Social media detectives are working overtime following a viral rumor that could have blown the lid off the upcoming Super Bowl LXI halftime show.
As fans eagerly wait to hear who will headline the big game at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles this February, a supposed slip-up on social media set the internet ablaze on Monday.
Screenshots across social platforms like X and Instagram quickly made the rounds, claiming that Apple Music accidentally posted and deleted a teaser revealing the headliner, leaving internet sleuths convinced the slot belongs to a major female superstar.
However, those investigating pointed out that the viral screenshot appears to be completely fabricated, with no official record of the streaming platform ever publishing the teaser. Despite being unverified, the rumor sparked fierce online debate, with fans pointing to the silhouette in the fake post and arguing over whether Miley Cyrus or Beyoncé is taking the stage on football’s biggest night.
The timing of the hoax aligns with a shift in how the NFL rolls out its biggest musical announcement. Ever since Apple Music took over as the main sponsor of the halftime show in 2022, league executives typically dropped the headliner news during September.
Previous years brought confirmations for musical acts like Rihanna, Usher, and Kendrick Lamar right as football season kicked off.
But with September passing without an official press release, the calendar has entered uncharted territory. Last year’s choice caught fans off guard, proving that organizers are willing to keep details under lock and key until they are ready to make a formal announcement.
While users on social media will likely continue digging for clues and examining every online rumor leading up to the big game, music fans should expect the actual reveal to come directly from the league when it least expects to drop.
While Beyoncé‘s name has been thrown around the rumor mill, the singer previously headlined the Super Bowl XLVII halftime show in New Orleans in 2013, and later returned as a special guest performer during Coldplay’s Super Bowl 50 halftime set in 2016.