Pepsi, the NFL and Roc Nation have announced that The Weeknd will perform during the Pepsi Super Bowl LV Halftime Show on CBS at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay, Fla. on Sunday, Feb. 7, 2021.
With more than 45 platinum and singles and albums over the past decade, The Weeknd released one of the biggest albums of 2020, “After Hours,” in March and gave a rare in-depth interview for a Variety cover story the following month. He was named one of the most influential people of 2020 by Time Magazine. The move also marks the second year of the collaboration between Pepsi, the NFL and Roc Nation, which brought Jennifer Lopez and Shakira to the halftime stage earlier this year, with more than 104 million viewers tuning in.
The Weeknd teased the announcement late Wednesday night with a cryptic Instagram post:
The Pepsi Super Bowl LV Halftime Show telecast will be produced by DPS with Roc Nation and Jesse Collins serving as executive producers, and Hamish Hamilton serving as director. Roc Nation is also serving as the strategic entertainment advisors of the live performance.
“We all grow up watching the world’s biggest acts playing the Super Bowl and one can only dream of being in that position. I’m humbled, honored and ecstatic to be the center of that infamous stage this year,” The Weeknd said.
“The Weeknd has introduced a sound all his own. His soulful uniqueness has defined a new generation of greatness in music and artistry,” said Roc Nation chief Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter. “This is an extraordinary moment in time and the Pepsi Super Bowl LV Halftime Show is going to be an extraordinary experience with an extraordinary performer.”
“We are thrilled to have The Weeknd join us in Tampa Bay on the Pepsi Halftime Stage,” said Brian Rolapp, NFL Chief Media and Business Officer, “Halftime Show performances have a history of excellence and creativity and we look forward to seeing what he will bring to Super Bowl LV.”
Adam Harter, Senior Vice President, Sports, Media and Entertainment, PepsiCo, said: “We can’t wait to welcome multi-award winning artist The Weeknd to the Pepsi Super Bowl LV Halftime Show stage. In collaboration with the NFL and Roc Nation, we continue to reimagine what a Pepsi Halftime Show looks like with some of the biggest musicians in the world. We expect The Weeknd will continue to raise the bar, setting a new precedent both musically and visually for the most-watched performance of the year.”
