Jay-Z Reportedly Chooses Himself Over Justin Bieber For 2027 Super Bowl Halftime Show

Jay-Z reportedly picked himself to headline the 2027 Super Bowl halftime show© X/@nypost

Jay-Z had two major pop stars to consider for one of the biggest stages in music, but the reported choice took a different direction. The rapper was said to have settled on himself as the headliner for Super Bowl LXI, passing over Justin Bieber and Miley Cyrus, who were both considered candidates for the show. The game was scheduled for February 14, 2027, at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. Although the report pointed to Jay-Z as the pick, the NFL had yet to confirm the performer.

Jay-Z's surprising Super Bowl halftime show choice

Multiple sources told the outlet that the rapper had become the more compelling choice over Bieber and Cyrus.

“After weeks of handwringing, Jay-Z, the chief decision-maker on who plays the Super Bowl halftime show, has finally picked the artist who will take the stage in L.A. in February: himself,” Dave Brooks of the Puck News  wrote on Tuesday,

The decision carried an unusual twist because Jay-Z helped choose the artists who performed at halftime through his entertainment company, Roc Nation.  The company began working with the NFL in 2019 to curate and produce the show, and both sides extended their agreement for another five years in 2024.

Jay-Z's reported selection would put him on the other side of that arrangement, moving from helping choose the headliner to taking the stage himself. Neither the rapper nor the NFL had publicly confirmed the report as of October 21. Bieber and Harry Styles had reportedly featured among Roc Nation's preferred candidates earlier in the selection process.

“As we first reported, Justin Bieber and Harry Styles were on Roc Nation's wish list,” TMZ reported.

Could Beyonce join Jay-Z at Super Bowl LXI?

One question surrounding the reported choice was whether Beyonce could appear alongside her husband. She headlined the Super Bowl halftime show in 2013 and returned as a guest during Coldplay's performance three years later, giving the couple a shared history with the event.

Jay-Z also had plenty of collaborations to draw from if he wanted to bring other artists onstage. Heavy noted that names such as Rihanna, Alicia Keys, 

Eminem, Nas, Pharrell Williams and Justin Timberlake could be possibilities for guest appearances, although none had been confirmed.

The reported selection also followed a busy period of live performances for the 56-year-old rapper. His recent shows included two sold-out concerts at Yankee Stadium in July and a sold-out performance in Paris the following month, according to Puck.