Best Performances of All Time: Rihanna Edition

Is Rihanna’s Super Bowl performance the best one of her career? Well, our favorite Riri has so many memorable ones that it is quite hard to choose from!

Rihanna made her official return to the world of music with the release of the much-awaited MCU film Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. It was seven years after the release of Riri's last album 'Anti'. She contributed two songs to the film's soundtrack 'Born Again', and 'Life Me Up' out of which the former received nominations for the Golden Globe and the Academy for being the 'Best Original Song'. During her much-needed break, the 'Work' hitmaker who has had 14 no. 1 hits in her belt was missed terribly by not just her fans but the entire world of music.

In the meantime, she had been busy building her business empire, her makeup brand, Fenty Beauty, a skincare line called Fenty Skin, a lingerie and fashion brand, Savage X Fenty, on top of becoming a mother of two adorable baby boys with American rapper A$AP Rocky. However, she might be, Rihanna came through and delivered like a boss she is at the Super Bowl while being pregnant with her second son! She reminded everyone that she still got that and why she is adored by the entire global music industry. But is it her most promising performance ever? Let's find that out.

Rock in Rio, 2015

Rihanna is usually known for her high-energy performances with sassy choreography and energized singing. However, from time to time, she has proved several times that she can, too, do a ballad perfectly. The singer performing a ballad is nothing short of magic, showcasing the true power of her vocals, just like her performance at the Rock in Rio music festival in 2015. The entire performance exemplified her gorgeous vocals when she sang a medley of the slowed-down versions of her ballads. She started with 'Unfaithful' and then seamlessly transitioned into 'Love The Way You Lie'. She ended the mesmerizing performance with 'Take a Bow', and truly Rihanna, Take a Bow. The entire performance is the perfect example of the singer's mastery over medleys and her ability to keep the crowd still entertained even with slowed-down ballads.

Billboard Music Awards, 2016

Another ballad performance, and another performance that Rihanna absolutely slayed! The singer's passionate and show-stopping rendition of 'Love on the Brain' at the Billboard Music Awards in 2016 is one of the most memorable performances of the 'Umbrella' hitmaker. She looked drop-dead gorgeous in a green fur stole along with a pair of matching sunglasses but it was not only her look that stole the show, but it was actually her energy on the stage and mesmerizing vocals. The singer performed a moody yet powerful rendition on the minimalist where the stage which was designed with a slightly post-apocalyptic look flashed a green light, leaving the audience absolutely stunned.

Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, 2012

Rihanna's own annual Savage X Fenty show's rise happened in parallel with the gradual decline of the annual Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. The reason behind the rise of Rihanna's annual show is definitely the fact that it represented a diverse set of models in every sense, unlike the Victoria's Secret show which focussed on conventionally beautiful women. However, this does not mean Riri did not grace the stage of VC's annual show. In 2012, she was tapped to perform at the annual show ahead of her seventh studio album 'Unapologetic', and she owned that stage like no other. The 'We Found Love' singer captivated the audience in a structured corset gown, paired with chunky stilettos and pearl embroidered sunglasses. As she strutted alongside the models on the runway performing her hit single 'Diamonds', she left a mesmerizing trail on stage that is yet to be topped by another performer on the VS runway show ever! The icon truly outshined all the other supermodels and casually returned to perform 'Phresh Out the Runway' as she closed the night.

MTV Video Music Awards, 2016

The 2016 MTV Video Music Awards is always going to be a memorable night in Rihanna and Navy's lives because it is the night the music icon won the 'MTV Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award'. She was awarded for her massive contributions and influence on music videos and popular culture. Another reason why this is always going to be a highlight in the music star's life is due to Drake's failed attempt at kissing her while presenting the Vanguard Award on stage. However, this night also gave the viewers one of the most exclusive and elaborate Rihanna performances ever. She gave four high-energy performances on stage to honor her lifetime achievement award.

All four performances of the night had different themes followed by costume changes. The singers started with a medley of 'Please Don't Stop the Music', 'Only Girl (In the World), and We Found Love' before moving to another medley of 'Work', 'Rudeboy', and What's My Name', mixed with the Beenie Man classic 'Who Am I' and reggae beats. The second medley was inspired by dancehall, a pretty homage to her Caribbean roots, and saw the singer wearing a durag and fishnets on stage. Then came the third set, another medley of 'Needed Me', 'Pour It Up', and 'B-tch Better Have My Money'. The global pop star finished her performance of the night with the fourth medley of 'Stay', 'Diamonds', and Love On The Brain' which she performed while wearing a gorgeous floor-length silver satin gown. One thing that the singer has always served beside her vocals whenever she was on stage, was looks and this performance is a true testament to that.

Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show, 2023

Rihanna made a comeback on stage at the Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show in 2023 and this has got to be the most iconic, the most satisfying Rihanna presence the world has ever felt in ages. With an electrifying performance at the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, she came from the ceiling, in a bloody red coat, and made the audience feel what was missing for all these years. The red coat that the singer wore on the stage resembled the iconic Norma Kamali blanket coat of the late fashion journalist André Leon Talley. But that is not the only thing that mesmerized the public, the entire stage presence along with her live vocals is something that we all thank the heavens for.

In the sizzling performance, Rihanna performed on a platform that dangled above the field with her dancers. She belted out the superhit song 'B-tch Better Have My Money' and performed a medley of every hit song you can ever imagine from her catalog. From 'Rude Boy', 'Umbrella', to 'We Found Love', and 'Only Girl (In the World), and finished it off with 'Diamonds'. The performance was also iconic because it was the show where she revealed her second pregnancy with her son, Riot Rose. Ahead of her performance at the Super Bowl in an interview, Riri said she thought twice about performing again but ultimately it was her pregnancy and motherhood that inspired her to take the stage again. Following her incredible and dazzling performance on the stage, a representative for the singer confirmed to Hollywood Reporter that the singer is, in fact, pregnant with her second child with boyfriend and baby daddy A$AP Rocky. Just six months after her performance at the Super Bowl, Riri and Rocky welcomed their son on 1st August 2023.