The 55th Pepsi Halftime Show: A lot of ‘Blinding Lights’

Sydney Reynolds, Hollywood Beat Reporter
February 8, 2021

The Weeknd set the stadium ablaze during his half-time performance at the Super Bowl, singing his various hits like “Blinding Lights” and “Can’t Feel My Face.”

The United States has been itching for live music ever since concerts have been restricted during the pandemic, and the Weeknd surely delivered. It was reported that the singer had poured $7 million of his own money into the show, which hinted towards a night viewers would never forget.

The show opened on a robotic, angelic choir before the risers parted to reveal the star of the show.  He grabbed a camera after singing a few songs and retreated back in, revealing a citrus-colored hallway. Dancers joined him in the small space and danced, and this scene became a meme later on in the night. 

Both masked dancers and The Weeknd ended up storming the field which is normally not possible during the Super Bowl. However, it seemed there were silver linings found in this pandemic. The dancers all collapsed on the ground at the end, leaving only the Weeknd standing.

The only potential disappointment was the lack of guests. Normally, there is more than one host for such a large performance. For example, Shakira and Jennifer Lopez hosted together last year. The year before that, Maroon 5 brought on special guests Travis Scott and Big Boi. Viewers were prepared for someone to join the Weekend, and many got their hopes up when a full moon appeared on a screen behind him. People believed this to hint towards a cameo from Ariana Grande, who used a moon in her recent album “positions”. A collaboration between these two stars happened in 2014 when they sang the song “Love Me Harder”, and fans were ready for a reunion. Unfortunately, he did not deliver.

Overall, the Weeknd demonstrated just how much time, effort, and money he put into this show. Images from his performance are still being used on multiple social media platforms, demonstrating that his work will be appreciated long after it happened.