Bad Bunny brought the fiesta to the Super Bowl on Sunday, performing reggaeton hits and paying tribute to his Latino heritage — but for a halftime show rich with symbolism and lovingly curated details, one moment felt curiously out of place.
About five minutes into Bad Bunny’s performance, Lady Gaga materialized out of the blue to sing a salsa-inspired rendition of “Die With a Smile,” her popular duet with Bruno Mars from her latest album, “Mayhem.” It was a strange choice that, while entertaining enough, felt out of step with the rest of the Puerto Rican superstar’s performance.
From the moment Bad Bunny stepped on the field, he made the celebratory themes of his performance clear. His set was about Puerto Rican pride: There were dancers dressed as jíbaros in pavas (farmers in traditional straw hats), vendors selling coco frio and piraguas (chilled coconut and shaved ice), and, of course, his signature blend of party-starting beats and culturally significant lyrics.
The second song in his set list, “Yo Perreo Sola,” is sung from a woman’s perspective to protest sexual harassment in clubs, while “Eoo” pays tribute to the caseríos (public housing in Puerto Rico) where reggaeton was born and nurtured. It was as much a celebration of Puerto Rican history and culture as it was a spectacle for NFL fans, if not more.
So, as a viewer, when Gaga appeared, there was no obvious reason for her to be there. She didn’t cover one of Bad Bunny’s songs, as her fellow guest Ricky Martin did later in the show with “Lo Que Le Pasó a Hawaii.” She didn’t sing her own beloved song “Born This Way,” which would have fit the show’s broader themes of unity and acceptance, or even “Alejandro,” which incorporates Latin pop production. Instead, she opted for her most recent hit, which had no clear thematic connection (her duet partner, Mars, who has Puerto Rican heritage through his father, was not in attendance).
Because so much of Bad Bunny’s show — from his wardrobe to his props and set design — felt deliberate and carefully planned, Gaga’s surprise cameo stuck out even more. It felt as if she were simply filling a gap in the production schedule left open for extra star power.
This isn’t to say Gaga didn’t nail her vocals (she always does), or that she had anything but good intentions for accepting Bad Bunny’s invitation. The two singers have long expressed respect and admiration for each other; in fact, Bad Bunny is a certified Little Monster. He cited Gaga’s music as an entry point for appreciating drag culture, and he gushed over her 2020 album “Chromatica.” In 2023, Gaga even introduced Bad Bunny as a musical guest on “Saturday Night Live.”
It could very well be that Bad Bunny asked Gaga to join his Super Bowl performance because he wanted her there, and to that, I have no objection. Still, if they were saving room in the show for randomness and whimsy, she could’ve at least sung “Abracadabra.”
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