This year’s Super Bowl brought Bad Bunny, born as Benito Martínez Ocasio, to take the stage at the halftime show. Previous halftime shows were performed on just a stage, but Bad Bunny transformed the field into memorable, symbolic settings that highlighted his Latino and Puerto Rican cultural roots.
Bad Bunny stands for unity and love, so what better way to reinforce his message than by inviting special guests to perform alongside him? From Lady Gaga to Ricky Martin, Bad Bunny used his special guest appearances to promote his message: “The only thing more powerful than hate is love.”
Inside La Casita
In a setting depicting the sugar cane fields of Puerto Rico, Bad Bunny opened with his hit song, “Tití Me Preguntó.” He then transitions to the set, “La Casita,” which resembles traditional Puerto Rican homes. The salmon-pink home housed numerous featured celebrities dancing to the music.
Cardi B, an Afro-Caribbean rapper, made an appearance in the house wearing a lingerie-inspired Zimmermann corset dress with ruffles, paired with nude wraparound sandals. Because she and Bad Bunny collaborated on the song “I Like It,” fans speculated she might join him on stage. In an interview with AP Entertainment, she was asked whether she would be excited to perform with Bad Bunny on stage. Her soft response, “that would be exciting,” only fueled further speculation online.
Cardi’s boyfriend, Steffon Diggs, is also a wide receiver for the Patriots. After their loss, fans suspect that the couple split up, as they no longer follow one another on Instagram.
Next to Cardi was Jessica Alba, a Mexican-American actress, in a white corset with light-wash blue jeans. Pedro Pascal, a Chilean actor, Young Miko, a Puerto Rican rapper and singer-songwriter, social media star Alix Earle, and other celebs were vibing to the Latin music in the house.
Pedro Pascal, Cardi B, Jessica Alba, Karol G and more were on stage during Bad Bunny's halftime performances at the #SuperBowl pic.twitter.com/6Qm2IQT2cL
— IGN (@IGN) February 9, 2026
Lady Gaga or Lady Jaja?
Gaga performed her and Bruno Mars’ song, “Die with a Smile,” in a salsa remix. She wore a custom sky-blue Luar dress with layered ruffles, which represented Puerto Rican culture and salsa ballroom dancing. She paired the dress with Puerto Rico’s national flower, the red flor de maga, a Puerto Rican hibiscus, to represent the culture. Her red lip, heels, and nails matched the cultural theme.
It’s no surprise that Gaga made an appearance at the Super Bowl, as she’s one of the artists Bad Bunny admires most and has been a long-time fan. Bad Bunny has been wearing Gaga’s merch since 2017.
“I am so humbled to be a part of this moment,” Gaga said in an Instagram post. “It’s all the more special because it was with you and your beautiful heart and music.”
Gaga, a white American pop star, was a statement performer at the “Benito Bowl.” Amid the criticism that the halftime should be performed in English, her appearance carried symbolic weight. Dressed in connection to Puerto Rican roots, Gaga represented cross-cultural unity. Rather than translating his lyrics, Bad Bunny brought English into the performance in a way that still upheld the Latin identity of the show.
Back to Brooklyn
During “NUEVAYoL,” Bad Bunny took the audience straight to the streets of Brooklyn. He incorporated stores called “La Marqueta” and “Lalo’s Barber Shop,” a cultural tribute to a real barber shop in Brooklyn, used to highlight the importance of Caribbean and Puerto Rican culture.
Bad Bunny also took a shot from a small bar in the setup. The woman who poured him up, Toñita, is a Brooklyn icon. María Antonia “Toñita” Cay is the owner of Caribbean Social Club, a small but popular Latino bar in Brooklyn that has stood strong for over 50 years. To this day, the Caribbean Social Club still serves as a staple to the Latin community.
From Livin’ La Vida Loca to LO QUE LE PASÓ A HAWAii
Martin, one of the first and most pivotal Latin artists to cross into the American mainstream, performed Bad Bunny’s “LO QUE LE PASÓ A HAWAii.” Beyond representing Latin culture, Martin also stands as a prominent LGBTQ+ figure, having come out publicly in 2010.
Sharing the stage with Bad Bunny symbolizes a passing of the torch between generations of Puerto Rican artists, both of whom have pushed cultural and musical boundaries. The two also collaborated on the song, “Cántalo.” Their presence highlighted the evolution of Latin music across generations.
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