When Bad Bunny took the stage during the halftime show of the Super Bowl, the performance sparked conversations far beyond the stadium. At Chandler High School—where a large portion of the student body identifies as Hispanic—the show quickly became more than just casual entertainment. For many students, it felt personal.
Bad Bunny, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, is one of the most influential Latin artists in the world. Known for blending reggaeton and trap while openly celebrating Puerto Rican culture, his presence on one of the biggest stages in American entertainment meant a lot to students who rarely see their culture highlighted in mainstream media.
For senior Mayra Ramirez, the performance felt like a moment of pride. “I grew up listening to Bad Bunny with my family, especially at parties and in the car,” Ramirez said. “Seeing him perform on a stage that big felt like our culture was finally being recognized. It made me proud to be Hispanic.”
At Chandler High, where Spanish music often echoes through hallways and cultural traditions are deeply rooted in students’ lives, the halftime show quickly became a topic of conversation the next day at school. Students in AP/IB Spanish 5 & 6 discussed their favorite songs, outfits, and choreography, but many also deeply reflected on what the moment represented. Senior Michelle Islas said the performance reminded her how meaningful representation can be. “It felt like a big party,” Islas said. “A lot of us grew up hearing Spanish music at home but not always seeing it in big American events. Seeing someone like Bad Bunny headline something that huge makes you feel seen.”
However, like many high-profile performances, the show also sparked some controversy online. Some viewers criticized elements of the performance, debating the style, choreography, and whether the show fit traditional expectations of halftime entertainment. Others questioned the prominence of Spanish-language music on such a widely watched stage.
At Chandler High, many students felt those criticisms missed the bigger picture.
“People always say music brings people together,” Kimberly Reyes, a senior said. “But sometimes when it’s not in English, suddenly it becomes controversial. That’s what made the moment even more important for a lot of us.”
Moments like these remind students that culture can be powerful—even in places like a high school hallway. For many at Chandler High, the halftime was a reminder that their language, music, and identity have a place on the world’s biggest stages.
