The Weeknd was the halftime performer at The Superbowl in Tampa Bay, Florida on Sunday, February 7th. The artist whose real name is Abel Tesfaye performed a 14 minute set of his song catalog. He was backed by a choir and string section. He opened with “Starboy” and was later joined by dancers who were sporting the facial bandages that he wore while promoting his album. He then closed his set with ” Blinding Lights”. While in past years many of the headliners have had special guests join them on stage, The Weeknd performed solo the entire set.
“We all grow up watching the world’s biggest acts playing the Super Bowl and one can only dream of being in that position. I’m humbled, honored and ecstatic to be the center of that infamous stage this year,” The Weeknd said in a statement when it was announced that he would be performing.
The Weeknd is a multi-platinum three-time GRAMMY Award winner is one of the most listened to artists in the world on Spotify (over 51 billion streams) and is a top 10 artist of all time for RIAA singles. His 2020 album After Hours is the #1 most streamed R&B album of all time (followed by his 2016 album Starboy at #2), and his 80’s nostalgia.
He generously shares, with over $2M in donations made in 2020 to various charities. The continuous record breaking of charts, sales and streams, headlining the biggest festivals and stadiums in the world, and his ever mysterious public persona combined solidifies The Weeknd as one of the most compelling and significant artists of the 21st century.
The Pepsi Super Bowl Halftime Show is the most-watched musical performance of the year, with more than 104 million viewers tuning in to last year’s show. Super Bowl LV marks Pepsi’s tenth year as title sponsor of the Super Bowl Halftime Show and 19th year as an NFL partner. Past halftime performances include Jennifer Lopez, Shakira, Beyoncé, Justin Timberlake, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Bruno Mars, Prince, Madonna, and more.
See the full setlist below:
Call Out My Name (as an intro)
Starboy
The Hills
Can’t Feel My Face
I Feel It Coming
Save Your Tears
Earned It
House of Balloons
Blinding Lights
