Rihanna to headline Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show

The new sponsor of the Super Bowl Halftime Show is stepping up in a big way, announcing Rihanna as the 2023 headliner.

Rihanna confirmed her participation with a tweet of a picture showing her hand holding an NFL football. The announcement came from Apple Music, which took over sponsorship from Pepsi. The soft drink giant had been the NFL's previous partner for a decade.

Rihanna was initially offered the headline spot for the Super Bowl in 2020 but turned it down in solidarity with former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, after his social justice protests during the national anthem.

Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter of Roc Nation will serve as executive producer for the show. The music and fashion icon will perform at Super Bowl LVII in February 2023.

Rihanna has largely stayed away from music since her last studio album in 2016. The nine-time Grammy Award winner instead has focused on launching her Fenty brands. The 34-year-old has an estimated $1.4 billion net worth, which made her this year’s youngest self-made woman billionaire in the United States, according to Forbes

Rihanna's fans have waited for years for the promised follow-up to her eighth studio album "Anti" from 2016, which included the hit single "Work."