This year’s halftime show was… a lot. Visually loud, culturally layered and at times completely unhinged, in both good and confusing ways.
Let’s start with the obvious: there was a lot of thirst-trapping and twerking. It felt like every other transition involved choreography that leaned heavily into sexuality. It raises the question: can we just dance without it being overly sexual? Not every big stage moment has to feel like a nightclub at 1:00 a.m.
That said, the transitions between songs were smooth. The production team deserves credit for that. The pacing kept things moving, and the flow never felt clunky. Even when the content felt chaotic, technically it was tight.
The staging? Surprisingly fun. I actually liked the set design. And the fact that people got paid to be literal bushes? Iconic. No notes. That’s performance art capitalism at its finest.
There were moments that felt random… like, who was that guitarist? Random musicians just appearing with no introduction gave the show a slightly thrown-together energy. Ricky Martin made a surprise guest appearance, performing a verse from the song “LO QUE LE PASÓ A HAWAii”. Though it lasted only 30 seconds, Martin’s Super Bowl moment was a symbolic demonstration of how far Latin music has come in the United States. Personally, “Hellooooo Ricky!” I enjoyed this part, it was entertaining yet chaotic.
The wedding segment was peak “wait, what is happening?”. At first it felt like we’d accidentally switched to a quinceañera livestream. But according to The Guardian, the couple really had invited Bad Bunny to their wedding, and in return, he allowed them to get married during his halftime performance. So yes, that wedding was real. Wild, but kind of iconic when you think about it.
There was also controversy and misinformation floating around afterward. Some people claimed the child who received the Grammy onstage was Liam Ramos, a detained child connected to ICE. That’s false. The child was actually a representation of Bad Bunny’s younger self, symbolizing how far he’s come. It’s a reminder that social media runs fast with narratives, and we need to slow down before spreading them. I could not even tell you how many people shared a false post. Can we bring back research before clicking post?
Now, onto the cultural discourse. Some viewers questioned why a Spanish-language performer headlined such a traditionally English-speaking event. But honestly, that reaction says more about expectations than the performance itself. The Super Bowl is global, and Latin artists have dominated global music for years. If anything, it reflects the cultural reality of the audience, not a mismatch.
Vocally and stylistically, though, the show wasn’t universally loved. Some people couldn’t imagine paying Super Bowl ticket prices and not knowing most of the lyrics. Others felt the performance didn’t quite hit the “epic” standard expected of a halftime show
Then there’s Gaga, or at least the collective confusion of “Is that Gaga??” She always looks different every time you see her. The bleached brow moment? I’m into it. But the outfit? Surprisingly uncreative. For someone known for bold fashion statements, it felt underwhelming.
There were flashes of violence in the choreography and imagery that felt jarring, especially paired with celebratory moments like shots mid-performance. It created whiplash: are we at a wedding, a club, a protest or a family event?
Overall, the show was chaotic but memorable. Parts felt random, parts felt groundbreaking and parts felt like you accidentally walked into three different events at once: a quinceañera, a wedding, and a music festival. But if the goal was to get people talking? Mission accomplished. It broke the viewer record. Bravo to Bad Bunny.
Love it or hate it, it wasn’t boring. And at the end of the day, that might be the most important halftime metric of all.