Country artist Shaboozey expressed his gratitude to the Detroit Lions following his Thanksgiving halftime performance during their NFL game, which gained widespread attention on social media.
The musician, born Collins Obinna Chibueze, received praise for his show at Detroit’s Ford Field during the Lions’ 23-20 win over the Chicago Bears on Thursday.
Shaboozey, 29, captivated fans with a medley starting with “Last of My Kind,” a track from his album Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going featuring Paul Cauthen, and concluding with his hit “A Bar Song (Tipsy).”
Posting a clip of the performance on X (formerly Twitter), Shaboozey wrote: “So much to be thankful for this year!!! Thank you @lions for having me. And Happy Thanksgiving to everyone watching at home.”
Shaboozey initially gained fame with his 2018 song “Start a Riot,” created with Duckwrth for the Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse soundtrack.
In 2024, Shaboozey had a breakout year, collaborating with Beyoncé on two tracks for her country album Cowboy Carter and topping the Billboard Hot 100 for 19 weeks with his single “A Bar Song (Tipsy).”
“A Bar Song (Tipsy)” includes a nod to J-Kwon’s 2004 hit “Tipsy,” which reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Reflecting on his success, Shaboozey wrote on X: “From a 250 capacity venue to an NFL halftime show in one year is insane. What can’t God do?”
Fans lauded his performance, with some joking that his time on the field exceeded the Bears’ possession time.
Before Shaboozey’s set, the Lions built a 16-0 lead over the Bears, a point noted by sports analysts during his performance.
CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones quipped on X: “Shaboozey is going to be on the field longer than the Bears offense.”
Brad Galli, sports director at ABC’s WXYZ 7 News Detroit, praised: “Shaboozey rocked the halftime show at Ford Field. The Lions scored a great performer and did it big on Thanksgiving.”
An NFL news site, World Champion Network, declared: “This @ShaboozeysJeans Shaboozey Halftime show is the BEST HALFTIME SHOW that the Lions has ever had!!”
Rumors suggest Shaboozey may join Beyoncé as a surprise guest during her Christmas Day performance in Houston, at the Texans-Ravens NFL game.
