Rihanna performed " Disturbia " for first time at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards . The song opened the show , and was performed after Britney Spears ' opening speech . Rihanna performed it while revealing a leather " goth inspired " outfit . Together with the dancer troops , she performed a '' Thriller '' inspired dance , with glow sticks and leather props being used through the performance . About the performance , Brian Orloff from '' People '' commented that " after Britney left , the stage was ceded to a futuristic-looking Rihanna , who launched into her hit ' Disturbia ' with a goth-theme . " In 2011 , according to poll made by '' Billboard '' , the performance was the tenth best ever on the MTV Video Music Awards . On September 19 , 2008 Rihanna went to France , to perform " Disturbia " at '' Star Academy France '' . Following the performance of the song , '' Good Girl Gone Bad : Reloaded '' soared from number forty-three to number eleven and peaked at number eight the following week , becoming Rihanna 's first album to reach the top ten in France . Rihanna also performed " Disturbia " at the NFL Pepsi Smash Super Bowl Bash in Tampa , Florida held the Thursday and Friday prior to the 2009 Super Bowl . It was the first song on the set-list that also featured other songs from her latest release '' Good Girl Gone Bad '' . The performance of the song featured a sample from White Stripes song " Seven Nation Army " and flames that shot up across the front of the stage
2008 MTV Video Music Awards
2008 MTV Video Music Awards
Disturbia (song)