Did Rihanna get paid to perform at the Super Bowl?

Rihanna followed in the footsteps of Beyonce, Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga and Madonna with her incredible Super Bowl performance on Sunday (12 February).

The singer and billionaire entrepreneur had already once turned down the Super Bowl halftime show in 2019. She told Vogue at the time she didn't want to be an "enabler" or a "sellout" after former quarterback Colin Kaepernick was ousted from the NFL for kneeling in protest of systemic racism.

Three years later, she debuted at the Super Bowl and let fans into a little secret: she's pregnant with her second child.

"I felt like it was now or never for me," Rihanna told reporters about the Super Bowl a few months back. "The Super Bowl is one of the biggest stages in the world, it's an entertainer's dream to be on a stage like that."

Despite performing an intense 13-minute set on a global stage, some may be shocked to learn that performers do not get paid.

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It's said to be a result of several factors. It's generally on an artist's bucket list to take on the Super Bowl halftime show – and two, the exposure following the performance generally guarantees further sales.

For instance, when Lady Gaga hit the stage in 2018, her music sales soared by 1000 per cent. Justin Timberlake also experienced a 534 per cent increase in downloads.

Despite performers not receiving a paycheque, the costs associated with their performance are covered, according to Newsweek.

"The NFL covers all costs associated with the show and does pay the performers' union scale. There is not an appearance fee, but the artists are indeed paid union scale," Brian McCarthy, the NFL's vice president of communications told the publication.

Despite this, some artists end up paying some of their own money towards their show to ensure the performance fits their vision.

"The NFL allows you a production budget — it's almost never enough to satisfy what the actual production costs are. However, usually the label will step in and provide the shortfall," Lou Taylor, a veteran business manager, told Billboard.

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