It’s wild that Rihanna won’t get paid for her Super Bowl halftime show
As per Big Game tradition, one of the planet's biggest musical stars will be working "for exposure" at this Sunday's Super Bowl halftime show
Aux News Super Bowl
We’re just two days away from Super Bowl Sunday at this point, as anticipation continues to build nationwide for every aspect of The Big Game that does not, of course, involve the actual playing or viewing of the sport of football. Trailers, puppies, various calorie-intensive dips: The hype is building, and none of it more intensely than for the halftime show by Rihanna, finally taking the stage she declined to occupy back in 2020, and marking not just her ascendance into the Superb Owl stratosphere—and possibly some new music, although she’s keeping her Fenty-clad lips pretty firmly closed on that point—but also her first live performance in fully five years.
Which is as good a time as any to remind ourselves of one of the weirdest quirks of the whole halftime show rigmarole, a whirlwind of branding, sponsorships, and millions of dollars flying around: Rihanna’s not getting paid for any of it, except in that most dreaded of online currencies—exposure.
Now, admittedly: “Exposure” means a whole hell of a lot more when it involves 100 million (or maybe even 200 million, as projections are suggesting) people watching you bring the house down than it does when a Twitch streamer with a dozen subscribers goes begging an artist for a free piece of art. Even so, it remains very strange to be reminded—as a recent Forbes piece did—that the NFL doesn’t pay Rihanna to come over and put on a several-minute musical spectacular on their behalf. The League does foot the bill, with help from sponsors like this year’s Apple Music, for the costs of the performance, although not always completely; The Weeknd and Dr. Dre both reportedly dropped an additional $7 million in personal cash for their shows in 2021 and 2022 respectively. (Forbes didn’t get a comment back from Rihanna’s people about whether she was making a similar outlay for her own show this year.)
All that being said, while Rihanna won’t be getting paid for her time, it’s not like she won’t be getting paid: Forbes also runs some statistics on how much clout recent Super Bowl performers have picked up in the immediate wake of their halved time performances, and they’re considerable. Lady Gaga picked up a brief but potent 1000 percent bump in streams and album sales immediately after her 2017 show; Mary J. Blige, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, and Kendrick Lamar all saw smaller, but still very extant, increases in sales after last year’s show. (To say nothing of lucrative expansions to their social media brands, as millions of new followers dutifully filed in.) Even without a new album to announce—or an actual, take-the-check-to-the-bank payday—this Sunday is already gearing up to be a very successful day for Rihanna and all her associated brands.
109 Comments
You think that’s weird? Then this is going to blow your mind: some creators actually pay their own money to have their content aired alongside the Super Bowl. It turns out scrappy young artists like Budweiser and Chrysler are so desperate for any kind of exposure in our late stage capitalist system that they’ll actually foot the bill to get their works in front of an audience. Sad.
So it’s not a Rihanna performance, but a Rihanna ad?
The rich certainly live in a different world.
Yes. Rihanna is a billionaire who owns a make-up empire. If she is doing this gig it’s because it’s worth her time.
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I was bummed there was no high-explosive gender reveal.
What a weird take.
Accurate though
Not really. As the others who posted have said, it costs a lot of money to get 30 seconds of time to show your product during the big game and artists get 15 minutes for free. The only caveat is they have to be big enough already to even be asked to do it. Working for exposure is bullshit for small unknown creators, for sure, but for artist with giant media and merchandise empires. It’s a boon.
No it’s not.
Yes, it’s a true shame that a multimillionaire isn’t getting paid a few million more to perform a 15 minute show for the benefit of a multibillion-dollar organization. Definitely one of the most pressing entertainment stories, which is why it’s been a major headline before every Superb Owl for years now.
Billionaire actually.
She’s a billionaire, not a multi-millionaire (1.4bn at last count).
Wow, cool; thanks for the correction. Good for Rihanna, even if it means I care even less about this story now.
Your comment says a lot about how you feel towards women of color in power. Like, you can’t even be bothered to know that Rihanna is the first black female musician to become a billionaire, nor respect it. Maybe you aren’t racist or misogynistic, but you kind of seem like it from your comment.
It’s really more of a general apathy towards celebrities, corporations, and the 1%; outside of a few widely-reported CEOs and investors, I couldn’t tell you if any specific white male was a billionaire or not, and in their cases I really wouldn’t care at all. Knowing how the cards are stacked against women and POC, I’m honestly impressed by, and happy for, Rihanna for reaching that milestone, and while I actually think that she and other Super Bowl halftime performers ought to be paid at least a nominal fee by the NFL, I just don’t view it as an important issue.Honestly, having grown up in the southern USA, I’m well aware that I’ve spent decades marinating in a virulently racist and sexist culture, and while I’ve spent most of my life trying to fight its influence, I’m far from perfect. If I express any bigoted sentiments, I would really hope someone points them out with the aim of showing how I’m wrong and educating me on how to improve myself.
Pussy
I don’t think someone should get respect just for being black and terrible rich. As already made evident, Rihanna ain’t worried about. Back in ‘19, she was saying she wouldn’t do this because “Who gains from it? Not my people.”, and how she goes on to state there are things within “that” organization she doesn’t not agree with (racism).And yet, there she was. Not even a full 4 years later.
Why should we hold her color and prestige over her character? That’s the dream deferred, pimpin’.
In the time between your last comments, she has been declared a bazillionaire.
uh huh you care so little you left multiple comments
Yeah, but all of this “so-and-so is a billionaire” stuff is mostly just silly marketing. Like you own 25% of a private company that makes $500 million a year in revenue and much, much, much less than that in profit, but a financial magazine estimates the brand to be worth $4 billion considering its assets, IP, and growth potential, and congratulations you’re a billionaire. And then all of the “Kanye just lost $1.5 billion in a day” articles, not because he lost that much money, like he had $1.5 billion and then he didn’t; he had a deal signed that somebody had estimated being theoretically worth $1.5 billion that was canceled. Not a deal to pay him $1.5 billion, just a deal with the inherent value of $1.5 billion. Or like, “Jeff Bezos made $70 billion during the pandemic,” because he owns a ton of Amazon stock and the price went up.
For sure. Though an awful lot of that really just helps show our entire financial system is kind of complete bollocks.
An alleged billionaire and former U.S. president has been widely mocked for once saying his net worth* on any given day depended on his mood, but he wasn’t that far off.*I hate that we consider a person’s worth to be the number of dollar-equivalents they control, but that’s the idiom.
well…Kanye couldn’t sell the deal but Bezos could sell the stock
A few extra beads on the abacus makes this story worse, and therefore more deserving of our sympathy … how, exactly?No, please take your time – we’ll wait.
Well, don’t you worry your sweet Soul over it, as the author made sure to round this turd of an article out with:
Even without a new album to announce—or an actual,
take-the-check-to-the-bank payday—this Sunday is already gearing up to
be a very successful day for Rihanna and all her associated brands.
Thereby nulling the entire existence of this article in the first place.
If I were her, I’d at least ask for a gift card to Olive Garden or something.
At least a McDonald coupon book like they sell during Halloween
If they were paying, they could afford to get any number of much better performers than Rhianna.Rhianna will pay to promote her brand, so they’ll let her up there happily.
I heard Janet Jackson got a lot of exposure from her halftime show too.
this.
It’s easy to pooh-pooh everything with “oh poor millionaires”, but it’s AMAZING how many gigs feel that the time it takes to rehearse and stage-ready a full set of music plus purchasing the equipment necessary to perform it should be paid in “exposure”.You die from too much exposure. I’ll take money, thank you.
The bullshit part… outside of last year, the backup dancers do not get paid.
The bullshit part… outside of last year, the backup dancers do not get paid.By the Super Bowl.Doesn’t mean they aren’t getting paid.
That is bullshit. Rihanna doesn’t need a dime but every other non-celeb working on that stage should be getting paid and paid well
On-stage backup dancers have been paid (union rules require it.*) When you hear about unpaid dancers at the big game, it’s probably in reference to so-called “field participants,” who swarm around the stage, sway back and forth, jump up and down, stick their left foot, shake it all about (I have not watched many Super Bowl performances). They are required to attend rehearsals but are not supposed to be asked to learn choreography as professional dancers do. In the past they have worked for the experience or to have something to put on their resumes, but are now paid at least minimum wage. There is ongoing contention about whether or not they should be paid as professional dancers.*In fact, headliners are also paid union scale, which would be a nice check for many people but understandably seems like nothing to them.https://www.newsweek.com/super-bowl-2022-halftime-show-performers-paid-1678068
wait, so this entire article is wrong because they didn’t read that newsweek article? that tracks Also, you can bet Rihanna actually paid all those dancers on top of their union scale…it’s not like she got them at a cattle call in Temecula.
But the exposure!! You can put “danced in Rihanna’s Super Bowl halftime show” in your social media bio! /s
and Rihanna can put it on her own CV some day when she applies to teach kinesiology in a sleepy barbados town“tell us about a time when you had to manage a large team of people”
dont worry. Everybody she works with is being paid. And she’s gonna get a huge pay cheque once the world starts buying up all her music again on monday.
She hasn’t performed live in five years, per the article. I think she’s fine without your concern.
It’s also AMAZING how literally nobody is forcing her to take this unpaid gig. She even said before she wouldn’t perform at super bowls, but I guess she craves the attention.
Hehe… poo….
I would indeed die from too much exposure.Rihanna though, she would not. She’s a billionaire, with a B*. So this is actually a case of “oh poor BILLIONAIRE” which is a phrase we really never, EVER need to say. Not one single time, ever.
I thought that was really nice when those other artists paid money for their shows until I learned it was to fund the show itself and no money went to the backup dancers. It was unusual last year when the non-headliners got paid, apparently they normally get nothing.
That’s not quite true. I go into more detail elsewhere in this comments section, but professional on-stage performers must be paid union scale. They don’t get any additional “appearance fees,” which might normally be in the tens of millions for the headliners, and this gets widely but inaccurately reported as no one getting paid. So-called “field performers,” who are not supposed to be miked or required to learn choreography, often went unpaid in the past and now get minimum wage.
why is this even an article?
Because the writers on this site suck and are desperate for content.
at least they get paid to be here
You realize this applies to you – a crazy person who’s on your 3rd account this week?
🖕🏻
So basically you have no actual response because you’re a sad, desperate old hag?
you get the replies you deserve dumbshit
Nah.
sorry i missed valentines day 😘
Well what do you want to talk about?
Not as wild as the fact that she’s performing at all since she previously said she wouldn’t because:“I couldn’t dare do that,” she explained. “For what? Who gains from that? Not my people. I just couldn’t be a sellout. I couldn’t be an enabler. There’s things within that organization that I do not agree with at all, and I was not about to go and be of service to them in any way.”
I would love to know what she is talking about when she says there are things that the organization does that she does not agree with….
That’s why they need more headbanging groups to play the Super Bowl. They’d presumably be onboard with all the concussions the NFL causes!
Headbanger’s Bowl, eh
The nfl blacklisted Colin Kaepernick for kneeling during the national anthem, plus countless other incidents of racism, and institutional racism in the nfl.
I think you know what she’s talking about if you just think about it, but for the sake of genuine naivety, here is some further info: this quote was in the Nov 2019 issue of VOGUE, in which she stated this in proximity to the Colin Kaepernick saga.I guess since it’s no longer an issue, her appearance didn’t subscribe to any for her, morality-wise. However, the “Not my people” part seems like it should extend to all instances, and not just one isolated instance.
“Who gains from that? Not my people.” I guess her people are her sponsors, and they are in a better position to gain from it now than 4 years ago?Just odd, and I wish her fans would’ve learned they gassin’ a true airhead.
Lol you cant expect consistency from these people
I mean, we knew Rhianna’s card when we saw her pull Johnny Depp in her show.And if we dinn’t know, now we should know, bay-bay.The rich do not have true convictions, of any sort, really. They have seasonal agendas.
I’m sure she would have been cheered on by most here if she had used Amber Heard though.
Selling out without even getting paid. That’s a new one.
Ay, this is THE BEST take I’ve seen here.
🏆👏
If they want people to get exposure at the Super Bowl, they need to have it at Lambeau Field. Maybe they’ll even get frostbite! (although, like elsewhere it hasn’t been a particularly harsh winter this year).
I’m not worried about her. I’m worried about the back up band and dancers.
Is a gun being held to her head tomorrow night before she performs? Cuz otherwise I don’t at all see a problem with this. In theatre school I had profs literally be like “Doing work for volunteer for exposure is part of the profession”. This is just silly. Like hey I wanna play the superbowl halftime show for free if she doesnt wanna do it lol like what she’s obviously choosing to be there this is just stupid. How much do you think the Oscar’s host makes…?
Utterly pointless article. Why am I here? I ask myself that too often.
You might be here for the same reason I am: 84% habit, 16% [emotions described by “Memory” from Cats]
– the A.V. Club
“Now you’re just somebody that I used to know!”
p.s.: send help
She knows this too right? I assume she agreed to the terms ahead of time? If not … awkward!
Don’t they know she got kidz?!
Even if they paid her it’s not like she needs the money. And she is famous enough and she has enough power in her career where she could say no with out it hurting her at all. She is totally doing this because she wants to and it will benefit her.
No worries, a nice person like Rihanna wouldn’t expect her back up dancers to work for free, right? She’ll pay them out of her own pocket I’m sure.
If there was an article about back up dancers not getting paid that would be super interesting to read about. Unfortunately we only got one about Rihanna.
Ah, I see – so only if it’s happening right now this week and shows up in your current feed it is relevant. Otherwise, there is no way for you to check the facts of what many different folks have been saying here.It wasn’t even that long ago these stories came out.
That’s truly terrible.
She could have said no, all the se world famous artists can and they don’t.Obviously it’s working out on some level cause she sure as heck doesn’t need the money.
Rich person not getting paid to do rich person shit?
I’m sure she is DYING!!!!
Piss off.
Keep simping for rich performers, concern troll. Just because you were traumatized by being an online “journalist” and being expected to intern for the “exposure,” doesn’t mean that your situation is in any way similar to this.If she can afford to not perform live for *five years*, I’m pretty sure she’s doing fine.
NFL TREATS RIHANNA WORSE THAN CHRIS BROWN
Why whine about this now when it seems like previous performers were not paid either?
Because black women billionaires are disproportionately affected something, something… systemic racism!
have you considered running into traffic?
you could try eating shit about it
Why? It’s a valid question. The article says it is normal for them not to be paid. Why does AV Club suddenly care about this issue now? Is it due to race or gender? Or both? I didn’t see them whine Eminem wasn’t getting paid.
Who gives a fuck about Rihanna, give the goddamn hot dog vendors a raise.bUt hEr BaCkUp DaNcErs. They probably make more for one regular concert performance than a lower class American’s entire net worth, and she’s probably going on a World tour this year. They don’t need your sympathy either, champ.
shut up
She hasn’t performed in 5 yrs her last album was made when Obama was still president. This is gonna be a huge boost her catalog and over ventures. And like the article said company’s foot the bill for the performance unless it’s something really over the top and goes over budget
Maybe there’s a secret “uber-award” at stake. We’ve got a
handful of EGOT winners, maybe there’s a SEGOT “award”: Superbowl
performance, Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony? Of note, there are two (of
19) EGOT holders who have performed something at the Superbowl but not been the featured halftime performer:John Legend sang “America the Beautiful” in 2020Jennifer Hudson sang the national anthem in 2009But nobody has an actual SEGOT (and I’m claiming the trademark on that!).Also: because you asked: the performers at the first Superbowl in 1967 were: The Three Stooges, University of Arizona and Grambling State University marching bandsYou’re welcome!
The more horrible thing is that cheerleaders are effectively unpaid. They have these gruelling workloads, coupled with intense physical requirements and restrictive diets, and they basically don’t make any money off it. It’s super exploitative.https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/feb/09/nfl-cheerleaders-super-bowl-justice
I’m fairly certain they could just not do it if they didn’t want to.
Hey there now – don’t go railroading a serious topic like “Billionaire celebrity is still billionaire celebrity” by sussing it up with something even worse and more relatable (if you can even imagine such a thing).
Maybe we can put a Go-Fund-Me together for her.
The shriveled soul that is impersonating my account and spewing racism does not represent my views.
And when her new album drops, it’ll be exclusive to Tidal, so the people making the money will still make the money and plus some. So clever. I was totally fooled.
So just Rihanna not getting paid right? So every other Super Bowl Half Time performers did get paid? No? Then why make it sound like only Rihanna isn’t getting paid.
I think any artist who did a sober-minded profit/loss analysis of the Halftime Show would find that the paltry money generated by streaming bumps or extra album sales aren’t worth any extra outlays beyond what a sponsor covers. As many have discovered, social media followers and .0000008 cents (or whatever) per stream aren’t going to do much for you. This is simply something an artist does to be able to say they did it. Rihanna no doubt makes more from Fenty sales in a month than she could ever hope to generate from some overblown performance. Accountants know “exposure” is for suckers. The real money is touring and doing one-off performances in deeply problematic countries (cough, Beyonce, cough).
That’s why I’ve started a Go Fund Me page for Rhianna. Dig deep, y’all.
I would be caring a lot more about the dancers getting $15 an hour to be part of the show than this rich pop star.
Having just finished watching her performance, you get what you pay for
Live shows always suck for artists, I guess halftime is no exception.
“it’s wild that something that has always been the case will also be the case for Rihanna this year” great
They shoulda paid her double for the bun in the oven!
🎶Cry me a million…🎶
Your definition and my definition of “wild” is wildly different.
Even without a new album to announce—or an actual, take-the-check-to-the-bank payday—this Sunday is already gearing up to be a very successful day for Rihanna and all her associated brands.
So, then, this article was for what reason, again?And a reminder, as already covered only (checks) once by one other user.
She signals that I may proceed, and I ask if it’s true that she turned
down the Super Bowl halftime show in solidarity with Colin Kaepernick.
“Absolutely,” she says. “I couldn’t dare do that. For what? Who gains
from that? Not my people. I just couldn’t be a sellout. I couldn’t be an
enabler. There’s things within that organization that I do not agree
with at all, and I was not about to go and be of service to them in any
way.”
VOGUE Nov 2019
Guess 4 years is enough to change anyone’s conviction, however personal the experience was. (See Also: Johnny Depp in Savage X Fenty)