The NFL invited singers Shakira and Jennifer Lopez to perform at the Pepsi Halftime show for the 2020 Super Bowl. This will be the first time the stars have completed a show together. What better time than in front of 65,000 Super Bowl-goers and millions more viewers on live television?
The singers announced they would headline in Miami at the end of September. They continue to express excitement to the press and social media leading up to Sunday’s game.
"Ever since I saw Diana Ross fly off into the sky at the halftime show, I dreamed of performing at the Super Bowl," said Lopez. "And now it's made even more special not only because it's the NFL's 100th season but also because I am performing with a fellow Latina. I can't wait to show what us girls can do on the world's biggest stage."
Shakira agreed with Lopez that their shared Latina background makes the performance even more special.
"I'm so honored to be taking on one of the world's biggest stages in the company of a fellow female artist to represent Latinos and Latinas from the U.S. and all over the world — and to top it off, on my birthday!" said Shakira. "This is a true American dream, and we are going to bring the show of a lifetime!"
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In previous years, the Super Bowl halftime artist selection sometimes has stirred controversy over representation. In 2019, Maroon 5 was announced to headline Super Bowl LIII in Atlanta, and many fans were not happy about it.
"They need somebody from Atlanta; it's only right," Atlanta rapper Waka Flocka Flame told TMZ Sports. "You're coming to the biggest black state in America. Why wouldn't you let a black artist perform and show the world that we're progressing? That's not cool."
Rihanna reportedly turned down the opportunity to perform in Atlanta in solidarity with Colin Kaepernick, who protested racial injustice by taking a knee during the national anthem.
Credit: Getty Images Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Credit: Getty Images Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
»RELATED: Rihanna turns down Super Bowl halftime show in support of Colin Kaepernick
For this year's artist announcement, there "wasn't as much drama," according to SportingNews.
The choice of celebrities has been "universally praised, not only for its potential entertainment value, but also as a full embrace of diversity," according to marketing site AdWeek.
Many details about the 2020 halftime show remain unknown, from setlists to outfits to who will join Shakira and Lopez on stage. Only a few sneak peeks have been revealed on Twitter.
In September, ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter predicted that other performers who represent Miami’s diversity will also perform.
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