S. Samuel
After an electrifiying Beyoncé Knowles-Carter halftime performance to follow-up pop icon Madonna's Super Bowl XVI set, Grammy-winning singer Bruno Mars will grace the stage in February.
While an official announcement is expected for tomorrow (September 8), an insider broke the news Saturday.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because no announcement had been made. The official word is expected to come at an event in New York’s Times Square on Sunday. The NFL’s regular season began Thursday, and the first full slate of games is Sunday. The Super Bowl will be played Feb. 2 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. Halftime shows have drawn more than 100 million television viewers in the United States alone in past years. (ESPN)
Some local New Jersey publications have shunned the Mars reports.
Wait a minute — the kid’s from Hawaii? He’s the least Jersey or New York performer they could get? He’s a talented musician, sure, and he plays his own instruments and makes some catchy, dancey rock music. But there plenty of other options the league could have chosen that would excite people, both nationally and locally, while staying true to the game’s location. Some locals openly campaigned for Jon Bon Jovi, as Jersey as anyone, to headline the half time show. The case isn’t a hard sell. The group is old, yes, but they’re charismatic, fun and know how to play humongous stadiums. Plus, they’re promoting an album and would be used to playing outdoors in New Jersey on a cold, February night. On top of all, that the crowd for Bon Jovi at Metlife would be insane. You might actually hear cheers for once. Jets fans might feel something that resembles happiness, something they’re not used to. There’s no ruling out a surprise appearance from the 80s band, but that seems unlikely. Sorry, guys. Not this year, not in the NFL. (The Atlantic Wire)
R&B diva Beyoncé, Madonna, The Black Eyed Peas and more have highlighted the last few Super Bowl halftime performances.
Beyonce was the star of this year’s Super Bowl halftime show in February in New Orleans, where the Baltimore Ravens beat the San Francisco 49ers 34-31. Some recent halftime performers at the NFL’s championship game were Madonna in 2012, The Black Eyed Peas with Usher and Slash in 2011, The Who in 2010, and Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band in 2009. (CBS Local)
