Rihanna’s ASL Performer Justina Miles Was The Star Of Super Bowl LVII

Unless you entered a “darkness retreat” like Aaron Rodgers, you know that Rihanna was the headliner of the Apple Music Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona last night, February 12. The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35, but Rihanna (and everything in her orbit) remain undefeated.

Rih ripped through 12 songs — the final of 39 setlist versions she filtered through in recent months — and she even revealed she’s pregnant with her and ASAP Rocky’s second child (as confirmed by her reps to The Hollywood Reporter).

Rihanna had teased to Nate Burleson ahead of the game that she was “thinking about bringing someone” out as a special guest. Nobody expected the special guest would be an unborn child.

A different special guest that became the internet’s darling: American Sign Language (ASL) performer Justina Miles.

Miles was technically initially introduced during Apple Music’s halftime show presser last Thursday, February 9, where she shared her excitement for signing Sheryl Lee Ralph’s pre-game performance of “Lift Every Voice And Sing,” also known as the Black national anthem. She called it “important” to be able to “bring that empowerment to millions and millions of Black deaf people all over the country who have never really seen that before.”

Miles separately touched on signing Rihanna’s halftime show to CNBC’s Make It: “I value the opportunity to make it possible for all deaf people to enjoy these songs and not have them miss out on the full Super Bowl experience.”