We’re not going to lie, we’ve replayed Jennifer Lopez and Shakira’s Super Bowl performance a few times already. If you ask us what our favorite part is, we’re going to have a long discussion.
The 14-minute performance was definitely high-production—from the choreography to the fireworks at the end. As Daily Beast noted, it’s clear that J.Lo and Shakira invested time and energy to put on a show-stopping performance. You could even say that this is on the same level as Beyoncé and Lady Gaga‘s halftime shows.
If you haven’t seen the full performance yet, you can check it out below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pILCn6VO_RU
Here’s a roundup our favorite moments:
The choreography was off the charts
The halftime show was a dance party from start to finish. Both J.Lo and Shakira gave their all in each of their numbers. Also, the little booty shake they did in the end is a crowd-favorite.
The nod to Latinx culture
J.Lo and Shakira are proud Latinas and they made sure to bring their culture onto the stage. Shakira performed two Colombian dances: mapalé, an Afro-Colombian dance known for its rapid movements, and champeta, while singing “Waka-Waka.”
Latino singers J Balvin and Bad Bunny made surprise appearances on the Super Bowl stage.
Lastly, J.Lo wore a feather coat designed with the Puerto Rican flag.
Pole-dancing
J.Lo definitely didn’t put her pole-dancing lessons to waste. She showed off her “Hustlers” skills while performing “Waiting For Tonight.” Daily Beast also called this segment a middle finger to the Oscars for snubbing “Hustlers.”
Shakira on guitars and drums
Shakira can sing, dance, and play the guitar and drums. Seriously, how talented is she?
Cutting out Ja Rule’s part in “Ain’t It Funny”
This was a small part of the performance but it’s still worth noting. J.Lo’s “Ain’t It Funny” features rapper Ja Rule, one of the people involved in the Fyre Festival scam. When his rap was about to start, the music cut to “Get Right.” We’re not sure if this was meant to be shade or not because of Ja Rule’s Fyre controversy, but we still found it a little funny.
The anti-Trump symbolism
As we mentioned earlier, the halftime performance was a nod to Latin-American culture. This also included symbolism that’s meant to be a subtle jab at US Pres. Donald Trump’s family separation policy. Before J.Lo’s daughter (more on her in a sec) performed “Let’s Get Loud,” we see a shot of children in cages, a callback to the policy that had immigrant children placed in chain-link cages.
Emme Maribel-Muñiz’ debut
Meet J.Lo and Marc Anthony’s 11-year-old daughter, Emme Maribel-Muñiz. She is the young singer who sang in the beginning of “Let’s Get Loud” and the chorus of “Born in the USA” when her mom emerged in the Puerto Rico flag coat. This kid has a bright future as a singer, we just know it.
Screengrab courtesy of YouTube
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