It’s official. Puerto Rican superstar, Bad Bunny, is headlining Apple Music’s 2026 Super Bowl XL Halftime Show. The announcement was confirmed Sep. 28, after Apple Music released a 26 second clip teasing his performance.
Bad Bunny, otherwise known as Benito, is a reggaeton artist from Puerto Rico. His rise to fame in the U.S. has been ongoing for years; however, with the release of his newest album, “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS,” his popularity has skyrocketed.
Several of his songs touch on controversial topics regarding Puerto Rico’s relationship with the U.S. For this very reason, Benito has received an overwhelming amount of praise and criticism from Americans.
As an activist for Puerto Rico, he has become a symbol of Latino pride and culture. He embraces the Spanish language and often refuses to speak English to protect his culture.
On Jan. 13, Benito announced a 30-day summer residency in Puerto Rico. The intention behind the residency was to raise awareness of Puerto Rico’s vibrant culture while boosting the local economy.
On May 5, he announced his world tour. However, he did not include any dates in the U.S., other than his home, Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory. This led many to speculate Benito’s decision to skip the U.S. was based on the election of President Donald Trump.
Benito is highly aware of the racist remarks Trump has made against Latino immigrants in the U.S. and rejects them.
His advocacy for Latinos is evident in the music video “NUEVAYoL.” Released July 4, Benito highlights the prominent influence Latino immigrants have had on the U.S.
Additionally, he called out Trump in the music video for targeting Latinos by increasing the funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement after passing the “Big Beautiful Bill.”
In a recent interview with I-D Magazine, Susy Exposito asked if Benito’s decision to not tour in the U.S. was from concern about the mass deportations Latinos are currently facing in the U.S.
“Man, honestly, yes … like, f---ing ICE could be outside (my concert),” Benito said. This comment affirmed he is not touring in the U.S. to protect his fans.
Shortly after this interview, Apple Music announced Benito is headlining the halftime show. With football being the most-watched sport in the U.S. and 49.8% of Americans voting for Trump in the 2024 election, many American Super Bowl fans may be conservative.
However, it’s no secret America is currently politically divided. Nearly half of Americans, 48.3%, voted for the democratic party in the 2024 election, making it the second-closest popular vote margin since 1968, according to NPR.
Apple Music's decision to have Bad Bunny headline the Super Bowl appears as a political choice, similar to Kendrick Lamar's performance. Lamar’s performance focused on the racial injustices Black Americans have faced in the U.S. while criticizing President Trump’s leadership in several ways.
With President Trump in office, it has become clear many democratic Americans do not like him. They do not share the same values, yet make up almost half of the U.S. population.
Aside from being the first solo-Spanish singer to headline the Super Bowl halftime show, this political division will make Bad Bunny’s performance at the halftime show historical.
Several democratic Americans have come together in support of Bad Bunny as a form of retaliation against President Trump.
However, many republicans have taken the news as an offense to American culture because of his political views towards President Trump and loyalty to speaking only in Spanish.
Bad Bunny’s Puerto Rican pride and powerful political stance against Trump are enough motivation to leave Americans to speculate on what message his upcoming performance will have.
