By: Kailea Mundorf

After six long years, Rihanna finally made a comeback at the Superbowl LVII halftime show, surprising more than 110 million viewers with considerably big news. 

During the almost 14-minute performance, the pop star sang almost half of her discography while dancing and interacting with the camera. The set list included her top hits like Umbrella, Diamonds, Work, and many other songs. 

About 80 dancers accompanied her, wearing big white puffy jackets on the red stage. Her performance was also enhanced with floating platforms, hoisting up dancers and Rihanna herself into dynamic formations. Fans all around the stadium recorded the moment as Rihanna dazzled the stage with her enticing dance moves.

But what shocked the crowd the most, was the appearance of her baby bump under her jacket, and subtle gestures- revealing her second pregnancy to the world.

Lydia Foley-Kretsch, a dancer and student who enjoys pop culture said, “I liked the fact that she was pregnant. It made her performance even more impressive.” 

She also believed that the outfit choices and dancing were incredible, rating the total performance a nine out of ten. 

It was not just Rihanna and her dancers who stole the show, however. Rihanna’s ASL performer Justiana Miles, a nursing student at Bowie State, interpreted 12 songs that reflected the emotion with which Rihanna sang with. Twitter blew up afterward with celebrities praising her performance.

However, the long-awaited return of the icon Rihanna did not satisfy all viewers worldwide. 

An anonymous source believes she could have done more, stating, “I wish she danced more.”

A lot of people on social media agree with this statement, wanting ‘more’ from the overall performance. Some critics cited the fact that Rihanna was lip-synching throughout the majority of her performance. Others simply stated was not the most impressive, as it was different from a lot of other halftime shows. 

Nonetheless, it can be said that Rihanna has made an impactful return just with her pregnancy announcement, and will continue to shine in the spotlight for years to come.