Dear Gossips,
It was always going to be the Super Bowl of celebrities with the game happening in LA. And indeed, last night’s game was probably the most celebrity-heavy Super Bowl in years, if not decades. The halftime show had something to do with it too. The halftime show is the only reason I turned it on late in the second quarter, looking up from my phone only when they stopped play, because that’s when they had the cameras shooting into the crowd and they had star after star after star in the stands to target.
So about the halftime show…
The standouts for me were Kendrick Lamar and Mary J Blige. Kendrick has been one of the lowest profile celebrities during COVID so there was all kinds of speculation when it was announced that he was part of the performance that he’d be releasing new music. There’s yet to be confirmation on that but his set was a reminder of his power as an entertainer. He is electrifying – and political, always. Sometimes it’s subtle, but it’s always there. He knows better than anyone else what his song “Alright” has become.
kendrick lamar performing ‘alright’ at the halftime show 🔥 #SuperBowl https://t.co/TTa1v2VX7I
— 2000s (@PopCulture2000s) February 14, 2022
And there’s Mary!
mary j. blige performing ‘family affair’ and ‘no more drama’ at the super bowl halftime show 🔥 #SuperBowlÂ
— 2000s (@PopCulture2000s) February 14, 2022
https://t.co/6hwfsJNoSi
But Mary wasn’t just on the field during the Super Bowl. She also starred in Hologic’s first national campaign to encourage preventative screenings, especially important for Black women who are often underserved by the medical community. As Mary says in the spot, “Making your health a priority is real love”. Per AdWeek, the commercial was produced by a “women-led team including Black-owned agency
CHÉ Creative, director child., production company Little Minx and Cheryl Overton Communications”.
Beyoncé and Kelly Rowland were feeling it:
Beyoncé and Kelly Rowland singing along to Mary J. Blidge #SuperBowl pic.twitter.com/Xqp0PcVUUW
— COWBOY CARTER Updates ðš â‘ (@B7Album) February 14, 2022
This was B’s first public appearance of 2022 and she blessed us with a better look at her Super Bowl fit on Instagram:
Beyoncé of course was there with Jay-Z who produced the halftime show. That wasn’t his only job last night though. He was also the Blue Ivy Carter’s official photographer, LOL.
Jay-Z sideline for #SBLVI pic.twitter.com/dPSvKs818b
— NFL (@NFL) February 13, 2022
My favourite part of that is when she checks his work, to make sure he got the shot she wanted.
More on Super Bowl of celebrities and commercials to come later today.
Yours in gossip,
Lainey