Bad Bunny Makes History at Super Bowl LX Halftime Show
Bad Bunny, also known as Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, headlined the Super Bowl LX halftime show, making him the first solo artist to perform entirely in Spanish at the event.
The performance, which took place at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara and featured the New England Patriots against the Seattle Seahawks, incorporated themes of Latin American pride and Puerto Rican culture. Prior to the event, the artist's selection, along with his previous statements on immigration and related legal and cultural issues, generated significant public discussion. An alternative halftime show, organized by Turning Point USA and featuring Kid Rock, also aired concurrently.
Preparations and Lead-up to the Halftime Show
The announcement of Bad Bunny as the Super Bowl LX halftime show headliner followed his win for Album of the Year at the 2026 Grammy Awards for "Debí Tirar Más Fotos," which was the first all-Spanish-language album to receive the top prize. The artist expressed intentions to perform solely in Spanish, aiming to center Latin identity.
Casting calls for field performers specified height requirements of 5'7" to 6'1", a slender to athletic build, and a background in marching arts for structured movements. These requirements were verified during rehearsals and prompted discussion among some fans.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell stated he did not anticipate political content in the performance, expressing an expectation for the artist to unite the audience. Goodell also defended Bad Bunny's selection against criticism, calling him "one of the greatest artists in the world."
An anonymous survey of NFL players indicated divided opinions, with approximately 58.6 percent approving the choice and 41.1 percent not.
Pre-Performance Controversies
Bad Bunny's selection drew criticism from some political figures. Former U.S. President Donald Trump described it as "a terrible choice" that "sows hatred." Commentary from some individuals regarding the artist's selection was noted.
The artist's past statements concerning the U.S. immigration enforcement agency, ICE, also became a point of discussion.
During his 2026 Grammy Awards acceptance speech, Bad Bunny stated, "ICE out," adding, "we are not savages, we’re not animals, we’re not aliens. We are humans and we are Americans." He also emphasized that "the only thing that is more powerful than hate is love."
Separately, Bad Bunny was reported to be facing a $16 million lawsuit from Tainaly Y. Serrano Rivera, who alleged unauthorized use of her recorded vocals in his songs “Solo de Mi” and “EoO” without a signed contract. In December, he received criticism for touching an ancient Maya stone slab at the Mexico City Museum, an action prohibited for artifact preservation.
Super Bowl LX Halftime Performance Details
The 13-minute halftime show, anticipated to begin shortly after 12:00 PM AEDT, was viewed by an estimated 135.4 million people, exceeding the 103 million viewers for the 2020 halftime show co-headlined by J.Lo and Shakira.
The performance incorporated cultural symbolism and messages. The opening song, "Tití Me Preguntó," featured Bad Bunny with laborers in sugarcane fields wearing pava straw hats, followed by a depiction of a neighborhood with cultural elements like a coconut and taco stand, piragua snow cones, boxing, and dominoes. A segment of the show occurred at "La Casita," a stage designed like a traditional Puerto Rican home.
Guest performers included Lady Gaga, who performed a salsa-influenced version of her song "Die With a Smile," and Ricky Martin, who sang "Lo Que le Pasó a Hawaii." Celebrities such as Cardi B, Jessica Alba, Karol G, Pedro Pascal, Alix Earle, Dave Grutman, Ronald Acuña Jr., and Young Miko were featured on stage.
A live wedding ceremony took place during Bad Bunny's performance of "Baile Inolvidable." The unnamed couple was married on stage, with Bad Bunny serving as a witness and signing their marriage certificate. The performance also included the couple cutting their wedding cake.
During the show, Bad Bunny handed a Grammy Award to a young boy on stage. Following the show, reports incorrectly speculated that the boy was Liam Conejo Ramos, a five-year-old who had recently been detained by federal immigration agents. Bad Bunny's publicist and the Conejo Ramos family confirmed the boy on stage was not Liam Conejo Ramos.
Near the conclusion of the performance, screens within Levi's Stadium displayed the message:
"The only thing more powerful than hate is love," as Bad Bunny performed a reprise of his song "DtMF."
He also stated "God bless America" and proceeded to name countries across North, Central, and South America. The show concluded with the Spanish phrase "seguimos aquí," meaning "we're still here."
Pregame Festivities and Accessibility
The Super Bowl LX pregame performances included Charlie Puth singing the National Anthem, Brandi Carlile performing "America the Beautiful," and Coco Jones singing "Lift Every Voice and Sing." Green Day also performed a set to mark the Super Bowl's 60th anniversary.
Signed performances were integrated into the event. Deaf performing artist Fred Beam signed the national anthem and "Lift Every Voice and Sing" in American Sign Language. Julian Ortiz signed "America the Beautiful." The halftime show featured a multilingual signing program, including Puerto Rican Sign Language, led by interpreter Celimar Rivera Cosme.
The Alternative Halftime Show
Turning Point USA organized an "All-American Halftime Show" as an alternative to the official Super Bowl performance. This pre-filmed online event, streamed concurrently with the Super Bowl halftime, featured country musicians Kid Rock, Brantley Gilbert, Gabby Barrett, and Lee Brice. The show was taped in a studio near Atlanta with an audience of approximately 200 people.
The alternative show commenced with a guitar solo of the "Star Spangled Banner." Brantley Gilbert performed "Real American" and "Dirt Road Anthem," while Kid Rock's segment included "Bawitdaba" and a cover of "'Til You Can't." The program, which also included a tribute to Turning Point founder Charlie Kirk, lasted approximately 30 minutes and extended into the third quarter of the Super Bowl.
Kid Rock's performance drew accusations of lip-syncing, particularly during "Bawitdaba," due to instances where his mouth movements did not align with the audio. Kid Rock addressed these claims, stating his performance was "pre recorded but performed live" and attributed the syncing problems to post-production challenges, denying lip-syncing.
The All-American Halftime Show initially drew approximately four million live viewers on YouTube, with reports of up to 6.1 million concurrent viewers, and accumulated over 21 million views on YouTube within two days. Bad Bunny's official halftime show averaged 128.2 million viewers on NBC during the broadcast.
Tom Morello, who displayed an "ICE Out" banner at the Super Bowl, commented on Kid Rock's performance and expressed support for Bad Bunny.
Global Tour Engagements Post-Super Bowl
Following the Super Bowl, Bad Bunny embarked on his "Debí Tirar Más Fotos" world tour, which included debut performances in Australia. He performed two sold-out shows in Sydney's ENGIE Stadium, drawing approximately 90,000 attendees and setting a new attendance record for a concert at the venue. Fans traveled from across Australia and internationally, with attendees displaying Puerto Rican straw hats and flags from various Latin American countries. The concerts, which lasted two-and-a-half hours, were primarily in Spanish and included politically charged songs like "El Apagón," referencing Puerto Rico's power outages, alongside party anthems.
Bad Bunny also hosted an intimate, invite-only "Billions Club" showcase in Japan at Tipstar Dome Chiba, featuring his most-streamed songs for an audience of fewer than 2,000 fans and VIPs. The 90-minute set included a salsa-infused rendition of "MIA" and messages of unity and self-acceptance. The European leg of his tour is scheduled to commence in May.
Artist Profile and Career Highlights
Bad Bunny, born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, has been recognized as one of the most prominent Spanish-language musicians globally. He was Spotify's most-streamed artist from 2020-2022 and again in 2025, also ranking second in 2023 and third in 2024. His breakout performance included a feature on Cardi B’s 2018 track "I Like It." He previously made a guest appearance during Shakira and Jennifer Lopez's 2020 Super Bowl halftime performance. Additionally, Bad Bunny has participated in professional wrestling events for WWE, including WrestleMania and the Royal Rumble.