Super Bowl LV Halftime Show

Written by: Morgan Clark, staff writer

TAMPA, Fla.– Super Bowl LV took place on Feb. 7, 2021 with The Weeknd headlining the Pepsi halftime show. The performance opened with the Weeknd sitting in a convertible while Pepsi logos surrounded him, before performing nine of his biggest hits. 

The Weeknd’s halftime show was dizzying – at one point the singer ran through a maze of mirrors and lights, holding the camera himself as if he were the one recording. There were subtle references to Micheal Jackson; The Weeknd’s outfit was reflective of MJ’s iconic style.

The Weeknd’s dancers wore bandages across their faces. This was a homage to The Weeknd’s most recent album, After Hours. The album is reflective of a roughed-up individual going through a hard night; the bandages matched the aesthetic that The Weeknd was striving to create.

The Weeknd did not have a surprise guest, as Super Bowl halftime performers often do. This was most likely due to COVID restrictions; these same restrictions kept him from performing on a stage built in the pitch as performers have in the past. The majority of The Weeknd’s audience was made up of cardboard cutouts due to bans against super-spreader events. 

The tracks performed included Call Out My Name, Starboy, The Hills, Can’t Feel My Face, I Feel It Coming, Save Your Tears, Earned It, House Of Balloons, and Blinding Lights. 

Morgan Clark is a senior communication media and culture major. She is a first-year staff writer for the Bryan Triangle. Clark is a varsity cheerleader for Bryan College.