Bad Bunny Has Already Been a Part of the Most ‘Culturally Relevant’ Super Bowl Halftime Show of All Time
Bad Bunny is headlining the Super Bowl halftime show this February. The artist is fresh off a string of successes, including Grammy nominations, a tour, and a residency in Puerto Rico. His performance is already generating buzz, but he was once part of an even more talked-about show.
Bad Bunny is headlining the Super Bowl halftime show
Bad Bunny will make history at the Super Bowl halftime show by giving the first performance that is entirely in Spanish. He said he feels honored to take the stage.
“What I’m feeling goes beyond myself,” he said, per NBC. “It’s for those who came before me and ran countless yards so I could come in and score a touchdown… this is for my people, my culture, and our history. Ve y dile a tu abuela, que seremos el HALFTIME SHOW DEL SUPER BOWL.”
Roger Goodell, the NFL Commissioner, said he is looking forward to the performance.
“We’re confident it’s going to be a good show, he understands the platform that he is on, and I think it’s going to be exciting and uniting moment,” he told The Hollywood Reporter.
He was previously a part of one of the most talked-about halftime shows
This is not the first time Bad Bunny has taken the stage during the Super Bowl halftime show. In 2020, he joined Jennifer Lopez and Shakira onstage for their iconic performance. Bad Bunny joined Shakira for a cover of “I Like It” and a mashup of “Chantaje” and “Callaíta.” According to research from TicketSource, Lopez and Shakira’s halftime show is the most “culturally relevant” of all time.
In the past year, over 200 articles have been written about the show, and the performance has 334 million views on the NFL YouTube account. Kendrick Lamar’s halftime show last year ranks second, followed by Rihanna’s in 2023.
Terry Rosoman, the Head of Marketing at TicketSource, believes Bad Bunny’s show could rank amongst the most relevant.
“His recently released trailer is very telling of what we can expect from his performance. It features people of all ages, genders, and backgrounds, sending a clear message of unity: no matter who you are or where you’re from, this is for you,” he told Showbiz Cheat Sheet in a statement. “Fans can expect a high-energy, visually striking performance that could easily go down as one of the most-watched halftime shows in history, with music and moments designed to bring the world together.”
Bad Bunny addressed the backlash to his Super Bowl halftime show
Bad Bunny’s halftime show has generated a great deal of criticism from the right, including Donald Trump. While the backlash stems from the fact that the show will be in Spanish, Goodell said
“I’m not sure we’ve ever selected an artist where we didn’t have some blowback and criticism,” he said. “It’s pretty hard to do.”
Bad Bunny joked about the controversy while hosting Saturday Night Live in October.
“You might not know this, but I’m doing the Super Bowl halftime show, and I’m very happy,” he said in his opening monologue. “I think everyone is happy about it — even Fox News.”
He acknowledged that people “all around the world” were looking forward to the show.
“Especially all of the Latinos and Latinas in the world here in the United States who have worked to open doors,” he said, switching to Spanish. “It’s more than a win for myself, it’s a win for all of us. Our footprints and our contribution in this country, no one will ever be able to take that away or erase it.”
The Super Bowl will take place on Feb. 8, 2026.
