Rapper Kendrick Lamar will hit the stage, probably as one of the most-watched performances: the halftime show for this year’s Super Bowl LIX.
The 37-year-old headliner, who was announced last year, takes to the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana this Sunday. He’s been joined by special guest SZA for the iconic NFL event, which kicks off as the Kansas City Chiefs go head to head against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Fresh off winning five Grammy Awards last week, Kendrick will step into one of the most coveted performance slots in the music industry. But despite the astronomical audience, reports say he won’t be commanding a typical paycheck for his performance.
Like other Super Bowl halftime acts, Kendrick will only be paid a union-mandated minimum, as the NFL covers production expenses instead of directly compensating performers.
An NFL spokesperson explained to The Independent that the league “covers all costs associated with the show and does pay the halftime performers’ union scale.” That’s not unusual-the league has, traditionally, said it doesn’t pay artists, per se, but underwrites production, travel, and other expenses that surround the performance.
For context: according to Sports Illustrated, headliner Usher was paid only $671 – or about £540 – to appear on-stage last year; he did collect an additional $1,800 – £1,400 – in rehearsal costs.
But it pays – not directly in terms of salary – through exposure, because as 100m or more tune in stateside each year, such a surge happens when these acts immediately jump up through streams and sales.
Rihanna’s 2023 performance, for example, saw her Spotify streams increase by 640% cent. Other past performers have also seen similar boosts in popularity after their Super Bowl appearances.
Producing the halftime show is not cheap: it’s been reported that the NFL and sponsor Apple Music spend close to $10 million (£8 million) on the production, covering everything from set design to audio equipment.
But though Kendrick won’t be raking it in from this performance, the Super Bowl stage is among the largest platforms in the world, and one that offers artists a promotional boost like no other.
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