By: Maya McComb
It may have been the Super Bowl to some viewers, but to me and others, it was the Benito Bowl. As soon as the 49ers lost to the Seahawks, I personally lost interest in seeing who was going to win the Lombardi Trophy; the only exciting thing was Bad Bunny’s performance.
Before diving into the spectacular halftime performance, let’s talk about the first half of the game. To put it lightly, it was very boring. The Seahawks kicker put the team ahead, and it was very much a defensive battle. At the end of the 1st half, the score was 9-0, with the Seahawks on top.
The moment we all were waiting for was Bad Bunny’s performance. The inspiration and pride Benito takes from his country, Puerto Rico, is embedded in his performance from the very beginning. He began with “Titi Me Preguntó” from his album Un Verano Sin Ti, as he walks past people cutting down canes with machetes, and a Piragua stand.
He continues by performing on his iconic pink Casita, with celebrities and dancers around him, representing the community and the importance of family. The storytelling in his performance was deliberate, including a wedding ceremony.
The camera movement in “BAILE INoLVIDABLE” made the audience feel as if they were a part of the ceremony, from the kids running around the adults, to the dance floor. When the child fell asleep on the chair while everyone was partying around him, it was a relatable image from any Hispanic family, when the family gatherings go late into the night.
Bad Bunny had a powerful moment when he handed a child his Grammy to hold, which he won a week prior.
When a group of violinists emerged from the sugarcane fields playing “MONACO,” Bad Bunny gave a powerful message: “Mi nombre es Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, y si hoy estoy aquí en el Super Bowl 60, es porque nunca, nunca dejé de creer en mí. Tú también deberías creer en ti. Vales más de lo que piensas. Confía en mí.”
Bad Bunny ended the halftime performance with “Café Con Ron” and then named every Latin American country, from Mexico to Puerto Rico and everything in between. He proceeded to hold a football in front of the screen that read “Together We Are America” with the message “ The only thing stronger than hate is love” on the Levi Stadium jumbotron behind him.
Every moment of the halftime show was intentional, from the white plastic chair to the power lines, representing the importance of unity. With a world that is very divided right now, it is important to remember the beauty of someone’s culture and family, and how love will always conquer hate.
The second half of the game was more interesting, with the Seahawks winning 29-13. The MVP running back, Kenneth Walker III, was named the MVP by rushing 135 yards. He is the first running back to win MVP in twenty-eight years
Overall, the Super Bowl was more than the Seahawks winning; it was about unity and love through Bad Bunny’s music.
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