The Weeknd has a long history of touring in Central Florida, having played Tampa's Straz Center before hitting Amalie Arena twice. He's dreamed of this opportunity for a while, he said in a statement.
"We all grow up watching the world's biggest acts playing the Super Bowl and one can only dream of being in that position,” he said. "I'm humbled, honored and ecstatic to be the center of that infamous stage this year."
The singer took to social media to share his excitement. “performing on the iconic stage,” he tweeted. “see you 02/07/21.”
The Weeknd is a three-time Grammy winner, garnering two Best Urban Contemporary Album awards for Starboy and Beauty Behind the Madness, and Best R&B Performance for “Earned It.” Some of his Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 singles include “Can’t Feel My Face,” “The Hills” and “Blinding Lights.” His latest album, After Hours, was released in March.performing on the iconic stage. see you 02/07/21 @pepsi #pepsihalftime #SBLV pic.twitter.com/oYlQyvKRwh
— The Weeknd (@theweeknd) November 12, 2020
While there is no set capacity limit for Super Bowl attendance, the NFL said it will have a reduced capacity and will continue to monitor the COVID-19 pandemic as the date approaches.
The last time the Super Bowl was held in Tampa back in 2009, Bruce Springsteen was the halftime show headliner. The Weeknd is joining a list of iconic halftime acts such as Michael Jackson, Paul McCartney and the Rolling Stones.
This story first appeared on our sister paper's site, Creative Loafing Tampa.
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