Bad Bunny wins five Latin Grammys before his halftime show at the Super Bowl
Puerto Rican musician Bad Bunny wins five Latin Grammys, including album of the year, before to his performance in the 2026 Super Bowl.
The Argentine hip-hop duo Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso and Puerto Rican artist Bad Bunny each took home five Latin Grammys on Thursday in Las Vegas, bringing the lesser-known pair into the public eye and solidifying Bad Bunny’s domination in the industry.
Debí Tirar Más Fotos, a genre-spanning album that combined salsa and Afro-Caribbean rhythms, garnered Bad Bunny twelve nominations and won album of the year. In addition, he was awarded best urban/urban fusion performance, best reggaeton performance, best urban song, and best urban music album.
Bad Bunny’s debut to English-speaking audiences as the Super Bowl halftime act in February is further heightened by the accolades. Former President Donald Trump was among the American traditionalists who criticized the choice, saying he had never heard of Bad Bunny.
The Recording Industry Association of America estimates that the Latin music business will reach a record $1.4 billion in 2024, or 8.1 percent of all U.S. music income.
In addition, Bad Bunny, 31, whose true name is Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio, received six normal Grammy nominations, including the major categories of album, song, and record of the year, which will be given out on February 2. He was the first performer from Latin America to receive nominations in all three categories in the same year.
He defeated well-known artists like Gloria Estefan, who was born in Cuba, and Alejandro Sanz, who is Spanish, in the album of the year competition. With two wins—best current pop album for ¿Y Ahora Qué? and record of the year for Palmeras En El Jardín—Sanz’s career total now stands at 24. Raíces’ Estefan won the award for best traditional tropical album.
Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido, a song by Karol G, beat Bad Bunny’s title track to win song of the year.
Bad Bunny will likely be the first musician to perform a set that is wholly or primarily in Spanish after the NFL revealed in September that he would be the main act at the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show on February 8. He previously joined Shakira and Jennifer Lopez in the 2020 halftime show.
The decision caused some American football fans, including Trump, to react harshly. “I was unaware of him. I’m not sure who he is. Trump remarked in October, “I don’t know why they’re doing it—it’s, like, crazy.”
Bad Bunny, who backed Kamala Harris in the 2024 election and criticized Trump’s immigration policy, considered the meaning of his victories. For me, this is always a unique occasion, brother. Moreover, I feel as anxious as the first time. With 12 Latin Grammys under his belt, he added, “That means that what I do matters to me.”
Later, he performed Weltita from his album with Chuwi as his backup band.
With eleven nominations, Ca7riel and Paco Amoroso took home the awards for best pop song, best alternative music album, best alternative song, best short form music video, and best long form music video.
Paloma Morphy, 25, awarded best new artist for her charming, melodic debut album, Au.
