5 things to know about Bad Bunny's Super Bowl performance From Zara's signature look to the rapper's political statements on the world's most famous stage

The day before, we had written that this would be the most political Super Bowl halftime show ever, and it was. At the center of Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, Bad Bunny celebrated South American pride in a concert that lasted just a quarter of an hour, but that will have a profoundly social impact in the weeks to come. It is the first time the show has been entrusted to a South American trap and reggaeton star, a choice that, in this historical moment, has unparalleled cultural and political relevance. In recent months, the federal agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security, ICE, has been carrying out the largest anti-immigration crackdown ever in the United States, putting at risk the lives of all the people who have sought a better future in the country, children included. Precisely for this reason, among the dozens of surprises that Bad Bunny prepared for the American audience last night, one of them was handing his Grammy to a child on stage.

Here, then, are 5 moments and things to know about Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show.

The workers on stage

Like every Super Bowl halftime show worthy of the name, the stage and choreography were phenomenal. At the center of the green football field, another green field took shape, with dozens of dancers dressed as bushes moving in unison to form a sugarcane plantation. In the opening scenes of the show, Bad Bunny moves from one corner of the set to another, showcasing different jobs, from the farmer to the nail artist, from the construction worker to the taco vendor. This was not an ironic sketch about stereotypes, but a political statement on the value that all immigrants - whom the United States is trying to deport through violence  - bring to the country.

Bad Bunny’s looks were by Zara

Although Bad Bunny’s performance was applauded by everyone - except Trump, who called it «the worst ever» - there was one aspect of the concert that was particularly debated, even by members of the Latinx community. The rapper’s look was by Zara, a brand that, despite being Spanish, is part of one of the most polluting companies ever. On Instagram, Johnny Valencia of Pechuga Vintage commented on the outfit, saying that, indeed, the choice to wear Zara promotes accessibility and overturns the idea that high-fashion clothing is necessary on such a stage. «I write this as a Latin American who could not be prouder of Benito’s success. But Zara?» Valencia added, criticizing the choice of a fast fashion brand, when so many South American labels, accessible yet sustainable, could have been a better choice. «Consumerism doesn’t really require much reflection. Shop the look tomorrow, I guess.»

In other news, the 64 on the rapper’s chest in the first look had a specific meaning, even though there are many theories. The first concerns the year of birth of Bad Bunny’s mother, the second the edition of the Grammys in which Un Verano Sin Ti became the first fully Spanish-language project to be nominated for album of the year, while some American outlets claim it was a tribute to his uncle, a football player who wore number 64 on the field.

The cameos in the show

For the Debì Tirar Màs Fotos tour, Bad Bunny built a wooden casita on stage in which he invites many of his friends, including celebrities, to have fun. This time, for the Super Bowl, Bad Bunny’s house was filled with familiar faces, from Pedro Pascal to Cardi B, from Jessica Alba to Karol G, all stars of South American origin who have found success in the United States. Also joining the list of cameos were Ricky Martin, Puerto Rican, who unexpectedly sang a verse of Lo Que Le Pasó a Hawaii (a Bad Bunny song that warns Puerto Rico about the extreme gentrification that has afflicted the islands), and Lady Gaga, who took part in the celebrations of a wedding by singing Die With a Smile.

The on-stage wedding was real

Some time ago, a couple had asked Bad Bunny to take part in their wedding, but the artist preferred to invite them to get married during one of his concerts. Not just any concert, but the most watched ever. So yesterday, on the Super Bowl stage, the two lovers first recreated the marriage proposal, then got married before the eyes of all of America in a fully legal union. After the ceremony, a big party broke out, complete with cake cutting and dancing.

The statements

After a show full of emotion, Bad Bunny could only conclude his concert with another statement for the Latinx community. While at the beginning the rapper held a football with the words Together We Are America, and during one of the sound transitions he looked straight into the camera saying in Spanish «You are listening to music from Puerto Rico!,» at the end of his performance Bad Bunny declared «God Bless America,» then went on to list all the North and South American states, starting from Latin America. «Together we are America, the only thing more powerful than hate is love» was the statement that closed the show, accompanied by the image of all the performers in the choreography carrying the flags of South American countries.