Ed Masley

The Republic | azcentral.com

After weeks of speculation, the NFL today confirmed that Katy Perry has been chosen to perform at the Pepsi Super Bowl Halftime XLIX Show at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale Sunday, Feb. 1.

The news became official during halftime of Sunday's game between the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants on Sunday Night Football.

The confirmation comes a month after Billboard reported the news, based on the "confirmation" of an unnamed source. Perry's name has been tossed around on a shortlist of contenders since late August, when the Wall Street Journal reported that the NFL had reportedly approached some artists in the running for the halftime show at Super Bowl XLIX with a pay-to-play arrangement -- like an L.A. club with a much bigger audience. In that same story, Coldplay and Rihanna were named as top contenders for the gig.

Last year's halftime show, with Bruno Mars and guests the Red Hot Chili Peppers, drew 115.3 million viewers in February, according to the NFL.

And America's kitschiest It Girl brings more massive pop hits to the table (as well as other qualities that should appeal to Maxim-reading Super Bowl enthusiasts).

The star's most recent album, "Prism," hit the Billboard album charts at No. 1 last year while spawning Perry's biggest single ever, "Roar," along the way to going platinum.

Perry's previous album, "Teenage Dream," sent five hit singles ("California Gurls," the title track, "Firework," "E.T." and "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)") to No. 1 on Billboard'sHot 100, tying a record held by Michael Jackson since his 1980s prime for most chart-topping singles from a single album.

Other Top 10 hits include "I Kissed a Girl," "Part of Me" and "Dark Horse," all of which hit No. 1, in addition to the Top 10 singles "Hot n Cold," "Waking Up in Vegas," "The One That Got Away" and "Wide Awake."

Recent halftime acts include Bruno Mars, Beyoncé, Madonna, The Who, Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Prince, the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney and U2.

The NFL has yet to announce the artist selected to sing the National Anthem prior to the game.