A discussion on Bad Bunny’s half time Super Bowl performance as a response to the current political climate
On Sunday the 8 of February Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio, known by the stage name Bad Bunny showcased the power of joy to be used as a means of resistance during the NFL Super Bowl halftime show.
The leadup to the performance struck controversy resulting in a rival halftime show that claimed to be “all american“, ignorant to the fact Puerto Rico, Bad Bunny’s homeland, is equally as American as Texas.
The week previous to his halftime performance, Bad Bunny’s album Debí Tirar Más Fotos made history as the first ever spanish-spoken record to be awarded the Grammy for album of the year. During his acceptance speech the first point Ocasio made was “ICE out” followed by a 30 second standing ovation (a quarter of his speechtime) as the audience and media were forced to reflect on his words. As ICE continues to tear families apart such as the detention of five year old Liam Ramos and the continuous lies told by immigration officers, Ocasio’s response was neither malicious nor violent. He called for a rise in peace, stating: “The only thing that’s more powerful than hate is love, so, please, we need to be different. If we fight, we have to do it with love”.
The MAGA backlash began at the mere idea of a Latin American singer performing at one of the biggest sport events, the spanish-spoken performance would surely be treason against american values. This outrage was encouraged by the President himself who on the niche social media platform Truth Social stated: “The Super Bowl Halftime Show is absolutely terrible, one of the worst, EVER! It makes no sense, is an affront to the Greatness of America, and doesn’t represent our standards of Success, Creativity, or Excellence”.
What the performance did exhibit was a celebration of love.
The 14 minute performance saw a celebration of culture and an invitation to dance. With a heartwarming scene featuring a younger Ocasio being given the Grammy award as homage to his younger self and origins. The show was a fearless display of joy. From a wedding featuring Lady Gaga, to the final lines of a brief acoustic rendition of DtMF -the title song from the album of the year.
After addressing the audience at the Grammys to act with love, during his half time performance he directly pointed to a moving camera stating the reason for his success on this stage was: “porque nunca, nunca dejé de creer en mí” he never stopped believing in himself.
Following with : “Tú también deberías de creer en ti. Vales más de lo que piensas. Confía en mí”. His audience should believe in themselves too, you are worth more than you think.
The Super Bowl was shown in both the Glasgow University Union (GUU) and Queen Margaret Union (QMU). In the QMU, the volume and excitement during the half time show was an incredible display of global solidarity with Ocasio. From a major show in San Francisco to a student union in Glasgow, his message was understood.
I didn’t watch the halftime show wishing Ocasio performed in english, I was kicking myself for not paying more attention in my national 5 spanish class. Ocasio may have left the field, but his message of hope has remained both virtually on social media and through the increasing popularity of his music. Well, at least in my playlists.
Image: Yahoo images
