On Sunday, Feb. 8, the Seattle Seahawks took home the coveted Lombardi trophy, beating the New England Patriots 29-13 in Super Bowl 60 in San Francisco. The resounding victory cemented the 2025 Seahawks as not only the best team in the National Football League this year, but one of the most complete, dominant teams of the 21st century. The win gave Seattle their second championship in franchise history, which was their first in 12 years.
However, by Monday morning, the outcome of the United States’ unrivaled biggest sporting event almost felt secondary. Instead, America was left captivated by the halftime performance of Bad Bunny.
The Puerto Rican global superstar found himself in the spotlight long before Super Bowl Sunday, making waves for being the first to perform on music’s biggest stage predominantly in a language other than English. As the closing notes to his hit song “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS” rang through Levi’s Stadium, Bad Bunny’s message was crystal clear: In a time of divisiveness, prioritize unity.
The Drew University environment the next morning was a microcosm of this national conversation. “Tití Me Preguntó” and “BAILE INoLVIDABLE” blasted by the Ehinger Center around noon, Yik Yak timelines were flooded with praise and opinions surrounding the show and dorm halls were invigorated with discussions of the show’s impact, atmosphere and position on the all-time halftime show ranking.
As hot takes and controversial opinions swirled, one aspect of the show remained undisputed: its impact on the Latinx community. Marissa Guajardo (‘26), senior captain on the Drew women’s volleyball team, emphasized the importance of representation on a stage as large and influential as the Super Bowl halftime show.
“It felt necessary to see a Latino artist take up that space so unapologetically,” Guajardo remarked. “His message that love is more powerful than hate, and the way he centered culture and community, made the performance feel unifying and deeply personal.”
In acknowledging the personal value of the show, Guajardo also made a point to acknowledge the impact on the greater landscape of the nation. “Bad Bunny’s message, Lo unico mas poderoso que el odio es el amor (the only thing more powerful than hate is love), goes against the polarization we’ve seen more recently. It’s about treating your neighbors with respect, loving who you are and where you come from… and the community you build.”
Guajardo’s thoughts were echoed by senior Juanita Navas (‘26), who referenced the multifaceted approach Bad Bunny took in order to crystallize his message of love over hate. “His performance was not just about reggaeton… it was an act of protest in which, without violence or hatred, he showed that love is what truly matters—love for yourself, your community and your nation.”
Navas further explained some of the more subliminal messaging Bad Bunny employed throughout the display, including bringing fellow Puerto Rican icon Ricky Martin to sing “LO QUE LE PASÓ A HAWAii” and Lady Gaga to perform a salsa-infused rendition of “Die With a Smile,” her 2024 hit collaboration with Bruno Mars.
“[LO QUE LE PASÓ A HAWAii] appeals to our shared humanity and speaks against gentrification, cultural appropriation and colonization,” Navas said. “The salsa version of ‘Die With a Smile’… was beautiful and demonstrated how to celebrate love in the most Latin way possible. It showed how two major artists—one from the Latino community and one from the American mainstream—came together to dance as an expression of unity, love and connection.”
In a 13-minute high-octane performance filled with highlights, certain moments stood out among the rest. Senior captain on the Drew women’s volleyball team Emily Shirk (‘26) cited the closing moments of the show as a personal favorite.
“I think the most important and emotional part of this performance was when he said ‘God Bless America’ and then listed off all of the countries and territories in the Americas… America is a diverse place where we are blessed to experience different cultures and learn about different places.”
Beyond the impactful messaging, Shirk made sure to point out the quality of the performance itself. “I found the stage design to be very creative and colorful, and I thought his singing was great. Plus, Lady Gaga was an awesome surprise!”
Guajardo matched Shirk’s appreciation for the closing moments of the show. “I loved the use of all the flags and representation—a good portion of the U.S. demographic is made up of Latinos, and the togetherness… seemed very apparent in this performance.”
Contrarily, Navas was awe-struck by the artist’s portrayal of the “amazing representation of the bond between Puerto Rico and the U.S.” through his hit “NUEVAYoL,” as well as his ability to bring attention to the “apagones”: Puerto Rico’s ongoing electricity crisis since Hurricane Maria in 2017.
Whether it joins the ranks of the greatest halftime performances of all time alongside Michael Jackson, Prince, Bruno Mars, Coldplay and Lady Gaga remains up for debate. Its reach is undeniable and its statistics will remain unchallenged. Bad Bunny left the stage after amassing 128.8 million live views in the United States alone.
Paired with over 4 billion social media impressions in 24 hours and 62 million YouTube views (Kaufman 2026), and the top spots on both Spotify’s global chart and U.S. chart, Bad Bunny’s outreach parallels his halftime show’s legacy: timeless and global.
Devan Sutaria is a senior double majoring in biochemistry and molecular biology.
