Bad Bunny Walks Back Remarks About Fans Learning Spanish for Super Bowl Halftime

The Puerto Rican superstar encourages everyone to simply have fun at his upcoming performance.

Published on Feb. 7, 2026

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Bad Bunny is backtracking on comments he made in October suggesting that critics of his upcoming Super Bowl halftime performance should learn Spanish. The Puerto Rican artist now says fans don't need to learn the language, and can instead just focus on enjoying the show.

Why it matters

Bad Bunny's halftime performance at the Super Bowl will be a historic moment, as he is the first Latin artist to headline the coveted slot. However, his initial remarks about fans needing to learn Spanish sparked backlash, raising questions about accessibility and inclusivity at major events.

The details

In an October appearance, Bad Bunny, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, told critics of his Super Bowl performance that they had four months to learn Spanish. But this week, during an event in San Francisco, he walked back those comments, saying fans don't even need to learn Spanish and can just focus on learning to dance instead. Bad Bunny is Spotify's most-streamed artist and has over 51 million Instagram followers.

  • In October 2025, Bad Bunny made the initial comments about fans needing to learn Spanish.
  • This week, in early February 2026, Bad Bunny clarified his remarks at an event in San Francisco.

The players

Bad Bunny

The Puerto Rican singer, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, is set to headline the Super Bowl halftime show in 2026. He is one of the most popular and streamed artists in the world.

Sen. Tommy Tuberville

The Republican senator from Alabama said he will avoid watching Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime performance, which he referred to as the "Woke Bowl."

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What they’re saying

“I'm really excited to be doing the Super Bowl. I know that people all around the world who love my music are also happy.”

— Bad Bunny (Saturday Night Live)

“If you didn't understand what I just said, you have four months to learn.”

— Bad Bunny (Saturday Night Live)

“I know I told them they had four months to learn Spanish — they don't even have to learn Spanish. They (can) learn to dance.”

— Bad Bunny (Moscone Center event)

“And we've got Bad Bunny, or Bad Rabbit, at halftime. I'll be watching the (Turning Point USA) halftime show. It's just unfortunate we've gotten to this point.”

— Sen. Tommy Tuberville, Republican Senator from Alabama (Unspecified)

What’s next

The Super Bowl halftime show featuring Bad Bunny is scheduled for February 2, 2026.

The takeaway

Bad Bunny's initial comments about fans needing to learn Spanish sparked backlash, but his subsequent clarification that learning the language is not required shows a willingness to make his historic Super Bowl performance more inclusive and accessible. This highlights the importance of considering language barriers and cultural differences when planning major events.