The 2027 Super Bowl halftime show has no headliner and apparently nobody wants the job
With February 14 at SoFi Stadium looming, Roc Nation reportedly can't get anyone to commit, and now Jay-Z himself might end up taking the stage he built.
In brief
The 2027 Super Bowl halftime show has no headliner and apparently nobody wants the job
Super Bowl LXI is less than five months away. The venue is booked. The date is set. Valentine's Day, February 14, 2027, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. The only thing missing, according to multiple reports published this week, is a performer willing to stand in the middle of it.
The Daily Mail broke the story Thursday, citing a source described as close to both Jay-Z and the NFL, who said that Roc Nation has been unable to lock in a major artist for the halftime slot. According to that report, Roc Nation is allegedly having a difficult time locking in a major artist for the 2027 Super Bowl halftime show at SoFi Stadium, with a source claiming there is a "very high" chance the show could feature multiple performers because organizers have yet to secure a headliner. The report spread fast, picked up by The Jasmine Brand, iHeartMedia stations, and entertainment blogs across the country by Friday morning.
The really striking part is why. The Daily Mail source claims some artists have become increasingly hesitant about the gig because of the intense scrutiny surrounding recent halftime shows and the possibility of becoming caught up in political controversy, with the insider pointing to the recent controversy surrounding Macklemore's removal from Ed Sheeran's U.S. tour following his pro-Palestinian remarks. The source's quoted question to the outlet: "If anyone is going to do the halftime show and has any political statement, or if Trump hates the pick... Who wants that?"
That's a remarkable place to be for what has been the most coveted 13 minutes in music for nearly two decades. And the Macklemore situation is, by any measure, the specific match that lit this fire.
How Macklemore got here
Macklemore was removed from Ed Sheeran's U.S. tour after making pro-Palestinian remarks at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium on September 4, saying "Free Palestine" while introducing his protest song "Hind's Hall." Macklemore later alleged that New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft pressured Sheeran to remove him from the tour. Sheeran, for his part, said the decision was made by the tour promoter rather than himself.
The blowback landed hard enough to rattle the entertainment industry well beyond the tour itself. The fallout from the Ed Sheeran-Macklemore controversy has now stretched all the way to the Super Bowl, leaving Jay-Z and the NFL facing a difficult decision ahead of one of the biggest musical performances of the year.
Jay-Z as the fallback option
Jay-Z's Roc Nation has been involved in selecting and producing the Super Bowl halftime show since 2019, with recent performers including Bad Bunny, Kendrick Lamar, and Usher. The role gives Jay-Z final say on who performs. Jay-Z and his company are partnered with the NFL, and as the league's "live music entertainment strategist," Jay has final say on the halftime performer.
Now, according to the Daily Mail source, he might flip from kingmaker to performer. The insider suggested Jay-Z could step in himself, saying, "Jay-Z might do it himself and bring some friends along with him to get things over the hump." Those claims have not been confirmed by Jay-Z, Roc Nation, or the NFL.
Earlier this week, before the Daily Mail story dropped, TMZ had its own halftime scoop. The folks who call the shots for the Super Bowl halftime show have two megastars at the top of their list for the 2027 event: Justin Bieber and Harry Styles, with sources saying both singers are high on Roc Nation's short list. The catch: neither had been approached about the show yet, and sources told TMZ both Bieber and Styles are unlikely to take the gig even if they are eventually asked.
The Daily Mail report also names Bieber and Styles as artists believed to be on Roc Nation's wish list, though TMZ had already reported neither had been approached. Two separate outlets, two sets of sources, same conclusion: the halftime show is in an unusual position for this time of year.
The clock is ticking
The NFL usually announces the Super Bowl halftime show performer by late September. That window is essentially open right now. Organizers reportedly hope to announce the 2027 performer by the end of September, though the Daily Mail's source claims an announcement could potentially be delayed until November if a deal isn't finalized.
Performers do not usually receive a conventional high-value appearance fee from the NFL, though production costs and expenses are covered, with the exposure and promotional value traditionally forming the main incentive. That calculus has worked for decades. But the political climate around live music, the Macklemore episode, and the general atmosphere of scrutiny around any artist associated with major platforms right now has apparently changed the math for at least some potential headliners.
Jay-Z currently leads Super Bowl LXI halftime odds at 51 percent, ahead of Bieber and Miley Cyrus, according to one tracker cited by IBTimes UK, though sports betting odds on entertainment questions are notoriously speculative. What is concrete: as of September 19, the NFL and Roc Nation had not announced a performer. The show is 148 days away.
Sources
Daily Mail, original report on Roc Nation's halftime booking difficulties
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CAN I KICK IT? screens New Jack City at the Sylvan Theater, Washington Monument, on Aug. 22. (Courtesy SHAOLIN JAZZ)
The live-cinema series CAN I KICK IT? returns to the National Mall this month with what its producers are calling the "Gangsters on the Mall" chapter of their free outdoor summer run. On Saturday, August 22, the SHAOLIN JAZZ production brings the 1991 crime classic New Jack City to the Sylvan Theater at the Washington Monument for a night of film, music, and community under the DC summer sky.
What sets the event apart is the sound. As the film plays, DJ 2-Tone Jones builds an original score in real time, reimagining one of the most iconic crime movies of the ’90s through hip-hop, soul, funk, and more. It is less a movie screening than a live performance built around the film.
The details:
Film: New Jack City (1991), with a live soundtrack by DJ 2-Tone Jones
When: Saturday, August 22 — seating opens at 7:30 p.m. (bring lawn chairs and blankets); film begins at 8:30 p.m.
Where: Sylvan Theater at the Washington Monument, Independence Ave SW & 15th St NW
A parking note from the organizers: expect road closures and restricted parking east of 14th Street NW due to a separate race event in the District. Roads west of 14th Street NW will be accessible and available for parking.
New Jack City is the second of three screenings in this year’s free CAN I KICK IT? outdoor series, which opened with Black Panther at Skyland Town Center and concludes with Scarface at the Lincoln Memorial on September 5. Produced by the Washington, DC-based multimedia arts company SHAOLIN JAZZ, the series has presented more than 150 live cinematic experiences at venues across the country, from Lincoln Center to SXSW.
"I wanted to be able to tell good stories with substance and remove the ‘ego’ out of the art," said Andrew Huang during a recent interview. Now, he’s building his career at the intersection of discipline, creativity and innovation.
Andrew Huang, founder of New Place Studios. (Courtesy photo)
As a Chinese American, Huang was reared with a deep respect for hard work, consistency and excellence. He describes his childhood as "not so affluent" and later attended college to hone his passion for videography. "In college I tried to do something I loved, which was video, but along the way I knew that I had to find a job. And so I thought, ‘what was the low hanging fruit to get to that stable 9 to 5 job?,’" he stated.
Later in life, Huang found himself working for corporations where his creativity was often limited, eventually leading to burnout. "I worked in a corporation for a long time and there were a lot of missing pieces. I wanted to fill in gaps missing in corporate video production," said Huang.
He later described how his upbringing and a mindset of "survival" led him toward a corporate career. However, his desire for balance and authentic storytelling ultimately pushed him to take the entrepreneurial leap.
"I founded a new place where you can create video and film with ‘substance and style,’" said Huang. His desire for work-life balance and passion for storytelling naturally evolved into a small business based in Virginia. With the launch of New Place Studios, the entrepreneur quickly found himself reconnecting with the values that would become the foundation of everything he creates behind the camera.
Huang said being a business owner has allowed him to first embrace himself. While others may see video as simply capturing moments, he sees it as a way to preserve stories that inspire, connect and leave a lasting imprint.
By combining cinematic visuals with cutting-edge production techniques and a keen understanding of branding, Huang helps organizations and individuals communicate their vision with purpose. He said understanding a client’s "why" serves as the compass for delivering the services they need.
One benefit of working with a small business, he said, is that clients get to see the production process unfold through a micro lens while working with the same faces throughout the entire project. "The work feels personal," said Huang.
Huang does not regret leaving behind the flash-over-substance mentality and corporate hustle culture. That does not mean the Asian American entrepreneur has been without challenges in the industry. "It’s relatively hard to find other Asian American creatives or people who would want to work with me in the DMV," said Huang.
He identifies the industry culture in which everyone is trying to blend in, creatives may fear displaying their Asian identity and some feel pressure to adopt an American corporate persona. He also points to what he describes as a level of gatekeeping within the industry. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 2024 statistics, Asian American and Pacific Islander entrepreneurs own more than 3 million businesses and employ 5.2 million people in the United States.
After tapping into organizations such as SCORE, which offers free small business mentorship, New Place Studios has become a trusted creative partner throughout the DMV (Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia). The company produces a range of creative services, including commercials, corporate branding, documentaries, film, 2D animation, motion graphics and photography.
For Huang, entrepreneurship has become more than a departure from corporate life. It has given him the freedom to create with intention, build meaningful connections and tell stories that go beyond the surface.
The 2026 CAN I KICK IT? outdoor series. Poster courtesy of SHAOLIN JAZZ.
For three Saturdays this summer, some of Washington’s most familiar public spaces will do something they rarely do after dark: fill up with blankets, lawn chairs, and the sound of a movie being scored live, in real time. CAN I KICK IT?, the traveling “live cinema” series produced by the DC-based multimedia arts company SHAOLIN JAZZ, is bringing a free outdoor run to the city — pairing three era-defining films with an original soundtrack performed on the spot by DJ 2-Tone Jones.
The premise is what sets it apart from a normal screening in the park. Rather than simply pressing play, 2-Tone Jones builds a score as the film unfolds, pulling from hip-hop, soul, funk, jazz, rock, electronic music, and sounds from around the world. The result, the organizers say, is less a movie night than a one-time performance — the same film you know, wired to a soundtrack you have never heard and will not hear again. Guest DJs warm up the crowd starting at 7:30 PM before each 8:30 PM screening.
The 2026 outdoor schedule
All three events are free and open to the public.
Saturday, August 8 — Black Panther at Skyland Town Center. A pop-up marketplace and community activities kick off the evening; guest DJs at 7:30 PM, film at 8:30 PM. Marvel’s superhero epic gets a one-night-only live score in Southeast DC.
Saturday, August 22 — New Jack City at the Sylvan Theater, Washington Monument. Seating begins at 7:30 PM; the film starts at 8:30 PM. The 1991 crime drama plays out at the foot of one of the country’s most recognizable landmarks.
Saturday, September 5 — Scarface at the Lincoln Memorial. Seating at 7:30 PM; film at 8:30 PM. The series closes with Brian De Palma’s crime saga against the backdrop of the Memorial, scored live from start to finish.
First up: Black Panther at Skyland Town Center on August 8. Poster courtesy of SHAOLIN JAZZ.
A DC company with a national footprint
SHAOLIN JAZZ describes itself as a Washington-based arts company working at the intersection of music, film, art, and culture, and CAN I KICK IT? is its signature production. According to the organizers, the series has staged more than 150 live cinematic experiences around the country — at performing arts centers, museums, festivals, and cultural institutions including Lincoln Center in New York, SXSW, the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Republic Square in Austin, the Tacoma Armory, and The Cary Theater.
“CAN I KICK IT? has always been about creating a shared experience,” said Gerald Watson, co-founder of SHAOLIN JAZZ. “When you combine iconic films with live music in public spaces, something special happens. People aren’t just watching a movie — they’re experiencing it together. That’s what makes these nights so memorable.”
Cinema as a community event
The DC run lands as cities across the country look for new ways to activate public space through arts and culture — and this series is a straightforward pitch for how to do it: take a landmark everyone already knows, add a film everyone has an opinion about, and let a live soundtrack turn the evening into something neighbors experience shoulder to shoulder. Families, film buffs, and music fans are all invited, and admission won’t cost a thing.
The CAN I KICK IT? outdoor series runs August 8, August 22, and September 5. All events are free; check SHAOLIN JAZZ (shaolinjazz.com) for the latest details and any weather updates before heading out.
