Bad Bunny, born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, performed at this year’s Super Bowl LX Halftime Show on Feb. 8, sparking huge reactions everywhere. But how did students at Pascack Hills feel about the performance?
The Show
During his lively set, Bad Bunny brought out a roster of celebrities who appealed to many demographics of students at Hills. One example is Alix Earl, whom so many students follow on social media and were excited to see. Other guest celebrities included Pedro Pascal, Cardi B, Karol G, Young Miko, and Jessica Alba. Bad Bunny also brought out icons Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin to sing with him during the performance.
The “small house” on the Super Bowl stage: La Casita is a symbolic representation of Puerto Rican culture and heritage built for Bad Bunny’s summer residency in Puerto Rico.
The set was designed to recreate the atmosphere and look of Puerto Rico, Bad Bunny’s home. It featured vibrant colors and details like a simulated sugarcane field and a cozy house where the celebrities appeared. Bad Bunny used all of these details to convey a moving message of cultural identity and unity.
Language and Music
Does a listener need to understand the language to enjoy the music? When asked, many English-only speaking students said they thoroughly enjoyed the show despite the language barrier. Freshman Bailey Fond noted that its appeal was more about the energy than translation.
“I couldn’t understand anything he was saying, but the vibes and energy of the performance was infectious,” Fond said.
When asked how they connected with the performance, responses varied. Some said that seeing the celebrities they know and love up on stage was what made the show entertaining, while others enjoyed the visually appealing aspects, such as the captivating dancing, set, and costumes.
Many students loved the layers of symbolism spread throughout his performance. They noticed things like the phrase shown on the Jumbotron behind Bad Bunny: “The only thing more powerful than hate is love.” Students also appreciated the moment Bad Bunny named the countries all throughout the Americas and ended by dropping a football with the words “Together, we are America.” Overall, even without understanding the lyrics, these students were still able to feel the music and enjoy the show.
Bilingual Student Opinions
For students who speak English at school and Spanish at home, such as Jazmin Rendon, Valentina Polanco, and Sophia Perez, the performance held deep significance. They expressed pride in seeing their heritage represented on such a large stage during the performance. In addition to their own enjoyment, they were thrilled to see their non-Spanish-speaking friends appreciating the music and culture.
“Watching the show with my friends was like bringing my at-home culture to my in-school friends,” Perez shared.
Hearing their home country shouted out on a huge stage with millions of people listening, they felt truly unified and represented.
Ultimately, this performance proved that while the lyrics were in Spanish, the message of unity and cultural identity resonated with many students at Pascack Hills.
