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Real reason Rihanna didn't get paid for her Super Bowl performance

The cost of Rihanna's halftime show performance will totally shock you...

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Georgia Brown
Senior Lifestyle & Fashion Writer
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Rihanna made a triumphant return to the stage at the Super Bowl with her first solo performance in seven years - serving a spellbinding concert that will no doubt go down in halftime show history.

From performing some of her most famous hits, to taking a mid-performance break to powder her nose with Fenty Beauty and revealing to the world that she and A$AP Rocky are expecting their second child together - Rihanna's performance was certainly one to remember. But what did she earn from performing at the Super Bowl?

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The Barbados-born star's mesmerising halftime show easily rivals Beyoncé's recent return to the stage in Dubai, of which the Renaissance hitmaker was believed to have been paid $35 million for a one-hour performance. So how does Rihanna's Super Bowl debut fare in comparison?

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How much did Rihanna get paid to perform at the Super Bowl?

rihanna halftime performance© Photo: Getty Images

Rihanna performed All of the Lights, Only Girl, Diamonds and more

Surprisingly, artists don't actually get paid to perform at the Super Bowl, and Rihanna wasn't about to become the first.

The likes of Lady Gaga, Shakira, Jennifer Lopez, Beyoncé and more have graced the world's most famous stage at the NFL final playoff in the past - and not one of them took home a paycheck.

rihanna jumpsuit© Photo: Getty Images

Rihanna didn't get paid for her Super Bowl performance

This is because the Super Bowl halftime show is one of the most-watched shows of all time, with nearly 100 million worldwide viewers. It's almost guaranteed the performing artist will see a huge spike in listeners and download streams following a mashup of their greatest hits - which, in turn, results in royalties said to outweigh the cost of any appearance fee.

The Super Bowl halftime show is also rooted in tradition and is seen to be a celebration of the NFL season, rather than a music concert.

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rihanna pregnant© Photo: Getty Images

Rihanna didn't get paid for her halftime Super Bowl show

Rihanna said: "It's going to be a celebration of my catalogue," during a press conference for her halftime show late last week, which Apple Music produced for the first time.

The NFL does not pay the halftime show performers an appearance fee. However, it does cover all expenses for the performers and their entourage of band members management, technical crew, security personnel, family, and friends.

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