The Reason Rihanna Didn't Have Any Guest Performers During Her Super Bowl Halftime Show

Rihanna's highly anticipated Super Bowl halftime show may be over, but it still has folks talking. During her 13-minute set, the Barbadian beauty ran through a medley of her most popular hits — such as "Diamonds," "Where Have You Been," and "Only Girl (In The World)" — as she and her background dancers performed on suspended risers. And while many of Rihanna's fans enjoyed her musical comeback, which officially marked the end of her seven-year drought, some felt that her highly-anticipated performance didn't live up to the hype. Of the many complaints, Rihanna's minimal choreography, despite her catalog of upbeat hits, sits high up on the list. Of course, we now know that Rihanna is currently pregnant with her second child, which easily explains any lack of energy.

However, that's not the only complaint that social media has launched her way. There's also been widespread disappointment about Rihanna's lack of special guest performers, even though some of her most popular songs like "Work," "Run This Town," and "All of The Lights," originally included features from Drake, Jay-Z, and Kanye "Ye" West, respectively. And while it's not exactly surprising that Rihanna didn't entangle herself with West, amid his recent antisemitic rants, per Forbes, her decision to not include any of her other famous collaborators has puzzled the masses. Fortunately, Rihanna's reason for performing alone has just been revealed, and it's super relatable.

Prior to taking the stage on Sunday, Rihanna participated in a pre-Super Bowl interview where she seemingly teased the possibility of sharing the stage with one of her fellow performers. "I'm thinking about bringing someone," said Rihanna during a sit-down with Nate Burleson from CBS Mornings. Naturally, Rihanna's fans ran with her clever phrasing and immediately began conjuring up lists of possible guest performers. In hindsight, it seems highly likely that Rihanna was referring to her adorable baby bump, which definitely gave away her pregnancy before her representative confirmed the news.

Despite the adorable plot twist, some fans are still wondering why Rihanna didn't invite any guests to perform on stage with her. Well, now we know! According to Jesse Collins, who produced this year's halftime show, Rihanna wanted to prove that she could stand on her own two feet. "I think it was just her wanting to make the statement that she could carry this thing and she did," shared Collins with Entertainment Tonight. "People just want to see her and so she had to give 'em a show and she did. We haven't seen her dance like that in a long time and I thought it was just spectacular." Welp. There you have it.