Entertainment
Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Halftime Show Will Go Down in History, Here’s Why
Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show has perhaps been the most anticipated in recent history, and the Puerto Rican singer, rapper, and producer did not disappoint. The Seattle Seahawks vs. New England Patriots game at Levi’s Stadium wasn’t actually Bad Bunny’s first time performing in the Super Bowl. He made his debut in 2020 as a guest for Shakira, performing his verse from Cardi B’s “I Like It.” Turns out the NFL did like it, very much.
Bad Bunny recently won Album of the Year at the Grammys, making history as the first Spanish-language album to win the category. The most-streamed artist of 2025 was also the first Super Bowl performer in its 60-year history to deliver a largely Spanish-language performance, which was crucial to Bad Bunny’s celebration of Latin America through the show. His performance was genuinely incredible; creative genius and culturally beyond significant. Bad Bunny perfectly represented the joy that comes from celebrating heritage and showed how the world could be better if we experienced that joy together, together meaning with guest performer Lady Gaga, which feels kind of rogue, right? But seriously, this performance will go down in Super Bowl history and, in my opinion, for good.
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The rumors about who would join Bad Bunny in his Super Bowl halftime show have been circulating vigorously for some time, with the fan favorite arguably being Cardi B. It made total sense: she was guaranteed to be in attendance to support her boyfriend, Patriots star Stefon Diggs, so it would have been a waste not to have her on stage, given her previous collaboration with Bad Bunny on “I Like It.” Cardi’s presence in the show was perhaps less dominant than we expected. She featured in a non-singing role, but it was powerful in its own right. Cardi was an A-list face in a crowd rich with Latin stars, including Jessica Alba, Karol G, Pedro Pascal, and many others. The star-studded group was an incredible display of pride and how our favorite big names can have fun as music consumers as well as artists.
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Also teased in the set was Daddy Yankee when lines from “Gasolina” swirled through the sound system, but he never materialized. Still, it was genuinely heartwarming to hear tributes to Bad Bunny’s Puerto Rico sprinkled throughout the halftime show. But, Puerto Rico’s other pop Daddy did bless the stage. Ricky Martín belted “LO QUE LE PASÓ A HAWAii” absolutely beautifully. The “Livin’ la Vida Loca” star is an avid supporter of Bad Bunny, praising him earlier this week for his Grammy success: “You won without changing the color of your voice. You won without erasing your roots. You won by staying True to Puerto Rico.”
Bad Bunny’s performance also shared love for one of pop’s biggest players, Lady Gaga. Her appearance was anticipated by some, but her unveiling genuinely made me gasp. Her inclusion of “Die With a Smile” in the halftime show, which Gaga played herself in 2017, was a strong symbol of integration in the US. But I must admit that my feelings about the choice are mixed, but more on that later.
The Biggest Statements of Bad Bunny’s Love Letter to Latin America
Bad Bunny made his stance on current issues in the US clear in his Grammy acceptance speech, calling for “ICE out.” A strong theme of the performance was “bailar sin miedo” (dance without fear), which was an unnervingly straightforward wish. Quite simply, no one should live in fear, and we should all experience joy in dancing.
In “Monaco,” the Puerto Rican singer introduced himself not as Bad Bunny, but with his real name, Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio. This was a serious statement of identity. More than a stage persona, he presented himself as a person with a real identity. Bad Bunny continued to share the message of the importance of believing in yourself, and for him, it seems that means embracing all sides of who you are.
The most poignant symbolism of the halftime show was the wedding scene, a sign of union and celebration, and one that unveiled Lady Gaga. There was something truly beautiful about seeing Gaga being part of the representation of union, especially honoring Puerto Rico with a Flor de Maga. It is worth mentioning that until this point, though, the entire show had been in Spanish. Maybe it’s just my skepticism, but, but something about Lady Gaga’s appearance arguably diluted the show’s power for the sake of palatability. But her special appearance has quickly been hugely praised across social media and played a crucial role in how the US should be celebrated as a nation of many cultures that can joyfully integrate, coexist, and thrive.
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Bad Bunny wrapped up his performance with a huge party to “DtMF,” the title track of his Grammy Award-winning album, DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS, released in January 2025. On the album, the track closes with a much more acoustic sound than the rest of the record, evoking a sense of community. The halftime show concluded with Bad Bunny’s most-streamed song, which, combined with its acoustic roots, felt like the perfect way to connect the biggest possible number of people to join in singing together and realizing they sound better in unison.
Last but certainly not least, Bad Bunny shares a statement: “God bless America,” listing many countries across the Americas. This confident, peaceful message of love, respect, and appreciation is the main takeaway of the Super Bowl halftime show. Finally, Bad Bunny showed the camera a football with “Together We Are America” written across it before scoring with it, perhaps the most crucial touchdown of the night.