Bad Bunny's Performance Sparks Controversy and Political Commentary
Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime show celebrated Puerto Rican culture and ignited discussions on political issues, marking it as a historic performance.
America’s biggest sporting event, The Super Bowl, took place on Sunday February 8 (IST). The Super Bowl is regarded as one of the largest sporting events in the world. This year’s super bowl drew more than 127 million viewers. The halftime performances are often the centerpiece of the event and globally becomes the talking point. These halftime performances often have internationally renowned artists performing. Last year, Kendrick Lamar’s halftime performance had become a sensation, earning recognition as one of the best halftime performances of all time.
This year, the main star of the Superbowl Halftime performance was Puerto Rican popstar Bad Bunny, who made history as the first Latin Solo Artist to headline the event. His performance served as an ode to his homeland, "Puerto Rico” and included themes of love, compassion and togetherness amidst heightened political polarization.
Bad Bunny had already generated significant buzz and controversy earlier this year, after winning three major grammy awards, including Album of the year and Best Musica Urbana Album. He also received Best Global Music performance for “EoO.” During his acceptance speech, he made remarks such as, ”ICE OUT,” which sparked controversy as it was a remark on current mass deportations of migrants, carried out by ICE and the U.S. government.
For the halftime show, Bad Bunny transformed the Super Bowl stage into a vibrant Puerto Rican setting. At Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, a miniature Puerto Rico was recreated, featuring sugarcane fields, local bars, nail salons, and a sea of dancers performing traditional Latin choreography. Hispanic food, fashion, and aesthetics were proudly showcased, turning the performance into a powerful love letter to Puerto Rico.
Beyond the cultural celebration, the show included various celebrity cameos like Pedro Pascal, Cardi B, Jessica Alba and Karlo G. Other renowned singers such as Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin joined the show and became a part of the cultural celebration. According to reports, Bad Bunny invited his several friends to the performance, where all of them were seen to be dancing inside a casita (Spanish for little house).
One unexpected highlight was Lady Gaga's cameo performance of ‘Die with a Smile.’ Unlike the original pop-soul version, the song was performed in a traditional Latin-Hispanic style. Essential Hispanic instruments were incorporated, giving the performance a different sound and emotional depth.
The halftime show also made history by featuring the first live wedding ever held on the Super Bowl stage. According to reports, the couple had originally invited Bad Bunny to their wedding, but, instead they got married during his halftime performance, reinforcing the show’s recurring themes of love and togetherness.
The bride wore a gown by embattled designer Hayley Paige, featuring a strapless sweetheart neckline and all-over lace.
“Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine one of my wedding dresses making a cameo at the Super Bowl. Seeing [the dress] during Bad Bunny’s halftime show is, well, loco. But what makes it truly special is that it’s worn by a real bride on her wedding day,” reflecting on the moment, the designer said in a statement.
Viewers have alleged that several political opinions were expressed throughout the performance. For instance, electric poles and power lines were depicted as crops during Bad Bunny’s song “El Apagón,” which many interpreted as commentary on Puerto Rico’s ongoing power outages.
At one point, Bunny climbed one of the electric poles as the lights flickered, symbolizing power outages and highlighting ongoing power grid issues. Later, he held a Puerto Rican flag in red, white, and light blue, associated with the Puerto Rican independence movement, differing from the darker blue of the official flag.
Another segment of the performance featured a boy holding Bad Bunny’s recently won Grammy award. The boy is alleged to be five-year old ‘Liam Conejo Ramos’ who was allegedly detained by ICE. This segment was interpreted as a statement against ICE.
The performance concluded with Bad Bunny shouting “God Bless America,” followed by a mention of all major countries in South America and North America, ending it with his home country 'Puerto Rico.’ The closing message conveyed that “America” extends beyond the United States, and includes all countries in the American continent.
He further reinforced this idea by stating “Together we are America,” representing unity and togetherness amidst a time of political animosity and negativity around everywhere. This Super Bowl Halftime performance will not only be remembered as an event which showcased Puerto Rico and Hispanic culture but also for its powerful messages of love and unity amidst political hate and mass deportations. Bad Bunny’s performance is already being hailed as one of the most iconic halftime shows in Super Bowl history.
