On Sunday, Feb. 8, the U.S.’s biggest musical event took place at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. The Super Bowl halftime show was not on its usual steel LED stage, but in a reimagined Puerto Rican town surrounded by sugarcane fields.
Headlining the show was Grammy-winning musician Bad Bunny, who served as our guide through a vibrant journey of love, acceptance and Puerto Rican culture. This production’s attention to detail was truly something to marvel at, as every element was intentionally designed to highlight the island’s rich musical and cultural heritage.
While including songs from his latest album, Debí Tirar Más Fotos, which recently won three Grammy awards, Bad Bunny blended different styles of music from Latin pop, reggaeton and tropical rhythms into one cohesive message. Dancers in vibrant, high-energy costumes filled the imagined city with motion and color, perfectly matching the pulse of Bad Bunny’s music.
One standout moment was from the latter portions of the performance as Bad Bunny, accompanied by several jíbaros (rural workers or farmers), climbed sparking power poles for his song “El Apagón” (“The Blackout”). This served as a direct reference to the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in 2017, as well as the power outages that remain prevalent throughout Puerto Rico.
Personal touches reminded viewers of the small-town life that shaped him, like the number 64 on his jersey, which paid tribute to his late uncle Cutito, who taught him much of what he knows about the NFL, and the live wedding featured in the middle of the show.
With notable guests such as Lady Gaga, Ricky Martin, Cardi B and Pedro Pascal, many fans praised the performance, heralding it as both a grand celebration of culture and an intimate reminder of how important love is to our society. According to Associated Press, Bad Bunny’s performance falls just short of the top three most-watched halftime shows, averaging 128.2 million viewers – right behind last year’s headlining artist, Kendrick Lamar. However, social media erupted with talk of this year’s show as the most anticipated, which set a record of 4 billion views after the initial 24 hours.
While the reception behind the show was primarily positive, notable critiques emerged as soon as Bad Bunny left the stadium. Many criticized the decision to keep the primary language of the halftime performance Spanish, as claims rose that this isolated the many American households that primarily speak English. One major critic of the performance was President Donald Trump, who labeled it “an affront to the Greatness of America.”
Despite the criticisms, many viewers and fans praised the halftime show for its creativity, cultural authenticity and energy. For many, the show was a reminder of how music can bridge cultures and bring people together, even on a stage as massive as the Super Bowl. With the message that “The only thing more powerful than hate is love,” Bad Bunny proved that halftime entertainment can be both visually stunning and deeply meaningful.
