Super Bowl halftime: From college marching bands to Madonna

Indianapolis: Pop superstar Madonna said it is a dream come true to perform at the Super Bowl halftime show on Sunday and concedes she is feeling pressured at the prospect of singing in front of the huge live television audience. Last year’s Super Bowl attracted US viewers of 111 million people — the largest for a single television broadcast in the United States. “This is a Midwesterner girls dream to be performing at the Super Bowl halftime show,” said Madonna, who was born in Bay City, Michigan. “In over 25 years of performing that I’ve done, I have never worked so hard or been so scrupulous or detail-orientated or freaked out as much as I have had maintaining my sanity and trying to make the most major show at this Super Bowl,” she added. [caption id=“attachment_202088” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Last year’s Super Bowl attracted US viewers of 111 million people — the largest for a single television broadcast in the United States.”] [/caption] Asked if she felt the pressure of the massive audience, Madonna, who has performed at stadiums around the world on her global tours, replied simply “Yes, I do.” Madonna, whose biggest global live TV performance was likely Live Aid in 1985, said she would sing three “old songs” and her new single Give Me All Your Luvin during the show. The 53-year-old Material Girl said she would dedicate her performance to her father. “I was raised in the Midwest, and he is the personification of Midwestern values, he gave me the work ethic that I have, so if I am a hardworking girl who never stops its because of him. Also, I am sure of all the things I have ever done in my life this will be the thing he is most excited about,” she said. The halftime show has increasingly featured high-profile pop acts, a far cry from the first Super Bowl in 1967 when college marching bands entertained the crowd. Paul McCartney, the Rolling Stones, U2, Prince, Bruce Springsteen, The Black Eyed Peas and Janet Jackson are among recent performers. Jackson’s in 2004 was the most controversial as she made headlines worldwide with her infamous “wardrobe malfunction.” Justin Timberlake, who was performing with Jackson, grabbed her costume and tugged at it, exposing her breast’s nipple to millions of TV viewers. Madonna said all efforts had been made to ensure there would not be a similar episode in her show. “Great attention to detail has been paid to my wardrobe, there will be no wardrobe malfunction — I promise”. Reuters