Rhianna Benson
The final countdown to the commencement of the 2026 Super Bowl tournament is officially on - and still, fans have raised concerns about this year's half-time musical performance.
For those who missed it, organisers announced back in September that Puerto Rican rapper, singer and record producer Bad Bunny would be taking to the stage after the first 30 minutes of play.
Famed for a horde of collaborative hits - including 'I Like It' with Cardi B, and 'Mía' with Drake - the 31-year-old will play for over 68,000 sports fans at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California on Sunday eve (8 Feb) as part of a 12-14 minute set.
"What I'm feeling goes beyond myself," Bunny told fans when his name was announced. "It’s for those who came before me and ran countless yards so I could come in and score a touchdown.
Advert
"This is for my people, my culture, and our history."
His performance will kick off slap bang in the middle of the long-awaited NFL showdown, which will see the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks go head-to-head in a bitter battle for the win.
It's also expected that around 130m viewers around the world will tune in to see Bunny (real name Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio) belting out some of his best-loved beats from the comfort of their sofas.
As high-profile performances go, there's only a handful of gigs that rake in as many streamers as the Super Bowl does.
There's also the fact that Bunny is following in the footsteps of some of the most legendary stars - including Michael Jackson, Prince, Beyoncé, Shakira and Jennifer Lopez, Rihanna, U2, Lady Gaga, Paul McCartney, and recent headliners like Usher and Kendrick Lamar.
So, it's pretty fair to say, the pressure is well and truly on.
Oddly, however, despite the worldwide reach of this weekend's show - which will be broadcast on NBC, and can be streamed on Peacock - it recently emerged that the 'King of Latin Trap' won't receive a single penny in payment for his performance.
In fact, no half-time performers ever have.
That's right, despite starting quarterbacks racking up a salary of over $50m per year, the hired artists are expected to perform for free.
Don't worry, however - organisers have long made it clear to musicians before they play that league policy doesn't allow payment.
Though the NFL covers the production costs of the special moment, singers see none of this - by the sounds of things, however, they're never really bothered.
Entertainment lawyer Lori Landew told Forbes in 2019: "The halftime show at the Super Bowl remains a highly coveted spot for many artists.
"Some of those artists do not see their appearance as a political statement, nor do they see the show as a cultural background, but rather view their live performance as an opportunity to entertain an enthusiastic crowd and to share their music and their talent with millions of viewers."