Latino Artists Who Performed at the Super Bowl Halftime Show

Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime show on February 8, 2026 has been the talk of the town or COUNTRY since the NFL’s official announcement last year. Despite the evident excitement from Latino music lovers everywhere, some football fans aren’t too happy about Latin music “invading” their favorite sports event. 

This February 8 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, the Boricua singer will perform at the height of his career with three Grammy trophies (six total overall Grammy wins) under his belt, including the prestigious Album of the Year Award for DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS (“I Should Have Taken More Pictures”).

In this article, we’ll cover the Bad Bunny Super Bowl controversy in full detail, and we’ll highlight other Super Bowl halftime show artists who celebrated their Latino roots with pride.

Bad Bunny, the Super Bowl, and Latino Representation in American Culture

Bad Bunny Super Bowl News have flooded social media, especially after his provocative monologue as host on Saturday Night Live in October 2025. After speaking in English for a few minutes, he switched to Spanish to address his fellow Latinos and to recognize their great contributions to the US. Then, he finished things off with a light roast for Gringos who didn’t speak the language.

“If you didn’t understand what I just said, you have four months to learn,” he joked with a cheeky smile during his monologue.

During a press conference organized by Apple Music for the Super Bowl Halftime Show, Bad Bunny laughed and insisted that, even though the show would be in Spanish, the audience didn’t have to understand to have a good time.

This sparked some heated comments from MAGA supporters. For example, Fox News’ host Jimmy Failla stated that he wasn’t a fan of the Latino singer and compared him to “a crossdresser who doesn’t speak English” during a live broadcast. Tomi Lahren, a conservative television presenter, also took a stand on the matter and said that Bad Bunny wasn’t an American artist to begin with, so he shouldn’t perform during an American sports event. Even President Donald Trump confirmed that he won’t be attending the Super Bowl at all because he dislikes both Bad Bunny and Green Day.

“I’m anti-them. I think it’s a terrible choice. All it does is sow hatred. Terrible,” Trump said in an interview with the New York Post.

If that weren’t enough, US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem has threatened to deploy ICE officers at the stadium. Luckily, the NFL’s chief of security, Cathy Lanier, has denied these allegations during a press conference in San Francisco. This support by the National Football League responds to Bad Bunny’s global presence as a musician. 

Despite all the nasty comments against him, the artist took the high road and addressed this open xenophobia during his acceptance speech at the Grammys.

“I want to dedicate this award to all the people who had to leave their homeland, their country, to follow their dreams. For all those who have lost a loved one and yet have had to move forward and continue with great strength, this award is for you,” Bad Bunny said at the ceremony.

What’s more, he spoke against ICE and said that Latinos are in fact Americans, not savages, nor animals, nor aliens. Instead of hate, he urged the people to use love as a weapon. 

The History of Latino Artists at the Super Bowl Halftime Show

Gloria Estefan: Opening the Door

The Cuban-American singer, actress, and businesswoman is a five-time Grammy Award winner and one of the best-selling music artists of all time. In 1992, she became the first Latina to perform in the Super Bowl Halftime Show with her band, the Miami Sound Machine. This was the first-ever Hispanic band to perform at one of the most famous sports events in the United States. Seven years later, she went at it again, this time with a solo appearance and alongside legend Stevie Wonder. 

Arturo Sandoval

The Cuban-born trumpet player Arturo Sandoval is a true virtuoso of Latin music, jazz, and other popular genres. In 1995, he took part in the Super Bowl Halftime Show called “Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Forbidden Eye” next to the Miami Sound Machine, Patti LaBelle, and Tony Bennett. His trumpet solo was an unforgettable moment for all Latinos in the audience. Despite having won three Grammy Awards and played at the White House, Sandoval’s citizenship was denied by the US Immigration and Naturalization Service.

Cristina Aguilera and Enrique Iglesias

As an Ecuadorian-American from her father’s side, icon Christina Aguilera joined forces with Enrique Iglesias, one of the most famous Hispanic artists in music at the time. In 2000, the Disney Millennium Celebration Super Bowl Halftime Show was a night to remember, with special guests like Toni Braxton and Phil Collins’ crazy vocals. 

Taboo

11 years later, The Black Eyed Peas went to infinity and beyond with their futuristic performance in space gear. Taboo (whose real name is Jaime Luis Gomez) sang beside them and became the first Mexican-Native-American artist to sing at the halftime show. Fun fact: Did you know Fergie’s great-grandmother was from Guanajuato, Mexico? This was a major event to celebrate Mexican artists’ music for the world. The Super Bowl Halftime Show also welcomed Usher and Slash.

Bruno Mars

Bruno Mars honored his Boricua ancestry when he joined Coldplay’s performance at the Super Bowl Halftime Show during its 50th anniversary. His song “Uptown Funk” was a massive hit, and even the Red Hot Chili Peppers showed up! Some people believe that this was one of the Super Bowl Halftime Show’s best performances. Another Latino who was present was Gustavo Dudamel, the Music and Artistic Director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

Shakira and Jennifer Lopez

Some people may not remember that Bad Bunny already performed at the Super Bowl halftime show 2020, invited by none other than Shakira and JLo. With similar Latin music styles, Shaki and JLo made history as the first Latinas to share the stage in a full Latino performance, with songs in both languages. J Balvin from Colombia also joined with some Latin music hits.

Super Bowl Halftime Show: What To Expect With Bad Bunny

Bad Bunny’s halftime show will take place after the second quarter of the game, around 8-8:30 p.m. Eastern Time. The performance will last between 12 and 15 minutes.

However, Benito won’t be the only artist on stage. At 6 p.m., Green Day will inaugurate the event with a special opening ceremony celebrating the Super Bowl’s 60th anniversary. Then, right before kickoff, we will be honored with three extra performances:

• Charlie Puth, singing the national anthem
• Brandi Carlile, with “America the Beautiful”
• Coco Jones, with “Lift Every Voice and Sing”

Possible Guest Artists at Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Performance

Despite not being a confirmed list of singers, Bad Bunny has many collaborations with major performers, such as “I Like It” with Cardi B and J Balvin, “MIA” with Drake, and “La Noche de Anoche” with Rosalía.

It’s not unlikely that Benito returned the favor by inviting Shakira and Jennifer Lopez, maybe to perform their hit song “Te Gusté” with JLo. But who knows? It’s everyone’s game up in here.

All these amazing Latino artists are breaking all the records. But most importantly, they’re the testament that Latin American heritage is a fundamental part of the US as a nation. Without Latinos, the Super Bowl wouldn’t have been the same, and neither would music in general.

Resumen en español

El artículo analiza la presencia de artistas latinos en el show de medio tiempo del Super Bowl, con especial foco en la actuación de Bad Bunny en 2026. A partir del anuncio oficial de la NFL, se repasa la controversia generada por su decisión de cantar en español y reivindicar la identidad latina, lo que provocó reacciones xenófobas desde sectores conservadores de Estados Unidos. Además, se hace un recorrido histórico por otros artistas latinos que marcaron el halftime show, como Gloria Estefan, Shakira y Jennifer Lopez, Bruno Mars, Christina Aguilera, Enrique Iglesias y Taboo.