By Sara Fernandez Leon
Image by Pixabay
In the space of one week, Benito Martinez, also known as Bad Bunny, turned two of the world’s biggest entertainment stages into platforms for a powerful message on immigration, identity and what it truly means to be American.
Just one week ago, the performance artist from Bayamón, Puerto Rico won one of the most important awards in music: Album of the Year, becoming the first artist in history to win the category with a fully Spanish-language album. We’re talking about Bad Bunny, who only a week later made history again with his Super Bowl halftime show.
Bad Bunny didn’t just deliver a high-energy performance. He used one of the biggest stages in the world to send a message about immigration, identity and what it really means to be “American.”
To understand how viewers reacted to the performance and whether the immigration message was noticed, people in London talked about their first impressions of the show.
Mileysy Difo, 21, of Dominican background and born in Anguilla, sharing her thoughts on the immigration message in Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl performance
During the show, dancers carried flags from different Latin American countries, not just the United States. The staging looked like neighbourhood streets and community spaces, something that many viewers recognised as a reflection of everyday life across the continent. It wasn’t just about entertainment. It felt like a celebration of Latin identity.
The message behind the visuals was clear. Bad Bunny was suggesting that “America” is not just one country, but the entire continent. For many people, especially in Latino communities, that idea felt powerful and meaningful, particularly at a time when immigration is such a controversial topic in the U.S.
The visuals also sparked wider conversations about representation and whether artists should use major cultural events to express political views.
Maite Ainaguano, 25, barista in central London, originally from Ecuador
At the end of the performance, a simple but strong phrase appeared on screen: “The only thing more powerful than hate is love.” The line quickly spread across social media and was widely interpreted as a response to the current political climate and stricter immigration policies.
The performance also connected directly to what he had said just days earlier at the Grammy Awards. After winning Album of the Year, Bad Bunny used his speech to talk about immigrants and their place in American society. Instead of a typical thank-you speech, he shouted “ICE out,” referring to the U.S. immigration enforcement agency, and dedicated his award to migrants.
Image by Pixabay
The U.S.-Mexico border has become a symbol of the immigration debate in the United States.
Bad Bunny reminded the audience that immigrants are not criminals or outsiders, but human beings who are part of the country’s culture and economy. The moment went viral online and turned a musical achievement into a political statement.
Seen together, BB’s performances at the Grammys and the Super Bowl created a clear message. First, he used his Grammy speech to talk directly about immigration. Then, at the Super Bowl, he turned that message into a visual performance watched by millions of people around the world.
Bad Bunny has always spoken openly about social and political issues, especially those affecting Puerto Rico and Latin American communities. But these two moments were different because of their scale. The Grammys and the Super Bowl are two of the biggest stages in entertainment, and he used both to talk about unity and inclusion.
By putting Latin identity at the centre of the halftime show, he challenged the idea that being “American” only belongs to one country or one language. Instead, his performance suggested that America is made up of many cultures, many stories and many people, including immigrants.
From the Grammy stage to the Super Bowl spotlight, Bad Bunny delivered the same message: love is stronger than hate, and immigrants are part of what makes America what it is today. Whether people agreed with him or not, his performance made sure that immigration and identity became part of the conversation, not just the music.
Leave a Reply