Kelly's 10th Fan
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Post by Kelly's 10th Fan on Feb 13, 2023 18:46:35 GMT -5
I guess this would be a very unpopular opinion but I think a guest would have done more harm than good. Another performer would have only made it more obvious how tired/energetically lacking she was and made the show feel disjointed IMO, not to mention that a headliner NEVER wants to be outshone by the guest act. Rihanna's thing has always been the It Girl who literally doesn't have to try, it's just that even in her not-trying her it-girl aura is usually much stronger than it was last night. Being sick or fatigued will always bring the vibe down a few notches and vibes is all she's ever served. But if she wasn't going to or couldn't bow out entirely, she made the right choice to tough it out alone.
I also suspect that she might have been considering Kanye as her guest and had to scrap that when he went and acted an anti-Semitic fool. It would explain why the visuals looked like something he's done in the past + the inclusion of Run This Town and All Of The Lights (note that those two songs are next to each other in the set list, at a point in the show where a guest performer would be likely to appear). She probably found out she was pregnant shortly after all that went down in December, and then felt she didn't have the energy and/or time for her team to figure out how to work in a different guest or create a new arrangement for which the dancers could learn and rehearse new choreography.
Media outlets are playing nice because no one with sense is signing up to catch an e-fade over dragging a pregnant lady for being too tired for their liking. If she'd been that lethargic and not pregnant, I don't think they'd be nearly so kind (see: Maroon 5, Justin Timberlake). RS shouldn't have gone so far as to try ranking her performance though, they should have just called it a 'glowing' performance and left it at that.
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85la
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Post by 85la on Feb 13, 2023 19:55:09 GMT -5
I guess this would be a very unpopular opinion but I think a guest would have done more harm than good. Another performer would have only made it more obvious how tired/energetically lacking she was and made the show feel disjointed IMO, not to mention that a headliner NEVER wants to be outshone by the guest act. Rihanna's thing has always been the It Girl who literally doesn't have to try, it's just that even in her not-trying her it-girl aura is usually much stronger than it was last night. Being sick or fatigued will always bring the vibe down a few notches and vibes is all she's ever served. But if she wasn't going to or couldn't bow out entirely, she made the right choice to tough it out alone. I also suspect that she might have been considering Kanye as her guest and had to scrap that when he went and acted an anti-Semitic fool. It would explain why the visuals looked like something he's done in the past + the inclusion of Run This Town and All Of The Lights (note that those two songs are next to each other in the set list, at a point in the show where a guest performer would be likely to appear). She probably found out she was pregnant shortly after all that went down in December, and then felt she didn't have the energy and/or time for her team to figure out how to work in a different guest or create a new arrangement for which the dancers could learn and rehearse new choreography.Very interesting points, however it was first announced she would do the halftime show on September 26, and Kanye made the infamous "Death Con 3" tweet on October 8, so I'm not sure all of that would have been planned that early, and even if it was, that would've given her enough time to revamp the show and/or find a different guest.
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Kelly's 10th Fan
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Post by Kelly's 10th Fan on Feb 13, 2023 20:48:12 GMT -5
I wish Rihanna missed Rihanna as much as the public obviously missed her! I guess this would be a very unpopular opinion but I think a guest would have done more harm than good. Another performer would have only made it more obvious how tired/energetically lacking she was and made the show feel disjointed IMO, not to mention that a headliner NEVER wants to be outshone by the guest act. Rihanna's thing has always been the It Girl who literally doesn't have to try, it's just that even in her not-trying her it-girl aura is usually much stronger than it was last night. Being sick or fatigued will always bring the vibe down a few notches and vibes is all she's ever served. But if she wasn't going to or couldn't bow out entirely, she made the right choice to tough it out alone. I also suspect that she might have been considering Kanye as her guest and had to scrap that when he went and acted an anti-Semitic fool. It would explain why the visuals looked like something he's done in the past + the inclusion of Run This Town and All Of The Lights (note that those two songs are next to each other in the set list, at a point in the show where a guest performer would be likely to appear). She probably found out she was pregnant shortly after all that went down in December, and then felt she didn't have the energy and/or time for her team to figure out how to work in a different guest or create a new arrangement for which the dancers could learn and rehearse new choreography.Very interesting points, however it was first announced she would do the halftime show on September 26, and Kanye made the infamous "Death Con 3" tweet on October 8, so I'm not sure all of that would have been planned that early, and even if it was, that would've given her enough time to revamp the show and/or find a different guest. Oh, I was thinking of when he went on Alex Jones' show, which was December 1. I forgot that he basically stretched out his campaign of foolishness over two months. Still kind of wonder if Rihanna thought at first that things would blow over and that they could get Kanye to apologize and walk back his comments, only for him to triple down on them.
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Au$tin
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Post by Au$tin on Feb 14, 2023 10:55:49 GMT -5
Day 2! Currently on US Apple Music: (up to the minute tracking, performance effect starting to peak) What's My Name? #48 (+32) Bitch Better Have My Money #12 (+33) Phresh Out the Runway [not in top 200] Where Have You Been #28 (+44) Cockiness (Love It) [not in top 200] Only Girl (In the World) #24 (+26) We Found Love #19 (+10) S&M #67 (+17) Rude Boy #33 (+32) Kiss It Better #78 (+23) Work #8 (+7) Wild Thoughts #27 (+24) Birthday Cake [not in top 200] Numb [not in top 200] Pour It Up #26 (+50) Pose [not in top 200] All of the Lights #60 (+125) Run This Town #20 (+21) Umbrella #7 (+2) Diamonds #11 (+12)
Also Charting: Needed Me #10 (+3) Love on the Brain #15 (+4) Disturbia #42 (+17) Lift Me Up #54 (+4) Loveeeeeee Song #59 (+16) Take Care #62 (+25) Don't Stop the Music #63 (+10) Sex with Me #65 (+25) Stay #70 (+21) Too Good #109 (+59) LOYALTY. #111 (+30) Desperado #112 (+55) Love the Way You Lie #116 (+50) Pon de Replay #123 (+34) This Is What You Came For #139 (+60) Woo #153 (NEW) Currently on US Spotify: (not to the minute, so this data is the streaming on the day after the performance) Holy s**t, Spotify users really were into it! Shut Up and Drive?!?! What's My Name? #48 (+70) Bitch Better Have My Money #8 (NEW) Phresh Out the Runway [not in top 200] Where Have You Been #24 (NEW) Cockiness (Love It) [not in top 200] Only Girl (In the World) #16 (+75) We Found Love #7 (+47) S&M #36 (+65) Rude Boy #37 (NEW) Kiss It Better #114 (NEW) Work #31 (NEW) Wild Thoughts #60 (NEW) Birthday Cake [not in top 200] Numb [not in top 200] Pour It Up #33 (NEW) Pose [not in top 200] All of the Lights #89 (NEW) Run This Town #17 (+77) Umbrella #5 (+15) Diamonds #10 (+75)
Also Charting: Love on the Brain #11 (+35) Needed Me #13 (+29) Stay #19 (+45) Don't Stop the Music #26 (+24) Lift Me Up #32 (+49) Disturbia #40 (+68) Pon de Replay #56 (+79) Love the Way You Lie #68 (+124) SOS #84 (NEW) This Is What You Came For #88 (NEW) Woo #98 (NEW) FourFiveSeconds #104 (NEW) Take a Bow #116 (NEW) Loveeeeeee Song #146 (NEW) Take Care #156 (NEW) Shut Up and Drive #165 (NEW) The Monster #192 (NEW) Consideration #198 (NEW) Worldwide Spotify Playcount Totals: Track | Total | Increase | %Increase | What's My Name? | 378,798,244 | 1,156,801 | 0.306% | Bitch Better Have My Money | 677,341,720 | 2,288,478 | 0.339% | Phresh Out the Runway | 39,178,293 | 62,927 | 0.161% | Where Have You Been | 480,948,393 | 1,813,263 | 0.378% | Cockiness (Love It) | 58,055,558 | 59,708 | 0.103% | Olny Girl (In the World) | 658,955,981 | 2,116,820 | 0.322% | We Found Love | 1,030,618,777 | 2,716,602 | 0.264% | S&M | 689,672,241 | 1,559,859 | 0.227% | Rude Boy | 395,545,468 | 1,465,748 | 0.372% | Kiss It Better | 337,132,604 | 874,411 | 0.260% | Work | 1,188,223,549 | 1,538,755 | 0.130% | Wild Thoughts | 941,430,637 | 1,085,401 | 0.115% | Birthday Cake | 97,348,947 | 139,735 | 0.144% | Numb | 37,236,979 | 50,357 | 0.135% | Pour It Up | 285,666,167 | 1,300,657 | 0.457% | Pose | 37,679,711 | 239,857 | 0.641% | All of the Lights | 492,231,747 | 827,277 | 0.168% | Run This Town | 302,336,343 | 1,725,961 | 0.574% | Umbrella | 1,057,708,479 | 3,027,875 | 0.287% | Diamonds | 948,120,135 | 2,566,492 | 0.271% |
Other singles: Track | Total | Increase | %Increase | Love on the Brain | 1,051,883,224 | 2,513,230 | 0.239% | Lift Me Up | 192,796,735 | 2,198,339 | 1.153% | Stay | 947,606,251 | 2,175,105 | 0.230% | Needed Me | 1,160,714,680 | 1,871,237 | 0.161% | Don't Stop the Music | 660,706,580 | 1,700,838 | 0.258% | Love the Way You Lie | 1,125,633,619 | 1,345,869 | 0.120% | Disturbia | 479,618,589 | 1,213,443 | 0.254% | This Is What You Came For | 1,397,259,917 | 1,167,925 | 0.084% | Pon de Replay | 532,631,067 | 1,123,728 | 0.211% | Take a Bow | 602,491,027 | 916,928 | 0.152% | FourFiveSeconds | 952,216,297 | 859,114 | 0.090% | The Monster | 812,107,426 | 847,430 | 0.104% | SOS | 246,572,999 | 817,371 | 0.333% | Can't Remember to Forget You | 375,581,437 | 650,239 | 0.173% | Loveeeeeee Song | 245,802,144 | 626,818 | 0.256% | Take Care | 492,879,104 | 618,635 | 0.126% | Shut Up and Drive | 204,525,510 | 581,465 | 0.285% | Consideration | 222,046,449 | 572,478 | 0.258% | Man Down | 287,386,601 | 518,345 | 0.181% | You da One | 217,182,620 | 517,295 | 0.239% | Te Amo | 136,491,735 | 516,494 | 0.380% | Hate That I Love You | 278,336,014 | 477,621 | 0.172% | Live Your Life | 440,059,480 | 476,017 | 0.108% | Too Good | 942,216,722 | 473,415 | 0.050% | California King Bed | 233,422,770 | 445,467 | 0.191% | Unfaithful | 282,097,365 | 435,620 | 0.155% | LOYALTY. | 512,235,647 | 407,602 | 0.080% | Desperado | 329,121,578 | 376,646 | 0.115% | Rehab | 177,070,852 | 365,554 | 0.207% | Sex with Me | 289,000,190 | 330,113 | 0.114% | Russian Roulette | 144,407,863 | 297,854 | 0.207% | Believe It | 301,452,115 | 285,034 | 0.095% | Princess of China | 225,603,820 | 273,638 | 0.121% | Who's That Chick? | 181,292,834 | 184,693 | 0.102% | Talk That Talk | 130,000,364 | 148,668 | 0.114% | Cheers (Drink to That) | 99,744,849 | 114,186 | 0.115% | Right Now | 110,520,405 | 98,225 | 0.089% | What Now | 187,827,366 | 83,988 | 0.045% | If It's Lovin' That You Want | 42,120,316 | 77,292 | 0.184% | Fly | 110,922,208 | 63,766 | 0.058% | Hard | 47,428,711 | 59,512 | 0.126% | We Ride | 72,161,955 | 56,261 | 0.078% | Bad | 93,499,173 | 46,842 | 0.050% | Break It Off | 40,879,895 | 46,109 | 0.113% | Jump | 48,739,083 | 45,841 | 0.094% | American Oxygen | 138,774,530 | 40,501 | 0.029% | Lemon | 157,505,197 | 39,911 | 0.025% | S&M (Britney Spears Remix) | 39,676,409 | 39,763 | 0.100% | Raining Men | 33,096,627 | 35,300 | 0.107% | Towards the Sun | 65,721,810 | 34,802 | 0.053% | Rockstar 101 | 25,033,577 | 32,728 | 0.131% | Nothing Is Promised | 105,347,685 | 28,933 | 0.027% | Selfish | 251,031,134 | 27,921 | 0.011% | Wait Your Turn | 11,868,707 | 13,059 | 0.110% | Sledgehammer | 50,749,054 | 11,826 | 0.023% | Numba 1 (Tide Is High) | 4,364,659 | 3,621 | 0.083% |
Safe to say "Umbrella" is the winner. Iconic. And there's still people trying to argue it isn't her signature song. "We Found Love"? More like "We Found Dead in a Ditch." I am still baffled at "Loveeeeeee Song" lol.
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Active Aggressive
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Post by Active Aggressive on Feb 14, 2023 23:02:23 GMT -5
I guess this would be a very unpopular opinion but I think a guest would have done more harm than good. Another performer would have only made it more obvious how tired/energetically lacking she was and made the show feel disjointed IMO, not to mention that a headliner NEVER wants to be outshone by the guest act. Rihanna's thing has always been the It Girl who literally doesn't have to try, it's just that even in her not-trying her it-girl aura is usually much stronger than it was last night. Being sick or fatigued will always bring the vibe down a few notches and vibes is all she's ever served. But if she wasn't going to or couldn't bow out entirely, she made the right choice to tough it out alone. I also suspect that she might have been considering Kanye as her guest and had to scrap that when he went and acted an anti-Semitic fool. It would explain why the visuals looked like something he's done in the past + the inclusion of Run This Town and All Of The Lights (note that those two songs are next to each other in the set list, at a point in the show where a guest performer would be likely to appear). She probably found out she was pregnant shortly after all that went down in December, and then felt she didn't have the energy and/or time for her team to figure out how to work in a different guest or create a new arrangement for which the dancers could learn and rehearse new choreography. Media outlets are playing nice because no one with sense is signing up to catch an e-fade over dragging a pregnant lady for being too tired for their liking. If she'd been that lethargic and not pregnant, I don't think they'd be nearly so kind (see: Maroon 5, Justin Timberlake). RS shouldn't have gone so far as to try ranking her performance though, they should have just called it a 'glowing' performance and left it at that. The best take I have seen on her performance. Thank you. I will also add what I posted to FB today after seeing so much praise for the performance, including the oft-used, tackily hyperbolic "iconic" tag: A lot of praise has been thrown around for Rihanna's Half-Time show which, in my opinion, was only one step above the Maroon 5 nadir. That said, live music is my lifeblood, so I admittedly watch every performance fairly critically. I have seen Cardi B put on an electric performance while 9 months pregnant, in the California desert, in 100 degree heat. I have also seen Beyonce's fantastic 2011 MTV VMA performance of Love On Top, also given while pregnant. I've been a Rihanna fan since Pon De Replay premiered and I spent a stupid amount of money on her phenomenal coffee table book. That said, I have NEVER praised her for her vocals (why would I? Though, they have definitely grown stronger as her career progressed) and she is a remarkably lazy performer who, generally speaking, exudes neither passion nor joy while on stage. Going into the Halftime show, my expectations were pretty low, but I was curious. I got exactly what I expected from Rihanna yesterday - a stellar catalog of hits (even some risky ones thrown in!) performed by someone who would clearly rather focus on her billion-plus dollar empire and growing family. She's given the world 8 albums, including 3 modern-day classics. She is gorgeous and cool, in the true sense of the word. But, a performer she is not and a performance she did not give. I'm glad so many people thought it was wonderful, but I would not be me if I didn't give my full, unvarnished, honest opinion. Thanks for reading. x
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