Anitta Set to Perform at Historic NFL Halftime Show in São Paulo: ‘It’s Really a Dream Come True’

The NFL is gearing up for a significant milestone by hosting its inaugural regular-season game in São Paulo, marking a historic expansion of American football into South America.

Amid this groundbreaking event, Brazil‘s own baile funk superstar Anitta will kick off the halftime show, Billboard can exclusively announce Tuesday (Aug. 20). Her performance is set to meld the vibrant spirit of Brazilian music with the exhilarating intensity of American football. “I am incredibly excited to perform in São Paulo at the NFL’s first game in my home country of Brazil,” the artist tells Billboard Español. The event is taking place September 6 at 8:15pm ET.

Steering Anitta’s presentation are NFL’s head of music, Seth Dudowsky, Senior vp of global event operations & production, Jon Barker, and director of event presentation & content, Tim Tubito, all in collaboration with Production Club. “When we talked about artists that we wanted to work with, Anitta was at the top of that list,” explains Dudowsky. “We don’t want to come in and make this very American and Western. We want it to weave into the culture of the environment that we’re at,” adds Jon Barker.

In a discussion with Billboard Español, Anitta, Dudowsky, and Barker delve deeper into the preparations and expectations for this unprecedented NFL game, sharing their visions of blending sports, music, and culture to create an unforgettable experience for fans around the globe.

How do you feel about performing at the historic NFL game in São Paulo, the first of its kind in South America? 

Anitta: I am incredibly excited to perform in São Paulo at the NFL’s first game in my home country of Brazil. Growing up here has completely shaped me as an artist and, of course, as a person. So it means everything to be able to bring fans around the world the excitement and joy of our amazing music and culture. It’s really a dream come true to be a part of this moment.

Seth and Jon, how was Anitta decided on for this halftime show at the NFL’s first game in São Paulo?

Seth Dudowsky: We wanted to make sure that coming to Brazil, we were putting on the spectacle and the level of quality that you expect from an NFL event. Also, doing it in a way that felt natural and embracing the culture of São Paulo and Brazil. The most authentic way to do that is to work with artists and performers who are from those places. Artists who have been not only a face of Brazilian music, and what that represents around the world, but also being an icon in America as well. This creates a bridge for us to come from American culture down to São Paulo. When we talked about artists that we wanted to work with, Anitta was at the top of that list. It’s been an amazing opportunity, not only to have her perform at the game and help us create an incredible game-day experience for the fans, but also to help be an ambassador so that fans understand we’re coming down to Brazil. We’re going to do it in a special way that celebrates Brazilian culture.

Jon Barker: American football is becoming a global sport, and we are starting to play more games in different parts of the world. The opportunity to bring our game to São Paulo, Brazil, to South America, is really exciting. When you think about an opportunity to work with an artist like Anitta, it just elevates everything that we’re going to do. We don’t want to come in and make this very American and Western. We want it to weave into the culture of the environment that we’re at, so that fans who are coming to this game can identify with the entire experience. Anitta just brings that one hundred times for us, because she’s such a wonderful talent.

Anitta, have you previously followed American football? If so, what does this sport mean to you personally?

Anitta: I love sports in general, and I’m one of those fans who screams in front of the TV! With American football it would be no different. As a Brazilian, I love getting together with friends and family to have a barbecue and to cheer. 

How do you plan to connect with an audience that might be experiencing both Anitta and NFL football for the first time?

Anitta: Music is something that brings us all together, no matter where you’re from or what your background is. Football does the same, so I think that uniting force from both music and football creates a natural connection to the audience. I hope this global audience will really enjoy the performance.

Seth and Jon, how important is local culture in choosing a halftime performer for international NFL games?

Barker: Extremely important. It’s part of the overall environment that we create. I know we’re talking about halftime, about Anitta, but it sits in the way that we think about decor and the use of color and pattern, and how that reflects local culture. It’s in the music selection that we use in pregame DJs and artists who are going to be singing the national anthems for both countries. It shows up in many different ways, not just in the music that we select at halftime. It’s integrated along the journey. When you start to see the decor pattern that we’re using, you’ll see that it’s reflective of Brazilian culture.

Dudowsky: We’re going to make sure that we are representing and being authentic to the culture there. One of the most direct and effective ways to make it feel like I’m seeing something that’s not just another regular season game [with] the way we’re using art, imagery, and music. To go back to Anitta, we’ll have assets that are going to be created both in Brazil and America. For the fans in Brazil, it’s to make sure that they feel like we’re doing something authentic with an artist they recognize and love. But also for American fans to see that content, to see Packers-Eagles highlights. With Anitta and Brazilian music, it gives [Americans] that feeling that this is unique and special, even if [they’re] not actually going to São Paulo to experience it. 

The NFL is focusing on global expansion and bringing American football to new audiences. As a Brazilian artist, how do you see your role in this initiative?

Anitta: Seeing the NFL grow football internationally has been great to watch, and when I saw they announced the first game in South America, I felt like the stars were aligning. I know many football fans out here in Brazil, so having the opportunity to perform for so many of my fans here and beyond is an amazing experience.

Jon and Seth, how do you ensure that the music appeals to both longtime NFL fans but also new audiences?

Dudowsky: On the music strategy point, one of my biggest beliefs is that music is universal, just like sports is. Every country on earth has their own version of what they love in sports and what they love in music. You won’t find a corner of the planet that doesn’t have those two things as part of that culture. While it’s universal, it’s also specific. Everybody’s music choices and opinions on music are personal. So we know not every single piece of music everybody’s going to love, and that’s okay. We try to work with artists that are authentic and are uniquely themselves and represent a space in music. We speak a lot with our office counterparts in Brazil and Latin America. We work with labels and trusted sources, artists, agents, tastemakers, people that really are on the ground and know what’s relevant. 

Barker: It’s such a great line that sport and music are universal, and they don’t need to be translated; they just carry over. Who would have ever thought that playing John Denver in Munich, 70,000 people would just stop doing what they’re doing and sing together in unison? It happened! Sometimes we get it right, and sometimes we don’t. We experiment, and we see what hits and what doesn’t. You’ve got a different audience inside the stadium at varying ages, a different audience tuning in television locally, and a different one tuning in the United States. 

How do we listen and learn from the local community? And how do we weave that into this game and create the environment that we want new fans in São Paulo to experience? That’s the process we go through, and I hope that each year we get better and better at it. 

Anitta, can you give us a hint about what viewers can expect from your halftime show? 

Anitta: While I want to keep a lot of elements of the show a surprise, I can tell you I will perform Brazilian funk! I can’t wait to do this in front of so many Brazilians at home, as well as the global audience who will be able to see the show as well. It’s going to be big, and I’m excited for everyone to see what we have in store.

Last words? 

Barker: I don’t want to be hyperbolic but we’re about to do something historic, bringing our game to a place that’s never been played before. The excitement that is bouncing off the walls at our headquarters in New York and Seth’s offices in Los Angeles is palpable. How we’ve been received in [Brazil] from the day we made the announcement that we’re coming has been overwhelmingly welcoming. I’m proud that I can be a part of something like this, being part of the NFL, and being part of a group that’s bringing this game to Brazilians, and have them, hopefully, experience it and love it the same way that we all do here.

Dudowsky: One of the things that keeps me energized and passionate about being at the NFL for over a decade is the opportunity to not only learn about these cultures, but to be a part of something that is happening for the first time. Whether it was in Munich or the first Super Bowl in Las Vegas, when a city gets the opportunity to do something like this for the first time, it just feels extra special. The energy, the passion that especially Brazilian fans come with, we couldn’t be more excited to see it with our own eyes and to be a part of it; and to see what the country and fans of Brazil do with this game going into the future.

Working with a global icon like Anitta has only made everything we’re saying even more tangible. Her team has been amazing. She has been fantastic. We’re excited to have Anitta and all the energy and excitement that she brings. It’s only going to add to what we know is going to be a really special and historic night in São Paulo.

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