Bad Bunny may not be paid as much as Super Bowl spectators would expect for his half-time performance at the 60th edition of the NFL’s showpiece event.
Bad Bunny – formerly Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio – will become the first Latin American male to perform at the Super Bowl’s half-time show when he takes centre stage at Levi’s Stadium during the interval of the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks showdown in Santa Clara.
On February 1, the Puerto Rican artist won Album of the Year, beating Kendrick Lamar and Lady Gaga, at the Grammys with 'Debí Tirar Mas Fotos' becoming the first Spanish record to win the award.
And just a week on, he will perform his songs in front of millions of viewers watching around the world, which will no doubt raise his profile further.
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Bad Bunny was selected to perform in September, which prompted a negative reaction from Republican media outlets due to his opposition to the Trump administration.
The Super Bowl half-time interval usually lasts around 30 minutes, with about 12-15 minutes of this taken up by performances.
Despite playing in front of huge crowds around the world, even the most popular artists get nervous, with the 31-year-old admitting that he’s been losing sleep over his Super Bowl performance.
"Last night, I couldn't sleep," he said at a press conference on February 5.
“Thinking about the Super Bowl at 4 am, that's what I've been doing. It's been hard to not.
“I'm happy, but I'm just processing, taking one day at a time. I just try to take it easy. Wake up, work out, drink my coffee, try not to think too much about it.”
He added: “To be the biggest stage of the world is something that I never thought [possible]. You always have to be proud of who you are and feel comfortable being yourself, being proud about your history and where you are from and don't let that limit yourself.
“I feel very blessed. Every step of my career, I get to another level, it’s how I feel. It has been a beautiful and tough journey. I worked for it.”
So, given the stress Bad Bunny appears to be under, will he be financially compensated?
Technically, no.
Super Bowl half-time performers do not receive a fee for their performance, with the occasion seen as a platform to promote their work rather than one to gain financially.
Speaking to Forbes in 2016, NFL spokesperson Joanne Hunter explained how the organisation does "not pay the artists” but does “cover expenses and production costs”.
However, Bad Bunny is not short of a dollar, with the artist pocketing $66 million from his music in 2025 alone, according to Forbes.
Topics: Super Bowl, NFL
Luke Davies