During the halftime of the “Big Game,” Puerto Rican artist Bad Bunny put on a show for over 100 million viewers. While the first half of the football game was uneventful, Bad Bunny’s halftime show energized the crowd with his upbeat music and animated dancing. Bad Bunny grew up in Almirante Sur Barrio of Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, taking inspiration from other artists like Daddy Yankee. Bad Bunny has striven throughout his career to be an unapologetic celebration of Puerto Rican culture, and the halftime show was no different.
The performance was historic on many different levels, including the fact that the concert was performed for the majority of the time in Spanish, which was a first for a halftime show. Bad Bunny emphasized love and acceptance throughout his performance, bringing out many of the North and Southern American countries’ flags while the jumbotron said, “The only thing more powerful than hate is love.” This message comes at a very timely moment as America faces a deep divide. This performance was bigger than the Super Bowl, and he realized it as the concert significantly expanded Americans’ knowledge of Latin American artists, and allowed for more representation of Spanish-speaking artists in mainstream opportunities.
Bad Bunny drew deeply on his Puerto Rican roots, with many nods, such as the many Puerto Rican flags sprinkled throughout the event. While I can not understand Spanish, I still enjoyed the concert as I was able to connect with the upbeat melodies of many of Bunny’s songs. For example, the first song on his set list, “Tití Me Preguntó,” has a great rhythm to it with multiple sound effects that everyone could appreciate, regardless of comprehension. My favorite song was the final song performed, “DtMF,” because the combination of the drums and the chorus has been stuck in my head since he walked out to it.
The stage was surrounded by what appeared to be some kind of tall grass, but it was revealed to be over 380 back-up dancers that allowed for the set to feel like it was moving. The props and dancing successfully conveyed Puerto Rican culture as the camera panned through many different settings, including a wedding reception. While I loved the energy, positivity and creativity Bad Bunny brought to the show, I feel like it was missing a plot, so viewers who couldn’t understand the language had something to follow, helping people stay engaged during the intermission, with that I’ll give Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show a three out of five stars.
Bad Bunny half-time show: ★★★☆☆
