The superbowl halftime show continues to not only be a time for entertainment and music but also a place for expression. Bad Bunny, this year’s performer, used his time to play vibrant music and showcase his love for his fellow Latinx Americans.
His performance begins with him walking through a grass hallway as he passes by agricultural workers known as jibaros and other Latinx people working in scenes like salons, food carts and more. This represents his feelings that Latinx Americans are adding a lot to our society. This can be interpreted as a sort of criticism of recent actions against immigrants.
He also celebrated Latinx by having various celebrities of Latinx descent like Jessica Alba, Cardi B and Pedro Pascal.
His guest artist, Lady Gaga, did a remix of her song “Die With a Smile” by using a salsa fusion style. Her dress was designed as homage to Latinx heritage and the color taken from the original Puerto Rican flag.
Like the 2025 superbowl halftime show with Kendrick Lamar, their performances can be seen as criticism to the government and its actions. Both Kendrick Lamar and Bad Bunny’s halftime shows were revolutionary in the sense that they have used their platforms to stand up against injustices. However, one difference between the shows is that Kendrick Lamar’s was more of a criticism and Bad Bunny’s was a celebration of his people.
At one point in the show Bad Bunny stops singing and says, “”Mi nombre es Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, y si hoy estoy aquí en el Super Bowl 60, es porque nunca, nunca dejé de creer en mí. Tú también deberías de creer en ti. Vales más de lo que piensas. Confía en mí.” which translates to “My name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, and if I’m here today at Super Bowl 60, it’s because I never, ever stopped believing in myself. You should also believe in yourself. You’re worth more than you think. Trust me.” Here he continues that feeling of empowerment.
This empowerment was represented when he showcased events like a wedding and everyone dancing like it was a party. In fact, the wedding was a real marriage. The couple had previously invited Bad Bunny to their wedding but instead he said they should come have it at the superbowl instead. We can also see this sense of celebration with the messages on the billboard above the arena. One message in particular gained a lot of traction post superbowl. The message was “The only thing more powerful than hate is love.” Pictures of the message were spread like wildfire across social media with many people reposting on their Instagram stories. This was a way of spreading love across the country.
To continue this love, the performance ended with people run across the field with flags from Latin countries and Bad Bunny saying, “God Bless America,” which was the first thing he said in English, and then followed by naming most Latin countries in Spanish, showing how we should all be in union instead of being separate.
Bad Bunny’s show was full of hidden meanings and words of encouragement. Some say it truly felt like a celebration of culture and community.
