Grammy award-winning Puerto Rican singer Bad Bunny is set to perform at the Super Bowl half-time show on Sunday in Santa Clara, California. The 31-year-old's appointment has already drawn criticism, including from US President Trump, following Bad Bunny's outspoken opposition to US immigration policies and his recent historic win at the 2026 Grammys for an all-Spanish album.
Bad Bunny has been vocal in his criticism of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers. During his Grammy acceptance speech, he called for ICE officers to leave cities alone and opt for love. His stance has intensified following Trump's mass deportation initiative, which deployed about 2,000 federal agents to Minnesota and Minneapolis. Two individuals, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, were fatally shot by ICE agents in January.
The singer made history at the 2026 Grammys when his sixth studio album "Debi Tirar Mas Fotos" became the first entirely Spanish-language record to win Album of the Year. He also secured best global music performance for "EoO" and won the best musica urbana album award for the fourth consecutive year.
What to expect from the performance
In an interview with Apple Music's Zane Lowe and Ebro Darden, Bad Bunny outlined his vision for the show: «I just want people to have fun. It's gonna be a huge party. I want to bring that to the stage, a lot of my culture. People only have to worry about dancing. I know I told people they had a month to learn Spanish, but they don't even need to do that! It's better that they learn to dance. There's no better dance than the one that comes from the heart.»
Political statements at the Super Bowl
The Super Bowl half-time show has previously sparked controversy through political statements. In 2016, Beyonce referenced The Black Panther Party during her performance. Jennifer Lopez and Shakira's 2020 show featured children in cages, allegedly condemning then-President Trump's immigration policies.
Bad Bunny's Puerto Rico focus
The rapper and producer recently held a 30-day residency in Puerto Rico to boost the island's economy. He refused to perform on the US mainland to encourage tourism and protect fans from potential encounters with US immigration officers. His 17-track album "Debi Tirar Mas Fotos" is described as a love letter to the island. He will embark on a world tour following the Super Bowl, with stops in Argentina, Brazil, Australia, Japan, and the UK, including two nights in London this summer.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
