“Shakira and JLo don’t exist?”: Fans slam news of Bad Bunny becoming first solo Latin artist to headline Super Bowl halftime show

Puerto Rican singer Bad Bunny was just announced as the headliner at February 2026’s Super Bowl Halftime show. The Halftime show will take place on February 8, 2026 at Santa Clara, California’s Levi’s Stadium.

Bad Bunny, who’s real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, was celebrated by fans on social media as being the first solo Latin artist to headline the NFL event.

Amid claims that the rapper will make history by performing as the first Latin solo musician at the Super Bowl Halftime show, netizens are taking to social media to set the record straight.

A fan took to X to slam the claim that Bad Bunny will be the first Latin headliner of the popular Halftime show, and made a reference to when Jennifer Lopez, who is of Puerto Rican origin, and the Colombian Shakira were the headliners during the 2020 Super Bowl Halftime show. The fan wrote,

“Shakira and JLo don’t exist?”

Shakira and JLo don’t exist?

— Pennywise (@Pennywise2026) September 29, 2025

Recalling the impact of Lopez and Shakira’s performances at the Super Bowl Halftime show, another fan scoffed at the claim and remarked,

“Pretty sure JLo and Shakira headlined Super Bowl”

While looking at Shakira in gratitude for her lasting influence on pop music, a netizen said,

“Thank u shakira”

Although it could be argued that Shakira and Lopez headlined the 2020 show together and not as solo artists, another netizen pointed to the fact that the ‘solo’ tag does not count for much in wake of the achievements of singers of Latin origin.

The fan wrote,

“Shakira and JLO Dude duh. Who cares about "solo"  if it matters? All Latin lol”

Amid news of Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Halftime show performance, netizens are highlighting other Latin artists who have led the halftime show over the years

While announcing that Bad Bunny will be leading the Halftime show during the Super Bowl in February 2026, the show’s executive producer, Roc Nation released a statement via its owner, rapper Jay-Z.

As per Billboard, Jay-Z shared that the Latin singer’s work as a Puerto Rican artist is “truly inspiring.”

Other Latin artists have graced the Super Bowl Halftime show stage over the decades. According to LATV, Gloria Estefan, who is of Cuban origin, scripted history by being the first Latin artist to perform on the Super Bowl stage.

A netizen shared the historical impact of Estefan’s performance, and wrote on X,

“This "makes history's" getting messy: "Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine were the first Hispanic group to perform at a Super Bowl halftime show in 1992." Try this: Bad Bunny will make history as the first Puerto Rican artist to headline the Super Bowl halftime show. 2 Legit!”

This "makes history's" getting messy: "Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine were the first Hispanic group to perform at a Super Bowl halftime show in 1992." Try this: Bad Bunny will make history as the first Puerto Rican artist to headline the Super Bowl halftime show. 2 Legit!

— V marie (@Vmarie20335894) September 29, 2025

Moreover, even Bruno Mars, who’s real name is Peter Gene Hernandez, headlined the Super Bowl Halftime show in 2014, as per LATV.

Bringing attention to Mars’ headlining show of 2014, a fan contested the fact that Bad Bunny will be the first solo Latin artist on the Super Bowl stage, and wrote,

“Bruno Mars?  2014?”

While Bad Bunny’s announcement as the headliner for the Super Bowl 2026 Halftime show is an incredible achievement, this will be the second time that the artist takes the stage at the NFL event.

Back in 2020, he featured as a guest performer during Shakira and Jennifer Lopez’s show, according to Billboard.