Last week, Bad Bunny performed his much anticipated Superbowl halftime show- and it did not disappoint. From the symbolic moments to the sheer energy of his performance, it was a huge moment for the Latino community. Watching it live, I couldn’t help but feel the strongest surge of pure joy and pride for my Latino heritage and community.
While the overall consensus was pretty similar across social media, there was still a small but significant online faction upset that Bad Bunny refused to adopt a more aggressive, angry tone during his show. They feel like there was more political commentary that could’ve been made, especially given the current events concerning immigrant rights being stripped and violated. And although I agree that the atrocities that are happening across the country to innocent, hardworking immigrants are completely unacceptable, I have to disagree with that sentiment.
“¡Baila Sin Miedo – Ama Sin Miedo!” – Bad Bunny
To be completely candid, when I first heard that he was performing at this year’s halftime show, I was one of those people who was fully ready to watch Benito have his “the revolution will not be televised” moment. Like the majority of the Latino community right now, I have been feeling so helpless and angry at everything going on concerning immigration policies. It sometimes feels like you can’t escape the constant onslaught of negative news happening to people who look, act, and speak like you. But while watching Bad Bunny’s Halftime performance, it really clicked for me.
No matter how bleak the situation may seem, the Latino community will find JOY.
As I mentioned before, there were so many moments that struck so many chords. From the physical passing of the torch (his recently won Grammy) to a young Latino boy, to ending his show recognizing every Latin American country and insisting that we are still here, Bad Bunny was intentional in his messaging. However, the moment that stuck the most to me was the literal wedding that was officiated in the middle of his halftime show. Besides the fact that getting married during Bad Bunny’s halftime show is a crazy flex, it is such a powerful message in light of the efforts this current administration is trying to push.
While we may be scared and hurting as a community, we still love and dance fearlessly and with pride. Our struggle and circumstances remain the same, but we stay resilient and take the space and joy we refuse to abandon. So while it may not be what people expected, Bad Bunny’s Halftime show was something we all desperately needed at this moment.
Featured video via Private Instagram Story
The way he brought Latin music and heritage to one of the world’s biggest stages was huge, especially performing almost entirely in Spanish and celebrating his roots.