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A2 U.S. NEWS
Thursday 5 February 2026
Fans race to learn Spanish before Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime

show

By FERNANDA FIGUEROA honestly," Miller said. "I'm fir-
Associated Press ing on all cylinders."
Bad Bunny is expected to
perform the Super Bowl A landmark for Latino cul-
halftime show on Sunday ture is also politically divi-
entirely in Spanish which sive
has inspired fans to quickly Bad Bunny's booking at the
learn the language. Super Bowl has been divi-
In October, the Puerto Ri- sive from the start. Trump
can singer born Benito called the selection "ridicu-
Antonio Martínez Ocasio lous." Conservatives have
kicked off the 51st season called it anti-American
of "Saturday Night Live" even though native-born
expressing pride over the Puerto Ricans are also U.S.
achievement in Spanish, citizens. Turning Point USA
after which he said in Eng- is putting on an alterna-
lish, "If you didn't under- tive "All-American Halftime
stand what I just said, you Show" with a lineup led by
have four months to learn!" Kid Rock.
That declaration further This all comes against the
stoked the anger of some backdrop of Latinos and
conservatives who have vil- Spanish-speaking com-
ified Bad Bunny for speak- Niklaus Miller sits at his computer as he learns Bad Bunny's songs in preparation for Bad Bunny's munities being targeted in
ing out against President Super Bowl halftime show at his home in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles Friday, Jan. 16, Trump's immigration crack-
Donald Trump's anti-immi- 2026. downs. His executive ac-
grant policies. The singer Associated Press tions have vastly expanded
canceled the U.S. portion "I am delusional enough to are right now with the English in the U.S. except who is eligible for deporta-
of his tour last year out of be like 'this would be easy. state of the country I think in three states, according tion and routine hearings
fear that Immigration and I could pick it up pretty he is the perfect person to to U.S. Census data. Over have turned into deporta-
Customs Enforcement quickly,'" Miller said. headline such a humon- 13% of residents age 5 and tion traps for migrants.
agents would target his The fervor to learn a new gous stage." The response older speak it. For Bad Bunny, the halftime
fans. language within a short to his TikTok videos showing For Thomas, Bad Bunny's show is the ultimate stage
time span highlights the Thomas learning "NUEVAY- music offered the perfect to showcase his music, heri-
There's been a frenzy online powerful impact of Latino oL" and other tracks have opportunity to take on the tage and global influence.
of people posting about culture in the U.S. despite been really positive, Thom- challenge of learning a For the NFL and Apple Mu-
Bad Bunny lyrics, including the president's anti-immi- as added. Many Puerto Ri- new language. sic, it's a balancing act:
Puerto Ricans explaining grant rhetoric and actions. can people have reached "I love Spanish and I always deliver a spectacle that
slang used by the singer "It felt like a form of protest," out, saying they're proud wanted to learn it," Thomas celebrates diversity without
and non-Spanish speakers Miller said. "What can I do that someone outside the said. "So, this has been a igniting controversy that
documenting their journey right now besides what ev- community is attempting fun introduction for me to scares off advertisers.
to learn Spanish. eryone is doing that is trying to learn about their culture. finally hone in." NFL Commissioner Roger
Anticipation for his halftime to help? It just feels good." Goodell has stood by the
performance has only in- Miller said he has gotten Latin music and culture in- Both Miller and Thomas said choice, citing Bad Bunny's
tensified since last week- messages from people who tensify interest in language that learning Spanish, spe- immense popularity.
end, when his album, " Debí watch his videos with their "People were already start- cifically Puerto Rican Span-
Tirar Más Fotos," became parents since he started ing to make the effort with ish, in a short period of time Petra Rivera-Rideau, as-
the first Spanish-language posting about the process learning Spanish as a re- has been a unique chal- sociate professor of Ameri-
album to win the Grammy of learning Spanish. They sult of their interest in Latin lenge. can studies at Wellesley
for album of the year. He say they feel seen and ap- music," said Vanessa Díaz, Thomas said listening to College and co-author of
did not shy away from ad- preciated. associate professor of Chi- Bad Bunny's music casually "P FKN R," said there's a long
dressing targeted federal While Miller hasn't learned cano and Latino studies at is a different experience history in the U.S. of Spanish
immigration operations at Bad Bunny's entire discog- Loyola Marymount Univer- than learning the lyrics. being criminalized.
the awards. raphy, he has learned por- sity. "The Super Bowl itself "Listening to his music is
"Before I say thanks to God, tions of six songs that he is an additional push for really fun," Thomas said. Bad Bunny is making it cool
I'm going to say ICE out," he feels will be part of the half- a trend that was already "The amount of times I've to know the language
said in English after winning time show, including "Tití happening." pressed rewind just to get a and changing the narra-
his first Grammy for música Me Preguntó," "DtMF" and Díaz, who is the co-author phrase, I can't even count." tive around it, Diaz said.
urbana album. "We're not "Baile Inolvidable." of "P FKN R: How Bad Bunny Miller said the hard part Now Spanish is something
savage, we're not animals, Became the Global Voice about learning the songs is that people are aspiring
we're not aliens. We are The day after Bad Bunny of Puerto Rican Resistance," that the Puerto Rican dia- to learn. Díaz doesn't think
humans and we are Ameri- was announced as the says the rise of Latin music lect tends to chop some his performance will neces-
cans." halftime act, O'Neil Thom- over the past decade has words and it is very fast. Mill- sarily shift how Latinos are
as, 28, a New York City ac- pushed non-Spanish speak- er said if he hasn't worked perceived in the U.S. but
Fans are learning Spanish tor and content creator, ers to learn the language. on understanding a song she says it will create an in-
before the Super Bowl started learning the singer's Bad Bunny's clear messag- for days, he might forget teresting conversation de-
Niklaus Miller, 29, has been catalog. ing in his lyrics, videos and the pronunciation and it's pending on "how people
buckling down on learning "I was just so excited be- performances amplifies hard to come back to it. are going to grapple with
Bad Bunny lyrics since the cause he wasn't an artist that interest, Díaz said. "It's fun but then stressful be- the magnitude of having
singer's SNL appearance that I expected," Thomas Spanish is the most spoken cause I am a Type-A per- someone like Bad Bunny on
months ago. said. "And given how we language at home behind son, so that's been hard, the stage."q