Bad Bunny Was the Only Choice for the Super Bowl LX Halftime Show

Bad Bunny is brilliant, and this is his moment to shine.

To say the artist has taken over 2025 is an understatement. For his legion of devoted fans, DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS wasn’t an introduction to greatness, but a celebration of a career’s journey that began over a decade ago.

DTMF was released on Jan. 5, 2025, delivering a mix of emotional songs, hits to make you dance, and tracks that only Bad Bunny, 31, could deliver, all wrapped up in a celebration of the beauty, history and musical stylings of Puerto Rico.

Not only did critics applaud the range of the artist, first introduced to many English-speaking audiences through his 2018 collaboration with J Balvin and Cardi B on “I Like It,” but fans praised the evolution of Bad Bunny and celebrated the curated experience the album delivered, including a short film, visuals centered around an adorable coquí.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

For the second year in a row, the Super Bowl Halftime Show has chosen an artist that’s generating buzz in the moment. Bad Bunny, born Benito Martínez Ocasio, has had undeniable buzz.

The multitalented artist appeared at the 2025 Met Gala, showing off his sense of style once again after serving as one of the cochairs in 2024. And everyone was most certainly paying attention when he stripped down to his underwear for a Calvin Klein ad in the Spring.

Bad Bunny’s historic residency — No Me Quiero Ir de Aquí (I Don’t Want to Leave Here) — kicked off in July. According to Variety, more than 2.5 million people registered for the online pre-sale. Additionally, Move Concerts, which is run by Bad Bunny’s manager Noah Assad, calculated that 400,000 tickets were sold online and in person.

The 30-night residency took place at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico, with star-studded crowds showing up from Friday to Sunday, every weekend from mid-July through mid-September.

Further, he’s gotten to know Americans following every corner of culture, just because he’s everywhere. He’s appeared as a musical guest on Saturday Night Live three times since 2021, most recently during the finale of the show’s milestone season 50 and has made several cameos in a variety of sketches. On Oct. 4, he’ll take on hosting for the second time.

He was also in this summer’s favorite, Happy Gilmore 2, alongside SNL alum Adam Sandler, playing an enthusiastic caddy and further showcasing his comedic chops. On the set, he palled around with Travis Kelce — enough so that Swifties are hopeful he may bring Taylor Swift out during his hosting gig, just over a day after she drops The Life of a Showgirl.

Despite all of these achievements — the kind of year that’s reminiscent of Kendrick Lamar’s 2024, which landed him on the Super Bowl stage — there’s a contingent that’s not thrilled with the choice. Mind you, Bad Bunny’s not even a stranger to the Super Bowl Halftime Show stage. He made an appearance when Jennifer Lopez and Shakira headlined in 2020.

On the subject of other headliners, I’d be remiss not to note that there has been backlash to quite a few in recent years — Kendrick; Dr. Dre, Eminem, Mary J. Blige and Snoop Dogg at Super Bowl LVI in 2022; Lopez and Shakira in 2020. Even Katy Perry, Lady Gaga and Beyoncé herself could not please everyone.

If we’re being honest, it’s been a long, long time since there’s been a universally popular Halftime Show pick. We can debate the reasons for that ad infinitum, but it is what it is.

Bad Bunny has had the kind of year that generates lots of fans and, by nature, a lot of haters. Haters can’t detract from what Bad Bunny means to Latinos, to Puerto Ricans, and to fans of beautiful bodies of music. With this album and latest turn in his career, he continues to welcome people in — to celebrate a culture that may not be their own, but holds beauty and value and relatable qualities for so many.

As an artist, he succeeds in not only making his world welcoming for others, but making others feel more welcome in a world that should feel their own. Just one scroll through TikTok will tell you that countless “no sabo” kids — those who grew up not being taught the Spanish language as a means to assimilate into English-speaking countries — have been inspired to learn by his lyrics. There are endless translations of the lyrics to English for audiences who are following the raw sounds of his tracks before understanding their depth.

The album also succeeded in getting people talking about Puerto Rico, whether that’s debating the value of statehood or discussing what it means to be American in the different areas that encompass our nation.

Benito summarized the enormous feelings of pride and excitement in this moment in his own words as he celebrated the announcement, sharing, “What I’m feeling goes beyond myself. It’s for those who came before me and ran countless yards so I could come in and score a touchdown… this is for my people, my culture, and our history. Ve y dile a tu abuela, que seremos el HALFTIME SHOW DEL SUPER BOWL.”

You can disagree with the choice, but the bottom line is, you can’t be surprised by it. Each of us has the freedom to tune out, to get up and do something else for a little while on game day if this isn’t the show you’re looking for. As for me, I will be tuned in and turnt up, ready to celebrate with mi gente, my fellow Americans.