Bad Bunny turns SuperBowl show into celebration; features real wedding
What's the story
Bad Bunny headlined the Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show on Sunday night. The Puerto Rican rapper was joined by Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin for a medley of his songs. The performance was a celebration of Latin American culture, with a set that included a mock sugar-cane field and an actual wedding ceremony.
Unity theme
Bad Bunny ended show with this powerful message
A major theme of Bad Bunny's performance was unity. He ended the show by saying "God Bless America" and then naming every country in North, South, and Latin America. This was accompanied by a billboard that read: "The only thing more powerful than hate is love." The message seemed to be a response to the criticism he received before the performance.
Dance celebration
The political messages in Bad Bunny's performance
The show was filled with references to Puerto Rico and politics, including a cream Zara jersey with the number 64. This could be a reference to the first-reported death toll of Hurricane Maria. The highlight of the performance was when Gaga sang a salsa-inflected version of her hit song Die With a Smile while Bad Bunny handed his Grammy Award to a young boy on stage.
Tribute
How Bad Bunny opened the show
Bad Bunny opened the show with his hit Titi Me Pregunto, immediately setting the tone. He then moved on to Yo Perreo Sola, where several Latino stars including Karol G and Jessica Alba were seen dancing under the on-field roof. The performance was a powerful moment of unity as Bad Bunny, the biggest Latino star in the world, shared the stage with Gaga for a Latino reinterpretation of one of American pop's biggest songs.
Martin's cameo
Martin's poignant tribute to Hurricane Maria victims
Martin appeared on stage sitting on a plastic chair that emulated the Debi Tirar album cover. He sang alone with an empty chair next to him as dancers behind him enacted an electrocution after a blackout, referencing the 11 months it took for power to be restored on the island after Hurricane Maria in 2017. The empty chair may have represented the over 3,000 lives lost in the hurricane.
Political stance
Protestors were seen before the performance
Before the performance, a group of protestors carried "ICE OUT" towels and "Abolish ICE Now" posters near the stadium. Bad Bunny has been vocal about his stance against ICE in the past. Sunday's halftime show was historic as it was the first mostly Spanish-language performance at the Big Game. He had previously appeared as a guest during Shakira and Jennifer Lopez's headlining performance in 2020.