Bad Bunny delivered a Super Bowl half-time show that doubled as a powerful tribute to Puerto Rico, blending music, culture and symbolism on the biggest stage in American sport.
Over 14 minutes, the global superstar transformed the stadium into a vibrant Latin landscape, complete with set pieces inspired by everyday life on the island, from a nail salon to a neighbourhood bar. Central to the performance was his iconic “casita”, styled like a traditional Puerto Rican home, where several celebrities appeared dancing, including Pedro Pascal, Jessica Alba, Cardi B and Karol G.
The performance featured surprise appearances from Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin. Lady Gaga delivered a Latin-flavoured version of her hit Die With A Smile, while Ricky Martin performed Lo Que Le Pasó A Hawaii, a song widely seen as a call to preserve Puerto Rican culture and identity.
Bad Bunny, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, ran through a high-energy medley of his biggest hits, including Tití Me Preguntó, MONACO and BAILE INoLVIDABLE. The Grammy-winning artist, who was Spotify’s most-streamed musician in 2025, made history by becoming the first performer to deliver an entire Super Bowl half-time show in Spanish.
Although many expected a direct political message, the 31-year-old opted instead for a broader call for unity. At one point, a billboard flashed the message: “The only thing more powerful than hate is love.” He later held up a football bearing the words “Together, We Are America,” before saying “God bless America” and naming countries across North, Central and South America as dancers waved their flags.
Puerto Rico remained the emotional core of the performance. Bad Bunny emerged early from a sugarcane field, a visual nod to the island’s history, and later climbed an electricity pylon while rapping, a clear reference to the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria in 2017. His beige sweater, marked with the number 64, was widely interpreted as a symbol linked to the official death toll from the storm.
Family and legacy were also recurring themes. One scene showed a young couple getting married amid a crowd of Latino dancers, while another saw Bad Bunny hand a Grammy award to a small child as part of a symbolic moment about passing culture and pride to the next generation.
The show was not without controversy. Former US President Donald Trump, who did not attend the game, criticised the performance on social media, calling it one of the worst Super Bowl half-time shows and claiming viewers could not understand it. A separate, unofficial “All-American Halftime Show” featuring Kid Rock was organised elsewhere by conservative group Turning Point USA.
Despite early sound issues, Bad Bunny maintained control of the stage, delivering confident vocals and sharp choreography. He leaned heavily on tracks from his latest Grammy-winning album, drawing strong reactions from the crowd as the show built toward its finale.
By the end, the message was clear. Without direct confrontation or explicit political attacks, Bad Bunny used music, imagery and representation to celebrate Latin culture and promote unity, closing one of the most distinctive half-time shows in Super Bowl history.
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