeing Rihanna sing live. The inspirational and soulful track is yet to be performed, so fingers remain crossed that the singer will belt out the heartfelt tune at some point during the show.
Besides “Lift Me Up,” which we hope she opens the show with, here are the other songs that we hope Rihanna blesses the crowd with at the upcoming Super Bowl halftime show as she makes her long-awaited return to the stage.
“Work”
Easily one of her biggest singles, “Work” is surely the best song Rihanna can perform to get the crowd moving. The chart-topping reggae and dancehall track was released in January 2016 and stayed atop the Billboard chart for nine weeks. The song marked a return to Rihanna’s earlier musical efforts, and is one of her most memorable hits of all time. While she has a plethora of jams to get the Super Bowl crowd moving, no other single will get the job done quite like “Work,” and we’re seriously hoping she brings Drake out for his sleek verse.
“Diamonds”
Arguably her biggest song alongside “Work,” the Sia-penned “Diamonds” will have everyone at the arena and those at home crooning with Rihanna. It’s one of her most performed songs ever, and is sure to light up the entire stage. We’re hoping this is her final song of the show, but with a superstar like Rihanna, you’re in for a treat regardless of which single closes the halftime show.
“FourFiveSeconds”
Hear us out. While we’re pretty sure we’re not getting a Kanye West appearance at the show, Rihanna has performed this swagged-out number many times on stage all by herself. If the legendary Paul McCartney does show up for some amazing guitar backing, then we’d be even more pleased, but as she’s shown time and time again, Rihanna doesn’t need anyone else to deliver a masterful live performance. “FourFiveSeconds” will have the crowd bopping, snapping, and clapping in unison, and isn’t that what the Super Bowl is about anyway?
“Pon de Replay”
The song that introduced us to the musical icon that is Rihanna, “Pon de Replay” is an infectious dancehall pop track that’s another sure bet to have the crowd dancing along. While nobody could have envisioned how magnanimous the singer would be when this was released, we’re all thankful for this track, and the nostalgic feel of the 2005 smash hit will definitely warrant some dance moves.
“Umbrella”
If Jay-Z joins Rihanna for a live performance of this absolute banger, then the Super Bowl halftime show might just turn into a full-blown party. Fans are expecting to hear “Umbrella” this Sunday, and it’s pretty obvious why. Besides the feelings of nostalgia, it was this single that propelled Rihanna to global superstardom, and who wouldn’t want to echo out “Ella Ella, Ey Ey” with 70,000 other fans?
“We Found Love”/“This Is What You Came For”
Rihanna’s been known to take the audience to the club while on tour, so what better way to turn the Super Bowl halftime show into a festival than with two of her best dance tracks? Mashing up “We Found Love” and the Calvin Harris-led track “This Is What You Came For” will transport the audience to an early 2010s summer in Ibiza or Mykonos.
“Only Girl in the World”
A staple from her red-haired Loud album, “Only Girl in the World” cemented Rihanna as a versatile musical act, as she shone on the glossy synth-pop dance track. 2010 was never the same after the release of this song, and it’s the perfect track to get the crowd jumping with joy.