Grammy snubs be damned, The Weeknd’s blockbuster Super Bowl halftime show felt like it was gunning for an Oscar.
Ahead of the big game, the R&B hitmaker teased that he would transform the Super Bowl LV halftime performance into a “cinematic experience,” and so he did when he took the stage at the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, on Sunday night.
Weaving together storylines of the past year from his hit singles and live performances from his album “After Hours,” The Weeknd showcased his hallmark seductive vocals and delivered a high-concept journey into the dark, moody world that has defined his most recent release.
The singer, whose real name is Abel Tesfaye, first appeared seated in a convertible, rocking his signature red suit and sunglasses against a neon-colored re-creation of the Las Vegas skyline.
Before long, he was joined by a wall of choir and orchestra members to perform his 2016 Daft Punk collaboration “Starboy.” Then, he launched into a trippy rendition of “Can’t Feel My Face,” singing directly to the camera, as bandaged versions of himself feverishly danced around him in a mirrored hallway.
The Weeknd revealed last week that the look is meant to reflect the “absurd culture of Hollywood celebrity and people manipulating themselves for superficial reasons to please and be validated,” adding that in his eyes, “being attractive isn’t important to me but a compelling narrative is.”
The 30-year-old Canadian pop star then featured selections from his catalogue, including renditions of “The Hills,” “I Feel It Coming” and his “Fifty Shades of Grey” track, “Earned It,” which culminated with a major fireworks show.
Breaking with halftime shows in recent years that featured a slew of special guests ― last year’s performers Jennifer Lopez and Shakira shared the stage with Bad Bunny and J Balvin ― the singer went completely solo for the entirety of his time onstage, except for an array of backup dancers and singers.
Due to the strict coronavirus protocols and limited number of fans at the game, for the first time in the event’s 55-year history, he primarily performed on a constructed platform in the stadium stands that stretched out onto the field.
But eventually, The Weeknd and his bandaged dopplegangers, dancing in unison with lights affixed to their hands, spilled out onto the stadium’s field and brought the set home with a pyrotechnic-heavy version of “Blinding Lights.”