The Super Bowl halftime show is an incredible opportunity for artists to cement themselves in pop culture history. Iconic performances by artists like Michael Jackson, U2 and Bruce Springsteen all helped to define their careers. However, a few special halftime shows left audiences with wide eyes and jaws agape. Check out our list of five of the craziest Super Bowl halftime moments to date.
Beyoncé Brings Back Destiny’s Child
In 2013, Beyoncé performed at Super Bowl XLVIII in New Orleans, where the Baltimore Ravens defeated the San Francisco 49ers. In a stunning all-black ensemble, the pop star sang her biggest hits like “Run the World (Girls)” and “Crazy in Love” as she was flanked by impressive groups of dancers.
Halfway through her performance, Beyoncé gave the audience a real surprise when Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams of Destiny’s Child appeared. The two artists launched onto the stage from beneath, landing in powerful poses. The three women took viewers back to the girl group’s glory days as they performed “Bootylicious,” “Independent Women Part I” and “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It).”
Beyoncé would later return as a guest star for the Super Bowl 50 halftime show, appearing alongside Bruno Mars.
Rihanna Reveals Her Pregnancy
Rihanna’s appearance at Super Bowl LVII was her first live performance in five years, prompting audiences to wonder how the hitmaker would make her return to the stage. Beginning her performance with an enchanting rendition of “[Expletive] Better Have My Money,” the songstress included iconic hits like “Rude Boy” and “Only Girl in the World” in her impressive set.
However, before delivering the 2nd-most watched Super Bowl halftime show of all time, Rihanna showed a surprise to the audience: a baby bump. Nearly immediately after the star’s performance, sources confirmed that Rihanna was pregnant with her second child. Her partner, A$AP Rocky, watched the performance with glee, beaming and filming the show on his phone.
Diana Ross Exits in a Helicopter
Diana Ross is certainly no stranger to diva-dom and her performance at the 30th Super Bowl halftime show was no different. The lead singer of the Supremes, wearing a sparkly red dress, began her set with “Stop in the Name of Love.” She took the audience on a trip through some of her greatest hits, including “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” and “I Will Survive.”
Ross ended her performance on a quite literal high note.
“Here comes my ride!” she exclaimed as a helicopter descended from the skies into the stadium.
As she concluded singing her set’s final song, “Take Me Higher,” the star was escorted into the helicopter. She took a seat on the edge of the vehicle before it took off into the sky, leaving the Super Bowl halftime show behind. As Ross made her departure, a cheeky message appeared on the screen: “A true diva knows how to make a grand entrance and an even grander exit.”
Prince’s Literal ‘Purple Rain’
When Prince took the field at Dolphin Stadium in Miami for Super Bowl XLI, he laid down the performance of a lifetime. The singer wore a turquoise suit as he performed atop a stage shaped like his signature “Love Symbol.” This particular Super Bowl was a wet one, with thunderstorms pounding the field throughout the game. However, this less-than-ideal weather made for a stunning moment in an already impressive performance. As Prince’s set came to a close, the stage lit up in a stunning purple color. The cameras were dotted in rain drops, filtering the show through a spotted, hazy glow. The pop icon then delivered a brilliant version of “Purple Rain” as it actually rained, causing the crowd to go wild.
Prince’s Super Bowl halftime show is generally considered to be one of the best of all time.
Katy Perry’s Left Shark Goes Viral
The most iconic member of Katy Perry’s Super Bowl XLIX halftime show crew, besides the pop star herself, was undoubtedly “Left Shark.” Anthropomorphic palm trees, surfboards, beach balls and sharks surrounded the singer during her performances of “Teenage Dream” and “California Gurls.” Aaong the bunch, one dancing animal, who would go on to be known as “Left Shark,” caught the eye of audiences at home.
The dancer, whose performance was less structured than his fellow shark on the right side, sparked a wave of viral memes. Left Shark, who is actually named Bryan Gaw and toured with Perry for years, took the internet’s attention in stride, telling NPR that he doesn’t “get any negative feedback from it.”
