On Sept. 28, the NFL and Apple Music announced that Bad Bunny would be headlining the 2026 Apple Music Super Bowl halftime show on Feb. 8 in Santa Clara, California. He celebrated the milestone by saying “this is for my people, my culture, and our history.”
The Puerto Rican singer’s selection amid a career-defining run: he recently finished a historic Puerto Rican residency this month that drew more than half a million fans and is the leading nominee for the Latin Grammys in November. With over 79 million listeners on Spotify, his album “Un Verano Sin Ti” is the most streamed album of all time on the platform, and his total stream count across all platforms is almost 100 billion. No matter what public opinion might be, it is clear that Bad Bunny has earned his place on the NFL’s biggest stage — and he has the stats to back him up.
It is very clear from his statements that this opportunity is not only personally meaningful, but an opportunity to celebrate his Puerto Rican heritage. He stated, “It’s for those who came before me and ran countless yards so I could come in and score a touchdown…Ve y dile a tu abuela, que seremos el HALFTIME SHOW DEL SUPER BOWL.”
In a video posted by the NFL, the Latin artist is pictured sitting on a goalpost while one of his songs plays in the background. He is also sporting a Pava, a Puerto Rican straw hat, which is a nod to Puerto Rican mid-century farmers. From the statements to the visuals, Bad Bunny wants his culture to shine through everything he does-including this upcoming performance.
Politics Reacts
In light of this news, there has been a lot of conversation on the internet around this choice. While many are excited and looking forward to seeing something fresh and inspired, many are complaining that having a show where all the songs are in Spanish is not “American” or will be hard to understand.
A few days after the announcement, Corey Lewandowski — the president’s 2016 and 2024 campaign manager who now advises the Department of Homeland Security — warned that United States ICE Agents will be present at the game. This is particularly attention-grabbing because the rapper has previously decided not to perform in the United States while on tour due to concerns that immigration officers might target his audiences. Lewandowski continued on by saying, “It’s so shameful they’ve decided to pick somebody who seems to hate America so much to represent them at the Halftime Show.”
Bad Bunny seemingly fired back at this backlash in his SNL monologue on Sunday, October 4th, a week after the announcement. “You might not know this, but I’m doing the Super Bowl halftime show and I’m very happy,” Bad Bunny told viewers. “I think everyone is happy about it — even Fox News.” The cameras then cut to a satirical montage of Fox News clips edited to make it sound like hosts were saying “Bad Bunny is my favorite musician and he should be the next president.” He then continued to express his gratitude and excitement for the opportunity, specifically shouting out Latino immigrants specifically. He closed the monologue playfully joking: “And, if you didn’t understand what I just said, you have four months to learn!”
People are allowed to have their opinions and critiques of this choice and about Bad Bunny in general–just like whether or not you like his music. No matter what side of the conversation you’re on, it will definitely be interesting to see how Bad Bunny’s show meets expectations. Based on his popularity and eagerness to perform, it will be a night to remember! He is going to bring the energy and rhythm to the stage and hopefully prove the haters wrong — and maybe we’ll get a surprise guest performance!
What are your thoughts on this pick? Let us know by tagging us @VALLEYmag on X!
