J. Lo and Shakira will headline Pepsi-sponsored Super Bowl halftime show

Jay-Z’s Roc Nation is working on the Super Bowl halftime show lineup this year. But barring a last-minute surprise, neither the rapper nor his wife, Beyoncé, will take the stage in Miami on Feb. 2. Instead, the show will be headlined by Jennifer Lopez and Shakira. Pepsi, which sponsors the show, announced the lineup Thursday, along with Roc Nation, which is overseeing the show as part of a new deal it signed with the National Football League in August. A news release touts the show as the first time that J. Lo and Shakira will share a stage. The halftime show is a major marketing moment for Pepsi, which recently renewed its sponsorship until 2022. The brand, in the release, promised that viewers “can expect unprecedented access to the making of pop culture’s biggest event and should stay tuned for more details.” “Ever since I saw Diana Ross fly off into the sky at the halftime show, I dreamed of performing at the Super Bowl,” Lopez said, quoted in the statement. “And now it’s made even more special not only because it’s the NFL’s 100th anniversary, but also because I am performing with a fellow Latina. I can’t wait to show what us girls can do on the world’s biggest stage.” Shakira, who noted that the Super Bowl occurs on her birthday, said, “I’m so honored to be taking on one of the world’s biggest stages in the company of a fellow female artist to represent Latinos and Latinas from the U.S. and all over the world.” Roc Nation’s deal with the NFL, which includes a provision to aid the league with its social justice efforts, has been heavily scrutinized. Critics have said Jay-Z changed his tune after acting as a strong supporter of Colin Kaepernick. The quarterback has not been hired by an NFL team since the 2016 season, following his kneeling during the national anthem to protest social injustice.

J. Lo and Shakira will headline Pepsi-sponsored Super Bowl halftime show

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