Around 100 million people tune in for the Super Bowl every year, with 127.7 million viewers watching the 2025 Super Bowl, according to Nielsen. Some come for the game, but millions show up for the halftime show, a stage that has hosted icons from Beyonce to the Weeknd to Michael Jackson, and most recently Kendrick Lamar. This year, the stage belongs to Bad Bunny. Despite the excitement, his selection has sparked an unnecessary and misinformed backlash. 

Critics online argue that Bad Bunny shouldn’t perform because he is not a U.S. citizen. Not only is this factually wrong as Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens, but it is also hypocritical. The halftime show has featured numerous non-U.S. performers, including U2, Rihanna, Shakira, and the Weeknd, without this level of outrage. This sudden criticism specifically for Bad Bunny feels less like a concern about citizenship and more like xenophobia against a Spanish-speaking Latino artist.

That is exactly why his selection matters.

Having Bad Bunny on a global stage is meaningful representation for Latinos and Latinas around the world. His music has managed to transcend the language barrier and has reached people of all different backgrounds. Putting him on Super Bowl’s stage signals that the NFL and the country recognize the cultural power of Latino artists and the diverse audiences that support them. 

It also pushes back, intentionally or not, on increasingly hostile rhetoric about immigrants and Latinos in American politics. Bad Bunny’s presence at the halftime show is a reminder that American culture is built by people from many backgrounds, not just one.

“Having a Puerto Rican artist on that stage isn’t just about one performance, it’s visibility on a massive global platform,” senior Raiya Rizvi said. “Misinformation surrounding Bad Bunny’s performance has only fueled xenophobia and hate.” 

Bad Bunny’s rise from posting tracks on SoundCloud in 2016 to becoming one of the most-streamed artists on the planet only strengthens the argument for his place on that famous stage.

His 2022 album “Un Verano Sin Ti,” holds the record for being the most streamed album in Spotify history. It was also the first Spanish-language album to be nominated for Album of the Year at the Grammys. He has since won multiple Grammys and Latin Grammys while consistently uplifting his home, culture, and Puerto Rican people.

So the question isn’t whether Bad Bunny deserves the spotlight because he has already earned it. The real question is why some people are so eager to deny a Latino artist a place in an event that millions of Latinos help make into a cultural moment every year.

Instead of wasting energy on misinformed hatred, we should embrace a halftime show that reflects the diversity of the country watching it. Bad Bunny’s performance is not just entertainment, it’s progress. And I, for one, am excited to see what he brings to the stage.