Jennifer Lopez on what her Super Bowl performance means in ‘Trump’s America’
Jennifer Lopez is stoked to be joining forces with a fellow Latina for football’s biggest night next year.
During a recent roundtable interview with The Times, the “Hustlers” actress talked candidly about performing with the Colombian superstar Shakira at the 2020 Super Bowl halftime show in February.
Jennifer Lopez on what her Super Bowl performance means in ‘Trump’s America’
“I think it’s super important for two Latina women to be headlining the Super Bowl, especially right now in Trump’s America,” she said. “So for me, it was something that I was excited to do.”
Lopez — joined in the interview by Charlize Theron, Renée Zellweger, Cynthia Erivo and Awkwafina — admitted to being nervous.
“I’m used to feeling a little bit of nervous energy and butterflies and everything before I’m getting ready,” she said. “And a minute or two before, right when I’m about to go out and everybody’s rolling and I’m staring at the crowd and they can’t see me, it just goes real quiet. And something drops into my body where calm is your superpower.
What did Jennifer Lopez, Charlize Theron, Renée Zellweger, Awkwafina and Cynthia Erivo talk about when they got together for a conversation?
“And then you’re in control,” she added.
The Puerto Rican multi-hyphenated artist also shared her thoughts on fame and celebrity: “I just try to stay super conscious of the fact that I have a responsibility. And it’s not that I don’t have bad days. I’m a human being.”
The two superstar Latinas announced their upcoming halftime collaboration via Twitter in September, with Lopez posting a photo of Shakira and the words: “This is happening. 02.02.20.”
Shakira followed with her own post and photo of Lopez, and the simple message: “Get ready.”
“Ever since I saw Diana Ross fly off into the sky at the Halftime Show, I dreamed of performing at the Super Bowl,” Lopez said in a statement in September. “And now it’s made even more special not only because it’s the NFL’s 100th anniversary, but also because I am performing with a fellow Latina. I can’t wait to show what us girls can do on the world’s biggest stage.”
Shakira also expressed the importance of having Latina representation at one of the most-watched sports events.
“I’m so honored to be taking on one of the world’s biggest stages in the company of a fellow female artist to represent Latinos and Latinas from the U.S. and all over the world — and to top it off, on my birthday!” said Shakira, who turns 43 that day. “This is a true American dream and we are going to bring the show of a lifetime!”
The two artists were the first acts chosen to perform at the highly anticipated halftime time show since the N.F.L. partnered with rapper Jay-Z to produce entertainment events.
The Lopez and Shakira will grace the halftime stage in Miami, becoming the latest pop luminaries — including previous headliners Beyoncé, Prince, Madonna, Katy Perry and Lady Gaga — to handle the high-profile gig.
Super Bowl LIV will air Feb. 2 on Fox.
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