5 Million More People Watched Rihanna at Super Bowl Than Game

Rihanna delivers a spectacular #SuperBowl halftime show. pic.twitter.com/iIKS7Dj4Uo

— Pop Base (@PopBase) February 13, 2023

Super Bowl LVII saw a Kansas City Chiefs victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in an exciting matchup with the final score of 38 to 35, respectively. But many folks watching couldn’t care less about the two teams. For them, the event was all about the halftime show to see Rihanna—and she did not disappoint. Rihanna's performance brought in 118.7 million viewers for her Super Bowl Halftime Show, according to preliminary numbers. It was 5 million more than the game itself, which saw 113 million viewers.

If you missed Rihanna’s Halftime Show, it’s easy to catch the 15-minute performance online because it captivated the internet. The superstar has put music on the back burner in recent years to focus on other endeavors like her billion-dollar makeup line, Fenty Beauty (which she made a nod to during her set). So, to see her perform some of her most iconic hits—including “Only Girl in the World,” “We Found Love,” and “Rude Boy”—was a joy for many.

The songs, however, were just part of what made the performance so spectacular. Rihanna’s set design reminded viewers of the Super Smash Bros. video game—a beloved title—which delighted people who were fans of Riri and the ultimate Nintendo showdown. But the songs, set, and her bright red suit (inspired by the late great André Leon Talley) almost couldn’t compare to the night’s biggest reveal—Rihanna is pregnant again. She appeared to have a baby bump during the performance, and her rep quickly confirmed it after it was over.

So, NFL who? Based on the reactions, the night was a Rihanna concert that just happened to include some football.

Rihanna performed during the Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show, and her performance was more popular than the game itself. (There were 118.7 million viewers watching her vs. the 113 million watching the football game.)

The internet loved the performance…

My reaction when Rihanna first song is Bitch Better have my money after 6 years pic.twitter.com/l6txyJgNNO

— Jobless Yb Fan (@ShisuiTheDonn__) February 13, 2023

me watching rihanna perform shine bright like a diamondpic.twitter.com/sgIDJdiqAI

— ruby (@swagaliciousrub) February 13, 2023

…and noticed when she plugged her brand, Fenty Beauty.

she's a business woman #SuperBowlLVII pic.twitter.com/kLFdBHnVuy

— NOSTALGIA (@notgwendalupe) February 13, 2023

Rihanna really just “okay I guess I’ll just play my little songs for y’all because you seem to like that” the #SuperBowl halftime show.

No guests. No stunts. Minimal choreography. Sublime self possession. Incredible.

— Franklin Leonard (@franklinleonard) February 13, 2023

Rihanna sang some of her greatest hits on a set that reminded people of the video game Super Smash Bros.

[me with 10 minutes to design Rihanna’s Super Bowl halftime set] pic.twitter.com/Nd4WjX4VrP

— Dave Itzkoff (@ditzkoff) February 13, 2023

Respect to Rhianna for performing in a Super Smash Bros stage pic.twitter.com/oXrHsFue0t

— Rob Sheridan (@rob_sheridan) February 13, 2023

yoooo they added rihanna to smash?? pic.twitter.com/cId2w8nFur

— goth jason kelce (@PunkMcCartney1) February 13, 2023

And of course, the biggest reveal was her second pregnancy.

Rihanna reveals she is pregnant with her second child during her Super Bowl Halftime performance. pic.twitter.com/AWul8kqbKY

— CONSEQUENCE (@consequence) February 13, 2023

Yo !!!! Rihanna pregnant again ?! #Riri #Rhianna #SuperBowl #HalftimeShow pic.twitter.com/kFm0x0MDE6

— The Man in the Mirror (@AquarianGodd) February 13, 2023