This weekend, Rihanna is set to make her hugely-anticipated return to stage after being confirmed as the headliner for the halftime show at the Super Bowl 2023.
Last year, the multi award-winning Barbadian shared a photo of her hand holding an American football on Instagram and Twitter on September 25, 2022. In a statement, the NFL confirmed the popstar and businesswoman will perform at the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, in February, the Manchester Evening News previously reported.
The show has previously been headlined by global superstars such as 50 Cent, The Weeknd, Shakira and Jennifer Lopez. Weeks later, Rihanna returned to the charts with her first new song in six years, Lift Me Up, for Marvel film Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
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Over the years, Rihanna has toured the world performing her Grammy award-winning hits, starred in numerous films - and had a number of links to Liverpool. An obvious one would be concerts held in the city, but many will know the star has made club appearances, recorded here and rubbed shoulders with some famous Liverpool faces.
In March 2008, the ECHO reviewed Rihanna's Good Girl Gone Bad tour at the ECHO Arena, now the M&S Bank Arena. For the performance, the R&B singer stayed at the Malmaison hotel at Princes Dock.
The ECHO review reads: "Clad in skintight black PVC hotpants, leather biker jacket and thigh high patent stiletto boots, she opened with her first UK hit, the Caribbean-flavoured Pon de Replay, and from there it was straight on with the show. Commanding the stage like a diva twice her age, the 20-year-old Barbadian strutted, stomped and strummed air guitar as she ploughed through her biggest hits for a short but sweet 80 minutes.
It continues: "But at the end of the day we were all here to hear just one song, the one that topped the charts for 10 weeks last year and was blamed for the washout summer. And when Rihanna belted out Umbrella as her encore, the screaming teenage girls certainly showed their appreciation. Rihanna said at the end of the show that she thought Liverpool was: "Awesome."
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Rihanna has performed in the city numerous times and in 2011, fans also saw a red-haired Rihanna at the ECHO Arena for her Loud tour. Another ECHO review said: "Last night’s concert was Rihanna’s third appearance in Liverpool in as many years, and easily her most accomplished.
"She may only be 23, but the girl has a back catalogue of hits artists twice her age would sell their grannies for – and most of them featured in the 90-minute show. Changing outfits more than half a dozen times she looked prettier and fresher than on her last outing to the city – but was just as much the rude girl."
But Rihanna's time in Liverpool hasn't been just for performances. Back in 2010, singer Rihanna reportedly received £30,000 to show her face for just one hour at the venue.
The Grammy-winner has also made her way to Parr Street Studios to record, like fellow A-listers Justin Bieber and Drake. Rihanna has been to the more than once - and without the fanfare you would expect of such a global icon.
In 2016, Chris Taylor, studio manager, said: "Rihanna takes her work very seriously and just wanted to make great music. Initially some of the big stars can be a bit standoffish but when they realise we’re really passionate about what we do, and that we’ve got the best equipment and the best people to work with, they relax and become more chatty."
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But like many global stars, Rihanna has also rubbed shoulders with a number of famous faces who hail from our region. One of the most memorable was her collaboration with Kanye West and Sir Paul McCartney for FourFiveSeconds in 2015.
He previously said: "Before I knew it we were playing at the Grammy’s with him and Rihanna and I was nervous as hell.” Many will also remember Girls Aloud singer Nicola Roberts signing up to a new fashion talent TV show produced by Rihanna.
In 2012, Nicola, from Runcorn, said: "I am so excited to be working with Rihanna on finding a new up-and-coming British designer. I was so flattered when she asked me to work with her on this show."
In 2014, one bizarre rumour circulated around the star, claiming Rihanna had such a good time at the World Cup that she "wanted to buy a football club." Reports at the time said Liverpool FC were her "number one choice," the ECHO previously reported.
Around the time, there were reports that Rihanna wanted to set up her own footballing academy in her native Barbados before branching into football ownership. Spanish news provider Mundo Deportivo reported that the club the pop star wanted was Liverpool, but there was zero inclination from Fenway Sports Group that they were interested in selling.
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Fans are highly-anticipating the star's return to the stage at this weekend's Super Bowl. And many from the city will be thinking back the early day of Rihanna's career and even her links to Liverpool like the ones above.
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