Bad Bunny’s halftime show: A Journey Through Puerto Rico’s History
By Loureen Ayyoub
From its opening moments, Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl 60 halftime performance made clear it was aiming for more than spectacle. The show unfolded as a visual journey through Puerto Rico’s history, culture and identity, reaching an estimated 135 million viewers worldwide.
The performance opened in imagery drawn from sugar cane fields, a reference to the crop that once dominated Puerto Rico’s economy after the island became a U.S. territory. That historical backdrop gave way to scenes rooted in everyday life, including a real-life wedding that resonated with audiences across generations.
Puerto Rican creative director Luis Salgado said every element on stage was intentional.
“The little kid in the chairs — it’s all of us,” Salgado said. “This is me growing up being 7 years old, at a quinceañera, a boda, or a birthday party, and all the family members are gathering around the table, sharing as one.”
Celebrities with ties to countries across the Americas were scattered throughout the performance.
Among them were boxers Xander Zayas and Emiliano Vargas, whose presence Salgado said carried deeper symbolism. Puerto Rico and Mexico share a long-standing boxing rivalry, and Salgado said Bad Bunny used the moment to suggest connection rather than conflict.
“You get two boxers shadow boxing with each other, in the most simple way, saying no matter what tools you’re providing me with, I’m going to overcome your expectation of my truth,” Salgado said, “And him going under those arms like a bridge – he’s crossing a bridge into the future of what is possible.”
A cameo by Ricky Martin paid homage to Puerto Rico’s jibaro roots, with a white, plantain-inspired look symbolizing rural heritage and resilience.
One of the show’s most dramatic scenes featured dancers hanging from power poles, an allusion to the islandwide blackout caused by Hurricane Maria in 2017 – an issue that continues to affect Puerto Rico today.
As the performance neared its end, Bad Bunny marched forward with a light blue Puerto Rican flag behind him, a symbol associated with independence. The imagery also nodded to Pan-Americanism and the idea that “America” extends beyond the United States alone.
The show’s closing moment tied the message together. Holding a football, Bad Bunny punctuated the performance with a final metaphor.
“The touchdown, boom, is that together we are stronger, that by embracing each other, me embracing you, you embracing me, supporting each other, we make this nation better,” Salgado said. “And that is the real touchdown.”
