Bad Bunny, a Puerto Rican rapper, performed at the Super Bowl 60 on the 8th February, sparking both messages of love and hate across the US and the world. From the tribute paid to Puerto Rico and other Latin communities, to Lady Gaga performing a Latin-inspired rendition of her hit single ‘Die With A Smile’, Bad Bunny’s half-time show carries deep meaning thoroughly rooted in identity and resistance.
As one of the world’s most-streamed artists, Bad Bunny was chosen as a halftime performer to boost the NFL’s (National Football League) global reach and to attract a more diverse audience outside of the US. His immense popularity stems from his authentic fusion of Latin genres, such as reggaeton, trap, and salsa, with socially conscious lyrics in Spanish; this is what constructs the emotionally-charged music that loudly celebrates Puerto Rican culture. Through challenging gender norms and political discrimination against minorities, Bad Bunny has become a global phenomenon, who has created a cross-cultural resonance. His lyrics deliver powerful messages, and his performance at the Super Bowl foregrounded them. He made international headlines, and it has become the most-watched Super Bowl halftime show ever, breaking the record with 128.2 million viewers. With his open embrace of Hispanic culture and its vibrant communities across the Americas, he gained the attention of a variety of audiences.
The show was not just upbeat and optimistic with its salsa and reggae-inspired dancing, but it was also full of symbolism and hidden messages, especially those of Puerto Rican pride and independence. For example, when Bad Bunny climbed the electric pole during ‘El Apagón’, the image directly referenced Puerto Rico’s current power outages caused by an outdated electrical grid and repeated natural disasters. This message informed global audiences of a local crisis, turning it into an international universal message about neglect, infrastructure and accountability.
The main message of Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl performance was the unity of the Americas, which is powerful in the current political climate in the context of President Trump’s America. The closing visuals featuring all of the Americas’ flags carried by locals, reframing the region as shared, plural, and most importantly, immigrant-built. Bad Bunny highlighted the significance of immigrants to the US, reinforcing the upsurging message that ‘no one is illegal on stolen land’. Through this scene, Bad Bunny emphasised the co-existence of the various nations of the Americas, suggesting that identity and belonging aren’t limited by one’s nation and ethnicity. The football prop Bad Bunny held toward the camera at the end of the set read ‘Together, We Are America’. The clearest device in the show, the most iconic symbol in US sports, has become an argument for America as plural, immigrant-shaped and shared across languages and cultures.
Bad Bunny’s show was also a pure representation of humanity and kindness. For example, the wedding shown during the performance was real and actually took place in the stadium. By allowing the couple to have a real marriage on stage, Bad Bunny demonstrated an aspect of our everyday life and grounded the show in real people and real moments. Another instance of compassion was Bad Bunny gifting his Grammy to a young child named Lincoln Fox. While passing the award, Bad Bunny was heard whispering to the child in Spanish: ‘Always believe in yourself’. This was simultaneously a symbol for the significance of passing on the dream to the next generation and a beautiful reminder to nurture your inner child. This made Bad Bunny’s half-time into a big love letter not just to his native community, but also to humanity and family as an entity.
Behind the dancers’ flag in the closing scene, a billboard message read, ‘The only thing more powerful than hate is love’. Bad Bunny’s emotional acceptance speech at the Grammy’s earlier this month echoed this message. When accepting his various awards, including Album of the Year and Best Música Urbana Album, Bad Bunny addressed the audience in both English and Spanish and used the platform to shout ‘Ice Out’. The speech that followed his historic win, as the creator of the first Grammy-winning album in Spanish, recorded: ‘We’re not savages, we’re not animals, we’re not aliens. We are humans, and we are Americans.’ He urged people to choose love over hate and encouraged fighting with compassion rather than hatred. This message resonated deeply, earning a standing ovation and reinforcing his role as a voice of the Latino community.
Bad Bunny’s performance became a magnet for criticism from President Trump and MAGA supporters, suggesting that the half-time show was ‘anti-American’. However, he made history by becoming the first musician to perform entirely in Spanish at a Super Bowl, and by constructing a brave message of unity and togetherness. His show calls for love and spreads a very important message of humanity that is so needed in our modern art and media. Words aren’t enough to describe this performance—you just have to watch it yourself.
Editor: Tamima Islam