Bad Bunny brings Puerto Rico to the Super Bowl halftime show

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Honestly, watching Bad Bunny at the Super Bowl felt like a breath of fresh air. With everything going on in the country, a lot of us are feeling pretty anxious and disconnected. But his performance was just full of love and hope, and it really showed a beautiful side of what it means to be American. It was exactly what I needed to see.

The 31-year-old Puerto Rican singer, fresh off his Grammy win for Album of the Year, put on a vibrant show featuring a large group of singers, dancers, and musicians. The performance beautifully blended the traditional music of his homeland with the energetic reggaeton rhythms that have made him a global star for younger generations.

Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show made history as the first entirely in Spanish. He turned the field into a vibrant series of scenes, including a workers’ field, a bodega, a wedding, and a small house similar to the one inspiring his concert venue in San Juan. The performance featured unexpected appearances by Lady Gaga, who performed a salsa remix of “Die With a Smile,” and Ricky Martin, who sang “Lo Que Le Páso a Hawaii” with Bad Bunny. Karol G and Pedro Pascal were also seen dancing on the field during the show.

Bad Bunny highlighted a heartwarming moment during the Grammys – a young fan watching his acceptance speech on television. His performance included a nod to Puerto Rico’s frequent power outages, reflected in his song “El Apógan” and a visually striking dance with prop power lines. The 13-minute show concluded with Bad Bunny saying “God bless America” as a message of love overcoming hate appeared on the stadium screen.

Bad Bunny’s performance was controversial before he even took the field.

President Trump criticized the Super Bowl halftime show selection, calling it a “terrible choice” and claiming it would create division. Some conservative voices argued that Bad Bunny’s performance was un-American, despite Puerto Rico being a U.S. territory. Turning Point USA, a conservative group, even organized a competing “All-American Halftime Show” featuring Kid Rock, seemingly upset by the presence of Spanish language, dancing, or simply the idea of having fun.

The NFL anticipated some negative reaction, seeing it as a worthwhile trade-off in their efforts to attract fans worldwide. Bad Bunny’s halftime performance is part of a larger, ongoing partnership with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation, which began overseeing the halftime show in 2020. This came after the NFL faced criticism for how it addressed issues of race following Colin Kaepernick’s protests against police brutality towards Black individuals.

Before the Super Bowl kicked off on Sunday, Charlie Puth played a smooth, yacht-rock version of the national anthem, accompanying himself on electric piano. Brandi Carlile then sang “America the Beautiful” with support from SistaStrings, a violin and cello duo she often works with. Veteran punk band Green Day also performed a short, energetic set to celebrate the Super Bowl’s 60th anniversary.

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2026-02-09 05:31