Rihanna has often been associated with occult symbolism and themes in her music and public persona. The occult refers to secret or hidden knowledge and practices that are often related to supernatural or spiritual forces. One of the most prominent examples of Rihanna's engagement with occult symbolism can be seen in her music videos and performances. In her music video for the song "Disturbia," for instance, she is depicted as being possessed by dark forces and surrounded by occult symbols such as inverted crosses and all-seeing eyes. Similarly, her performance at the 2012 Grammy Awards featured a theme of satanic rituals and occult symbolism. Furthermore, Rihanna's fashion choices have also been linked to occult symbolism.

Rihanna's Super Bowl Outfit Called 'Powerful' by Some, 'Satanic' by Others

Rihanna's all-red outfit during the Super Bowl halftime show was praised by fans but criticized as "satanic" and "demonic" by others.

The singer and designer returned to the stage to headline the Super Bowl LVII halftime show, and set the internet alight with pregnancy rumors in the process. The performance featured Rihanna singing from atop moving platforms, dressed in red while her backup dancers wore all white.

Conservative author Brigitte Gabriel suggested it was a recurring trend amongst musicians recently after Sam Smith's performance at the Grammys. Gabriel was quickly mocked by Twitter users for her take.

"Why do all the major live performances by woke artists have a demonic feeling?" The founder of ACT! for America wrote. "Sam Smith, now Rihanna, Hollyweird has gone insane."

Rihanna's performance was called "powerful" by some but "satanic" by others at the 2023 Super Bowl. Ezra Shaw / Kevin Sabitus / Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images

Replying to Gabriel's view, Twitter Blue subscriber Sue Felago agreed. "It's just absolute perfect opportunity to showcase their creepy heathen Woke religion."

Conservative author Nick Adams also expressed concern with the halftime show. "Something about Rihanna's performance feels Satanic." Instead, he suggested a recently Grammy Award-winning Christian band should have taken her place. "MercyMe would have given an incredible halftime show that glorifies God. Rihanna gave a scandalous show that had all the earmarkings of a Satanic ritual. [NFL Commissioner] Roger Goodell should be fired."

Fury surrounding Rihanna's performance was not felt by many others who called out the likes of Adams and Gabriel for their indictment.

"Does the color red trigger MAGA? There was nothing Satanic about that performance," Democratic politician Mike Harvey wrote. He called it "one of the more mild performances" at a Super Bowl and said, "If this was woke, you need to go back to sleep."

While the performance involved impressive staging, there was an absence of costume changes and collaborations from other artists. That didn't matter to Rihanna's fans though.

• Trump rips on Rihanna's Super Bowl performance: "Worst in history"
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• Lauren Boebert upset about Black National Anthem at Super Bowl

"I don't really care if Rihanna's performance had any surprise guests or outfit changes, she was POWERFUL," @to_channie wrote, adding that it was an "emotional beautiful performance."

While viewers debated Rihanna's outfit, and the tone of the show, former President Donald Trump who had criticized Rihanna earlier in the week, slammed her performance.

On his Truth Social account, he called it an "Epic fail," continuing, "Rihanna gave, without question, the single worst Halftime Show in Super Bowl history."

Commenting on what he thought of her looks, he added, "Also, so much for her "Stylist!"

Furthermore, Rihanna's fashion choices have also been linked to occult symbolism. She has often been seen wearing clothing with symbols associated with secret societies such as the Illuminati, such as the all-seeing eye and pyramid. This has led to theories and speculations about her involvement in these secretive organizations.

Uncommon Knowledge

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

Did you spot the empowering hidden metaphor behind Rihanna's explosive Super Bowl halftime show?

Congratulations, Navy! We are all about to be aunties and uncles again. At last night's Apple Music Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show, Rihanna performed for the first time in five years in front of an audience that spans 100s of millions of people around the globe, and as promised, she did not disappoint.

We got choreography, we got vocals, we got a fly red Loewe jumpsuit with a moulded breast plate, we got visuals and fireworks, and, most importantly, we got the most epic surprise of all, a subtle pregnancy announcement. Of course, Rihanna's coy and mysterious hint into inviting a special guest to the performance of her life during a pre-Super Bowl NFL interview seems to have gone over all our heads. That was until we saw her touching her bump while standing 60 feet above a football field.

However, as a true Navy stan I couldn’t help but notice how this performance had a much deeper meaning, beyond her baby reveal. Historically, being a male dominated sport, the NFL's Super Bowl has managed to create the perfect dichotomy of sports excellence and women in entertainment. So much so that millions of people across the globe admit to tuning in simply to watch a woman singing and dancing her best hits for 13 minutes, over the actual 2+ hours match. She is, of course, not the first. One of the biggest half-time shows over the years featured women privileged enough to have a voice, sending a message to an audience whom they perhaps wouldn’t be able to reach otherwise, while putting on one hell of a show.

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As a sports fan, I love that the Super Bowl has now attracted a global audience and it has become the perfect platform for performers to speak on things that really matter. Of course they get invited to perform, not speak, so symbolism is the way to do it. Take Shakira and JLo’s 2020 half-time performance, for instance. The singers wanted to raise awareness around Trump’s inhumane immigration policy of separating families in the U.S.-Mexico border. How about Beyonce’s explosive 2016 performance that paid homage to Malcolm X and the Black Panthers, with bold references to the Black Lives Matter movement back in 2016.

The answer to the question bouncing around every Super Bowl party is: yes!

For this performance ,what grabbed my attention (beside the fact I couldn’t stop looking at that peeping bump) was the glass ceiling. Rihanna stood right above one, and she is the epitome of someone who’s not only shattered the glass ceiling, but someone who’s probably never seen one in her life. By that, I mean she has persevered beyond measure to push up against an industry and society riddled with misogyny and unbalanced representation. The glass ceiling has been there all along, but she has been too busy trying to succeed, so she probably hasn’t even seen it.

Call this a love letter to our Navy leader, but Rihanna really is an icon of empowerment. Suspended 60 feet above the ground on an edgeless, wobbly, glass platform, while carrying her unborn child and bussing some smol-smol moves is not for the faint hearted (Beyonce knows all about that). But what that performance taught me is that Rihanna is not one to be undermined.

Don't cry foul just yet.

After all, Rihanna has been breaking glass ceilings from the get-go, ever since ‘Pon De Replay' dominated the number one spot in the charts back in 05'. She’s come a long way from being a young Black girl from a small Bajan island with humble beginnings, to billionaire status, owner of a beauty empire that’s disrupted the entire industry from its first 40-shade foundation launch, and she’s also the captain of a lingerie line that’s really for the people.

And let’s not forget, Rihanna has long used her platforms (glass or otherwise) to lend her voice and advocate for important causes. She’s been a vocal advocate for education, and her philanthropic work has helped to improve access to education for children in developing countries. She has been a strong supporter of reproductive rights and has used her platform to raise awareness about the need for access to safe and affordable reproductive health care. Beyond her entrepreneurial and philanthropic ventures, perhaps her proudest accomplishments of all, might be becoming a mum (of two soon). I’m not saying she’s superhuman, and unflawed beyond measure, I’m just saying, that’s a lot…

And when we say ‘worst’, we mean ‘ever-so slightly less incredible’.

One thing about our never-seen-a-glass-ceiling queen is that with all her success she doesn’t miss a beat, even down to her outfits. The half-time show is no longer just an opp to flock around in beautiful gowns and bop to pop music (although we love that part). It’s an opportunity to really say something that resonates with people. We know RiRi to be intentional about the moves she makes, and for her first hit back in the world of performing (and sadly, potentially her last for a while, as she’s due on mat leave soon) she chose to go boss mode, woman in charge, all eyes on me.

Five Times Rihanna Opened Up About Her Faith

All eyes were on Rihanna and her (now confirmed) pregnant belly as the Barbados-born singer took the stage during the XVII Super Bowl halftime show.

Rihanna is no stranger to the spotlight, and she’s been a mainstay in the news cycle for her decades-long career. One of the biggest questions about the singer centers around her faith. Before the show, some social media users were spreading a bit of Satanic Panic with Rihanna’s show, recycling old claims that the singer was a devil worshipper and part of the Illuminati. But not only has Rihanna never claimed to be in cahoots with the devil, she’s actually spoken quite a bit about her personal relationship with God.

Rihanna has shared that she was raised in Barbados with a Christian faith, and while she admits her relationship with God hasn’t been without struggles, she’s shared over the years that her faith has kept her going.

Check out five times Rihanna got real about her faith.

When She Felt Like She Disappointed God During ANTI

In an interview with her Ocean’s 8 co-star Sarah Paulson, Rihanna got real about the struggles she went through during the recording of her eighth studio album Anti, she was struggling with her relationship.

“I have been in a place where I felt like maybe I had disappointed God so much that we weren’t as close,” she said. “Actually, that happened to me while I was making Anti. That was a really hard time, but, thank God, I got through it.”

“The devil just has a way of making you feel like you’re not good enough,” she continued, “and that you’re not worthy of God being close to you. It’s really not the truth, but you wind up feeling like that.”

Staying True to God

While appearing on the cover of British GLAMOUR in 2014, Rihanna shared the key to staying true to herself: focusing on God.

“…Remembering what’s important in life and understanding that we are individuals with our own relationship to God,” Rihanna told the magazine. “When that’s clear, it’s difficult to be bothered by what people think.”

Trusting in God to Grow Her Faith

Rihanna shared with GLAMOUR that after going through a difficult season, her faith and trust in God grew stronger.

“[My faith] wasn’t even lost then. The devil just has a way of making you feel like you’re not good enough, and that you’re not worthy of God being close to you,” she said. “It’s really not the truth, but you wind up feeling like that.”

“My grandmother was the one who started me on this,” she continued. “She gave me a devotion book, a physical one. It was the last thing she gave me before she passed away. It got left on a plane and stolen, so I just said, ‘You know what? Somebody else is going to gain from that.’ And then I bought the same book on my iPhone. The only sad part was that her handwriting was in it, but someone else is going to be blessed with it, so it’s fine.”

Giving Control to God

During an interview with Harper’s Bazaar , Rihanna was asked how she remains bold and fearless in all aspects of life. The singer shared how she relies on her faith in God to deal with the downside of fame.

“I think I’m like most people — we fear the unknown and the things that have yet to come to pass, which are the very things that don’t deserve to be feared,” Rihanna said. “When you give God complete control, it’s very hard not to be fearless.”

Using Her Twitter Platform

Rihanna’s Twitter is fairly meme-worthy. She’s never been one to hold back from speaking her truth, and that includes speaking up about her beliefs.

Most notably, she seems to be a big fan of Joyce Meyer.

However, it is important to note that Rihanna herself has never explicitly confirmed or denied any involvement in the occult. Some argue that her use of occult symbolism may simply be a way to provoke and create controversy, as many other artists have done in the past. Others believe that she may have a genuine interest in occult practices and spirituality. Ultimately, the discussion about Rihanna's alleged involvement with the occult remains speculative and based on interpretations of her music, visual imagery, and fashion choices. It is up to individual interpretation whether these symbols and themes have any deeper meaning or if they are simply a form of artistic expression..

Reviews for "Rihanna's Influence on the Modern Witchcraft Movement"

1. John - 1/5 stars

I was really disappointed with "Rihanna occult". I found it to be a convoluted and confusing mess. The plot was all over the place, and it felt like the filmmakers were trying too hard to be edgy and mysterious. The characters lacked depth, and I couldn't connect with any of them. Overall, I found the movie to be a waste of time and would not recommend it.

2. Sarah - 2/5 stars

I was intrigued by the concept of "Rihanna occult", but unfortunately, it fell flat for me. The pacing was incredibly slow, and the story didn't seem to go anywhere. There were some interesting visual elements, but they couldn't save the lackluster plot. I felt like the movie was trying to be deep and thought-provoking, but it ended up being confusing and pretentious. I was left feeling unsatisfied and wishing I had spent my time on something else.

3. Mike - 2/5 stars

"Rihanna occult" had the potential to be a great occult-themed movie, but it ultimately failed to deliver. The acting was mediocre at best, and the dialogue felt forced and unnatural. The movie seemed more interested in being shocking and provocative than telling a cohesive and engaging story. It relied heavily on jump scares and cheap thrills, which quickly became repetitive and tiresome. I was left feeling underwhelmed and unimpressed by this lackluster attempt at horror.

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