The Superbowl, America’s premier sporting event, brings in hundreds of millions of viewers each year. Outside of the game itself, the halftime show is one of the most significant events in American pop culture. Each year, one of the world’s biggest stars is selected to headline the show, with this year’s being Puertorrican singer Bad Bunny. He brought excitement, passion and controversy to America’s biggest stage.
Bad Bunny, real name Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, was selected to headline the Super Bowl halftime show last September, following both national and international success with his most recent album, Debí Tirar Más Fotos. Since the selection was made, the album has reached the billboard top ten in America, as well as winning album of the year at the Grammys, further launching Bad Bunny into stardom.
The Super Bowl LX halftime show was all about culture. The 31-year-old began his performance with hit song Tití Me Preguntó while walking through a mock sugarcane field, a nod to the rural areas of his native Puerto Rico. Through interactions with the various actors portraying Puerto Rican locals, Bad Bunny showed that his connection with his roots prevailed even on the biggest stage.
“As a fan of his music in general, it was amazing hearing it at the Super Bowl and it was a great opportunity to bring his culture to the national spotlight,” junior Momchil Yanchev said.
In a performance that marks many historical firsts, perhaps the biggest was the lack of English lyrics, the first Super Bowl halftime show in history where the main artist did not sing in English at all. Instead, Bad Bunny prioritized his language and culture above all else, crafting a performance authentically and unapologetically Puerto Rican, which stirred controversy amongst some English-speaking American audiences.
“Even though I couldn’t understand the Spanish lyrics, the presentation and the message were clear for those who listened. It was a very unique and vibrant experience and I think he did a great job with the halftime show,” junior Warren Harilal said.
Throughout the show, Bad Bunny moved through a variety of sets, ranging from a miniature town to a real-life wedding. Across the stage, references to Puerto Rican culture and Latin music were abundant, from a cart selling traditional street food to shoutouts to other artists such as Daddy Yankee. During the set, he played popular songs such as Yo Perreo Sola and Safaera, as well as featuring guest performances from Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin. The performance ended with the artist shouting out a list of Latin American countries before launching into the first few seconds of DtMF, one of the most popular songs off his latest album.
“It wasn’t my favorite halftime show ever. I liked the set design though, and the surprise guests were cool as always. It was very entertaining,” junior Jay Wu said.
As is the norm with the dense, tightly-packed action of the Super Bowl halftime show, the performance was full of hidden details and Easter eggs. Celebrities such as Cardi B, Jessica Alba and Pedro Pascal were present on the set during the performance, although none had a standout role. Furthermore, the show in its entirety recorded a total of 129 million concurrent viewers. Although less than Kendrick Lamar’s 2025 performance, it was the second most watched halftime show in history. It also charted over 4 billion social media views in the first 24 hours after the performance, the highest of any halftime show.
Overall, Bad Bunny’s performance brought an exciting and upbeat experience to Super Bowl LX, complete with messages of cultural unity that resonated with viewers across America and the world.
