Justin Timberlake looks set to perform the 2018 Super Bowl halftime show, according to new reports.
This year’s halftime show saw Lady Gaga perform and was the second most-watched Super Bowl halftime show of all-time. Next year’s Super Bowl takes place on February 4, 2018 at the US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.
Reports previously suggested that Jay-Z had rejected an offer to play next year’s event, with the NFL saying at the time that “no decisions have been made on the performer(s)”.
Now Us Weekly reports that Timberlake is “finalising” a deal to perform at the 2018 Super Bowl. It would be 14 years on from Timberlake’s infamous ‘Nipplegate’ incident with Janet Jackson at the 2004 event.
Responding to speculation that Jay-Z could team up with Timberlake during the halftime show, an insider told Us Weekly: “As of right now, it will just be Justin — no surprise performers”.
It was previously claimed that Jay-Z turned down the chance to play the Super Bowl to show “solidarity” to Colin Kaepernick, an NFL player many feel has been ostracised after speaking out about race relations in America and refusing stand during the US national anthem. Jay-Z recently dedicated a song to Kaepernick during his performance at last week’s Meadows Music and Arts Festival in New York.