When Bad Bunny brought Lady Gaga out as one of the special guests during his Super Bowl Halftime Show on February 8, 2026, it may have seemed like an odd match-up. But in reality, the two artists have expressed appreciation for each other and their work for a while now.
In May 2020, Bad Bunny first appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone. He first mentioned Lady Gaga in the interview when discussing the music video for “Yo Perrero Sola”. The music video featured him in drag, and he said he had to learn about the culture from a cousin. Gaga, meanwhile, is a huge staple in the LGBTQ and drag communities for both her music and her theatrical style. For Bad Bunny, the appreciation didn’t start there, however.
He was seen sporting merch from Gaga’s 2020 album Chromatica in November that year, but fans were quick to point out that he was seen wearing a Joanne t-shirt in 2017. In December 2020, he was much more vocal about his love for Lady Gaga’s work, praising Chromatica as the album that lifts his spirits.
“In that moment where I feel sad, it’s Chromatica [by] Lady Gaga,” he told E! Online. “That album makes me feel more happy. When she dropped that album, I was in a really good moment, enjoying my life. I love that album.”
Lady Gaga Calls Her Appearance at Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Halftime an ‘Absolute Honor’
By June 2023, Lady Gaga caught Bad Bunny fever. She commented a succinct “Fuego” on a social media post of Bad Bunny’s second Rolling Stone cover. The following October, she was introducing him as the host and musical guest on SNL, using her best Spanish.
2024 brought more appreciation from Gaga, and she named Bad Bunny as a Latin artist she would love to collaborate with. “Absolutely, I’m actually a very big Bad Bunny fan,” she told Despierta America. When asked about a collab possibility, she added, “If he wanted to, I absolutely would.”
Now, with the Super Bowl, fans got a taste of that collaboration. Lady Gaga took the stage during the Halftime Show to perform her 2024 Bruno Mars duet “Die With a Smile” re-imagined as a salsa-style groove. The performance came right after a real couple had a real wedding right on stage, with Bad Bunny serving as witness.
“It was my absolute honor to be a part of Benito’s halftime show,” Lady Gaga wrote in a thank-you post on Instagram. “Thank you Benito for inviting me and thank you to the entire cast for welcoming me onto your stage. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
The post Bad Bunny and Lady Gaga’s Friendship Goes Back Way Further Than the Super Bowl appeared first on VICE.
