Bruno Mars is slated to perform along with Coldplay at this year’s Super Bowl 50 in a star-studded performance that could also include Beyoncé, reported the Music Times .
“Of course, for the 50 th anniversary of the Super Bowl, the NFL isn’t going small. After months of rumors, it has been confirmed that Coldplay will be taking on the biggest stage in sports (and television) next February. Bruno Mars… is also slated to perform.”
Coldplay was announced as the headliner for Super Bowl 50 during Thursday Night Football, prompting wide speculation about the big names who would appear with the band. By early Friday morning, the AP was already naming Bruno Mars and Beyoncé as potential performers for the big night.
Beyoncé is an obvious choice for the show, since she also appears on Coldplay’s new track “Hymn for the Weekend,” which is featured on their recently released album A Head Full of Dreams .
According to the Latin Post , Bruno Mars will serve as the curator for this year’s presentation and also served as the featured performer in 2014, along with Katy Perry, who was last year’s special guest performer. Beyoncé has already performed at the Super Bowl, appearing in 2013, and is longtime friends with Chris Martin, who also featured her daughter Blue Ivy Carter on Coldplay’s new album.
Coldplay front man Chris Martin called the performance “the greatest moment of our band’s life,” and promised to “give it everything we have.” The band, which includes Martin, as well as guitarist Jonny Buckland, bassist Guy Berryman, and drummer Will Champion, released a video about the upcoming performance in which Martin admits he is “really, really nervous” about the show.
When Bruno Mars headlined the Super Bowl in 2014, he had help from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, while Beyoncé brought out the other members of Destiny’s Child during her show. Coldplay released A Head Full of Dreams , which is the band’s seventh studio album, on Friday December 4. It includes the single “Adventure of a Lifetime,” as well as a clip of President Barack Obama singing “Amazing Grace” at Clementa C. Pinckney’s funeral, an appearance by Tove Lo, Noel Gallagher, Avicii, and even Chris Martin’s ex-wife Gwyneth Paltrow. “A Head Full of Dreams” serves as Coldplay’s follow-up to the band’s 2014 release “Ghost Stories,” which produced singles “Magic,” “Midnight,” “A Sky Full of Stars,” “True Love” and “Ink.”
Coldplay is the first rock and roll band to headline the Super Bowl since The Who performed in 2010. Since then, the NFL has opted to go with pop music, although the British rockers have been considered for the last few years, along with other big names like Rihanna. In fact, Coldplay’s past collaborations also include “Lost+” with Jay Z and “Princess of China” with Rihanna, so fans are still hoping for additional announcements that one or both of these big name artists will make a cameo in the Super Bowl 50 half time show. Coldplay is far from the first act to bring in high-profile guest performers, however. In 2011 the Black Eyed Peas took the stage with Slash and Usher, while Madonna brought out LMFAO and Nicki Minaj in 2012 and Katy Perry performed with Missy Elliott and Lenny Kravitz in 2014.
Bruno Mars is also known for collaborations such as “Nothin’ On You,” which he performed with artist B.o.B., as well as “Billionaire,” with Geneva native Travie McCoy.
Although the NFL does not pay performers to play at the Super Bowl, it does cover their production and travel costs. In 2014 the league also asked several potential performers to pay to play, to no avail.
Super Bowl 50 will be held Sunday, February 7 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
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