“A Fiesta on America’s Biggest Stage”: Bad Bunny at Super Bowl LX

On February 8, 2026, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, Bad Bunny — born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio — didn’t just perform the Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show; he redefined what a halftime show could be. A blend of pulsating reggaeton, cultural pride, theatrical symbolism, and universal joy, Bunny’s performance was one of the most talked-about halftime sets in recent memory.

Unlike any performer before him, Bad Bunny brought Puerto Rican culture, Spanish language, and personal narrative to a stage watched by a global audience measured in hundreds of millions. This was more than entertainment — it was a cultural moment, a statement, and for some, a revelation.

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Breaking Tradition: A Halftime Built on Identity

Historically, Super Bowl Halftime Shows have featured big-name pop stars and showstopping production moments. But when Bad Bunny was announced as the headliner, many wondered how his reggaeton roots and predominantly Spanish-language repertoire would translate on the NFL’s biggest night.

From the moment the performance began, it was clear that this wasn’t going to be a typical halftime set.

Dressed in an all-white jersey-inspired outfit emblazoned with his surname “Ocasio” and the number 64 — a nod to family roots and identity — Bad Bunny stepped into a transformed Levi’s Stadium. The field had become a lived-in, breathing Puerto Rican landscape: a sugar cane field, local characters living their daily lives, domino players, vendors, and dancers in traditional attire all contributed to an environment that felt personal rather than just performative.

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An Energetic Setlist That Ignited the Crowd

Bad Bunny’s performance spanned a 13-minute set packed with his biggest hits and powerful interludes. Songs like “Tití Me Preguntó,” “Yo Perreo Sola,” “Safaera,” and “Café con Ron” had the crowd roaring, while snippets of classics from Latin music legends like Don Omar’s “Dale Don Dale” paid homage to the genre’s roots.

The pacing was electric — a celebration of sound and rhythm that didn’t just engage the crowd in Santa Clara but reached through television and social feeds around the world.

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Star Power & Unexpected Cameos

True to Super Bowl tradition, Bad Bunny didn’t keep the spotlight entirely to himself. The stage welcomed an array of guest artists and celebrities, including:

• Lady Gaga, joining for a salsa-infused rendition of “Die With a Smile.”

• Ricky Martin, performing “Lo Que Le Pasó a Hawaii.”

• Cardi B, Karol G, Pedro Pascal, Jessica Alba, Alix Earle, boxers and other community figures, bringing diverse faces to the spectacle.

The presence of this constellation of stars not only enhanced the performance visually and sonically but served as a cultural bridge — inviting fans from many worlds to share in a moment of togetherness.

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Cultural Pride, Politics, and Public Reaction

As with any performance that veers away from the expected, reactions were intense — and highly polarized.

Praise and Emotional Resonance

Many fans and viewers praised the show as a heartfelt tribute to Puerto Rican culture and a proud display of Latin identity on one of the world’s biggest stages. Social media lit up with clips of audience members moved to tears, voice-overs replaying moments of shared dance and celebration, and heartfelt responses to the show’s message of unity and joy.

One particularly notable moment came at the close of the performance, when Bad Bunny held up a football inscribed with “Together we are America” and the big screens broadcast the phrase “The Only Thing More Powerful Than Hate Is Love.” For many, this late-night message wasn’t just hype — it was a declaration of identity and inclusivity on a stage that often resists departure from neutrality.

Backlash and Debate

Of course, not all reactions were positive. Some critics disliked the show; some complained that the Spanish language setlist was inaccessible to non-Spanish speakers, while others saw the cultural elements as political or divisive — even linking them to broader debates about immigration and identity politics.

Even high-profile figures chimed in: entertainers like Chris Brown took shots at the performance’s style, saying they “needed him” for such a stage. Meanwhile, vocal detractors online and on social platforms framed the show as too different, too bold, or too alienating for mainstream audiences.

In the midst of this, Bad Bunny’s own Instagram account was wiped clean after the show — a baffling move that only fueled more online discussion about intention, impact, and identity.

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What This Means for the Future of Halftime Shows

Whether you loved it, hated it, or felt something in between, Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl performance is likely to have a lasting impact on how halftime shows are imagined.

For one, he proved that a headline halftime show can be:

• Authentically rooted in culture without apologizing for language or identity.

• Visually theatrical and socially resonant at the same time.

• Inclusive while celebrating particular heritage.

• A conversational catalyst, not just a musical set.

In many ways, this performance felt like a sign of the times — a moment when the cultural diversity of America’s audiences intersected with one of its most mainstream media events and refused to play it safe.

Bad Bunny didn’t just bring a party. He brought a perspective, a heritage, and a story that millions could see themselves in — whether they understood the words, the rhythms, or the culture behind them.

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Final Thoughts: Legacy and Impact

At its core, Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Halftime Show will be remembered not just for its energy and production value, but for what it represented: a seismic cultural moment in live entertainment.

Some will recall the music. Some will remember the cameos. Others will recall the debates it sparked. But for many — especially within Latin communities — this was a moment of the world recognizing a piece of their identity on one of the grandest global stages.

Like any great performance, it wasn’t universally adored or universally criticized — but it got people talking, feeling, and thinking. And in a world where entertainment often leans toward the familiar and predictable, Bad Bunny’s halftime show dared to be boldly — unapologetically — himself.