The Super Bowl Halftime Show is one of the biggest performances an artist can score- but it’s unpaid.

The exposure that artists get in the 12-15 minute break is so immense that Jennifer Lopez and Shakira are willing to sing without any monetary compensation. Previous performers, such as Beyonce and Bruno Mars, have also forgone payment for the publicity that singing in front of a televised audience of approximately 100 million can bring.

“They are willing to perform for free and even subsidize the production costs through their record label or concert promoters because of this incredible exposure,” Marc Ganis, president of consulting firm Sportscorp, told Forbes.

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While J.Lo and Shakira typically make $2.2 million and $1.6 million respectively from each tour stop according to Pollstar, performing at the Super Bowl can have benefits that outlast a one-time payment. Lady Gaga, Maroon 5 and Justin Timberlake, among other halftime performers, saw enormous spikes in their popularity after they performed at the shows.

After the 2018 Super Bowl, Timberlake saw a 214% spike in Spotify streams according to Billboard. The previous year, Lady Gaga’s months-old album made it all the way to no. 2 on Billboard charts. While there was much criticism of Maroon 5’s performance from audiences, their entire catalog still managed to jump 488%, Billboard reported.

J.Lo and Shakira shared few details about what songs they would sing, but they both expressed excitement over being the first Hispanic co-headliners at a news conference previewing the show.

“Two Latinas doing this at this time in this country … it’s just very empowering for us,’ Lopez said. “I’m very proud to be able to help set and push for that message.”

“J.Lo and I are here redefining paradigms about age, about race, about background,” Shakira said. “It really doesn’t matter where you’re from, how old you are or where you come from. What matters is what you have to say. We’re here, and we have a lot of stuff to say.”

They also said they would honor Kobe Bryant in their performance. Bryant and his daughter died in a helicopter crash last Sunday in California.

“We’ll all be remembering Kobe on Sunday and celebrating life and diversity in this country,” Shakira added. “I’m sure he’d be very proud to see the message we are trying to convey on stage that day.

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Sonali Mathur

Article by Sonali Mathur

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