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 During halftime at Raymond
James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, the 30-year-old
performer stepped out of a shiny convertible
perched high above the stage amid neon signs
reminiscent of the Las Vegas Strip at night.
Dressed in a red blazer covered in sequins,
black pants and black-and-white wingtip shoes,
The Weeknd opened on stage with the song "Starboy"
in front of a choir in white robes and masks
with lit-up eyes, followed by "The Hills."
For "Can't Feel My Face," he slipped into a
gold-mirrored maze and dodged similarly dressed
dancers wearing the full-face bandages the
singer himself had worn in recent public
appearances as part of his performance art.
After other hits including "Earned It" and "Save
Your Tears," The Weeknd concluded the 13-minute
show with his smash single "Blinding Lights," a
song that references "Sin City," a nickname for
Las Vegas. He performed the song on the field
amid rows of his bandaged dancers.
The Weeknd, who began his recording career in
2010 and has won three Grammy Awards, has
announced a global tour in 2022. His real name
is Abel Tesfaye.
The Super Bowl is considered the music
industry's premiere showcase and has featured
top performers including Lady Gaga, Beyonce,
Prince and the Rolling Stones.
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 This year, The Weeknd performed
to a U.S. television audience expected to hit
around 100 million. But the stadium itself was
more than half empty for the NFL's championship
game. The National Football
League limited in-person attendance to 25,000
people to prevent the spread of the coronavirus,
filling other seats with 30,000 cardboard
cutouts of fans.
Before kickoff, singer-songwriter H.E.R. sang
"America the Beautiful" while playing an
electric guitar, and country artist Eric Church
and R&B singer Jazmine Sullivan joined for a
duet of the U.S. national anthem as fireworks
boomed overhead.
Amanda Gorman, the 22-year-old poet who wowed
viewers of President Joe Biden's inauguration
last month, delivered a pre-recorded poem about
three pandemic heroes - a teacher, an intensive
care nurse and a Marine veteran.
"Let us walk with these warriors, charge on with
these champions," she said. "While we honor them
today, it is they who every day honor us."
(Reporting by Lisa Richwine; Editing by Peter
Cooney)
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