The long-awaited Super Bowl halftime performance has finally happened, and Bad Bunny’s performance is exactly what America needed in the political climate it’s in.
In late September, Puerto Rican music artist Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, commonly known as Bad Bunny, was announced to be the halftime headliner for the 2026 Super Bowl. This announcement caused discourse in America, as people debated whether he was a suitable choice or not.
Bad Bunny’s performance effectively shone a light on a different culture that goes more unnoticed in America, which was a beautiful way to show inclusivity in a country that opposes that idea. Turning Point USA’s attempt at a halftime show kept people close-minded and discriminatory.
Cultural celebration and unity
The halftime show showcased Hispanic culture through visuals, dancing and music. The set varied from a field of tall grass to architectural works such as a casita. Dancing showcased culture through traditional salsa dancing throughout the performance.
One of the biggest arguments when Bad Bunny was first announced to headline the performance was that his music is only in Spanish, so some people claimed they wouldn’t enjoy the performance since they couldn’t understand what he was singing.
I enjoyed the performance, but I don’t speak Spanish. With the beats, dancing and visuals, the performance didn’t have to be centered around understanding the words to have a good time.
Near the end of Bad Bunny’s set, national flags were brought out as he yelled out multiple countries across the Americas, such as Mexico, the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and many more.
The inclusion he provided among North and South America was needed, given how Hispanic cultures are currently being treated in the United States.
Bad Bunny had a few quotes embracing unity in his halftime show, such as “God bless America” and “Together, we are America.”
The standout quote from the performance was, “The only thing more powerful than hate is love.” This quote is so important for how society is now. Instead of being hateful and discriminatory, people should embrace differences and learn how to spread love.
The performance had more or less obvious signs of unity, but one that was very noticeable was the wedding. Two fans of Bad Bunny had originally asked him to attend their wedding, but instead, they had their actual ceremony and celebrated it at his Super Bowl performance. This was a clear and beautiful sign of unity and also showed a cultural celebration in the process.
Special guests
There were a few celebrity guests in the performance, notably Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin, who both sang.
Gaga’s section of the performance was during the wedding celebration, where she performed “Die with a Smile” with a backup band, putting a cultural twist on the original song with a Latin sound as the backing track. This performance was a hit or miss among viewers. I didn’t love it, but I thought it was a good way to unite another artist in the performance.
Additionally, in the section where Bad Bunny performed on top of the casita roof, on the patio, you could see other celebrities like Pedro Pascal, Cardi B, Jessica Alba, Karol G and Alix Earle.
Online, there has been some debate about whether social media star Earle should be included in this group since it’s alleged she has Republican political views, but this was a message saying that anyone, regardless of their political views, can be united and have fun.
Overall, the performance was beautiful, and Bad Bunny effectively conveyed his message of unity and kindness in his engaging performance.
If you didn’t think Bad Bunny was deserving to headline the halftime performance, then you should start being more open-minded about the different cultures around us.
