Update: During the halftime performance, specifically when Jennifer Lopez's daughter took the stage, the stadium was bathed in purple and gold light as a memorial to Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna. Purple and gold are the colours of Bryant's former team, the Los Angeles Lakers.
This story was originally published on January 31, 2020.
Sunday’s Super Bowl LIV will feature a fierce showdown between the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs, but more importantly, the first ever onstage collaboration between pop stars Jennifer Lopez and Shakira. The power duo’s performance won’t be all glitz all glam, though — it will also include a “heartfelt” tribute to late NBA legend Kobe Bryant.
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Bryant, 41, and his daughter Gianna, 13, were among the nine passengers involved in a fatal helicopter crash in Calabasas, California last Sunday. The tragic accident devastated the entire world, with touching stories and condolences for Bryant’s wife and daughters pouring in from every corner of Hollywood.
During a press conference in Miami, the singers discussed their plans for using their mega platform at the Super Bowl halftime to pay tribute to the former Los Angeles Laker.
“We'll all be remembering Kobe on Sunday and celebrating life and diversity in this country," Shakira said. "I'm sure he'd be very proud to see the message we are trying to convey on stage that day."
How exactly they’ll be honouring Bryant is still a secret, but both women promised that their 12-minute show would be far different from anything fans have ever seen on the Super Bowl stage — even Adam Levine's shirtless moment in 2019 and Beyoncé's epic dance-off against Bruno Mars in 2016.
“When we did the first run-through, Shakira was like, 'That was great!' It's different from what we do," said Lopez. "It's very Shakira and very Jennifer."
Will we get a live performance of "Beautiful Liar" featuring the stars in sexy matching costumes? Or perhaps a rousing rendition of "Let's Get Loud" to get the crowd hype? Either way it will be both memorable and emotional.