^{London, UK. Singer Rihanna performs her 777 secret gig tour at the HMV Forum in Kentish Town in London. 19th November 2012/landmarkmedia/Shutterstock}

I can’t believe I’m going to say this out loud — but I am not a huge NFL fan. I can actually count the number of games I’ve watched on one hand. I don’t get the rules of the NFL and have no interest in learning them. When the family watches the Super Bowl, I generally sit on the bench. That being said, I never miss the halftime show. I love the spectacle, the drama, and seeing the best artists in the world perform.

But now, my anticipation for Super Bowl LVII rivals that of any die-hard NFL fan. I’ll be screaming this February because… wait for it… the Pon de Replay, Diamonds, and Umbrella star . . . Rihanna — she who has sold 250 million records worldwide and last performed publicly at the 2018 Grammy Awards — is returning to the stage.

And I’m not the only one awaiting her return . . .

After Rihanna posted a powerful pic of her brandishing an NFL-branded football on her Instagram, celebrities — and the entire planet — roared out their support.

Lizzo responded “screaming,” rapper Nadia Rose wrote: “LET’S GOOOOOO RIRI!!!!!!” with an American football and goat emoji, and Super Bowl halftime show alumni, Katy Perry replied with “hell yeah.”

Jay-Z, founder of Roc Nation — and also Rihanna’s label — said: “Rihanna is a generational talent, a woman of humble beginnings who has surpassed expectations at every turn. A person born on the small island of Barbados who became one of the most prominent artists ever. Self-made in business and entertainment.”

While Rihanna’s headlining has taken over all-news-Super-Bowl, something else was happening behind the scenes. Pepsi, the company that sponsored the halftime show, said its farewell and chose to walk away from a decade-long association.

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However, music juggernaut, Apple Music is more than happy to take the reins. They’ve recently expanded into sports, so this is the perfect addition to the streaming platform.

“We couldn’t think of a more appropriate partner for the world’s most-watched musical performance than Apple Music, a service that entertains, inspires, and motivates millions of people around the world through the intersection of music and technology,” said Nana-Yaw Asamoah, Senior Vice President of Partner Strategy for the NFL.

Apple Music allows you to create your playlists, listen to popular music, and play your favorite podcasts. Their free 30-day trial only costs only $9.99 per month once the trial expires. And now that they’re the official Super Bowl halftime show sponsor, I’m definitely starting my trial and sticking with the platform.

The NFL Super Bowl halftime show has seen superstar sponsors like Coca-Cola and Oscar Mayer, and let’s not forget headliners like Bruce Springsteen, Prince, Beyoncé + Destiny’s Child, Michael Jackson, and now . . . Rihanna with Apple Music.