Fans claim Rihanna's opening song was dig at not being paid to perform at the Super Bowl
The singer wasn't paid a penny for the highly-anticipated performance in Arizona
Rihanna performed a whole range of hits during her Super Bowl halftime show, but some fans have a theory about why she chose to open with one particular track.
The 'Diamonds' singer made an epic comeback in Arizona yesterday (12 February), blasting onto the stage not only with her incredible voice, but with a baby bump exposed proudly for all to see.
She kicked things off on a floating platform, with the camera focusing on her face before revealing her red outfit and bun in the oven.
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Evidently keen to get going, Rihanna quickly launched into the popular track 'B**** Better Have My Money'.
Thanks to countless radio plays and appearances in playlists, you barely even have to be a fan of Rihanna to recognise this track.
It was released in 2015 and received a number of nominations, so it's not a totally rogue choice for the opening track. However, fans haven't been able to resist looking further into it.
The thing is, Rihanna wasn't actually paid for her performance at the Super Bowl, despite it being one of the biggest gigs in the world.
This isn't unusual - in fact, Super Bowl halftime show performers don’t ever get paid for their appearances; they just get their expenses and travel covered.
It seems like a bizarre system for some of the world's biggest stars, so fans of the 'Umbrella' singer speculated that her opening track was actually chosen to offer up a message to the organisers of the event.
"Starting a show you’re not getting paid for with B*tch Better Have My Money, Pay Me What You Owe Me is some queen behavior," one viewer tweeted after Rihanna appeared on stage, while another commented: "Rihanna opening to “b*tch better have my money” when performers for the Super Bowl are not paid is 10/10."
A third wrote: "Really incredible that Rihanna opened with "B*tch better have my money" in a performance for which she was not getting paid."
Though fans are convinced there's more to the song choice, Rihanna herself previously noted that the Super Bowl is 'one of the biggest stages in the world'.
Speaking to the Associated Press, she continued: "It is an entertainer's dream to be on a stage like that.”
Though the Super Bowl organisers did not have Rihanna's money, the singer has at least received a wealth of attention after taking to the stage yesterday, especially with the help of the little guest who joined her in her belly.
Emily Brown