All eyes are on the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show, and the question dominating fan chatter is simple: who will Bad Bunny bring out? The Puerto Rican superstar has built a career on smart, high-impact collaborations. A surprise-guest strategy would turn a global showcase into a living mixtape of the Latin pop era he helped define.
Bad Bunny has shown he values chemistry over novelty. At Coachella, his guests were collaborators tied to records that shaped his ascent. He also understands how a halftime cameo can catalyze a career moment; he made that leap himself when he joined Jennifer Lopez and Shakira on the NFL’s biggest stage.
- The most likely pop crossovers for Bad Bunny’s set
- An all-Spanish statement on the halftime world stage
- Core collaborators from the catalog fans know best
- Elevating Puerto Rico’s next wave of rising artists
- Legacy bridges linking generations of Latin stars
- Global artsy pairings that elevate halftime visuals
- The Karol G full-circle play and overdue reunion
- What history suggests about guests and set strategy
- The setlist math of a tight, 15-minute halftime show
The most likely pop crossovers for Bad Bunny’s set
Cardi B tops the list. Their hit I Like It gave Bad Bunny his first No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and it remains one of his most recognized U.S. smashes. A Cardi appearance would deliver instant crowd recognition and a jolt of pop-cultural electricity that plays as well on television as it does on social feeds.
There’s also a plausible path for J Balvin, despite a well-documented cooling of relations in recent years. Both artists have benefited from collaborative momentum before, and a reunion—if it happens—would read more as a peace signal than a publicity stunt.
An all-Spanish statement on the halftime world stage
There’s a strategic case for keeping the entire set in Spanish. With the halftime broadcast routinely drawing over one hundred million viewers, a Spanish-only performance would underscore the mainstream dominance of Latin music without translation. It would also mirror the way Bad Bunny has topped global charts while refusing to dilute his sound.
Core collaborators from the catalog fans know best
Jhayco is the natural co-star if DÁKITI or Tarot lands on the setlist. DÁKITI reached the Top 5 on the Hot 100 and ruled Billboard’s Global charts, and the duo’s sleek, percussive chemistry is tailor-made for a massive TV mix. Their live synergy is already proven on festival stages.
For a pure reggaetón moment, Safaera practically demands Jowell & Randy. The track is a crash course in perreo history—rowdy, referential, and built for call-and-response. Their cameo would double as a salute to the genre’s golden-era architects.
Elevating Puerto Rico’s next wave of rising artists
Young Miko would be a forward-looking pick with real symbolic weight. She is one of the most visible queer artists in Latin pop, and her collaboration with Bad Bunny on Fina blends airy romance with sharp, modern cadences. Bringing her out would broadcast a commitment to the island’s rising talent and broader inclusion.
Legacy bridges linking generations of Latin stars
Ricky Martin would connect Bad Bunny to a prior wave of Puerto Rican global pop. Pairing with a song like Caro would layer a message about self-expression across generations—one artist who opened doors, another who now owns the room. It’s both homage and evolution.
Marc Anthony, meanwhile, would widen the frame beyond reggaetón. As salsa’s defining modern voice, his presence would knit together two eras of Latin dominance. The two have shared major stages in San Juan, and a halftime duet would carry that hometown electricity to the sport’s biggest broadcast.
Global artsy pairings that elevate halftime visuals
Rosalía remains a high-upside wild card. Their televised duet of La Noche de Anoche showcased an effortless blend of flamenco-inflected pop and urbano mood. She also brings a visual language—striking, minimalist, theatrical—that suits the aerial shots and tight camera choreography of halftime.
The Karol G full-circle play and overdue reunion
Karol G and Bad Bunny collaborated before both became arena fixtures, and a reunion would feel less nostalgic than inevitable. It would also underline his track record of spotlighting women in a space that too often sidelines them. In a show built on momentum, their chemistry is a safe bet.
What history suggests about guests and set strategy
Recent halftime shows swing between maximalist cameos and solo showcases. Dr. Dre’s hip-hop revue stacked stars for a medley effect. By contrast, The Weeknd and Rihanna leaned on singular presence and staging. Nielsen reported record-breaking audiences for recent editions, and performers typically see immediate consumption spikes afterward, per Luminate and Spotify—meaning every guest slot is both art and strategy.
The setlist math of a tight, 15-minute halftime show
Halftime sets run roughly a quarter-hour. That usually allows eight to a dozen song fragments. Each guest cameo costs a minute of precious screen time, so expect precision: one blockbuster crossover to satisfy mainstream viewers, one or two Spanish-language moments that anchor his identity, and perhaps a final, island-forward flourish.
The safest prediction is the simplest: Bad Bunny will curate guests who either built the foundation with him or represent where the culture is headed next. Whether it’s Cardi B, Jhayco, Young Miko, or a legacy lion like Marc Anthony, the goal is the same—turn a global pop victory lap into a portrait of Latin music’s past, present, and future.
