Here's How Long You Can Expect The Weeknd's Halftime Show To Last
The Super Bowl is almost here, and if you're more excited about the halftime show than the game, you're not alone. The must-see performances you catch during the break in the game always include some iconic moments (remember that Destiny's Child reunion?). Although Super Bowl LV (55) won't have a stadium packed with fans this go around, the halftime show is still sure to impress. As you're planning your night, here's how long the 2021 Super Bowl halftime show is expected to last.
The Weeknd is set to headline the 2021 Super Bowl halftime show, but it's still unclear who (if anyone) will join him as a musical guest. Some fans think Ariana Grande is going to join The Weeknd since he's dropping a compilation album, The Highlights, on Friday, Feb. 5 — and the album just so happens to include his track “Love Me Harder" featuring Grande. And if that does happen, you definitely don't want to miss it. To see the halftime show, you'll need to tune in for the Super Bowl on Sunday, Feb. 7 at 6:30 p.m. ET on CBS. There's no scheduled time slot for the halftime show, so you'll need to keep the game on to catch the epic performance. (Although, per Sporting News, it's likely to start around 8 p.m. ET, which is 90 minutes after kickoff)
There's no official length for the performances, but every Super Bowl halftime show in the last 12 years has lasted no more than 15 minutes. Justin Timberlake's 2018 set lasted 14 minutes, Lady Gaga's 2017 Super Bowl performance was around 13-and-a-half minutes, and Bruno Mars' performance in 2016 came in at about 13 minutes, according to Sports Illustrated. In 2020, Jennifer Lopez headlined alongside Shakira for about 14 minutes.
The length of the entire halftime show will likely be upwards of 30 minutes including commercials and commentary that usually come ahead of the performance, according to Mic.
Pepsi named The Weeknd as the 2021 Pepsi Super Bowl Halftime Show performer in November 2020. Following the announcement, The Weeknd expressed his excitement to headline the show, saying he was "humbled, honored and ecstatic to be the center of that infamous stage."
Since halftime shows usually include an artists' biggest hits, you can expect to hear some of his most successful songs, like "I Can't Feel My Face" and "Blinding Lights." As for a Grande appearance, it wouldn't be unusual for The Weeknd to showcase the song, as it was a significant hit. The track, which debuted in 2014, hit No. 14 on the Billboard Digital Song Sales following its release. In anticipation of the Pepsi Halftime Show, Pepsi even revealed a pre-game commercial featuring the track, so there's a good chance he'll play it with or without an Ari cameo.
To catch the halftime show you'll need to tune in for the 2021 Super Bowl, which puts the Kansas City Chiefs against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Kickoff is it at 6:30 p.m. ET on CBS on Feb. 7, and on CBS Sport's website or the CBS Sports App.
