Super Bowl LV’s most hotly debated topic may not have even had anything to do with the game: instead, the halftime show performance by The Weeknd in front of 22,000 live fans at the Raymond James Stadium proved to be more controversial, at least in the reactions it garnered.
As with most Super Bowl halftime shows, it was a highly anticipated event that needed to fill big shoes of past shows like those of Beyoncé, Bruno Mars, or Lady Gaga. The Weeknd seemed to be a good fit to take on this responsibility following his 2020 hit album, After Hours. The setlist for the concert included songs such as “The Hills,” “Can’t Feel My Face,” and “Blinding Lights.”
The concert itself was relatively bare-bones compared to past productions, opting not to bring on a guest artist and going for a low-spectacle performance, aside from the masked dancers and a few flashy sets. The lower level of creativity for this show is understandable, considering that most of the performances of the past involved activities that would not fly in these days of COVID. Still, it sparked some debate among viewers of the show.
Many viewers believed the performance was flat-out boring. One likely cause for this lack of interest in the show is the fatigue of anticipating it for so long, built up by the same advertisements over and over again, only to have it be little more than a man singing on a stage without much of the usual fun. Some critics also claimed that The Weeknd did not have that “spark” of a natural performer. Among these complaints is the common thread that the concert simply did not live up to past halftime shows.
On the other side of the debate are those that believe The Weeknd’s performance was remarkably entertaining despite having little tools to work with to create the usual spectacle of a halftime show. People who liked his show expressed that he did not need much else other than his voice and enthusiasm to make the show enjoyable. There was a simplicity to it that caused many listeners to appreciate his music and his talent in the moment, rather than focusing on the moving parts and stage props like in past years.
While this kind of show didn’t impress everybody, it sparked a lively debate between viewers and tested the standard for what an entertaining halftime show can look like.
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