Levi’s Stadium erupted in cheers and screams as the Super Bowl Halftime show commenced. The Apple Music Halftime Show was performed by Bad Bunny, a Puerto Rican rapper, singer, record producer, and occasional professional wrestler.
Though there were controversies surrounding his participation because the whole performance would be in Spanish, he entered the field to roars of enthusiasm. Bad Bunny opened with a farm field scene, dancing with actors as they worked. He walked through many cultural references and fun activities as he passed by.
There were food vendors, people dancing together, playing games, and even boxers at one point. After that, he was dancing on top of a pink house that’s often associated with him. He has this replica of Puerto Rican architecture at lots of concerts and usually invites celebrity guests.
He then referenced another star, Lady Gaga, in a wedding scene. The bride and groom who appeared were real Bad Bunny fans who invited him to their wedding. Instead, he invited them to have their ceremony during his performance. After that, Lady Gaga sang her iconic “Die with a Smile” with a different musical arrangement. Lots of people at the wedding were celebrating and dancing together. Ricky Martin, a famous actor and singer, soon made an appearance singing “LO QUE LE PASÓ A HAWAII.”
At this point, the excitement was at its peak. As the finale started, more dancers came in with a lot of North, South, and Latin American flags. It ended with Bad Bunny listing North and South American countries he loves with all the dancers during their exit.
The cinematography was wonderful, with camera work that was unmatched in its coverage and beautiful scenes. The colors were vibrant, and they fully encapsulated the culture Bad Bunny wanted. Even viewers who do not understand Spanish could still appreciate the music and work that was put into the show. The choreography was fun, interesting, and super dynamic. The celebrity cameos definitely kept the audience entertained.
The settings were on point, and the themes were extremely immersive. Bad Bunny’s stunts, such as falling through the ceiling of a stage, were really impressive and daring. Along with that, the musical transitions were super smooth and well done. Though it was a good show, it wasn’t free of controversies.
This halftime show stands out against the rest as the songs were almost all in Spanish due to Bad Bunny’s demographic and heritage. This sparked conversations as some people argued that the halftime show wasn’t inclusive enough for not being in English.
An alternative unofficial “All-American Halftime Show” by Turning Point USA was streamed on YouTube. Some of the most notable parts of the show were how Bad Bunny mentioned all of the Americas, not just the United States, and sent a message through the concert saying, “The only thing more powerful than Hate is Love.”
He was definitely leaning towards representing his culture through the show, as that was its main theme. The show was an amazing representation of his people and is rumored to be partly a political stunt of defiance with his use of only Spanish, similar to Green Day’s opening, mentioning MAGA. All in all, it was definitely a superb performance and united people across the country.
