Following her Super Bowl performance last night, it has been reported that Rihanna will not be getting paid for her appearance at the event.
RiRi, 34, took to the global stage at yesterday's halftime show where she delivered an epic performance that lasted 13 minutes. During that time, she performed 12 of her hit singles, including 'Work' and 'Run This Town' before also cramming in a subtle pregnancy announcement by revealing her baby bump.
Representatives of the singer later confirmed the news, stating that she was in fact expecting baby number two with her long-term partner, A$AP Rocky.
While Rihanna's performance might have divided public opinion, with some praising her as a "goddess" while others complained that she might be lip-syncing, there's no denying that she left everything out on that stage.
So you would think that a star like RiRi would be earning herself a hefty check, right? Wrong.
As it just so happens, none of the performers end up getting any money for performing at the Super Bowl halftime show thanks to a long-standing rule, but they do end up earning themselves some extra bucks a different way.
According to the Daily Express, artists get their entire set, including wages for those working behind the scenes completely funded by the NFL as well as their travel expenses to the venue, but they don't actually get paid for their time on screen.
This is because the slot provides them with a platform to gain some extra publicity and cash via music sales.
As per the outlet, "performing on one of the world’s biggest, most televised stages converts into real financial gain in the form of increased music sales with over 100 million people watching the game."
Catch her performance below:During previous Super Bowls, performers have seen a dramatic spike in revenue thanks to people searching for their music.
Lady Gaga played the show in 2018 and her music sales spiked 1000% while Justin Timberlake saw a dramatic 534% increase in musical downloads that very same day. However, the Super Bowl halftime show is not the guaranteed public relations hit as it was in the past due to a lot of people boycotting the event after the Colin Kaepernick scandal.
In the past, Rihanna was also part of the group that rejected offers to perform at the event, though the 'We Found Love' singer had a change of heart this year.
Speaking to Rachel Smith at Entertainment Tonight prior to the event, she addressed the issue, stating that she "couldn't believe she said yes."
"I can't believe I even said yes. It was one of those things that even when I announced it, I was like, 'OK, I can't take it back. Now, it's like final,'" the singer recalled.
"The Super Bowl is one of the biggest stages in the world, it's an entertainer's dream to be on a stage like that," she added. "But it's nerve-racking. You want to get it right. You know, everybody's watching. And they're rooting for you. And I want to get it right."
The 34-year-old also said that it was the only challenge that could get her out of the house since she gave birth to her son.
"You could get real comfortable being at home as a mom, [so this is] challenging myself to do something that I've never done before in my career.
"I have to live up to that challenge."
And she managed to do just that! Congrats to her!