Rihanna had been approached several times by the NFL about doing the Super Bowl halftime show before agreeing to take the stage this past Sunday.

Most notably, Rihanna publicly refused to do the show in 2018, a decision she made in solidarity with Colin Capernick, who took a knee at the 2016 event to protest racism and police brutality. The NFL subsequently banned kneeling during the national anthem at the Super Bowl.

"I just couldn't be a sellout," Rihanna told U.S. Vogue of her decision in 2019." There were things in that organization that I didn't agree with at all, and I wasn't going to go serve them in any way."

And now, in a new cover interview with U.S. Vogue, the superstar feels more comfortable performing at this year's Super Bowl She explained why.

"There's still a lot to repair in my eyes, but it's powerful to break down those doors and represent at a high and consistent level," she said, noting that last year's lineup consisted of many rap legends. 'Two Super Bowl appearances in a row, representing the urban community and going global. Powerful. It's a really strong message.

For Rihanna, the cause of racial justice is especially close to home now that she is a new mother. She says, "Of course, raising a young black man is one of life's most terrifying responsibilities.

"You think, 'What am I going to leave my children?' 'Will they live on this planet? All those things start to hit you in a really different way."

Rihanna and partner ASAP Rocky gave birth to a son in May 2022, and the Fenty founder announced her second pregnancy during her set at the 2023 Super Bowl.