Bad Bunny Brings Gaga, Martin & Puerto Rican Pride to Super Bowl/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Super Bowl 60 dazzled with star-studded performances from Bad Bunny, Green Day, and Charlie Puth. Bad Bunny’s halftime show paid tribute to Puerto Rican culture and featured surprise guests like Lady Gaga. From patriotic anthems to surprise celeb sightings, Levi’s Stadium turned into a spectacle of entertainment.
Bad Bunny’s Puerto Rican Celebration Quick Looks
- Bad Bunny’s halftime show showcased Puerto Rican heritage with guests Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin
- The stage featured sugarcane fields, a faux wedding, and real-life marriage
- Cardi B, Pedro Pascal, and Jessica Alba made surprise appearances
- He closed with the message: “The only thing more powerful than hate is love.”
- Green Day energized the pregame with hits like “American Idiot” and “Holiday”
- Charlie Puth delivered a soulful national anthem; Brandi Carlile sang “America the Beautiful” live
- Coco Jones performed “Lift Every Voice and Sing” in an emotional opener
- Celebrities including Chris Pratt, Jay-Z, and Justin Bieber filled the stands
- Rapper LaRussell curated musical breaks, honoring Bay Area rap legacy
- A surprise trailer for The Adventures of Cliff Booth starring Brad Pitt aired
Deep Look
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Super Bowl 60 became a cultural and musical extravaganza, blending Puerto Rican pride, iconic rock, and American patriotism into an unforgettable pre-game and halftime show. Held at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, the event featured a dazzling array of stars including Bad Bunny, Lady Gaga, Green Day, Charlie Puth, and more.
Bad Bunny’s Halftime Masterpiece
The main spectacle of the evening came during the 13-minute halftime show, where Puerto Rican global superstar Bad Bunny transformed the field into a vivid display of his homeland’s history and culture. The stage centerpiece was a plantation scene complete with faux sugarcane fields — some portrayed by costumed dancers — and Bad Bunny emerged from within it holding a football and wearing a custom jersey that read “Ocasio” and bore the number 64.
He performed hits like “Tití Me Preguntó,” “Yo Perreo Sola,” and “EOO,” before the scene shifted to a staged wedding — culminating in a real-life marriage witnessed and signed by Bad Bunny himself. This moment introduced Lady Gaga as a surprise guest, joining him in “Baile Inolvidable,” marking her first Super Bowl appearance since 2017.
Throughout, Bad Bunny emphasized unity among the Americas, declaring in Spanish, “Mi Patria Puerto Rico, seguimos aquí” — “My homeland Puerto Rico, we are still here.” The finale featured a poignant visual: Bad Bunny holding up a football with the scoreboard reading, “The only thing more powerful than hate is love.”
Green Day Brings Punk Energy
Earlier, Green Day, Bay Area punk legends, revved up the pregame festivities with a medley of hits. They opened with a snippet of “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)” as former Super Bowl MVPs including Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, and Steve Young took the field.
The trio — Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt, and Tre Cool — then tore through “Holiday,” “Boulevard of Broken Dreams,” and “American Idiot.” Armstrong’s explicit lyrics were muted on the NBC broadcast but drew huge cheers from the live crowd.
Patriotic Performances
Charlie Puth delivered a stirring version of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” seated at a Rhodes electric piano, flanked by a choir and horn section. Brandi Carlile followed with an intimate, acoustic rendition of “America the Beautiful,” refusing to use any pre-recorded tracks in favor of a live, authentic experience.
Coco Jones opened the day’s performances with “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” wearing a flowing white gown and backed by a string octet. The song, often called the Black national anthem, has become a Super Bowl staple since 2021. Jones said afterward that she hoped to honor her ancestors and inspire national unity.
Celebrity Sightings and Sideline Action
The stands were as star-studded as the stage. Chris Pratt and Jon Bon Jovi introduced their respective teams — Seahawks and Patriots. Jay-Z and his daughters, Blue Ivy and Rumi, played in the end zone, while Justin Bieber, Hailey Bieber, and Adam Sandler watched from suites.
Bay Area rapper LaRussell kept the energy high during breaks, blending classic rap like “Blow the Whistle” with gospel melodies. He made history as the first artist to curate the Super Bowl’s house band.
Hollywood Surprise
A surprise trailer during the game revealed The Adventures of Cliff Booth, a Netflix sequel to Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood, starring Brad Pitt and directed by David Fincher.
Despite the celebration, President Donald Trump took to Truth Social to criticize the halftime show as “one of the worst, EVER.”
Regardless, Super Bowl 60 will be remembered as a celebration of music, culture, and pride — with a strong message of love and resilience at its core.
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