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Pregnant Rihanna soars in Super Bowl halftime performance

Dancers wearing white ski-style suits and shaded goggles

Rihanna was above it all.

She began and ended the Super Bowl 57 halftime show hovering high above the field at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. The performance delivered on fan expectations but it included a major surprise BԪַ the singer is pregnant with her second child.

She wore a puffy, bright red jumpsuit with tight, rubbery garb underneath as she stood on a transparent rectangular platform that raised and lowered as she belted out the lyrics to BԪַBitch Better Have My MoneyBԪַ over the turf where the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs were battling moments earlier.

The singerBԪַs representative confirmed the pregnancy shortly after she ended her 13-minute set at Super Bowl 57.

Dancers wearing white ski-style suits and shaded goggles had their own suspended platforms that moved in concert with hers.

She and the dancers were lowered to a long stage that matched her outfit as she sped through hits including BԪַWork,BԪַ BԪַWhere Have You Been,BԪַ and BԪַOnly Girl,BԪַ belting out BԪַWant you to make me feel like IBԪַm the only girl in the world.BԪַ

There were none of the instant costume changes, scene shifts or surprise guest appearances that have been a constant at other Super Bowl halftimes. (Her set included songs that were studio collaborations with Drake and Ye, but neither suddenly showed up.)

The theme BԪַ and the color scheme BԪַ stayed the same throughout the 13-minute show, with red lights bathing the stage at times and golden fireworks exploding in the air above her.

The long stage allowed for extended pull-away shots as she stared down the camera and overhead tracking shots of Rihanna and her dancers.

At one point she powdered her face and checked it in a mirror before getting back on the mic.

Lights sparkled from the stands as she was hoisted alone back into the air and sang BԪַDiamondsBԪַ BԪַ with its refrain of BԪַshine bright like a diamondBԪַ BԪַ as the set closed.

was her first live event in years, and her first since nine months ago.

A SIMPLY SPANGLED BANNER

Country star Chris Stapleton at , standing alone on the field accompanied by only his electric guitar as he sang BԪַThe Star Spangled BannerBԪַ moments before the Kansas City Chiefs kickoff to the Philadelphia Eagles to start the game.

Dressed simply in smooth black denim and sunglasses, with neatly combed hair instead of his signature feathered cowboy hat, he sang the anthem as a plaintive ballad, picking it up to rock only briefly as he delivered the final lines BԪַbanner yet waveBԪַ and BԪַland of the free!BԪַ

His anthem felt slow, but it clocked in at 2 minutes, 2 seconds, under the 2 minutes, 5 seconds predicted by oddsmakers. But it was more than 10 seconds longer than by another country star, Mickey Guyton.

Eagles coach Nick Sirianni and starting center Jason Kelce both had tears in their eyes during StapletonBԪַs emotional performance.

As the eight-time Grammy winner sang, BԪַCODABԪַ star Troy Kotsur, the , signed the anthem lyrics.

OTHER ANTHEMS

Before StapletonBԪַs anthem, BԪַAbbot ElementaryBԪַ star BԪַLift Every Voice and Sing.BԪַ

Wearing a flowing red velvet gown, Ralph began the song dubbed the Black national anthem as a reflective ballad, and it became a soaring hymn as it went on, with military-style drums joining her and a choir dressed all in white chiming in behind her on the field at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.

And R&B legend Babyface delivered BԪַAmerica the BeautifulBԪַ as a soulful folk song, playing an acoustic guitar painted with an American flag and blue flowers as he stood alone on the field. A backing track with drum machines and singers kicked in before he was done.

FAMOUS FANS, PERFORMERS AND PITCH PEOPLE

Die-hard Chiefs fan Paul Rudd was on the field before the game, sporting a big smile and a team jersey.

Philadelphia native , wearing an Eagles T-shirt, celebrated from the stands as his team put the gameBԪַs first points on the board. Another famous Philly fan, Kevin Hart, wearing a jersey, stood and flapped his arms.

Jay-Z, Tiffany Haddish, rapper GloRilla and chef Gordon Ramsay were also spotted in the stadium.

Pregame performances came from DJ Snake and Jason Derulo, whose backup dancers included synchronized .

Many stars have made the scene at .

And many others, including , are showing up in the big gameBԪַs big commercials.

Andrew Dalton, The Associated Press

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