If there is one thing you can say about Katy Perry’s halftime show it’s that it had everything. A Missy Elliot comeback, an “I Kissed A Girl” duet with Lenny Kravitz and a fireworks light show that would leave anyone in awe. Ever since Perry was announced to perform at Super Bowl XLIX last December, there has been nothing but positive vibes and endless hype for months on end.
The show started Perry off with her Grammy-nominated hit “Roar” on top of a moving gold tiger as it strolled effortlessly across the field. The star was wearing a flame-adorned dress that went perfectly with the atmosphere. For her next segment, Perry walked across a 3D chessboard stage singing another smash hit off of her latest album, PRISM, “Dark Horse.” I thoroughly enjoyed her performance of Roar, but when it came to “Dark Horse,” the set and the outfit didn’t really fit well together. The music video for “Dark Horse” is full of pharaohs and Egyptians, so having it performed on a chessboard was really strange. If she at least had another outfit to wear for this part it would’ve been a little better.
One of the best parts of the night was when Kravitz and Perry came together to perform her very first single, “I Kissed A Girl.” In my opinion, this segment wasn’t long enough. It would’ve been awesome for them to sing the whole song. One way to describe the duet is as pure rock and roll.  With the heavy guitar riffs coming from Kravitz, flames in the background and Perry letting her inner rock star out, what a time to be alive.  If the chessboard part were performed after “I Kissed A Girl,” it would’ve looked way better, in my opinion. It would’ve been easier for Perry to change her outfit and make it flow better.
This next part screamed Perry from beginning to end. From the dancing sharks to the beach-ball dress, it was everything and anything I could’ve expected. Perry sang her hit “Teenage Dream” with sharks, beach balls and palm trees dancing behind her. If one thing was clear while watching the show, it’s that the left shark stole some of the attention from Perry simply because the dancer forgot his moves and started to do his own thing, instantly making him an Internet sensation. Right after “Teenage Dream,” Perry performed “California Gurls,” which felt like it went by so quickly and unfortunately a little forgetful compared to the rest of her performance.
The moment everyone was waiting for was to see who Perry’s secret performer was, and low and behold it was the great Missy Elliot performing her greatest hits: “Work It,” “Music Makes Me Lose Control” and “Get Ur Freak On.” Having Elliot join the show was like having a flashback to 2003. Although very exciting, it completely took the attention away from Perry. Elliot took the spotlight and thus made Perry into Elliot’s very own personal publicist. I would’ve like to have seen if Perry and Elliot could’ve mashed one of their songs together, instead of having one outshine the other. That would be my only complaint from this set but it felt really good to have Elliot back on the map.
As for the finale, it blew everything else out of the stadium, and it was very impressive. This set alone trumped all other Super Bowl halftime shows strictly on the fact that she was flying around the stadium. In halftime show history, no performer has ever gone to such lengths as to flying around on a tiny platform. I have to admit that it was scary at first, but afterward it was just an amazing sight seeing all the fireworks and hearing her sing her smash hit “Firework” at the top of her lungs with the biggest smile on her face. This was a magical moment not just for the viewers, but definitely for Perry. When Perry was announced as the featured performer, I did not have the slightest idea that this was the way she was going to end the night. But in all honesty, any Perry fan would realize that it is completely obvious that she would end it on this note.
Perry’s halftime show ranged from fun to risky and then to all-out ridiculous in all of 12 minutes. It was clear that Perry took this opportunity seriously and that she didn’t play it safe. From riding robotic jungle cats to flying around the stadium, Perry proved that she was the right choice for this year’s halftime performance and definitely made it hard for anyone to follow up next Super Bowl. Halftime shows are for the purpose of providing the audience with entertainment that will leave them satisfied, and Perry definitely delivered that and more.