Shakira will absolutely be rooting for Bad Bunny when Super Bowl LX arrives.
Less than a month after news broke that the “Moscow Mule” hitmaker would be headlining the Apple Music halftime show, Shakira, 48, voiced her support of the NFL’s decision.
“It’s about time!” she told Variety in an interview published Tuesday, October 21. “I remember when we did ours that even having part of our set in Spanish was a bold move. … Acceptance of Spanish-language music as part of the mainstream has come so far from when I started. I hope and like to think that all the times my music was met with resistance or puzzlement from the English-speaking world before it was embraced, helped forge the path to where we are now.”
When Shakira shared the Super Bowl stage with Jennifer Lopez in 2020, the Grammy winner was able to perform some of her biggest hits, including “She Wolf” and “Whenever, Whenever.”
But when Bad Bunny, 31, joined her on stage, the pair performed Spanish-speaking songs, including “Chantaje.”
“I’m so proud that Bad Bunny, who represents not only Latin culture but also how important Spanish language music has become on a global scale and how universal it has become, is getting to perform on the biggest stage in the world,” Shakira continued. “It’s the perfect moment for a performance like this. I can’t wait to watch it.”
Not everyone, however, is thrilled with the NFL’s decision to book Bad Bunny for the headlining gig set for February 2026 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
A petition has begun on Change.org to swap the Puerto Rican superstar for country singer George Strait. More than 58,000 people had signed as of press time.
Danica Patrick and President Donald Trump have also spoken out and criticized Bad Bunny as the halftime performer.
Bad Bunny himself previously responded to the naysayers while hosting Saturday Night Live.
“I’m very excited to be doing the Super Bowl and I know people all around the world who love my music are also happy,” he told viewers on October 4.
After briefly speaking in Spanish, Bad Bunny quipped: “If you didn’t understand now what I just said, you have four months to learn!”
Ultimately, the musician has the support of many artists, including Lopez, 56.
“I think he’s about to blow everybody’s mind,” the “On the Floor” singer gushed during an October 6 interview on Today. “It’s an introduction to some people. … I’m super excited for people to see him. I think they’ll be pleasantly surprised, because his music transcends language. It’s amazing what he’s done. He’s done something that a lot of people have never done in their life.”
When asked about the backlash surrounding Bad Bunny’s booking, Lopez claimed she didn’t know anything about it until NBC News’ Craig Melvin brought it up.
“I swear I don’t know,” she said. “Why? But why? I don’t understand that. He’s one of the top artists in the world right now, probably the top.”
