Bad Bunny entered the 2026 Super Bowl half time stage already carrying history on his shoulders. Just days earlier he had been crowned with the Grammy for Album of the Year for Debí Tirar Más Fotos, the first mostly Spanish album ever to earn that top honor, and he embraced that win unapologetically in every part of his Super Bowl LX performance. What followed was not just a show but a cultural reckoning, a moment that rewrote what the biggest sporting stage in the United States looks and feels like when a global artist with deep roots in Puerto Rican music and identity steps into its light.
From the moment he walked out onto the field at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California the crowd knew this was different. His set list flowed like a narrative through joy and introspection starting with Tití Me Preguntó and Yo Perreo Sola before weaving through tracks like NUEVAYoL and DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS, wrapped in a vibrant tapestry of reggaeton rhythm and Latin celebration. He chose to perform predominantly in Spanish, a first for a headlining half time act, and through that choice he seemed to invite the entire audience into a space that looked and sounded like his world.
His fashion on that field was as intentional as his music and his language. Rather than turning to the usual luxury houses that often dress Super Bowl performers Bad Bunny opted for a custom all-white ensemble by Zara, styled by longtime collaborators Storm Pablo and Marvin Douglas Linares. At first glance it read like a uniform a nod to athletic tradition but every detail carried personal weight.
The collared shirt and tie paired with a cream football-style jersey emblazoned with “OCASIO 64” bore his family name and the number chosen to honor his late uncle, a 49ers fan born in 1964 who had introduced him to the NFL as a kid. Under stadium lights this felt like a tribute sewn directly into the fabric of the show.
Midway through his performance Bad Bunny shifted the tone slightly, removing the jersey to reveal a tailored blazer that made the look feel more like a celebration than a game day outfit. The ensemble stayed within the same monochrome palette but hinted at versatility and a blending of worlds: street, sport, culture and couture.
On his feet he wore the adidas BadBo 1.0 sneakers in crisp white another symbol of his identity and collaboration with the global sportswear brand. Alongside these pieces Bad Bunny also chose a singular marquise-cut football-shaped diamond stud earring a subtle nod to the game whose halftime he now owned.
Every fashion choice seemed to hold meaning beyond mere aesthetics. The numbers and names on his jersey the rope belt that echoed the traditional jíbaro style dancers in his set wore the choice to remain rooted in elements that spoke to community and heritage rather than just glamour. By placing accessible fashion front and center Bad Bunny challenged the norms of high profile performance attire and made space for cultural specificity to take precedence over luxury branding.
Within the show the sense of communal celebration was palpable. His set spilled from field to metaphorical streetscapes with dancers in straw pava hats harvesting sugar cane, domino games played on the sidelines, and tableau after tableau that looked and felt like slices of life. When surprise guests appeared the moment felt less like shock value and more like family. Ricky Martin brought energy that rippled through the crowd and Lady Gaga delivered a stunning rendition of Die With a Smile in a custom blue pleated ruffle dress designed by Luar, a New York label led by Dominican designer Raul Lopez, accented with a brooch of the flor de maga the national flower of Puerto Rico. Her outfit was crafted to catch the light and honor the evening’s cultural messaging it moved like liquid color against the night sky.
Lady Gaga’s look was not just beautiful it was symbolic. The shade of blue echoed the Puerto Rican flag and the pleated ruffles felt like waves underscoring the connection between her presence and the theme of the performance. Her necklace and accessories sparkled in the stadium lights each piece chosen to elevate the narrative rather than distract from it. With Jessica Alba Pedro Pascal Cardi B Karol G and Young Miko also appearing onstage the fashion became a sort of chorus itself a way of reflecting individual identity within a shared moment.
Part of what made this half time show feel so significant was how Bad Bunny invited the audience to see themselves in it. When he paused his set to present the Grammy he had just won to a young Latino boy in the crowd it was not a gimmick but a gesture about legacy and possibility. On social feeds afterward that image became ubiquitous a reminder of why representation matters on stages this massive.
More than 128 million people tuned in to watch the performance making it one of the most watched half time shows in history and placing Bad Bunny’s artistry at the center of global conversation. Some critics pushed back against the show’s content and language choice but the overwhelming response was one of admiration for how unapologetically Puerto Rican and culturally rooted it was. Critics and fans alike noted that in a world where English has dominated global pop stages Bad Bunny chose his own voice and his own heritage first and that choice defined the night.
Perhaps the most compelling part of Bad Bunny’s performance was how it felt like an invitation rather than a declaration. Every song every fashion choice every guest seemed chosen to extend an invitation to belong rather than to impress. It was about joy and pain about language and legacy about football fields and Caribbean rhythms all woven into thirteen minutes.
