Her backup dancers didn’t know she was pregnant with baby no. 2 until she took the stage for her halftime performance at the big game on Sunday.
Speaking to Entertainment Tonight on Wednesday, dancers Luhnyae Campbell and Laila Hayes said the singer hid her pregnancy very well.
“I don’t think anybody really knew she was pregnant,” Hayes told ET. “She hid it very well.”
The rumor of Rihanna’s pregnancy had the internet abuzz on Sunday as she took the stage at the Super Bowl Half Time Show.
Rihanna’s attire, cautious strides, and noticeable belly sparked widespread speculation on the internet. And within an hour, a spokesperson confirmed that she is indeed expecting her second child.
On Sunday, the nine-time Grammy Award winner Rihanna made a much-anticipated return during the Super Bowl 57 halftime show. The show showcased her Caribbean heritage and sparked rumors online about a potential pregnancy.
The 34-year-old Barbadian singer put on an amazing performance in front of a worldwide audience of millions at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, where the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs were competing.
This marks her first appearance on live television since 2018 when she teamed up with DJ Khaled to sing “Wild Thoughts” at the Grammy Awards.
Rihanna kicked off the performance while suspended high above the stage on a platform, singing her hit song “B**** Better Have My Money.” She was sporting a loose-fitting scarlet jumpsuit that hid her figure and was loosely secured on her.
Rihanna stepped out in style, sporting a suit paired with a bold pair of red sneakers. She took the stage, surrounded by a troupe of white-clad dancers, as the platform she was standing on descended towards the crowd.
The pop star kept her choreography simple, allowing her backup dancers to take the lead, as she ran through a set of 12 hit songs. The audience erupted as she transitioned into “Where Have You Been,” followed by her smash hit “Only Girl (In The World)”.
Her performance continued with crowd-pleasers like “We Found Love,” “Rude Boy,” and “Work,” although her collaborator Drake was not present for the latter. She also performed “Wild Thoughts” and “Pour It Up.”
“We were all confused watching it during the real thing when she went up there and was showing her stomach,” dancer Hayes added. “She wore the same outfit for one of the dress rehearsals but it was zippered up.”
Meanwhile, Luhnyae Campbell said she didn’t even see Rihanna’s baby bump during or even after her performance.
“I never saw a bump. Not even the day of. I had to rewatch the performance on YouTube to realize.”
And Rihanna’s backup dancers weren’t the only people she hid her pregnancy from. Even her stylist Jahleel Weaver didn’t know she was expecting again until three weeks before the Super Bowl performance.
“She finally told me when we were reviewing sketches, and I was like, ‘Is this a joke?'” the stylist told Vogue.
“In a week, she grows. So her body would be completely different from the week before,” he added. “We landed on this idea of how to show the body, but also have the flexibility for movement.”
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Sources: Vogue – Entertainment Tonight
