It is that time of year when people get ready for their favorite team to play in the Super Bowl. Some people cry when their favorite team loses, some cheer when their team wins, and most watch the halftime show.

While the halftime show wasn’t grand when the Super Bowl started in 1967, it has come a long way since. Originally featuring local college bands, the Super Bowl has now showcased famous artists, such as Michael Jackson, Prince, Madonna, and Kendrick Lamar.

However, Super Bowl 60 will feature Bad Bunny as the main artist to perform during the halftime show. The decision could bring forth a new meta for upcoming halftime shows. 

The Puerto Rican artist started producing music in his early teens, gaining attention on SoundCloud in 2012. Since then, Bad Bunny has surged in popularity with almost 84 million monthly listeners on Spotify and has starred in major motion pictures like Bullet Train, Cassandra, and Happy Gilmore 2.

People believe that because he is a Spanish-speaking artist, it would be unfair to people who only speak English. Worse yet, people are saying he is not American, not realizing that Puerto Rico is a United States territory. 

Even though most of Bad Bunny’s music is in Spanish, that doesn’t mean past Spanish artists haven’t been welcomed with open arms. In 2020, he performed alongside J Balvin, Shakira, and Jennifer Lopez during Super Bowl 54. 

Searching for information concerning the controversy about past Spanish-speaking performers turned up nothing. What has changed?

The political climate has changed.

While Bad Bunny has been clear about his stance on ICE and Donald Trump, this has caused prominent MAGA members to go after him. People like Tomi Lahren, Mike Johnson, Corey Lewandowski, Kristi Noem, Pete Hegseth, among others. 

Kristi Noem, United States Secretary of Homeland Security, has previously noted that ICE will be outside the halftime show venue to “enforce the law.” Pete Hegseth has alternatively been announced to be at the “All-American Halftime Show,” an event created to protest the NFL’s halftime show.

Even though Green Day is the opening act, they openly criticize Donald Trump and ICE. The absence of criticism of Green Day from the majority demonstrates that it is not what political ideas are disagreed with, but who disagrees with them.

Bad Bunny receives the brunt of the hate because he is perceived as a non-American citizen. The artist speaks out like other anti-Trump celebrities, with high-profile right-wing members viewing him as a bad choice for the halftime show.

However, not everyone agrees with that sentiment. Cowboys’ chief brand officer and co-owner, Charlotte Jones, defends the choice of Bad Bunny. 

“I think it’s awesome,” Jones said. “Our game goes out to everybody around the world, and to get the premier entertainer to want to be a part of our game, I think, is amazing.”

People don’t understand that the halftime show is watched in 130 countries and translated into 30 other languages. Business-wise, it makes a lot of sense to have a Spanish artist perform at the halftime show. 

Evidence shows that Latino viewership has risen in recent years, a calculated business decision by the NFL to increase viewership and increase profit margins. Starting in the 1960s, Fernando Von Rossum is credited with introducing the NFL to Latino viewers, a long-term strategy that is paying off. 

Alan Chazaro explains the momentum the NFL has built with the Latino community in recent years.

“In terms of overall viewership growth, Latinos lead the way,” Chazaro states. “League sources confirmed Latino viewers (both English- and Spanish-speaking) have spiked by 11%. Spanish broadcasts alone have jumped 34% compared to previous years.”

Future halftime shows could feature other artists who speak languages other than English. Successful and contemporary artists such as BTS, Måneskin, Fuerza Regida, and other sensations should be able to perform. Not only would it allow people to view different cultures and languages, but it would also allow us to grow closer.

Bad Bunny should perform at the halftime show, and other artists from other regions of the world should be able to perform, too.