Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio, also known as Bad Bunny, reminds us of this during his halftime performance at the 2026 Super Bowl, singing songs from his latest album “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS”, which is about his pride of being a Puerto Rican. Bad Bunny is the first Latino solo headliner at the halftime show, as well as delivering his entire performance in Spanish. His performance was much more than just putting on a show; he uses his sets, dancers and special guest appearances to build a visual story about culture and identity.
Throughout the show, the sets shifted and moved, each representing an important aspect of the message he is trying to convey. According to Harper’s Bazaar, he used the sugar cane field to represent the colonial exploitation of Puerto Rico, and he used everyday scenes like salons, vendors and stores to show that the Latino culture is all over the globe. The standout point of his performance was the conclusion, when the billboard shines with the message, “the only thing more powerful than hate is love,” and dancers run out, each holding a flag of a Latin country. This was a significant part of his show because it briefly touched on the immigration crisis and showed that each Latin country contributes to the culture and diversity of the United States. Even though this wasn’t stated out loud, it is shown in these artistic visual
Bad Bunny also had a huge number of dancers, who were Latino. Amongst these dancers, there were many interesting moments, for example, the couple that actually got married on stage. According to the New York Times, this couple are fans who had originally invited Bad Bunny to their planned wedding, but he offered them the opportunity to get married on stage at the Super Bowl as part of his performance. This wedding was significant because it mimicked his music video for his song “Baile Inolvidable,” where he danced at a reception. Besides the wedding, Bad Bunny had also cast a kid, Lincoln Fox Ramadan, to resemble a child-like version of himself and handed his Grammy he had just won to his younger self, representing the dream that he has been chasing since he was a child. Every dancer or actor played an impactful role in telling the story of unity and cultural pride.
Along with these dancers, there were also some celebrities who joined Bad Bunny in his performance, such as Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin. Gaga did a salsa rendition of “Die With a Smile.” Bad Bunny is a fan of Gaga and her stance with the drag and queer community, and this crossover shows the unity beyond culture and beyond identity. And that goes with the appearance of a Puerto Rican idol, Ricky Martin, singing “LO QUE LE PASÓ A HAWAii.” According to USA Today, he is considered to be making history as the first openly gay man to perform at the Super Bowl. Ricky Martin also expressed how proud he is of Bad Bunny for not letting go of who he is and where he comes from despite the industry asking him to.
Overall, Bad Bunny’s career and Super Bowl performance aren’t just about making a historic musical accomplishment; they are a cultural victory for society. His performance expressed the message and story about cultural pride with his set designs, dancers and guest singers all representing unity.
