Bad Bunny Brings out Lady Gaga — Why the Halftime Surprise Made Perfect Sense

If you watched Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show, Lady Gaga’s appearance likely caught you off guard. Gaga didn’t just pop out for vibes. She joined the Puerto Rican superstar because his set centered on Puerto Rico and Latin pride.

Bad Bunny headlined the Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara on Feb. 8 and delivered a high-energy performance. In the middle of the show’s “Puerto Rico on the field” storyline, Gaga appeared as a surprise guest.

Gaga’s appearance was planned by production but kept secret from the public — and that’s exactly how halftime shows operate. Bad Bunny also avoided giving anything away ahead of the show.

"I just want people to have fun. It’s gonna be a huge party and what people can always expect from me," he said during a press conference, per People. "Of course a lot of my culture, but I really don't want to give any spoilers."

However, the collab made sense because Bad Bunny has long been a fan of Gaga. Their mutual respect dates back to 2023, when Gaga appeared on Saturday Night Live to introduce his performance. Days before the big game, he reflected on a Grammys interaction in an interview with Billboard, recalling Gaga whispering, “I love you.” He said he responded, “I love you too. … I admire her a lot.”

Bad Bunny didn’t carry the halftime show alone — Gaga was just one of several headline-making appearances. Ricky Martin joined as another major guest. The performance also featured cameos from Pedro Pascal, Cardi B, Jessica Alba, Karol G, and others during the “La Casita” portion of the set.

No, Gaga isn’t Hispanic or Latina. She comes from an Italian American family in New York City, and most reputable biographies identify her heritage as Italian American. She’s also been loud about that identity herself. In one post, Gaga joked, “I just took a DNA test turns out I’m 100 percent ITALIAN.”

People are asking this now because her Super Bowl cameo leaned into Latin sounds and Puerto Rico symbolism, but that was a tribute, not her ancestry. Gaga’s styling even leaned into the tribute. Elle reported she wore a red brooch featuring the Flor de Maga, Puerto Rico’s national flower, as a nod to Bad Bunny’s heritage.

Fans seemed to love Gaga’s appearance. Apple’s newsroom reported that the halftime show featuring Gaga and Ricky drove “unprecedented engagement,” with Bad Bunny’s simultaneous listeners spiking immediately after halftime.

Netizens also gushed over Gaga's surprise cameo. "They both look so happy. His idol and Gaga is just happy that he included her," one person wrote. While another posted, "Gaga looks like she’s about to drop the album of the decade."