Bad Bunny's Super Bowl Halftime Show Hailed as 'Close to Art'

Tribune columnist says the performance was 'rousing, funny, surprisingly touching' and a 'cultural moment'.

Published on Feb. 9, 2026

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Tribune columnist Christopher Borrelli writes that Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime show was one of the more understandable and transcendent halftime performances in recent memory, going beyond the usual 'bonkers' spectacle to resemble a 'cultural moment' and 'reimagining of how much a halftime show can resemble art'.

Why it matters

Bad Bunny's halftime show represents a shift in how the high-profile Super Bowl platform is being used, moving beyond just pure entertainment to make a broader cultural statement and connect with audiences in a more meaningful way.

The details

Borrelli describes Bad Bunny's performance as 'rousing, funny, surprisingly touching' and a 'love letter to home and a hand extended outward, inviting you to dance with him'. He notes that the show 'transcended nuts' and was closer to a 'paradigm shift' in what a Super Bowl halftime can be.

  • Bad Bunny performed the Super Bowl halftime show on February 9, 2026.

The players

Bad Bunny

A Puerto Rican singer, rapper, and songwriter who headlined the Super Bowl LX halftime show in 2026.

Christopher Borrelli

A columnist for the Chicago Tribune who wrote about Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime show performance.

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What they’re saying

“It was rousing, funny, surprisingly touching. Understand, I love Super Bowl halftime shows, but usually because they're bonkers. For decades, they went beyond nuts. Until a few (Prince in 2007; Madonna in 2012; Beyoncé in 2013) transcended nuts. Bad Bunny's was closer to a cultural moment, a paradigm shift, a reimagining of how much a halftime spectacle can resemble art.”

— Christopher Borrelli, Tribune Columnist (Chicago Tribune)

The takeaway

Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime show represented a significant evolution in the high-profile performance, moving beyond pure entertainment spectacle to become a cultural moment that connected with audiences in a more meaningful and artistic way, potentially setting a new standard for future Super Bowl halftime shows.