Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime performance on Sunday was more than a musical showcase – it was a cultural statement rooted in identity, resilience and pride. Rather than focusing solely on spectacle, the global superstar used one of the world’s biggest stages to tell the story of his upbringing in Puerto Rico and his rise to becoming a Grammy-winning artist.
His performance resonated with millions, especially those who saw their own struggles and dreams reflected in his journey.
According to Forbes Magazine, the show carried deep symbolic meaning tied to Bad Bunny’s background and the experiences of Puerto Rican communities. The performance opened with dancers wearing traditional straw hats, representing the street vendors and laborers who have long worked in Puerto Rico’s cities and rural areas.
Another scene depicted workers in the fields, referencing 19th-century agricultural laborers in Puerto Rico’s sugarcane industry, a powerful reminder of the island’s history of hard work, exploitation and perseverance.
These moments were not simply artistic choices but intentional acknowledgment of people whose stories are often overlooked on global platforms. By centering on working-class imagery, Bad Bunny challenged the idea that success requires erasing one’s past. Instead, he demonstrated that cultural pride could coexist with global fame, and that personal roots can be a source of strength rather than something to leave behind.
Bad Bunny has been the source of controversy throughout the U.S. There was a concern that the halftime show would fully be in Spanish, leading to Turning Point USA, an American nonprofit organization that advocates for conservative values, to host their own halftime show during Bad Bunny’s performance. This show featured Kid Rock, an artist who has been known recently to heavily support the Trump Administration. The “All-American” halftime show got around 6.1 million views on YouTube where it was streamed, according to an article by the New York Times.
While the official viewership numbers are not yet released, the San Fransico Chronicle reported that the YouTube video of the Bad Bunny halftime show has already surpassed 35 million views.
The performance included special guests like Lady Gaga, who turned her hit song, “Die With A Smile” into a salsa dance with Bad Bunny. Cardi B, Pedro Pascal and Ricky Martin were all shown. There was even an actual wedding on display during the middle of the performance. The performance also reflected Bad Bunny’s own journey — from growing up in Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, to becoming one of the most influential artists in the world. His rise has been marked by genre-breaking music, Spanish-language dominance on English-speaking charts and a consistent refusal to conform to industry expectations. That authenticity has made him a symbol of possibility for fans who rarely see their language, culture or communities represented on such massive stages according to Biography.
More than a halftime show, Bad Bunny’s performance became a celebration of resilience and ambition. It reminded viewers that success is rarely linear, and that dreams often grow out of struggle. By honoring his past while embracing his present, Bad Bunny delivered a message that resonated far beyond football: where you come from does not limit how far you can go.
Bad Bunny ended his performance by saying, “God bless America,” and proceeded to list off nearly every country in the Americas while displaying their flags. He held up a football he had carried throughout the performance and showed it to camera: a powerful message reading, “Together We Are America.”
As he left the stage, the camera panned to a billboard over the stadium, which read, “The only thing more powerful than hate is love.”
Bad Bunny transformed the halftime stage into a tribute to Puerto Rico, its people and the power of perseverance — proving that representation, when done authentically, can be both meaningful and unforgettable.
AJ Pearman can be reached at [email protected].