Bad Bunny Makes History at the Super Bowl With Puerto Rican Pride, Ricky Martin, Lady Gaga

Bad Bunny made history as the first Latin artist to deliver a Super Bowl halftime performance primarily in Spanish — and he went all out. The superstar staged an upbeat blowout for the books, complete with dancers, tons of Puerto Rican pride, and even a Lady Gaga guest appearance.

Bad Bunny kicked off the performance with “Tití Me Preguntó” as he walked through a set that nodded to Puerto Rican traditions, from pava hats to men playing dominos. He then transitioned into “Yo Perreo Sola” with an army of dancers. 

He blazed through gigantic reggaeton smashes like “Safaera,” “Party,” “Voy a Llevarte a PR,” and “EoO.” This was the most high-octane part of his set, and it saw him dancing atop La Casita, the pink traditional Puerto Rican house that has become a staple during his shows and features special guests. For the Super Bowl, La Casita was filled with stars including Jessica Alba, Karol G, and Pedro Pascal.

But the biggest surprise came when Lady Gaga came out to perform a salsa version of “Die With a Smile.” Behind her, Bad Bunny’s backing band Los Pleneros de la Cresta played the updated arrangement. Eventually, they moved into his salsa hit “Baile Inolvidable.”

Bad Bunny then played “Nuevayol” before sliding into “Lo Que Paso a Hawaii,” which featured Ricky Martin. Quickly after, Benito showed off his Puerto Rican pride with the anthems “El Apagón” and “Café con Ron.” For the grand finale, he ended with “DtMf” and a giant blaze of fireworks. In between, he shouted out “God bless America!” and named every country in Latin America.

It’s not Bad Bunny’s first time on the Super Bowl stage. He popped out to sing his Cardi B hit “I Like It” when Jennifer Lopez and Shakira headlined in 2020. Still, his halftime show has been among the most anticipated ever: It was as controversial as it was historic, igniting a fervor in MAGA circles. Right-wingers took issue with the NFL’s headliner choice, with many blasting it as “un-American,” despite the fact that Bad Bunny is from Puerto Rico and therefore a U.S. citizen. The organization Turning Point USA even went so far as staging an “alternative halftime,” which featured Kid Rock. Preisdent Trump said he didn’t know who Bad Bunny was and that the choice was “ridiculous.”

Bad Bunny, though, kept pretty quiet amid the backlash. During a press conference a few days ago, he explained that his main priority was highlighting Puerto Rican culture. “I want to bring to the stage, of course, a lot of my culture, but I don’t want to give any spoilers,” he said. He continued to play up the celebratory aspect of the performance: “It’s gonna be fun and it’s going to be a party… People only have to worry about dance … I think there’s no better dance than the one that come from the heart.”

Bad Bunny Super Bowl Setlist:

“Tití Me Preguntó”
“Yo Perreo Sola”
“Safaera”
“Party”
“Voy a Llevarte Pa’ PR”
“EoO”
“Monaco”
“Die with a Smile” with Lady Gaga (Salsa Version)
“BAILE INoLVIDABLE”
“NUEVAYoL”
“LO QUE LE PASÓ A HAWAii” with Ricky Martin
“El Apagón”
“CAFé CON RON”
“DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS” 

From Rolling Stone US.