Super Bowl Has Its Halftime Act

The drama involving the selection of the headliner for the next Super Bowl's halftime show is over, but the hype is just beginning. Rihanna will take the stage Feb. 12 in Arizona, per the Hollywood Reporter. An NFL executive welcomed the singer with a statement calling her "a once-in-a-generation artist who has been a cultural force throughout her career." Jay-Z, whose Roc Nation is a producer of the telecast, praised Rihanna as "a person born on the small island of Barbados who became one of the most prominent artists ever. Self-made in business and entertainment." The star herself put a captionless photo on her Instagram page Sunday showing a hand, which looks to be hers, holding up a football, per People.

There had been hints that the gig would go to Taylor Swift. TMZ reports that she turned down the job because she's only one-third of the way through her project to rerecord her first six albums. Apple, the new main sponsor of the halftime show, plans to release behind-the-scenes previews in the months leading up to the Super Bowl on social media. Last season's show in Los Angeles featured a full bill, including Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar, and 50 Cent. (More Rhianna stories.)