Bad Bunny and Lady Gaga Unite in Historic Spanish Super Bowl Halftime Show
The 31-year-old Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny, born Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio, took center stage at the Super Bowl in Santa Clara, California, delivering a high-energy, culturally rich halftime performance that celebrated his heritage and emphasized unity. In a groundbreaking move, the show was performed almost entirely in Spanish, marking a significant moment for Latin music on one of America's biggest platforms.
A Star-Studded Celebration of Puerto Rican Culture
The highly anticipated performance opened with evocative scenes of Puerto Rican life, featuring dominoes and sugar cane fields, set to his 2022 single Titi Me Pregunto. It quickly transitioned to Perreo Sola, sung from the rooftop of a traditional casita, or little house. The dramatic peak came when Bad Bunny crashed through the casita roof to the iconic notes of Daddy Yankee's Gasolina, paying homage to the trailblazers who paved the way for today's Latin music scene.
Later, pop icon Lady Gaga joined him for a salsa-infused rendition of her Bruno Mars collaboration Die with a Smile, adding to the star power. The stage transformed into a vibrant block party for performances of Baile Inolvidable and NuevaYol, where Bad Bunny shared a shot with the owner of one of New York City's last remaining Puerto Rican social clubs.
Political Messages and Celebrity Appearances
Fellow Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin graced the stage for a powerful rendition of Lo Que Le Paso a Hawaii, a song that has become a rallying cry for Puerto Rico's autonomy. The performance also included symbolic acts, such as Bad Bunny scaling power lines and waving the Puerto Rican flag during Apagon, referencing the ongoing recovery from Hurricane Maria's devastating power outages.
Backup dancers surrounded him, waving flags from various Latin American countries, as well as those of the United States and Canada. In a heartfelt moment, he held a football inscribed with "Together We Are America" and concluded by saying, "God Bless America," before paying tribute to "my motherland, mi patria, Puerto Rico."
Other celebrity guest appearances included Mandalorian star Pedro Pascal, actress Jessica Alba, rapper Cardi B, singer Karol G, and influencer Alix Earle. In a unique twist, a real wedding took place on stage, with Bad Bunny serving as an official witness after the couple invited him to their ceremony, and he instead suggested they be part of his halftime show.
Controversy and Criticism from Donald Trump
The performance drew sharp criticism from former US President Donald Trump, who called it "absolutely terrible" in a post on his Truth Social account. He argued that it "makes no sense, is an affront to the Greatness of America, and doesn't represent our standards of Success, Creativity, or Excellence." Trump also claimed that "nobody understands a word this guy is saying" and criticized the dancing as "disgusting" for young viewers.
In response, an "alternative" halftime show was organized by the conservative non-profit Turning Point USA, featuring Kid Rock and a roster of country musicians. This highlighted the polarized reactions to Bad Bunny's culturally focused performance.
Background and Broader Impact
Bad Bunny, who recently made history at the Grammys as the first artist to win Album of the Year for a record sung entirely in Spanish, used his platform to advocate for unity and love. In his Grammy acceptance speech, he called for Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers to "leave cities alone and opt for love," stating, "We're not savages, we're not animals, we're not aliens, we are humans and we are Americans."
His latest 17-track album fuses genres like reggaeton, pop, salsa, and house with traditional Puerto Rican music such as plena, serving as a love letter to the island. The halftime show ended with fireworks, a massive Puerto Rican flag, and a Jumbotron message: "The only thing more powerful than hate is love."
Meanwhile, the main Super Bowl event saw the Seattle Seahawks defeat the New England Patriots 29-13 in a rematch of the 2015 championship. Rock band Green Day performed the opening ceremony, with pop star Charlie Puth singing the US national anthem.
This performance follows previous halftime headliners like Sir Paul McCartney, Beyonce, Rihanna, Coldplay, and Kendrick Lamar, each known for bringing surprise guests and medleys of hit songs. Bad Bunny's show, however, stood out for its cultural depth and political resonance, sparking conversations about representation and unity in modern America.
