SANTA CLARA, Calif. — When Bad Bunny stepped onto the halftime stage at Levi’s Stadium on Sunday, it was immediately clear this would be more than a performance. It was a fashion-forward cultural statement — one stitched together with identity, heritage, and global influence.
Dressed in a crisp, all-white, jersey-inspired ensemble bearing the name “Ocasio” across the back, the Grammy-winning superstar transformed the stadium into a living canvas. The look was minimalist yet symbolic, merging athletic Americana with deeply personal roots. From the opening notes of “Tití Me Preguntó,” Bad Bunny set the tone: proud, polished, and unapologetically Puerto Rican.
The show opened cinematically, with sweeping visuals of the artist moving through towering crops alongside dancers dressed in coordinated white, evoking rural memory and collective labor. The imagery flowed seamlessly into a high-energy medley of global hits, including “BAILE INoLVIDABLE” and “NUEVAYoL,” performed against a vibrant set designed to resemble La Marqueta — a nod to neighborhood markets and diaspora life.
Midway through the performance, spectacle met surprise. Bad Bunny dramatically crashed through a rooftop into a second stage set, never breaking rhythm, reinforcing his reputation for blending theatrical risk with effortless control. In one of the night’s most intimate moments, he handed a Grammy Award to a young boy onstage — a quiet but powerful symbol of legacy, aspiration, and possibility.
Fireworks crowned the finale as “DtMF” echoed across the stadium, while Bad Bunny, draped with a Puerto Rican flag, sang beneath the lights — a visual declaration of pride that needed no translation.
Fashion met fusion when Lady Gaga joined him mid-show for a salsa-inflected rendition of “Die With a Smile.” Gaga appeared in a flowing light-blue dress accented by a red flower at her shoulder, leaning into the tropical palette of the night. The two shared a brief dance as dancers in matching white surrounded them, while a live band in red suits and blue undershirts added a retro flair to the moment.
The celebration extended beyond music. Celebrity guests including Alix Earle, Cardi B, Jessica Alba, Pedro Pascal, and Ricky Martin made appearances throughout the show, turning the halftime stage into a cultural crossroads of music, film, fashion, and influence. Ricky Martin’s impassioned performance further amplified the evening’s Latin heartbeat.
Beyond the couture and choreography, the night marked a historic moment. Fresh off making history at the Grammy Awards — where his album became the first fully Spanish-language project to win Album of the Year — Bad Bunny used the global platform to reinforce what his rise represents.
In his recent acceptance speech, he dedicated that honor to immigrants who left their homelands to pursue their dreams, a message that has drawn both celebration and criticism. Conservative groups voiced opposition following the halftime announcement by Apple Music, Roc Nation, and the NFL, with some organizing counterprogramming. Still, league officials stood firm, with Commissioner Roger Goodell publicly praising Bad Bunny as “one of the great artists in the world.”
Born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio in Bayamón and raised in Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, Bad Bunny’s ascent to superstardom has been anything but conventional. Yet his approach remains grounded.
“I was never looking for this,” he has said of his global success. “My biggest pleasure is to create, have fun doing it, and connect with the people.”
On Sunday night, through fashion, music, and meaning, he did exactly that — turning halftime into high culture, and style into a statement heard around the world.
By Midtown Times Staff l Published on Feb. 09, 2026
