Super Bowl Halftime Show: The Weeknd Can take In excess of Stadium With Hits

The Weeknd headlined the Super Bowl LV halftime clearly show with a career-spanning, sequin-bombed medley of his greatest hits — from tunes from 2011’s House of Balloons to tracks from 2020’s Soon after Hours. Oneohtrix Level In no way served as musical director.

Abel Tesfaye kicked factors off in a sleek convertible in front of a Vegas-themed backdrop. A choir with purple eyes (a nod to Daft Punk) parted to reveal the guy himself — magically — in front of a glowing track record in a pink, sequined fit before he launched into “Starboy.” The choir drop their masks for a snippet of “The Hills” ahead of segueing into “Can’t Truly feel My Facial area,” backed by a crew of doubles decked out in purple suits and gauze masks in a trippy hall of mirrors.

.@TheWeeknd kicks off the #PepsiHalftime display with Starboy! #SBLV pic.twitter.com/DFAi1LNtNl

— NFL (@NFL) February 8, 2021

“I Sense It Coming” came upcoming, as the musician grooved in front of a sky stuffed with fireworks. “Save Your Tears” followed, as the Weeknd danced across a set composed of neon structures — hot Fifty Shades of Grey track “Earned It” came immediately on that song’s heels. Then the masked Weeknds were being again for a lock-stepped dance to “House of Balloons”/”Glass Table Girls” (which samples Siouxsie and the Banshees’ “Happy House”). The Weeknd then appeared to guide his doubles into a superior-electrical power rendition of the large hit 2020 “Blinding Lights” — the grand finale.

🔥🔥🔥 @TheWeeknd #PepsiHalftime #SBLV pic.twitter.com/QCFlAPcion

— NFL (@NFL) February 8, 2021

The Weeknd previewed his effectiveness throughout a push meeting previously this 7 days. Though he promised it wouldn’t be as bloody and grotesque as some of the visuals that have accompanied Right after Several hours, he claimed, “I will however integrate some of the storyline — it is a really cohesive story I’m telling in the course of this calendar year, so the story will go on, but we surely will continue to keep it PG for the people. I’ll attempt my ideal.”

For the duration of the push meeting, the Weeknd also cited Diana Ross’ 1996 performance as his favorite halftime present: “She’s just so glamorous and the clearly show just can make me smile. And she has a great exit with the helicopter, where by she lands in the middle of the subject, grabs onto it, and flies out into the clouds. I wish I could’ve finished that, I would like I’d assumed of it.”

BLINDING LIGHTS 🙌 @TheWeeknd #PepsiHalftime #SBLV pic.twitter.com/Qv9yyW8wED

— NFL (@NFL) February 8, 2021