Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Stage: A Rhythm Too Big to Translate
Under the bright lights of America’s biggest night, Bad Bunny’s bringing Puerto Rican pride, language and culture to the center of the world’s spotlight.
by London Goodman ★ NOVEMBER 17th, 2025
Design by: Zach Leone
Underneath the blinding lights of one of the biggest nights in American sports, a different kind of anthem will be played. It won’t be the roar of guitars or the crashing of fireworks, but the pulse of reggaetón; the sound of home for millions who never saw their rhythms reflected on such a stage. When Bad Bunny steps onto the Super Bowl LX halftime stage, he won’t just be performing. He’ll be transforming what the world expects to hear when America turns its speakers all the way up.
Benito Antonio Martínes Ocasio, known to the world as Bad Bunny, has never asked for permission to be himself. He sings in Spanish proudly and deliberately, even when the industry told him it would limit his reach. And yet, here he is, officially announced as the headliner of the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show. He said it himself: “This is for my people, my culture, and our history.” That is not just success, but a beautiful representation set to a bassline.
Bunny’s rise to fame has exemplified a story of powerful refusal: the refusal to translate, to tone down, to simplify. In an industry where the crossover to success had often meant assimilation, he stimulated a global sensation rooted in authenticity. He’s filled stadiums without compromising his language, topped charts without chasing trends and broken records while still staying grounded in Puerto Rican culture. His lyrics are unapologetically local, each one woven with terms of community, politics and joy that speaks to those who know exactly what he means. For many, the magic in his sound alone makes you feel what he means, even if you don’t catch every word.
That emotional universality is exactly what makes his upcoming halftime performance feel so monumental. The Super Bowl halftime show has long been an American pop culture stage, where some performers have often tailored themselves to fit a mold. Bunny has made a career of doing the opposite. From painting his nails and wearing skirts to openly supporting LGBTQ+ rights and denouncing colonial power structures, his art has always been a mirror reflecting the real and unfiltered. Due to this, his headliner announcement was met with initial backlash, as many NFL fans didn’t think Bunny’s discography aligned with the American tradition. He didn’t back down though.
As savvy as this moment is, he’s also playing with pop culture momentum. When Bunny hosted Saturday Night Live’s season 51 premiere on Oct. 4, 2025 he didn’t shy away from confronting the conservative backlash. He delivered a monologue in Spanish saying, “If you didn't understand what I just said, you have four months to learn.” That line turned viral almost instantly– a wink, a challenge, a cultural declaration all wrapped up in a comic beat. For the Latino culture, seeing Bunny headline the Super Bowl feels like hearing your heartbeat broadcasted through the loudest speakers. It is an exemplification of pride wrapped in rhythm.
It is easy to see Bunny’s music as pure spectacle as he’s charismatic, unpredictable and wildly inventive, but at its heart his artistry has always been deeply intentional. His visuals mix urban with surrealism, while his lyrics swing between political critique and emotional confession. He is an artist that treats fame as a megaphone for something bigger than himself.
So, when the lights go down and the first notes of Bad Bunny’s songs echo through the stadium, it won’t just be another halftime show. It will be a pulse, a rhythm that stretches from the stage in San Juan to Los Angeles and every living room in between.
Edited by: Ava Robbins