On February 12th, 2023, Rihanna performed at the first ever Apple Music Super Bowl XVII Halftime Show. It represented the return of one of the world’s greatest artists to the world’s biggest stage.
To celebrate her iconic performance, we created a series of films inspired by Rihanna’s most iconic hits. Each film interpreted a song in a way that felt true to both Rihanna and Apple Music as a brand. This first film in the series, ‘Stay’, featured a stirring rendition of the Rihanna track — performed by 32 fans representing the 32 teams of the National Football League.
Our casting process entailed interviews with NFL fans from around the world. Each one brought their own unique personality and appearance to what became an incredibly diverse choir. Our final casting brought together everyone from famous super fans to everyday supporters. None of them had ever sung professionally, and most never even publicly.
After weeks of vocal training, each one found their voice, and brought a unique style to the final piece. In post, audio was meticulously layered to create a dynamic composition that built into an emotionally charged ending that brought every voice into a single chorus.
Through the power of Rihanna’s music, each fan was able to express deep passion for their own team in this film. Stay’ ultimately showed a diverse, inclusive, and more vulnerable side of a league fanbase that’s often portrayed in a less nuanced way. And it played a major role in ultimately setting the stage for the 3rd most watched broadcast event in US history - The Apple Music Super Bowl XVII Halftime Show.