By Angelica Medina
SANTA CLARA, California, Feb 8 (Reuters) – Bad Bunny transformed Levi’s Stadium into a vibrant homage to Puerto Rico during Sunday’s Super Bowl halftime show, delivering a high-energy journey through the island’s culture complete with a surprise appearance by Lady Gaga and a tribute from reggaeton pioneer Daddy Yankee.
Clad in a white suit, Bad Bunny opened with “Tití Me Preguntó” while walking through vignettes of Puerto Rican life – farmers in traditional pava hats, domino players, and boxers – before launching into “Voy a Llevarte Pa PR.”
The performance hit its stride at a secondary stage dubbed “La Casita,” where he sang “Safaera”, before blazing through Daddy Yankee’s “Gasolina” and his own hits “EoO”.
A staged wedding featuring the iconic La Rana Concho that appeared on the stadium screens set the scene for Lady Gaga’s surprise entrance, with the pop superstar joining him for “Baile Inolvidable” before transitioning to “New York” in what appeared to be a nod to his recent Grammy win.
Ricky Martin emerged for “Lo Que Le Pasó a Hawai” as Bad Bunny hoisted the Puerto Rican flag and performed “El Apagón,” the stadium erupting in light before he delivered “Café Con Ron.”
“The only thing more powerful than hate is love,” was shown in the stadium, closing with the title track from his Grammy-winning album “Debí Tirar Más Fotos.”
The halftime spectacular marked a historic moment for Latin music on America’s biggest stage, following last year’s record-breaking Kendrick Lamar performance that drew more than 130 million viewers, with Bad Bunny using the platform to celebrate his heritage while cementing reggaeton’s place in mainstream American culture.
The choice of Bad Bunny, whose full name is Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio, to feature in the halftime show drew a rebuke from U.S. President Donald Trump and other conservatives over the entertainer’s outspoken criticism of U.S. immigration policy.
Seattle were leading New England 9-0 at halftime.
(Reporting by Angelica Medina in Santa Clara; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
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