As mentioned in an article from USA Today (usatoday.com), Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime performance has become the most-watched halftime show in history with 133.5 million viewers. The Bad Bunny halftime performance was not one like any other before with all of his songs being sung in Spanish. Viewers had mixed reviews on the performance as a whole. Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio–more commonly known as Bad Bunny–had a fun approach creating a party vibe that viewers could enjoy and feel through the screen. A week prior to the Super Bowl, Bad Bunny had won a Grammy for “Album of the Year” for his album “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS” (“I Should Have Taken More Photos”), which became the first Spanish album to take home the award. Bad Bunny put on an entertaining show whose energy still captivated those who did not understand the lyrics and caused many to not want to look away.
The set design for the performance was out of the ordinary and featured people dressed up as sugarcane. These extras put on green grass-covered costumes and stood completely still around the stage, becoming an unforgettable and comedic part of the show. The greenery was a tribute to Puerto Rican culture, standing still for exactly 13 minutes. Not only were these costumes enjoyable, but they made the show equally as memorable. The grass costumes have gained a mass amount of attention online, and they are currently being sold on eBay for around $5,000.
Every year the performer who headlines the Super Bowl brings out special guests, and fans speculate ahead of time on who they will be. This year, when Bad Bunny was announced as the halftime performer, many fans rumored Marc Anthony, Drake, Jennifer Lopez, Cardi B, or other popular Latin artists would be brought out. Bad Bunny shocked the stadium when he brought out Lady Gaga to sing a salsa variation of “Die with a Smile.” That was not enough for Bad Bunny, as he also brought out Puerto Rican icon Ricky Martin. Other celebrities were also seen in the dance ensemble such as Cardi B, KAROL G, Jessica Alba, Pedro Pascal, and Alix Earle. These performers kept my eyes glued to the TV and their appearances became a popular topic on social media following the performance.
Additional elements were put into the show that have never been done before, including an unexpected but real wedding for a young couple. They had previously invited Bad Bunny to their wedding, and in return, he invited them to be married at Levi’s Stadium during his halftime performance. The details shown were representative of Latin culture with a large, real wedding cake, everyone partying and dancing, and even children sleeping on chairs. There was also a barbershop stand, a coconut stand, and a nail tech all shown as a part of the show. These minor details made the whole performance authentic and provided viewers with insight into Latin traditions and symbolism.
Students at LHS had mixed feelings about this performance, some raving about it while others thought it was a skip. Senior Averi Taub expressed, “I thought the performance was a perfect representation of his culture. From the dancers to the stores on the street, including the nail salon and the barbershop, this performance [was not] similar to one before, and I am here for it.” Sophomore Caleigh Pacheco said, “I really enjoyed the performance, but I understand why others didn’t like it if they didn’t understand Spanish.”
Overall, the performance was an accurate representation of Latin culture that perhaps most Americans are not familiar with. The performance was extraordinary with many thought-out details that made the whole act. While watching, viewers felt invited to join the party with all the performers who were having fun and enjoying themselves on the stage.
