Singer The Weeknd is ‘ecstatic’ about headlining 2021 Super Bowl halftime show
“Starboy” crooner The Weeknd is headed to the Super Bowl stage as headliner of the 2021 Super Bowl halftime show, the NFL and Pepsi announced Thursday.
The big game will broadcast live from Tampa, Florida on Feb. 7.
“We all grow up watching the world’s biggest acts playing the Super Bowl and one can only dream of being in that position,” The Weeknd said in a statement, according to People magazine. “I’m humbled, honored and ecstatic to be the center of that infamous stage this year.”
This year’s show will be a far cry from Super Bowl LIV Feb. 2, 2020, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens.
Pre-pandemic flashback: Two of the hottest women on the planet (that would be Jennifer Lopez and Shakira) headlined the glitzy, high-energy halftime festivities.
Roughly a month later, the world would be shut down due to COVID-19.
Despite the fact that cases are still on the rise in the United States, the NFL has high hopes for the big event.
“#PepsiHalftime Show on @CBS featuring @theweeknd is sure to be nothing short of transcendent,” the organization tweeted.
Though the Super Bowl will be live, it is unclear what size crowd will be able to attend in person at Raymond James Stadium. What is clear: Face masks and social distancing will likely be the order of the day. The capacity is 65,000, but time will tell as there is no set determination yet.
Miami Herald reporter Madeleine Marr contributed to this report.
This story was originally published November 12, 2020 at 1:29 PM.