Unimpeded by her recent lip-syncing controversy, Beyonce will be the center of America’s attention during the Super Bowl halftime show. All the attention surrounding the star after her performance (or lack thereof) at last month’s inauguration ceremony may bring even more viewers, giving her an opportunity to defeat the 112.6 million viewer mark set by Madonna during last year’s game.
“All these events lined up perfectly, from the inauguration to the halftime show, so Beyonce could build momentum as she steps back into the spotlight,” Claudia Cahill, chief content officer for OMD Worldwide, the advertisement company overseeing Pepsi’s sponsorship of the event, told news site Bloomberg. “Nothing happens by accident.”
Beyonce has set a worldwide tour and has a new album scheduled for release later this year, and a biography airing on HBO Feb. 16. Early rumors and a leaked set list suggest that the superstar will reunite with Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams on a medley of some of their hit Destiny’s Child tracks. The group released a compilation titled Love Songs last week, featuring a new track titled “Nuclear,” which will also be included in the halftime show. The song is the first new track released by the group since their hiatus began in 2006.
Beyonce commands an audience unrivaled by recent Super Bowl performers. Last year, an aging Madonna managed to bring in a higher ratings mark than the actual game, a trend that Beyonce will look to continue. Still in the prime of her career, Beyonce has never been more appealing to corporate America.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s critically received as a great performance,” Nielson Vice President David Bakula told Bloomberg. “You look at the money advertisers pay for Super Bowl ads, and this is a 15-minute commercial that reminds people how amazing these artists are.”
