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Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty ImagesFebruary 9, 2026Music / ListsMusic / Lists‘Together We Are America’: Unpacking Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl performance

The Puerto Rican superstar’s unequivocal celebration of immigrant culture provided a much-needed message of unity

ShareLink copied ✔️February 9, 2026February 9, 2026TextSolomon Pace-McCarrickTextIsobel Van Dyke

It’s no secret that the decision to book Puerto Rican reggaetón superstar Bad Bunny for the Super Bowl halftime show last night (February 8) was controversial. Critics complained that the performance – on what is arguably the biggest stage in American entertainment – shouldn’t take place in Spanish, while Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio’s outspoken criticism of ICE raids and vocal support for Puerto Rican independence have further alienated conservative audiences. Still, it’s precisely this unapologetic celebration of Latinx culture, both in his music and beyond, that has helped propel Bad Bunny to the very top of global pop.

But, while many viewers tuned in expecting Benito to make statements equivalent to his overtly political “ICE Out” speech at the Grammys last weekend, his Super Bowl Halftime show provided something more unifying. Bad Bunny did not wade back into these debates; instead, through cameos from stars across North, South and Central America, subtle details celebrating the beauty of immigrant culture, and even a guest appearance from Lady Gaga singing in English, Bad Bunny presented an alternative view of America in which the entire continent – from Canada through to Argentina – can be uplifted by working together.

Rather than giving Trump’s America anything to sink their teeth into, Bad Bunny’s performance was uncontentious in the most potent way possible. So, it is in the context of all of this that Donald Trump’s declaration that the show was “the worst Super Bowl performance ever” can be worn with a badge of honour – calling it “bad” was just about the best that he could come up with. Below, we break down some of the most joyous moments from Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show last night.

SPOT THE CAMEO Pin It

Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images

It wouldn’t be a Super Bowl halftime show without a cameo or two (or ten). It was widely speculated that Cardi B might make a surprise appearance during the performance. Although they didn't sing “I Like It” together (nor did the track feature on the setlist), Cardi did make an appearance dancing at La Casita, along with a whole host of familiar faces. Pedro Pascal, Jessica Alba and Young Miko all partied under the terrace, while boxers Xander Zayas and Emiliano Vargas trained together. In an unexpected twist, the most surprising cameo of the evening came from Lady Gaga, who appeared in a Luar gown – adorned with a flor de maga, the official flower of Puerto Rico – to sing a salsa rendition of 2024’s “Die With A Smile”. Later, fellow Puerto Rican Ricky Martin appeared to perform “LO QUE LE PASÓ A HAWAii”. (IVD)

A MINI PUERTO RICO

Featuring two white Monobloc chairs placed in front of banana trees, DtMF’s album cover was conceived to be universally resonant with Latinx people in North and South America alike, and these inside details were taken to the extreme in last night’s performance. The Californian stadium was transformed into a microcosm of Puerto Rico itself: roadside stalls selling fresh coconut water and piraguas (Puerto Rican shaved ice), sugar plantations complete with traditional jibaro workers wearing pava straw hats, and even a recreation of the iconic DtMF album cover during Ricky Martin’s performance.

Perhaps the most celebrated detail of all, however, was when Bad Bunny woke up a child sleeping on chairs during the wedding scene – as one commenter wrote, there’s “nothing more Latino than sleeping on some chairs while music is on full volume, everyone is dancing around [you], and you still managed to sleep like an angel”. (SPM)

AND THE GRAMMY GOES TO…

Just seven days since Bad Bunny picked up the 2026 Grammy award for Album of the Year, during his Super Bowl performance, we saw Benito hand his award to a young boy, watching the Grammys from home. Some viewers quickly jumped to the conclusion that this was Bad Bunny reuniting with his younger self, while others wrongly assumed that the boy was five-year-old Liam Ramos, who ICE recently detained. In fact, the young boy was Argentinian-Egyptian actor Lincoln Fox, who was supposedly dressed in an outfit similar to one that Bad Bunny himself wore as a child. (IVD)

YES, THAT WAS A REAL WEDDING Pin It

Getty Images

Some people want to get married in a chapel, others go to Vegas, and some head to the beach. More unique is choosing to get married in front of 100 million people, on the world’s biggest stage. The couple reportedly invited Bad Bunny to their wedding, but instead, he convinced them to become part of his Super Bowl celebration. An officiant declared them husband and wife, and after a quick smooch, they parted to reveal Lady Gaga. The scene turned into the wedding reception, while the couple cut their cake and danced to “Die With A Smile” and “BAILE INoLVIDABLE” (Unforgettable Dance). (IVD)

THE BLACKOUT (“EL APAGÓN”)

Puerto Rico’s island-wide blackouts – often the result of yearly hurricanes colliding with decaying national infrastructure – are a profoundly relatable experience for all Boricuas, including recently striking during New Year’s Eve celebrations in 2024. These frequent power cuts formed the inspiration for Bad Bunny’s 2022 track “El Apágon” (“The Blackout”) – which reaffirms national pride in the face of hardship – and were brought to life during last night’s show. As Ricky Martin finished his guest appearance, the lights in the arena began to flicker on and off, and the camera panned to electricity workers being thrown off power lines by a small explosion. Meanwhile, Bad Bunny began to scale a pylon singing “Puerto Rico is fucking great”.

It’s worth noting that Puerto Rico’s blackouts are also increasingly politicised. While much of the island’s electricity infrastructure was built by the US in the first half of the 20th century, their subsequent neglect represents wider feelings of marginalisation on the island and are frequently referenced by campaigners pushing for independence from the US. (SPM)

NUEVAYOL!

It’s no secret that Puerto Rico’s complicated relationship with the United States forms a key part of Bad Bunny’s music, but this reached a peak during his performance of “NUEVAYoL” last night. Taking its name from the pronunciation of ‘New York’ in a Puerto Rican accent, the track celebrates the contributions that Latin American immigrants have made to the city, name-dropping salsa artist Willie Colón, rapper Big Pun and Dominican baseball star Juan Soto. But he also acknowledges that this relationship isn’t straightforward: while lyrics describe partying on US Independence Day with his cousin, they also paint New York as a “cold” city and reference a yearning for the familiarity of Puerto Rico.

These sentiments are particularly significant given the brutal ICE raids taking place within the US at the moment. With the Super Bowl notoriously attracting viewers from across the States’ political spectrum, “NUEVAYoL” provides a more humanising picture of immigrants within the country than is often presented by Donald Trump: casting them not as criminals, but simply as people who have made the difficult decision to leave their homeland in search of a better life. (SPM)

TOUCHDOWN! Pin It

Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Roc Nation

With “El Apagón” still echoing around the stadium, dancers filled the space, each carrying a different flag of the Americas. “God Bless America,” said Benito, before listing every South and Central American country, the United States, Canada and finally, Puerto Rico. Behind him, a huge sign read the words “the only thing more powerful than hate is love”, quoting his own Grammy’s speech from last weekend. As he chanted the names of each country, the entire cast of dancers, musicians and actors gathered around him, before an eruption of fireworks lit up the sky (notably, only in red, white and blue). Finally, we got a good glimpse of the American football prop that Bad Bunny began his set with: turning it around to reveal the words “together we are America”. Then, just when you thought it couldn’t get any more joyful, the familiar rhythm of the album’s title track “DtMF” arrived. The final lyrics that we heard through the speakers were “Ojalá que los míos nunca se muden”, which translates to “I wish my people would never move,” leaving us with that final sentiment and cutting the track earlier than it typically ends. (IVD)

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