Bad Bunny's Super Bowl

Super Bowl Sunday, a major unofficial American holiday, blending high-stakes football with massive social gatherings, happened February 8, with a twist. Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio gave a presentation to remember. Bad Bunny will go down in history as one of the most influential people of the 21st century. It may not be the first time a Hispanic artist has sung in the Super Bowl, but Bad Bunny was the first singer with only a Spanish repertoire to present himself there. Because of this, non-Spanish-speaking people tried to learn some of his lyrics – I was one of the translators for some of those people here at Stevenson. Achieving greater recognition for the Spanish language made his performance even more unique and significant.

Watched by upward of 100 million people every year, the Super Bowl was the perfect outlet for a social movement to emerge. Since Bad Bunny was announced as the 2026 performing artist, a division arose. Critics derided Benito as “not an American artist,” professing confusion as to why he was presenting in the first place. This criticism ignores the fact that over 13 artists have presented of other nationalities and, additionally, the fact that Bad Bunny is “American” or in possession of U.S citizenship. President Trump contributed to this line of criticism by saying “All it does is sow hatred." However, the criticism was not enough to stop Bad Bunny from performing, and in his performance he responded directly to Trump. Bad Bunny echoed Trump’s words, sparking the following message in the Jumbotron: “The only thing stronger than hate is love.” In response to critics who believe in a narrow definition of what it means to be American, Benito chose to send a message of unifying all of the American continent.

The Super Bowl, being the huge event that it is, signifies even more for Bad Bunny's career. Being chosen to sing in the Super Bowl is an achievement, but it also allows him to be considered more of a serious artist; separating his music and who he is as a celebrity, for instance his participation in SNL. The Super Bowl was a milestone that will keep him relevant forever. It’s no secret that the life span of a celebrity is not that long unless they do something to make a name for themselves, and one could argue that the Super Bowl and his new album accomplished this goal for Benito. A strategy that worked very well as he was available to expand his fan base all over the world. Even in his performance he brought the iconography of Puerto Rican culture celebrating the island and history along the way. 

Super Bowl 2026 - Photo credit: Vogue Magazine

His career started when he was only a college student recording music and uploading it on SoundCloud. His talent was soon picked up by different producers but he chose manager Noah Assad. The pair devised a strategic plan. Instead of trying to sign him to a major record label, they planned to gain the attention of the public by releasing singles and videos on Youtube. From that moment on, his career only grew, as singles with world renowned artists such as Cardi B and J Balvin achieved major awards. With their song “I liked it,” a combination of Latin and pop music, he was nominated for his first Grammy and the song became No.1 Billboard that July. 

Benito became one of the most known artists in Latin America as his songs appealed to the reggaeton style. Although it was not until 2022 with his album “Un Verano Sin Ti” where he first showed a new style, mixing various Latin sounds with one another and collaborating with renowned artists such as Bomba Estéreo. This strategy gathered the attention of people worldwide as his music became more inviting to different cultures and age gaps. In 2025, Benito released “DeBÍ TiRAR Más FOToS” or DTMF where his innovations of classical music and dancing styles made the world enjoy what Latinoamerica had to offer. His songs and messages in between became a rousing success for his career, and this success earned him the Grammy Award for Album of the Year and the opportunity to perform some of his hit songs in his performance at the Super Bowl. 

DTMF is an album where Bad Bunny goes back to his roots. He explores his childhood and early adolescence in Puerto Rico allowing listeners to go with him and take a personal journey back to remember those they forgot. His performance at the Super Bowl was incredible not only because of the beautiful scenery around the stage but also because of all the easter eggs you could find while watching. Bad Bunny starts his performance walking alongside a sugar cane plantation, the biggest resource in Puerto Rico since Spanish colonization. While he sings his most famous songs the audience is presented to different street vendors that one might find on the island of Puerto Rico and a group of elderly people playing “Domino,” a Caribbean pastime famous for its loudness and aggression. From then on Benito sings his most famous songs with celebrities appearing dancing in his famous “casita” or singing alongside him. 

Super Bowl 2026 - Photo Credit: The New York Times

Although some critics did not love Lady Gaga's intervention, it was still valuable as it transported us into an actual wedding taking place on stage. The wedding was especially authentic because of Bad Bunny's integration of the kid sleeping between the two chairs. Benito’s work had been centered in sharing details of his culture to the world, and this moment with the chairs was representative of this aspect of his work. 

Those who do not agree with Bad Bunny's popularity have to understand there is something behind all of his fame. As a Latin American artist he has transcended the part of his career when he was known only as a singer, and has finally been recognized as a significant figure. Besides his new fame, Benito's appreciation of his roots is a reminder of acceptance and pride. Some critics say that his performance was neither understandable nor enjoyable, yet they do not seem to see the importance of Benito's contributions. I mean, the fact that Bad Bunny has inspired people to learn a language that was seen as inferior decades ago is proof enough.