Rihanna will be returning to the stage next year to headline the Super Bowl's halftime show, with stars from around the world sharing their excitement over the news.
The 34-year-old singer took to Instagram to make the announcement, sharing a picture of her tattooed hand holding an NFL football.
NFL shared the same image on their Twitter page, writing: "Let’s GO - @rihanna @rocnation #SBLVII @AppleMusic @NFLonFOX."
Rihanna will be topping the bill at what many consider to be the biggest musical performance in the US in February 2023, following the likes of Lady Gaga, Madonna and Beyonce.
After sharing the exciting news, fans and celebrities rushed to congratulate the star. One of the first to comment was Lizzo, who wrote: "Screaming."
Just Bieber said: "The queen is back," while Katy Perry commented: "Hell yeah."
Drag queen Yvie Oddly wrote: "I ’ve never been so excited about football in my life!!!" and Lindsay Lohan left two heart emojis.
Jay-Z, whose company Roc Nation is one of the producers of the iconic show, described Rihanna as a "generational talent".
In a statement, he said: "Rihanna is a generational talent, a woman of humble beginnings who has surpassed expectations at every turn.
"A person born on the small island of Barbados who became one of the most prominent artists ever. Self-made in business and entertainment."
Dr. Dre, who headlined the last halftime show, admitted he is a Rihanna "super fan" and offered some advice to the singer.
Speaking with Ebro Darden on Apple Music 1, the 57-year-old rapper said: "I’m a super fan of Rihanna. I can’t wait to see what she’s going to do.
"I just like her and what she does, and her get down, and how she approaches her artistry and the whole nine. It’s fantastic.
"She has the opportunity to really blow us away."
Dr. Dre added: "Basically what it is, making sure you have the right creative people around you. She might want to look into some of the people that we used to do our show."
Rihanna, known off stage as Robyn Rihanna Fenty, turned down the chance to perform at the Super Bowl back in 2020 in solidarity with Colin Kaepernick.
The former San Francisco 49er refused to stand for the American national anthem at the beginning of games to protest police brutality and racial inequality across the country.
With Rihanna now set to headline the extravaganza, Seth Dudowsky, NFL head of music, said: "We are thrilled to welcome Rihanna to the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show stage.
"Rihanna is a once in a generation artist who has been a cultural force throughout her career.
"We look forward to collaborating with Rihanna, Roc Nation and Apple Music to bring fans another historic Halftime Show performance."
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