The Weeknd performed in the halftime show of Super Bowl LV, marking the first time in seven years and only the second time in history that an R&B artist ever headlined the event. The game itself was a one-sided match as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were able to outperform the Kansas City Chiefs in virtually every category. However, what caught people’s attention was not only the highly anticipated matchup itself but also The Weeknd’s unique, eccentric performance.
The Weeknd was recently in the limelight of mainstream hip-hop media as his famous single, “Blinding Lights” failed to receive a nomination for the Grammy Awards. The song remained on the Billboard’s top 10 chart for a record-high of 43 weeks and broke several streaming records on many platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music, and SoundCloud. These credentials had the public awaiting a grand nomination from the Grammys, but the Recording Academy never acknowledged the artist’s achievements. Although The Weeknd didn’t receive a Grammy nomination, his performance at the Super Bowl outshined this disappointment.
Fitting nine songs into a 14-minute set, The Weeknd was able to deliver a show that carried an 80’s undertone while implementing pyrotechnics on a stage filled with lights and mirrors. Dressed in his infamous red suit and face bandages, The Weeknd, along with dozens of identically clad backup dancers, performed multiple hit singles, including “Can’t Feel My Face,” “Blinding Lights,” “The Hills,” and “Save Your Tears.” A single clip of The Weeknd roaming through the stage of mirrors even became its own meme format.
The appearance once again resonated with the aesthetic he has adopted since the beginning of 2020. The show lasted 24 minutes, and The Weeknd’s streaming numbers increased 41% post-Super Bowl. His fan base has since questioned whether he will go back into hiding as he did in 2019 or if he will continue to drop music in 2021.
