The Super Bowl LI Halftime Show was a huge musical event that happened on February 5, 2017. It took place at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, during Super Bowl LI. The famous singer Lady Gaga was the main performer. She sang many of her popular songs.

This show was special because Lady Gaga was the only main performer. There were no other special guests, which was the first time this happened since Super Bowl XLIV. Her performance was loved by many people. It even won an Emmy Award for its amazing lighting.

Lady Gaga started getting ready for the show in January 2017. Her sister gave her the cool idea to perform from the top of NRG Stadium. Gaga worked hard to make this idea happen safely. She also shared short videos on social media to get fans excited.

The fashion company Versace designed all the outfits for the show. They made a special sparkly jumpsuit for Lady Gaga. The stage was built by All Access Staging & Productions. They had also built stages for past Super Bowl halftime shows.

At the start of the show, 300 drones from Intel flew behind Lady Gaga. They formed the shape of the American flag. This was the first time drones were used in a live TV broadcast like this!

Many people praised the halftime show. They said Lady Gaga showed off her amazing singing and artistic skills. Some even called it one of the best Super Bowl halftime shows ever. The show was also noted for supporting the LGBT community. It was watched by 117.5 million people on TV. This made it the second most-watched Super Bowl halftime show in history. More people watched the halftime show than the game itself! After the show, sales of Lady Gaga's music went way up. Her song "Million Reasons" became a top-ten hit.

What Happened During the Show
How the Show Was Planned
Songs Performed
Images for kids
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What Happened During the Show

NRG Stadium, where the Super Bowl LI and the halftime show took place.

The halftime show started in a very exciting way. Lady Gaga appeared on the roof of NRG Stadium. She began singing "God Bless America". Behind her, 300 drones lit up in red, white, and blue.

Next, she sang "This Land Is Your Land" by Woody Guthrie. She then finished with a line from the Pledge of Allegiance: "One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." After this, Gaga dove from the rooftop! The drones behind her changed to form the US flag.

Gaga landed on a tall pillar on the stage. She sang a bit of "The Edge of Glory". Then she quickly switched to "Poker Face". Fireworks exploded behind her. After the first part of the song, Gaga used a harness to bounce from the pillar to the main stage. Her dancers joined her as she sang "Born This Way".

As the performance continued, Gaga moved to a star-shaped area of the stage. She sang "Telephone" while holding her special "Disco Stick" prop. A dancer then carried her to the main stage. She played a keytar and performed "Just Dance".

Gaga then moved from the stage to the ground. She went to a piano and started singing "Million Reasons". Fans on the field held light sticks, creating a beautiful scene. She walked into the audience and hugged some fans.

For the grand finale, Gaga sang "Bad Romance". Dancers in white outfits joined her on the main stage. Gaga wore a cool football-inspired costume. As fireworks burst, marking the end of the show, Gaga shouted "Super Bowl 51!" She dropped her microphone and jumped off the stage, catching a football.

How the Show Was Planned

Lady Gaga after singing the national anthem at the Super Bowl 50 in 2016.

Around August 2016, news started spreading that Adele might perform at the Super Bowl LI halftime show. The show was set for February 5, 2017, at Houston's NRG Stadium. Pepsi Zero Sugar was the main sponsor.

Adele later said that the National Football League (NFL) had asked her to perform. But she felt she wasn't the right fit for the halftime show, so she said no. The NFL then said they hadn't chosen anyone yet.

Meanwhile, Lady Gaga announced her new album, Joanne, would come out in October 2016. Billboard magazine reported that the NFL was talking to Gaga. This was because she had done such a great job singing the national anthem at the previous Super Bowl.

On September 29, 2016, Lady Gaga confirmed on her Instagram account that she would be performing. John Entz, a producer for the show, was very happy about the choice. He said Gaga is one of the most exciting performers of our time.

Pepsi's music and sports marketing teams explained why Gaga was a great choice. They looked at things like her social media followers and music sales. They also considered the show's timing. The setup takes about seven minutes, the show itself is 12 minutes, and then seven minutes to take everything down. They believed Gaga could deliver a powerful performance in that time. Pepsi had sponsored the halftime show for five years in a row.

Getting Ready for the Show

Lady Gaga performing "Poker Face" after coming down from the roof of the NRG Stadium.

In October 2016, Lady Gaga said she wanted to give the "best show for the football fans." She wanted to sing a mix of her old and new songs. She also shared that the NFL heard her album Joanne before it was released. This helped them decide to offer her the halftime show.

Gaga said she was inspired by past halftime shows from artists like Michael Jackson and Diana Ross. She loved all the previous performances. In December 2016, Gaga started a contest with Pepsi and the NFL. Fans could win a chance to watch the show from the sidelines of the stage.

It was announced that Lady Gaga would not have any guest musicians. This was different from many past Super Bowl shows. A short video featuring jazz singer Tony Bennett was shown right before Gaga's performance.

Gaga confirmed her plan to sing from the top of the NRG Stadium dome. This idea came from her sister, Natali Germanotta. Her team was worried about safety, but Gaga really wanted to do it. The organizers even thought about flying her to the roof. Gaga's lawyers worked on all the safety and insurance details for this big stunt.

Some people thought Gaga might talk about politics during her performance. But the NFL said they did not tell her what she could or couldn't say. They stated that the Super Bowl is a time for people to come together.

Practice Makes Perfect

By January 2017, Lady Gaga started sharing pictures of her practice sessions. She even built a tent in her backyard to rehearse with her dancers. They practiced there for over a week. Then they moved to bigger places in Hollywood to work on the rest of the show. Finally, all the equipment went to Houston for the last rehearsals. Gaga also worked with a vocal coach to make sure her singing was perfect.

Pepsi released a video showing behind-the-scenes moments from rehearsals. Gaga explained that the biggest challenge was to make her show unique but still focus on the music. The choreographer, Richy Jackson, was seen teaching the dancers moves from "Bad Romance". He said the dancers were chosen carefully and had worked with Gaga before. He felt this show would reveal a new side of Gaga.

As the show day got closer, Gaga kept posting short videos. She showed her dance routines, talking to her grandmother on FaceTime, and warming up. Pepsi wanted fans to see all the hard work that goes into preparing for such a big show. Gaga said she worked on the performance for months. She trained hard because she wanted to give her fans a great show.

Fashion and Style

Lady Gaga performing "Born This Way" in her sparkly jumpsuit designed by Atelier Versace.

After her album Joanne came out, Lady Gaga started wearing simpler clothes. Before the halftime show, everyone wondered what she would wear. Versace designed all her outfits for the show.

Lady Gaga wore a custom, sparkly jumpsuit from Atelier Versace. It was covered in Swarovski crystals. It had big shoulder pads and matching knee-high boots. This bodysuit allowed her to move easily on stage.

For her performance of "Bad Romance," Gaga wore silver sparkly hot pants and a jacket that looked like football shoulder pads. Billboard magazine said these outfits were a nod to Gaga's past style. They added that she looked and sounded great. Gaga also wore a gold jacket with spikes while playing the keytar.

Brandon Maxwell, Gaga's longtime stylist, created her looks. Her makeup was inspired by David Bowie's famous character, Ziggy Stardust. Donatella Versace even flew to Houston to help with the costumes.

Gaga's makeup artist, Sarah Nicole Tanno, used Marc Jacobs products to give her a "timeless" look. Gaga also wore crystal eye masks that extended to her temples. A writer from The New York Times said that choosing Versace and other designers like Dr. Martens and Vera Wang helped Gaga send a message of "inclusion." She had promised to make the show about bringing people together.

Amazing Stage and Lights

During "Million Reasons" a field cast used Glow Motion LED Batons, creating a three-dimensional moving pixel show.

The show's production was handled by designers Bruce Rodgers, LeRoy Bennett, and lighting designer Bob Barnhart. All Access Staging & Productions built the stage. They had built many Super Bowl stages before.

The stage had a main platform, two tall towers, three star-shaped side stages, a piano area, and a stage lift. The towers were about 30 feet (9 meters) tall. They could be moved onto the field easily. All Access had just over four weeks to build everything. It took 17 trucks to store and move the stage parts.

The show used many LED lights. About 5,000 LED lights were built into the stage. Special effects group Strictly FX handled all the pyrotechnics (fireworks).

Rodgers and Bennett combined their ideas for the show. Barnhart and special effects designer Mark Grega also helped. Rodgers called the stage setup "the most intense technological and visually impactful epic possible."

During "Million Reasons", a group of performers on the field used special LED batons. These batons created a 3D moving pixel show. Each baton was programmed to light up and move with the music.

Production Resource Group (PRG) provided all the lighting equipment. Barnhart said this show was more complex because of all the scenery. But it was better because there were no video screens in the background. Lights were placed all around the roof of NRG Stadium. They lit up the Houston night sky with bright beams. Director Hamish Hamilton and his team found special ways to film and broadcast the show live.

Drones in the Sky

A long shot view of the halftime stage during the performance of "Just Dance".

When Lady Gaga performed on top of NRG Stadium, 300 synchronized, LED-equipped "Shooting Star" quadcopter drones flew with her. These drones were provided by Intel. They formed the image of the American flag behind her. This was the first time drones were used in a live TV broadcast.

Josh Walden, from Intel, said that Gaga and the Super Bowl team wanted to do something completely new. He added that the possibilities for these light show drones are endless. Lighting designer Bob Barnhart had wanted to use drones for years. He finally found the right technology with Intel's drones. He asked Intel if they would let him use their drones for a "large TV show in February." He couldn't pay them, but he could give them huge exposure. Intel agreed, knowing that over 110 million people would see their technology.

Because drones cannot fly indoors, the opening scene with Gaga on the roof was filmed earlier in the week. This was done for safety reasons, as flying drones over a live audience is not allowed. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) usually does not allow drones to fly near NRG Stadium. But the production team got special permission from the FAA for this amazing drone show.

Intel started preparing in early December 2016. They worked out all the details. They decided to show a star shape, the American flag, and the Pepsi logo with the drones. The drones used were light, made of plastic and foam, and weighed about 8 ounces (227 grams). They were connected wirelessly to a central computer. Each drone had its own unique movements. The computer checked the GPS signal and battery levels of all the drones.

Songs Performed

The following songs were part of the halftime show:

"God Bless America" / "This Land Is Your Land" (pre-recorded intro)
"Poker Face" (with parts of "The Edge of Glory")
"Born This Way"
"Telephone"
"Just Dance"
"Million Reasons"
"Bad Romance"

Images for kids

A long shot view of the halftime stage during the performance of "Just Dance"

Super Bowl LI halftime show facts for kids

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