Cohesion, family, love: Bad Bunny delivered a feel-good show in California.Image: keystone
The Puerto Rican Bad Bunny, currently the most successful artist in the world, performed in the halftime show of this year’s Super Bowl. That was his performance.
02/09/2026, 04:3102/09/2026, 05:29
First of all: It became political – but different than most people would have expected.
Bad Bunny, currently the most successful musician in the world according to Songstreams, competed at the Super Bowl in San Francisco to make history. As the first purely Spanish-speaking artist ever, the Puerto Rican was given the honor of being the main act in the halftime show in California.
As a clear opponent of the current US government, quite a few expected critical messages on the world’s biggest stage. The bottom line: Bad Bunny actually had a message. But when he formulated this, he was almost exclusively concerned with a positive perspective – and above all, he provided an alternative to the usual rhetoric of the US government.
A Puerto Rican village – and a wedding
The artist, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, made it clear right at the beginning of his show with the backdrop what atmosphere he wanted to create during his performance: the atmosphere here should be conciliatory, harmonious, familiar. He had a Puerto Rican village recreated on the field at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.
While he performed his songs, Bad Bunny moved through the pseudo-alleys surrounded by greenery, in which clichéd scenes from Latin American village life were shown: chatting older men, musicians, dancing women. The backdrop framed the entire performance, during which, as is customary, he reeled off a medley of his greatest hits.
A man’s marriage proposal to his beloved was also shown – the ring was previously presented personally by Bad Bunny. What no one initially suspected: The couple who exchanged vows here actually got married during the Super Bowl halftime show.
The story, according to NBC News: The bride and groom are big Bad Bunny fans, which is why they invited the artist to their wedding. But he turned the tables – and quickly offered the two of them to tie the knot at his Super Bowl halftime show. A spokesperson for the musician later confirmed the story. She fit perfectly into the harmonious, family setting of the show.
When more than 100 million people watch your wedding: A couple got married during Bad Bunny’s halftime show.Image: x
Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin
In the future, the couple can not only brag about getting married at the Super Bowl, but also about the fact that Bad Bunny and Lady Gaga danced together at their own wedding. Because the 39-year-old was called up by Bad Bunny as reinforcement for the show. In the light blue dress, Gaga performed a kind of salsa version of her hit “Die With a Smile”. Fittingly, Bad Bunny asked her to dance afterwards.
A short salsa interlude: Bad Bunny and Lady Gaga.Image: keystone
Ricky Martin appeared as the second star guest performer. The 55-year-old is essentially Bad Bunny’s predecessor as Puerto Rico’s most famous music export. Together, the two artists performed the song “Lo Que Le Pasó a Hawaii’”. Other short cameo appearances included stars such as Cardi B, Karol G, Jessica Alba and Pedro Pascal. Latino boxers Emiliano Vargas and Xander Zayas also appeared in a short sequence.
Ricky Martin performs in front of banana trees.Image: keystone
A mini gesture against ICE
Bad Bunny held back with open criticism and political messages. A subtle gesture, but one that can be understood as a reference to current political events, was the scene in which Bad Bunny handed one of the golden gramophones to a little boy who was watching the Grammy Awards with his family on television.
The boy saw 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos, whose imprisonment together with his father in the USA by the deportation authority ICE caused great outrageamazingly similar. Last week’s Grammys were also very political, with various stars and presenter Trevor Noah clearly criticizing the Trump administration’s policies. Bad Bunny, who was honored there for best album, also protested against ICE during his acceptance speech.
Sweet scene: Bad Bunny gives a little boy a golden gramophone.Image: x
Bad Bunny’s message
At the end of his performance, Bad Bunny marched across the field in front of a large crowd and you followed by a procession of flag bearers. He shouted all the names of the countries of North, Central and South America as well as the Caribbean into the microphone – and with a large banner in the background dropped the final message of his performance:
“The only thing more powerful than hate is love”
“The only thing more powerful than hate is love.”
POWERFUL
BAD BUNNY ENDS THE SUPER BOWL HALFTIME SHOW WITH A MESSAGE TO UNITE THE COUNTRY.
“THE ONLY THING MORE POWERFUL THAN HATE IS LOVE”
— MLFootball (@MLFootball) February 9, 2026
Bad Bunny’s music may be a matter of taste, but no one can deny one thing: the 32-year-old delivered a feel-good show in San Francisco that was brimming with harmony and unity. In times of Trump America, it is perhaps the most symbolic sign that the artist could ever make – the description of the US President’s reaction is therefore omitted here.
Bad Bunny’s message to America.Image: keystone