On Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026, Latin artist Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, better known by his stage name, Bad Bunny, created Super Bowl history for the Latine community. His halftime show performance was not only woven with symbolism but also shone a light on the positive representation of Latines during a time of darkness for the community. During his personal introduction, Bad Bunny proclaimed that he’s at the Super Bowl because, “Nunca, nunca dejé de creer en mí, y tú también deberías creer en ti. Vales más de lo que piensas,” which translates to “Because I never, never stopped believing in myself, and you should believe in yourself too. You’re worth more than you think.”
While there have been past Latin artists that have performed at the Super Bowl, such as Bruno Mars, Shakira, Jennifer Lopez, Gloria Estefan and more, none have performed only in Spanish (besides Lady Gaga’s guest feature). While their music is very influential, it differs from Bad Bunny’s album “Debí Tirar Más Fotos,” where he unapologetically created a love letter to his culture. Bad Bunny aims to connect not only with a Latine audience but also with the entire world by sharing his culture. Moreover, contrary to what many critics may claim, Bad Bunny is still an American despite his Puerto Rican heritage. Subsequently, this resulted in an alternative halftime show by country singer Kid Rock, who performed at a competing halftime show for Turning Point USA, whereas Bad Bunny performed at the official NFL Super Bowl LX halftime show.
Many Latines were elated to see positive representation. Many felt a sense of pride when their country of origin was mentioned and excitement when he featured Latin artist Ricky Martin. As well as his inclusion of popular Latin hits such as “Gasolina” by Daddy Yankee, “Dale Don Dale” by Don Omar, “Noche de Travesura” by Héctor El Father and “Pa’ Que Retozen” by Tego Calderón in his performance. He even paid homage to Celia Cruz’s popular hit “Quimbara” by playing it when he fell through the roof of the house during the show. While performing, he featured a variety of Latin American flags and announced, “God bless America: Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, Perú, Ecuador, Brasil, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Panamá, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, México, Cuba, República Dominicana, Haití, Jamaica, Las Antillas, United States, Canada y mi patria Puerto Rico. Seguimo’ aquí.” Making a bold and celebratory statement by listing all of the Americas. His ending statement translates to “And my mother country, Puerto Rico, we’re still here.”
The performance consisted of many elements of symbolism. Beginning with a wide shot of individuals working in a sugar cane field, this scene reflects Caribbean history. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, Puerto Rico and other countries relied on sugar plantations as a main contributor to their economies. Moreover, according to Rolling Stone’s “All of Hidden Symbols and Meanings You May Have Missed in Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Set” by Vanessa Diaz and Petra Rivera-Rideau, sugar cane plantations also symbolize the legacy of colonialism and slavery. The laborers also wore all-white clothing and straw “pava hats,” representing jíbaros, self-reliant traditional Puerto Rican farmers.
One of the most significant forms of symbolism used during the show was the use of the original Puerto Rican flag. This flag displays a light blue triangle, symbolizing the history where this flag was once illegal to display in Puerto Rico. This was after the official 1952 adoption of a darker navy blue in order to correlate with the United States flag colors. As a result, the flag is notoriously used by pro-independence groups and is seen as a symbol of resistance to American colonial rule.
LGBTQIA+ inclusivity is also highlighted throughout the performance. This is observed in his collaboration with Ricky Martin, an openly gay Latin artist, and Lady Gaga, an openly bisexual artist and LGBTQIA+ activist. Additionally, the performance features male dancers dancing intimately on one another and showcases women in predominantly male-dominated professions, such as construction work. Bad Bunny’s inclusivity is not a foreign concept. In the past, he has consistently challenged traditional gender norms, such as in his “Yo Perreo Sola” music video, where he appeared in drag, and his 2022 Met Gala look, where he wore a skirt. Lady Gaga’s presence also plays a significant role in various other ways. For instance, her performance of “Die with a Smile” is introduced by Bad Bunny’s song “MONACO,” where he states, “¿Esto es lo que tú quería?” The camera then pans to her, an English-singing artist. Lady Gaga also performs a salsa version and dances alongside him, wearing a dress with the original Puerto Rican flag colors and a Flor de Maga brooch, Puerto Rico’s national flower.
Bad Bunny also performed his hit “El Apagón,” featuring the same cane workers now hanging from electric poles. This was a key reference to Puerto Rico’s frequent power blackouts. In particular, Hurricane Maria in 2017, when the entire island’s power went out and was not fully restored until 2018. This performance exhibits Puerto Rico’s self-reliance in rebuilding the island after the U.S.’s inadequate response. Many citizens taught themselves basic electrical skills and worked on loose or damaged power lines to help restore power.
The authentic wedding during the show attracted lots of attention. Originally, the couple, Thomas Wolter and Eleisa Aparicio, had extra wedding invites and decided to invite Bad Bunny. However, his team and he decided to instead broadcast the couple’s wedding during the halftime show. It is also rumored that the groom’s favorite artist is Bad Bunny; meanwhile, the bride’s is Lady Gaga, so the surprise guest was a pleasant shock. During the wedding, there was cake-cutting, showing a traditional Puerto Rican wedding cake, similar to the one in his “NUEVAYoL” music video. Additionally, another couple, Victor Dimaren and Emma Eldridge, got engaged during the event after Bad Bunny handed Dimaren the ring box he got from a jeweler. These celebrations further support his message of unity, love, and cultural pride.
Since his initial breakthrough in music in 2016, Bad Bunny’s stardom has continued to grow over time, and his performance during the Super Bowl has only further accelerated this momentum. Throughout his career, he evolved into a notable figure for the Latine community, an open ally to the LGBTQIA+ community, and an active political activist. A week before the Super Bowl, during his Grammys acceptance speech, he made sure to directly say, “Before I say thanks to God: I’m gonna say: ICE out!” Once again advocating for his community and further affirming that, “We’re not savage, we’re not animals, we’re not aliens. We are humans, and we are Americans.”
While there has been a mix of responses to Bad Bunny’s performance, there is an overwhelming amount of receptiveness to his message. There are many more elements of symbolism in the performance that have also sparked hope and pride within the Latine community. However, despite the frequent negative portrayal and fear-induced control towards Latines, this year’s halftime show has touched the hearts of people both in and beyond the Latine community. In addition, the idea of unifying our broad communities and cultures rather than promoting a nation of hate and divisiveness is observed coming into fruition since his performance. And as Bad Bunny preached, “Seguimo’ aquí” and “the only thing more powerful than hate is love.”
