Courtesy Beyonce.comLooks like New Orleans has scored yet again--not only is the city hosting Super Bowl XLVII this coming February, it's also scooped up a truly super halftime-show act. "Who dat" you say? None other than Beyoncé!
The megastar vocalist hasn't released a formal announcement yet, but her website and social media feature a photo of her sporting eye black and the Super Bowl's date Feb. 3, 2013, titled "Countdown to Touchdown."
This is a particularly well-positioned coup for Beyoncé, who has laid comparatively low since becoming a first-time mom to daughter Blue Ivy Carter (dad is husband Jay-Z) in early January. Although Forbes named her one of the "World's 20 Most Powerful Moms" in May, her performance and appearance schedule--as well as her earnings--has been significantly reduced throughout 2012 in order to adjust to and enjoy her new family role.
That will no doubt all change in February, as the annual Super Bowl consistently ranks on the list of most-watched American television broadcasts and continues to set records each year. The 2012 halftime show, featuring Madonna, reeled in an estimated 114 million viewers--more than the actual game itself. There's no reason to believe 2013 won't follow suit. So, in short, it's just about the splashiest way possible for Beyoncé to end her "maternity leave" of sorts.
What would make the show extra special? If Bey decides to collaborate on stage with her equally famous spouse, or her Destiny's Child bandmates Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams, we're sure that would be a performance even more thrilling than Eli Manning's last February.
At any rate, Beyoncé is no stranger to the Big Game. Although this will be her first halftime show headline, she sang the National Anthem at the 2004 Super Bowl in her hometown of Houston.
Super Bowl XLVII is additionally a historical event in and of itself for any star to play, as it's the first time New Orleans has hosted the Bowl since 2002. Parts of the Louisiana Superdome were devastated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and 2013's NFL Championship is being hailed as a significant marker of the city's rebirth and renewal. Super Bowl XLVII will take place February 3, 2013.
Related: