Why Bad Bunny is the Perfect Choice for Superbowl Halftime.

When the news broke that Bad Bunny would be headlining the Super Bowl LX halftime show, my first thought was probably the same as yours: Why?

The NFL is an American sport, with a fan base that mostly speaks English. It was hard enough to get America to accept the first Hip Hop headlined performance in 2022, and now we’re asking Americans to accept a Spanish speaking performer?

But it didn’t take long for me to open my mind to this reality. 70-75% of NFL players are people of color. And with the NFL being an American sport, that means that the sport is loved by a diverse group of people because America is a diverse country despite the Trump administration trying to change that. 

So why do we expect the halftime show to be predominately rock and country artists all the time? Sure POCs listen to rock and country music. I’ve always wished Slipknot could perform for the halftime show, or have a 2000s punk rock reunion. 

But events like these are also about representation. We know that rock and country artists primarily represent the white audience, and while many white people enjoyed watching Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, and 50 Cent perform, the representation was primarily for the Black community.

We can argue that Jennifer Lopez and Shakira were representation for the Spanish community, but their hits are predominantly in English. And I doubt that the Spanish community at large considers J. Lo as representation.

 Bad Bunny is a global superstar whose vast majority of his chart-topping hits are in Spanish. He’s no Pitbull or Daddy Yankee who does songs in English with some snippets of Spanish. The Spanish community considers Bad Bunny as representation.

Think about it. While millions of us knew the words to Usher’s songs during his performance, the show wasn’t a giant sing-along. We talked about the roller skates, the surprise guests, and the sheer energy of it all. A Super Bowl halftime show is less like a concert and more like a Broadway production. The entertainment comes from the spectacle—the choreography, the stage design, and the special effects—not just the songs being performed.

For example: Rihanna is a great singer and performed hits that viewers sung along to because it’s been over six years since her last album during Super LVII. But, she was also pregnant, so her choreography wasn’t all that awestruck.

This is where Bad Bunny has the potential to create something special. If you’ve ever seen his music videos, you know they are more like short films. They are packed with powerful visuals and provocative stories. His video for “El Apagón,” for instance, is a documentary-style look at the issues facing Puerto Ricans. He knows how to send a message that everyone can understand, no matter what language they speak.

Given the current climate around immigration, it’s almost certain that Bad Bunny will use this massive stage to make a statement. Through imagery, dance, and stagecraft, he can communicate a powerful message about the immigrant experience that will connect with everyone watching.

Some past halftime shows that aimed for a political message didn’t quite hit the mark for everyone. But Bad Bunny has a unique opportunity to deliver a performance that is not only visually alluring but also deeply meaningful. He just might give America’s most-watched television event a powerful and long-overdue message, all without needing us to understand a single word.