The meteoric rise of Puerto Rican artist Bad Bunny aka Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio has emphatically shifted the musical, cultural and political landscape in the last 12 months.
The Latin superstar has made friends and enemies take notice of the proud and unapologetic embrace of his cultural heritage, creating music and performances that tap into the essence of what it means to be a proud Latino and a cultural ambassador for the Latin-American diasporas around the world.
In the last month, the 31 year old has won three Grammys including the top accolade, Album Of The Year with his 2025 album 'DeBi TiRAR Mas FOToS' or in English 'I Should Have Taken More Photos', becoming the first Spanish-language album to win in this category. His provocative acceptance speech called out ICE to stop attacking immigrants in America.
With that milestone behind him, Benito stepped onto the grandest stage in music, where only the most iconic artists ever stand, the Super Bowl LX halftime show, (an estimated 125.6 million viewers) bringing A-list music stars such as Lady Gaga, Ricky Martin to perform alongside him.
That performance showed a world-wide audience how Spanish-, English- and Portuguese-speaking countries are represented in the American continent and how music is the most potent force to bring all these languages, nations and cultures together.
Bad Bunny's infectious party music and high-energy performances has unquestionably been felt globally, including in Australia where not only is there a proud Latin community, but an ever increasing interest for dance driven by salsa, reggaeton, merengue, bachata and hip hop music.
Bad Bunny - image © Hayden Nixon
On his latest album, there is a fusion of contemporary and traditional Latin music genres, making it a cross-generational LP that also acknowledges the roots of Puerto Rican anti colonial and resistance music in styles such as bomba and plena.
Bad Bunny has been hailed as the King of Latin Trap and brought his fashion, identity and musical lingo for the first time ever to Sydney at ENGIE Stadium at the Sydney Olympic Park (28 February).
Support act and Puerto Rican natives Chuwi warmed up an already energised crowd with their soothing Latin jazz, soulful singing and hedonistic rapping to get the party started.
There was a lot of love for Benito on his arrival to Sydney mid-week with social media videos full of admiration going viral, but nothing quite like the soaring roars and applause when he hit the stage on Saturday night with so many Puerto Rican, Australian and many other Latin American flags being waved around the stadium.
A tremendous salsa ensemble joined Bad Bunny in bringing the roots of Puerto Rican music to the forefront, as this was a concert designed to bridge the generational gap between Latin music enthusiasts from the golden era of 20th century salsa and 21st century reggaeton and trap music fans.
Bad Bunny - image © Hayden Nixon
Not since Carlos Santana has a Latino artist so successfully given their audience a rich history lesson on the diversity of music from Hispanic cultures the way Bad Bunny did in one show.
His backing band, Los Sobrinos, gave an amazing account of themselves with outstanding percussion, acoustic guitar and keyboard solos as well as an extended improvised introduction to some of his most loved singles such as 'BAILE INoLVIDABLE' and 'NUEVAYoL'.
Whether you were getting out of your seat to dance salsa with the person next to you or just moving your body to the exotic basslines and memorable choruses these songs offer, this was a full house with pure happiness and joy in their hearts.
A lanyard with a cardboard camera containing a flashing light inside the lens was provided at the entry to the show, and nearly everyone attending wore one around their necks resulting in the seated part of the stadium being constantly illuminated with a glow that would change colours to match the mood of the music.
Bad Bunny - image © Hayden Nixon
Audiences also had a chance to see and hear the beloved Puerto Rican crested toad, featured in Bad Bunny's music videos, speak in English on how great Sydney is for a newcomer.
It also offered a complimentary Spanish class, giving Benito and his crew a breather while they moved to the opposite side of the stadium where an artificial Puerto Rican home known as a la casita resided as part of the tour's set design.
This part of the concert saw Bad Bunny set aside the musical singing approach from the first half of the show, to perform his more urban, street-influenced compositions changing his clothing to suite his trademark rapping style.
At this point, the stadium turned into a rave as each song on the set list was maximised to great effect, booming through multiple mega speakers, while lasers and fireworks created a vibrant outdoor club atmosphere. Songs such as 'Monaco' and 'Titi Me Pregunto' instantly transport you to the nightclubs on Ocean Drive in Miami Beach.
Bad Bunny - image © Hayden Nixon
Every time Bad Bunny addressed the crowd between songs, he spoke almost exclusively in Spanish. Yet this hardly mattered as music was the true language of the night, a powerful reminder of how rhythm and melody transcend borders and language barriers.
As the concert neared its end, the tribal drumming manifested into a wonderfully diverse fabric of music, culture, and art that captured exactly why Latin American communities are so deeply passionate about rhythm and dance.
The final song of an unbelievable night was the reggaeton anthem 'EoO' where your heart pumps faster than usual and your head can't stop nodding to the beat.
This song brought closure to one of the most magical concert experiences where Latin culture was truly celebrated and people from all backgrounds connected deeply to what Puerto Rican and Spanish speakers have contributed artistically to humanity.
