Petition to replace Bad Bunny for Super Bowl halftime show gets 50,000 signatures
The confirmation that Latin rap superstar Bad Bunny would be headlining the upcoming Super Bowl halftime show continues to divide America, with a petition to see the singer replaced passing 50,000 signatures.
Bad Bunny - real name Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio - was confirmed as the performer for Super Bowl LX at the end of September, following on from this year's performer Kendrick Lamar – who dedicated his performance to dissing rival Drake.
Credited with bringing Spanish-language music into the mainstream, Bad Bunny enjoys an average of 81.4 million listeners a month on Spotify and has won three Grammys in recent years.
The 31-year-old also boasts of nearly 50 million followers on his Instagram account, which is more than the official NFL handle at 31.9 million followers.
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So it's more than fair to say he's got a pretty major audience.
However, not all sports fans are happy about having a Spanish speaking performer headline the biggest American sporting event of the calendar year, despite Spanish being the country's second language.
So, when Bad Bunny joked that Americans have 'four months to learn' Spanish during an appearance on Saturday Night Live, it was like a match to a tinder box.
A petition has now cropped up on Change.org calling for the singer to be replaced with country music singer George Strait.
The petition, which has since received 53,000 signatures, claims that Bad Bunny does not 'the cultural tapestry of America'.
"The Super Bowl halftime show is one of the most watched music performances worldwide, celebrating not just the sport but the cultural tapestry of America," the petition reads.
"In recent years, this performance has leaned increasingly towards modern pop and international artists. While this approach certainly broadens the audience, it's pivotal to remember the roots that have made American music what it is today."
By putting forward Strait, a musician who's been nicknamed the 'King of Country' the petitioner claims a performance from the 73-year-old offers broadcasters a 'unique opportunity to pay tribute to American music's rich heritage'.
"The Super Bowl halftime show should unite our country, honour American culture, and remain family-friendly, not be turned into a political stunt," the petition adds.
"Bad Bunny represents none of these values."
Despite the petition attracting a large amount of attention online it's unlikely to sway Super Bowl organisers Roc Nation in replacing Bad Bunny with Strait, who averages 8.2 million monthly listeners on Spotify.
Meanwhile 53,000 signees pales in comparison to the 127.7 million viewers who tuned into last year's Super Bowl – so I doubt we'll be seeing George Strait onstage next February.
Brenna Cooper