“I pick... me. I am your Hay King!” Dwight Schrute proudly announces in front of a bunch of disappointed children in a Season 7 episode of The Office.
Jay-Z’s reported announcement about this season’s Super Bowl halftime show perhaps evokes a similar feeling among the musically-inclined football-watching crowd.
Jay-Z has picked himself to take the stage in Los Angeles for the SBLXI spectacle, according to Puck’s Dave Brooks. Multiple sources say the pick felt “inevitable” and “more compelling” than Miley Cyrus and Justin Bieber, both of whom were reportedly under consideration.
The Brooklyn rapper is enjoying a surprising career renaissance performing in stadiums across North America this year, a kind of “Remember me?” tour that celebrates the 30th anniversary of his debut album, Reasonable Doubt, and the 25th anniversary of The Blueprint. His sold-out shows are, as millennials might call it, turnt. He’s married to one of the most beloved pop stars in the world. Oh, and he gets to handpick the Super Bowl halftime performer himself.
If Rihanna, fitted in a black jumpsuit and snazzy fedora, were to emerge alongside Jay-Z to sing “Umbrella” while a corseted Tom Holland in fishnet stockings back-flips across electrified puddles of water, we might be more excited. But we’re not getting our hopes up.
Instead of watching a 56-year-old Jay-Z turn back the clock to play his hip-hop hits, here are three artists we would rather see take the stage in 2027.
Miley Cyrus
Sometimes, the obvious choice is the right one.
Miley Cyrus was reportedly in the running to perform what would have been her first-ever Super Bowl halftime show, along with the much-matured Justin Bieber. Whereas a Bieber show would have likely taken the shape of a raw, acoustic smattering of moody ballads (it’s just what he’s into nowadays), Cyrus, who recently released her new album Bass Persuades, is still very much in her party music era. The kids don’t wanna dance to Jay-Z. They wanna dance to “Flowers.” They wanna sing-scream the lyrics to “Party in the U.S.A.” (a particularly fitting song for Los Angeles, by the way). Already coronated as one of pop music’s everlasting queens, Cyrus made her triumphant return to the stage at the Hollywood Bowl earlier this month, four years since her last major concert.
And you know she can bring the best of both worlds, too. Aside from her up-tempo Bangerz, Cyrus has lent her distinctive raspy voice to ballads like Dolly Parton’s “Jolene,” which she performed during her sold-out shows in L.A. as a heartfelt and touching tribute to her late godmother.
“Me and Dolly, we are eternal. Nothing in this life could tear us apart,” Cyrus said through tears. “And I’m gonna see her again. I can’t f---ing wait because I miss her. Some of the greatest music that we have today was written, produced and performed by my Aunt Dolly.”
Parton’s legacy deserves to live on, even in the sports world. Making Cyrus the headliner for this year’s Super Bowl halftime show would make sure of that.
A sample of her set list: Other than the songs already mentioned, “The Climb,” “Midnight Sky” and “Something Beautiful.”
Harry Styles
Another mainstream pop pick, forgive us. But rap and hip-hop arguably already had their time in the spotlight.
L.A. could easily have been turned into Harry’s House in February, what with the ever-so-charming British star’s glimmering smile and natural swagger. In 2026, Harry Styles has come a long, long way from being the hair-swept teen idol of the now-defunct One Direction. He’s taken his radio-friendly music in several different directions since then, from his introspective, Grammy-winning third studio album to his latest electronica-infused experiment, Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally. Personally, not the biggest fan of that one. Even so, there’s no doubt that Styles carries mass appeal as a multi-genre hitmaker, and he’s certainly got the “style” to match (courtesy of his famous ex’s song).
All of this to say: Styles’s full-bodied, infectious tunes are perfectly suited for concerts and live events, and it may only be a matter of time until he’s tapped on the shoulder for a Super Bowl halftime show gig. Why can’t that be this year? Oh, right, because Jay-Z picked himself.
A sample of his set list: “American Girls,” “As It Was,” “Watermelon Sugar,” “Adore You” and “Kiwi”
Kelly Clarkson
SoFi Stadium goes dark. Thousands of NFL fans and Kellebrities in the crowd nervously await the grand entrance of America’s sweetheart, and one hipster Brooklyn toy shop’s unlikely nemesis. A soft, mechanical whirring echoes across the football field. Kelly Clarkson, spotlit, wearing whatever she wants, is suspended in the air by wires and gracefully flies around while belting “Since U Been Gone.” After she lands, she walks across the stage as a flock of dancers dressed in feathery costumes break out into an interpretive avian dance. When she starts singing, “Because of You,” the spotlight shifts onto a yellow animatronic bird fixed to a wall on center stage. Adam Rubin, the owner of the Brooklyn shop, Art of Play, comes out when the song ends and shares a meaningful hug with Clarkson. Exactly 15 million fans watching the halftime show at home jump for joy. World peace. And scene.
In more seriousness, Clarkson is an absolute vocal powerhouse whose soulful and versatile voice holds the power to unite. She can carry a tune better than that d--- bird. Like Jay-Z, her hit songs came out in the early 2000s, but make no mistake, she’s still plenty relevant in the year 2026. Her lasting impact on the millennial generation—and her high-profile feud with a NYC-based novelty store—will be studied for years to come, but for now, live a little. Play a little. Invite Clarkson to perform the Super Bowl halftime show because she’s just that good of a singer, and because she’s just that iconic.
A sample of her set list: “Miss Independent,” “Since U Been Gone,” “Breakaway,” “Because of You” and “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)”
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