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During the 60th annual Super Bowl Halftime show, Bad Bunny made history as the first Latino artist to perform solely in Spanish. His performance became one of the most-watched halftime shows right behind Kendrick Lamar’s halftime show in 2024, drawing over 128 million global viewers.
For many, the show became much more than a halftime performance; it represented community, pride, and standing together to rise above hate.
The performance showcased Bad Bunny’s famous “casita” in the middle of a sugarcane field surrounded by dancers dressed as field workers. As the show went on, the audience caught glimpses of street vendors, nail technicians, and construction workers creating a block party atmosphere rooted in everyday life.
Although the show created a lively party full of dancers and some of Bad Bunny’s biggest hits from his most recent album, “DTMF,” it was much more for the fans and viewers alike. Whether you agreed with the choice or not, the show was powerful and even emotional at times.
The performance depicted themes of work, family, and community, which provided a ‘sense of rare representation’ at one of television’s largest audiences.
“A part of me felt seen,” Columbia Sophomore Milo Ramirez said. “Seeing pieces of memories of what every Hispanic has grown up with, like a little market, or a barber shop, it felt cool. It felt uplifting.”
Fans like Ramirez repeated this sentiment, stating that imagery only added another layer of significance.
By showcasing familiar references to everyday life, the show connected with audiences on a deeper level. His decision to embrace language, style, and heritage without compromise resonated widely.
While in Cleveland, Ohio, members of the Puerto Rican and broader Hispanic community said that the performance felt like a family celebration, showing pride in cultural roots and representation at the biggest American entertainment event.
“Bad Bunny may not be everybody’s genre… but nobody could deny the platform that he has created and his level of advocacy for such a little place like Puerto Rico that is so underrepresented,” said Jessie Contreras, head of the Northeast Ohio Hispanic Center for Economic Development.
As the show wrapped up, Bad Bunny spoke to the audience in English, saying “God bless America” before listing off all the countries across both continents of the Americas while the dancers waved their flags behind him.
This resonated with international fans, too. In Mexico City, fans said that hearing Bunny name all the countries after saying “God Bless America” made the idea of being American resonate far beyond the borders of the U.S. The stadium screens then displayed the phrase “The only thing more powerful than hate is love,” reinforcing the show’s central theme of unity over division.
For me, the performance felt like a beacon of light in the middle of such an uncertain time for Latino communities across the country. His music brought people together regardless of age, race, or gender.
The show resonated with me, reminded me of my own family and community- the people who formed my own perception of culture.
Even after the second half began and the Seahawks won the game, the conversations continued. From living rooms to social media, the audience saw themselves in the imagery. The halftime show proved that representation isn’t just symbolic; it builds pride and strengthens community in a time where love can rise above hate.
