The Cultural Significance of Bad Bunny's Halftime Performance at the SuperBowl LX
On February 8th, 2026, music history will take place during halftime of the 60th annual SuperBowl. With Puerto Rican artist, Bad Bunny, headlining the event, this year's audience will be experiencing a performance of true art, culture and resistance.
Other well-known artists like Green Day, Charlie Puth, Coco Jones, and Brandi Carlile will be performing at the Opening Ceremony.
Since the announcement of Bad Bunny’s halftime performance, there has been anticipation all around the United States. Fans and avid music listeners have been sharing their excitement online, expressing their interpretations of what his lyrics, and overall presence, mean to them.
On February 1st, at The Grammys, his album "DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS" was the first all-Spanish album to win the award for Album of the Year, which was a monumental win for the Latin community, for those who are feeling the pressure and scrutiny that this specific group is under.
Seen on many popular individuals and musicians throughout the night of the Grammys, a simple white pin with ICE OUT in black font. A gesture that can make an impact in numbers, with the platforms they all have through the music industry.
Bad Bunny is not a stranger to this kind of action; he used the opportunity to voice the simple pin and take a stand while accepting his first award of the night. “Before I say thanks to God, I’m going to say ICE out,” he expressed. We’re not savage, we’re not animals, we’re not aliens. We are humans and we are Americans.”
Also, I want to say to the people: I know it’s tough to not to hate these days, but I was thinking that sometimes we get contaminados [contaminated]. The hate gets more powerful with hate, the only thing that is more powerful than hate is love. So, please, we need to be different. If we fight, we have to do it with love. If we don’t hate them, we love our people, we love our family, and that’s the way to do it, with love. Don’t forget that, please.
His 30-night residency in Puerto Rico were the only concerts that Bad Bunny performed here in the United States before his world tour, out of the fear that I.C.E. would be at his shows to target his fans and those in the audience. But despite that fear, his concerts brought a rise in the economy of the island. Studies estimated that the run of the shows brought in anywhere between $200 and $800 million, through travel and tax documentation.
Not only has there been an economic increase but there has also been an influx of popularity in traditional Caribbean music, up-and-coming Puerto Rican artists, and overall culture of the island.
But this same fear of kidnappings through unlawful I.C.E. actions could be applied to the halftime show, as many conservative figures are unhappy with the Puerto Rican artist performing, including the current president, Donald Trump.
They were so displeased with the NFL’s decision that a conservative organization proposed an alternative halftime show for those who did not want to indulge in Bad Bunny’s performance, with a petition that has received over 60,000 signatures so far.
None of that seemed to get under Bad Bunny’s skin; on January 16th, Apple Music released an advertisement, promoting his SuperBowl LX performance with the caption, “On February 8th, the world will dance.”
The video features his hit song "BAILE INoLVIDABLE", and he is sharing a dance with many lively, joyous people of all ethnicities. An intimate and meaningful connection that is shared through music, movement, and emotion. This is what his music and performances are about: connection through music, despite the barrier of language.
During his Saturday Night Live monologue in October of 2025, Bad Bunny stays true to himself, briefly dipping into Spanish for a few moments before coming back to English: “If you didn’t understand what I just said, you have four months to learn.”
Amidst a time where Hispanic communities are marginalized like never before, seeing a Puerto Rican artist on the stage of one of the most televised events of U.S. history is another deeply impactful accomplishment for Bad Bunny himself, and the people that he represents through his music in a cultural and political manner.
All individuals in the United States have rights, regardless of immigration status.
The following websites and documents can help you defend your rights and those of your family:
https://www.nilc.org/resources/know-your-rights-what-to-do-if-arrested-detained-immigration/
https://immigrantjustice.org/for-immigrants/know-your-rights/ice-encounter/
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LuHA-QwO7Mi3zBVfv_2D2qJoffoogdIE/view
WRITTEN BY
Eliza
My name is Eliza, but most people call me Eli. I love to write anything that interests me, from journalism and short stories to poems and screenwriting. I also love photography and the arts, like zines, painting, drawing, jewelry-making, as well as adventures like concerts, road trips, and late-night drives.
