Celebs and Fans React to Pregnant Rihanna's High-Flying Super Bowl Halftime Performance

Television By TooFab Staff |
Getty

Rihanna didn't need any special guests, costume changes or tricks, aside from those floating platforms -- she was all about the music ... and that bump!

After much anticipation, Rihanna took over State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona for a pulses-pounding Super Bowl Halftime Show journey through her greatest hits.

It was one of the more ambitious stagings for a Halftime Show, with Rihanna and some of her dancers starting the performance on massive platforms raised above the playing field. The whole structure seemed to stretch almost the length of the field.

Adorned in a red jump suit unzipped to the waist with a shiny bodice underneath, RiRi exuded confidence as she moved about the stages effortlessly, attached to a single strap harness just in case.

NFL posted the full performance online. Though it won't embed here, you can see it by clicking Watch on YouTube below.

The medley included smash hits like "Bitch, Better Have My Money," "Only Girl in the World," "We Found Love," "Rude Boy," "Umbrella" and a climax high in the sky for "Diamonds."

Perhaps the second biggest surprise of the whole show was what didn't happen. Rihanna has a huge catalog of hits all to herself, but she's also been one of the most successful collaborators in the industry.

There were so many opportunities for some of the artists she's worked with like Jay-Z or Eminem to join her for a few beats, but this performance was all Rihanna from start to finish. She let the music speak for itself with hit after hit after hit.

The biggest surprise of the night was the collaborator who did join her on stage ... that bump! Fans began speculating as soon as she hit the stage, with her rep confirming Rihanna is pregnant with her second baby following the performance. She and A$AP Rocky welcomed their first child in May 2022.

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

Even ASAP Rocky, with one of the best seats in the house, was mesmerized by the performance. Social media lit up as her celebrity fans and everyone else jumped online to weigh in on the joy of seeing Rihanna back in form as the superstar musician she is.

There was a small contingency of those online used to the over-the-top spectacle that most Super Bowl Halftime Shows give who found themselves disappointed and frustrated that she had no surprise guests or even a costume change. But this was a very small minority, quickly drowned out by all those heaping accolades.

A few noticed the very clear moment that she paused the show to check her makeup with the assist of a dancer, seeing it as a promotional plug for her own Fenty Beauty line.

Her performance was so dominant, she trended in the top two spots on Twitter. That's impressive, but also kind of funny because trending at number two just beneath her name is a misspelling of her name, Rhianna.

Also trending were Rih Rih, Diamonds, Pon de Replay, and Disturbia.

Just following the performance, Rihanna's ex Chris Brown seemingly reacted by posting "GO GIRL," along with both a heart and prayer hands emojis to his Instagram Story.

When it comes to big names reacting to the halftime show, most were squarely on the "She was great" side of the fence -- though both Donald Trump and comedian/MTV star Theo Von had some criticism. Trump called it an "EPIC FAIL" and "the single worst Halftime Show in Super Bowl history" while also slamming her "stylist."

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

Bethenny Frankel also made headlines Monday for saying the performance was "good not great," before praising her for using the spotlight to highlight her Fenty beauty brand.

Check out some of the best the celebrity reactions to Rihanna's dominant set below:

Below are more viral tweets about her performance:

Every Must-See Photo of Rihanna from Super Bowl Halftime Show View Photos

Want more content like this?

Get Toofab breaking news sent right to your browser!
Nope.