Rihanna’s Dancer Took A Scary Tumble, And 12 Other Things I Noticed Watching The Super Bowl Halftime Show In Person

So, the NFL made a HUGE deal about their $800,000 new grass field for Super Bowl LVII. Which, by the way, the players said was slippery as hell and some of the worst grass they've ever played on. Nonetheless, Rihanna's stage was constructed and set up so it didn't damage the expensive grass, something the crew told me before they set up. Watching all those individuals building the stage in real time, and also knowing they were given strict instructions on how to not damage the field, makes me respect those crew workers even more than I already did. You can read more about the logistics of that here.

Rihanna started the Apple Music Halftime Show with "Bitch Better Have My Money" and a belly rub that immediately had EVERYONE in the stadium talking. I don't think there was one person next to me that didn't gasp or ask "Is she pregnant?!" at that moment. RiRi would go on to rub her belly again while singing "Diamonds," causing the stadium (or at least those around me) to come to an agreement that yes, Queen RiRi is pregnant. And after the performance, her reps confirmed it!

For some reason, I expected poppa Rocky to make some type of appearance. Definitely not a performance, but maybe placing a crown on Rihanna's head at the end or something magical and dope along those lines. But poppa Rocky was exactly where he should be...on the sidelines, cheering on one of the most talented artists in the industry and being a supportive partner.

When Jay Z and Lil Uzi Vert entered the building (and walked right by me, mind you, along with Blue Ivy), I was sure Rihanna was going to bring out the GOAT. However, Jay didn't hit the stage during RiRi's set, in which she did perform her portions of tracks she has with the legendary rapper. I can't pretend I wasn't disappointed, especially after last year's star-studded event that featured Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar, and 50 Cent.

It looked like those platforms were rocking a little bit, and at one point, one of Rihanna's dancers slipped. My heart skipped a beat, but they popped up instantly and kept going. Sheesh.

Bruh. Rihanna had one strap separating her from doom, and I was nervous as all hell the entire time. I'm talking SWEATING. Thank the lord nothing happened, but I feel like this was not the safest harness/strap setup for such an expensive and prestigious event.

Although some backing vocals were used, especially while she was dancing, I was SO happy to hear Rihanna belt out her classics. Hearing her sing live really gave me goosebumps! Fun fact, halftime show and national anthem performers must prerecord their performance for the event, then they can sing over it as much or as little as they'd like! "We call it a protection track," longtime Super Bowl sound engineer Patrick Baltzell told the Verge back in 2018. "We always record a protection track for the halftime lead singer and for the national anthem."

I have a sneaker problem...or at least that's how my fiancé feels. Rihanna's MM6 Maison Margiela x Salomon sneakers looked absolutely delicious, even from my viewing area. I kept saying to myself, "What are those shoes?!" and was forced to look them up the second her performance was done.