Not only is Bad Bunny one of the most popular Latin artists, but overall, he’s one of the most streamed artists in the world. He’s a Puerto Rican singer who has won Grammy Awards for categories such as Best Global Music Performance, Best Música Urbana Album, and Album of the Year. Even those that don’t understand the language of his music can find a way to love it whether it’s the rhythm, energy, or emotion behind it.
About a year ago, it was announced that Bad Bunny would be performing at the Super Bowl LX halftime show. This brought up a lot of discussion within the football community, Latin community, and many others as well. While many people were excited to listen and watch their favorite artist perform, the announcement also came with plenty of criticism.
Many argued that there shouldn’t be a Spanish-speaking performer at an event aimed towards such a broad American audience. Others connected the controversy to the political debate surrounding immigration. However, as I mentioned previously, Bad Bunny is a Puerto Rican artist. Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory; therefore, Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens. This brought more conversation surrounding his performance than just music.
Those in support of the performance viewed it as an important moment for Latino representation. During his performance, he incorporated Puerto Rican symbols to proudly represent his cultural background. Millions of people were able to experience Puerto Rican culture on one of the biggest stages in the world.
Being Puerto Rican myself, I viewed his performance as more than just a halftime show. From growing up listening to Spanish music to hearing it be performed at one of the biggest events in America was surreal. Being able to celebrate our culture especially at such a scary time in the world made this performance feel even more meaningful to me. It was a reminder that our language, culture, and identity deserve to be seen and heard.
Bad Bunny ended his performance with a message that I think about often and something I believe others should take with them as well:
“The only thing more powerful than hate is love.”
Those words represent what the performance was really about; Pride, culture, identity, and the power of bringing people together through music. This message shows that we do not have to change who we are to have a place in America. Being proud of where you came from can be the most powerful statement of all.