One week after making history by winning Album of the Year at the Grammys for “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS,” Bad Bunny performed at Super Bowl 60 on Feb. 8, 2026, reiterating Kendrick Lamar’s message from last year by giving a performance that went “bigger than the music.” Surpassing 135 million views, his show is now the most watched Super Bowl Halftime performance of all time.
His performance turned the football field into a celebration of Puerto Rican culture, while reminding the world the power of love and emphasizing unity. Although his message was clear, the performance was layered with symbolism –– let’s break it down.
The show began in a sugar cane field and spotlighted its workers, known as jíbaros, wearing traditional vestments and the “pava” hat – an authentic symbol of Puerto Rican identity and resistance. This imagery honored the labor that shaped the island’s history and heavily influenced surrounding sugar empires.
Bad Bunny appeared in the middle of this field in a customized jersey featuring his last name “Ocasio,” paying tribute to his lineage.
As he passed through the field carrying a football, he bumped into multiple aspects of Puerto Rican culture –– a coco frío cart, “abuelos” playing dominos, a beauty kiosk, a piraguas cart selling the shaved-ice treat and a taco cart. He also interrupted a boxing match between Puerto Rican boxer Xander Zayas and Mexican boxer Emiliano Vargas.
He additionally featured real businesses on set. The taco stand shown is Villa’s Tacos — a small business housed in Los Angeles. Toñitas Puerto Rican social club, which is the last existing Puerto Rican social club in Brooklyn, was also recreated in his set. He even brought the club’s owner, Maria Antonia Cay, on to serve him a shot during the performance.
The focus then switched to his “La Casita” stage from his current tour — a house meant to resemble a typical home on the island.
The house featured Hispanic celebrities like Cardi B, Young Miko, Karol G and Pedro Pascal dancing to mirror a Puerto Rican house party. The incorporation of these stars highlighted the many Latinos who contribute to American culture alongside Bad Bunny.
Following his performance on “La Casita,” he teased “Gasolina,” “Pa’ Que Retozen,” and “Dale Don Dale” as a tribute to reggaeton icons Daddy Yankee, Tego Calderón and Don Omar.
During the intro of “MONACO,” he delivered a Spanish monologue explaining how he only got to where he is because he never stopped believing in himself – a journey that took him from bagging groceries a decade ago to the Super Bowl stage. He ended by urging people to also believe in themselves and their own value.
The only lyrics he sings of “MONACO” is “Esto es lo que tú querias” which led viewers into the surprise appearance of Lady Gaga singing a salsa version of “Die With a Smile.”
These lyrics translate to “This is what you wanted” — a reference to critics of this all-Spanish performance. Bad Bunny countered by bringing out a legendary English-speaking artist and combined cultures by having her sing the song she shares with Bruno Mars — an artist of Puerto Rican descent.
His theme of love was introduced here with a real Puerto Rican wedding taking place. The wedding conveyed a true island gathering with native instruments, kids running around, everyone dancing and a kid asleep across three chairs — an action many Puerto Ricans remember partaking in during their childhood.
After “NUEVAYoL,” Bad Bunny showed a Puerto Rican family resembling his own watching his Grammy Speech, then handed his award to an actor playing young Benito, telling him, “Cree siempre en ti” which translates to “Believe in yourself always” urging him –– and other Boricua kids –– to believe in their dreams.
He then brought the set of his album cover for “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS” to life with a performance by trailblazer Ricky Martin. Martin sat in one of the plastic chairs featured on the cover — an iconic item that represents the island’s social life.
Martin intentionally performed Bad Bunny’s “LO QUE LE PASÓ A HAWAII” — an emotional ballad describing the fears many Puerto Rican’s share of the island’s potential of becoming a U.S. state and being gentrified like Hawaii was.
The political messaging continued when he got on electrical posts with power lines to sing “El Apagón.” The set production recreated the blackouts the island frequently experiences due to failing power grids. The song itself describes the lasting damage Hurricane Maria caused to the island’s infrastructure and confronts the governments’ lack of action.
Bad Bunny waved a Puerto Rican flag with a light blue triangle instead of the traditional dark blue, referencing the independence movement and alluding to his song “LA MuDANZA,” which credits the 1948 Gag Law that criminalized displaying the flag on the island.
While getting off the posts, he began to sing “CAFé CON RON” as flags from every country in the Americas were rushed onto the field. Here, he yelled his only English words during the show: “God bless America.” He followed by listing almost every country in America. The football from the beginning reappeared in his hands to reveal a message reading “Together, we are America.”
It seems that Bad Bunny’s statement here is that America goes beyond the borders of the U.S. and is more than just one flag. He establishes that America is defined by the collection of cultures within the countries he listed and the flags displayed.
He proceeded to throw the football down and said “Seguimos aquí,” which translates to “We’re still here” — a finale in which he reiterates that after everything, Puerto Ricans and Latinos still exist across the continent.
As he exited the field, the infamous words from his Grammy speech “The only thing more powerful than hate is love” appeared on the screen behind him.
In just 13 minutes, Bad Bunny globally celebrated his culture, highlighted the island’s history, emphasized love and delivered messages about what it means to be a true “American.”
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.newsrecord.org ’
