The Puerto Rican artist will headline the event.
Aside from the NFL showdown between New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara on Sunday (8 February), much of the conversation throughout the world of US Sport this week has been dominated by Puerto Rican singer and rapper Bad Bunny.
Just days after the music superstar secured Album of the Year at the 68th Grammy Awards, Bad Bunny is set to take centre stage during the biggest sporting event in the US calendar, the NFL-deciding Super Bowl.
Unlike European sporting events, halftime during the Super Bowl is a major spectacle.
Taking up a full 30 minutes, the interval always features a performance from one of the world’s biggest musical artists, typically lasting up to 15 minutes.
While recent editions have seen Kendrick Lamar and Rihanna take to the stage, no choice for headliner has created as much of a stir as Bad Bunny.
Bad Bunny — also known as Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio — has gathered attention due to his open criticism of the current Trump administration, and its’ immigration policies.
As a result, a large portion of the US right-wing media reacted negatively to the singer’s appointment as headline act.
Regardless of his reputation with the American right, Bad Bunny is still set to perform this Sunday.
Speaking at a press conference this week, the 31-year-old revealed the full impact the pressure of the event has had on him, saying: “Last night, I couldn’t sleep.
“Thinking about the Super Bowl at 4 am, that’s what I’ve been doing. It’s been hard to not.”
Despite that immense pressure, Bad Bunny will not receive any financial compensation for his time on stage in Santa Clara.
Traditionally Super Bowl performers do not get paid for the halftime show. The occasion is instead seen as a platform to promote their work to a global audience.
This policy was summed up best by NFL spokesperson Joanne Hunter a decade ago, who said the event does “not pay the artists” but still “cover[s] expenses and production costs”.
There are no expectations that this tradition will be broken in the case of Bad Bunny ahead of his performance on Sunday.
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