Is Bad Bunny the beginning?

I had just closed my eyes and felt the sweet release of sleep. Raaaaa! I was awakened by the sound of music. Was it Alexa? Was it the neighbours? What the heck? I got up and staggered around the house looking for the source. Then, I realized it was coming from outside. The sweet sound of mariachis serenading… no, they weren’t serenading me! They were outside, just a few houses down, playing for all they were worth.

For context, I am not at home. Any mariachis playing outside at midnight where I’m from would end up in jail! My husband and I are in Merida, Mexico, for our annual winter getaway. That’s why I was able to dash outside in my pjs, searching for the source of this wonderful music. That’s why I was able to stand at the front gate and listen to this music. The music made my heart sing.

I found out the next day that this is a Mexican tradition. The mariachi plays for the “birthday boy or girl” at midnight, joyfully sharing their deep passion for Mexican culture.

As I’ve said many times, the importance of music is significant. Music lifts us up, it takes us back in time, it fuels our souls, and perhaps most importantly, it unites us. Yes, I’m going there. Bad Bunny. Super Bowl 2026.

I struggle to find the words to describe the emotions that accompany that amazing performance. First, forget about all the personal, political, and global messages that were embedded in that show. Strip it down to the production and the music. It was vibrant. It was inspirational. It was get-off-the-couch-and-move. It was creativity supreme and storytelling at its finest.

Now, for the important stuff. Those of us who could not follow along with all of the Spanish lyrics or historical references sure learned a few things from those who could keep up and from all the news shows and social media commentaries that have followed. But we shouldn’t be surprised, right? I mean, why would an international star not use the Super Bowl stage as a platform? He would have been crazy not to do something.

Protest music has always been with us. It can be traced back to the 18th century when it focused mostly on slavery and human rights. Of course, it goes back much farther, as people have always relied on music to show opposition to dictatorial governments. Let’s skip forward to the 20th century. This is when artists such as Billie Holiday, Woodie Guthrie, Bob Dylan, Nina Simone, Joan Baez, etc. (it is a very long list) used their celebrity power and stage platforms to sing in protest about social injustices. Those artists and more paved the way for artists in the 1970s such as Curtis Mayfield, the Isley Brothers, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, the Sex Pistols, Pink Floyd, and the Clash.

And now here we are in the 21st century. And especially with the shenanigans of the fellow down south (well, up north since I’m writing this while in Mexico), there has been an increase in the number of artists using their platforms to speak out about social injustices such as racism, police violence, and corruption. For the last 20 some years, artists such as Green Day, Black Eyed Peas, Bruce Springsteen, Childish Gambino, Rage Against the Machine, and Kendrick Lamar, to name a few, have been singing out against “the man” and warning us of troubles ahead. But have we been listening?

The COVID pandemic showed our true colours. Maybe it was because we hid behind screens for a long time, living in anonymity and forgetting about the value of human contact. It publicly divided us in ways we had not seen for decades, but it also made us stronger. We came out feeling connected to each other. But those rose-coloured glasses are now starting to fog, and we see the world is still in trouble, thanks to the unbalanced power (and mindsets) of a few.

I believe that protest music now has the power to reach the masses. (Apparently more than 135 million people watched Bad Bunny perform at the Super Bowl!) Thanks to technology and huge publicized events, it reaches not just like-minded people, but those who normally don’t give social justice much thought. Protest music no longer gives a voice to just the oppressed. It gives a voice to all who want to see change and a better way. It gives a voice to the people. All people. That message may be found in an album, a song, onstage banter, or even an acceptance speech.

Protest music has, and always will, shape our culture and be a strong catalyst for change. I truly hope that Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl performance will lead to change, not only in the Americas, and yes, all of America, but worldwide. We need it, and we need it fast.

Interesting Reads & Things

https://triomariachicapri.com/blog/f/las-ma%C3%B1anitas-con-mariachi-a-musical-gift-for-every-birthday

https://slate.com/culture/2026/02/bad-bunny-super-bowl-halftime-show-2026-lady-gaga.html