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Bad Bunny is a global sensation, as he was Spotify’s Global Top Artist for the fourth time with 19.8 billion streams just last year. Also, his 2025 album “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS” was crowned with the Grammy Awards’ prestigious “Album of the Year” just one week before his big show, which itself is historical, being the first fully-Spanish record receiving this Grammy.
Bad Bunny moved through this award show as a Puerto Rican artist facing discrimination for his Latin roots is a movement against the current hateful climate in the United States, and Bad Bunny performing in the Superbowl took his testimony to one of the most prominent arenas of our nation, where he sent the message about how all Americans (South, Central and North) are equal to our core.
The show begins in sugar-cane fields, representing the major source of Puerto Rico’s economy during the 19th and early 20th centuries–a direct nod to the roots of the community’s agricultural history. Like the fields, the show provides several symbols tied to Puerto Rican and Latin culture. For example, as Bad Bunny opens with his song “Tití Me Preguntó,” he passes by old men playing dominoes, a nail salon and piragua, taco and jeweler stands. These beginning moments were engaging, immediately bringing me into the culture Bad Bunny works to display: the life of the Puerto Rican community.
The next scene is pretty famous–literally. We’re brought to a scene of celebrities such as Cardi B, Jessica Alba, Pedro Pascal, Karol G and several other influential Latin celebrities, even social media influencer Alix Earle, all featured in La Casita, which resembles a traditional Puerto Rican home. This scene was a dance break between the celebrities and performers on the field, who absolutely killed it. It all felt like a dance party I was part of—even from behind my TV screen.
Speaking of celebrity cameos, Lady Gaga’s feature, singing “Die With a Smile” with Los Pleneros de La Cresta, and the acclaimed Puerto Rican musician Ricky Martin singing Bad Bunny’s “LO QUE LE PASÓ A HAWAii” was fantastic. Martin’s performance was especially moving, as his voice was filled with passion in each note he sang. The song choice itself is significant, as it protests the gentrification and colonialism of Puerto Rico by the U.S., comparing it to the exploitation of Hawaii. As much as I would have loved a musical feature with Cardi B singing her 2018 hit featuring Bad Bunny “I Like It,” I thought Gaga and Martin were great musical guests for the show, and their performances were enjoyable. In fact, all of the music choices were lively and fabulous choices for the show, especially the snippet of Daddy Yankee’s iconic “Gasolina,” as it’s upbeat, fun and reminds me of the countless times I heard it as a kid–emitting a wave of nostalgia.
One scene I especially loved was the wedding party during “BAILE INoLVIDABLE.” What spoke to me most about this scene was the diversity–there were people of all ages and backgrounds celebrating a Latin wedding with dancing and laughter. These moments were enhanced with the musicality of the song choice, making me feel like I am a part of this giant family party, too.
Now, I speak so much about the dancers’ quality for a worthy reason. All dancers, in all scenes, did a fantastic job in making the performance so animated and thrilling, where the energy was high in each dance move. Importantly, their costumes and demeanor made it feel like each scene was filled with real and happy people, making me question if they were really hired to be there. I wouldn’t be surprised if not everyone was hired to be there, especially because a couple was legally married before Gaga’s performance. I love that the show was set up this way–reminding us, the audience, that we can be part of the big party too. I also enjoyed the scene representing the Puerto Rican influenced streets of New York City, where the upbeat “Nueva Yol” played. This scene actually reminded me a lot of Jon M. Chu’s 2021 “In the Heights” musical.
Another significant scene of the performance was when Bad Bunny sang “El Apagón,” translating to “The Power Outage,” atop a utility pole. Other scenes showed the livelihood of Puerto Rican culture, but this scene symbolized a significant struggle the community faces: frequent blackouts. Blackouts were no stranger to Puerto Rico in the past, as the territory had fragile energy grids. However, the blackouts became more severe after Hurricane Maria in 2017. During the scene, the utility poles sparked, lights flickered and the performers “fell” off the poles–illustrating the power outages. After the hurricane, private company LUMA Energy was hired by the Puerto Rican government to oversee the territory’s energy grid, however, LUMA received criticism from civilians as the blackouts continued. As of Dec. 2025, the Puerto Rican government sued LUMA because they were not effective in overseeing the power and energy of the territory. After Bad Bunny illustrated this issue on stage, LUMA issued a public response acknowledging their “past failures.” This scene being included is definitely meaningful and prompts the audience to be aware of Puerto Rico’s quieter challenges.
Overall, the ending of the show is what made me feel lucky and appreciative to live in a world of different cultures, backgrounds and perspectives. Bad Bunny and all other performers ran across the field carrying all American flags to Bad Bunny’s viral “Debí Tirar Más Fotos,” or “DtMF.” Not only was the flag of the United States featured, but all nations across the North, Central and Southern Americas were featured in this joyous scene–including Canada! There was also a quote shown on the field’s big screen, stating, “the only thing more powerful than hate is love,” which solidified his message on love and unity. To me, this scene symbolized how the different cultures and nations composed in America are, in fact, all American, not just the United States.
Unfortunately, Bad Bunny has received backlash from conservative commentators, politicians and fans of football prior to him taking the stage. The major complaints were around the performance being in Spanish and how it wasn’t a representation of what being “American” is. What critics fail to recognize is that Spanish is the second most spoken language in our country, and the United States is a “melting pot,” where 1,500 ethnicities making up our country prove the title to be true. Our modern nation is built on diverse backgrounds, cultures and languages–sharing it is what makes us American.
Overall, Bad Bunny’s performance was vibrant, symbolic and lively. I really enjoyed watching the show, and I can only imagine how proud the Central and Southern American communities are to see their language and culture shared on the United States’ biggest stage. I hope to see a continued trend of diverse performances in future Super Bowl halftime shows, and I am excited for what’s next.
