Nora Fatehi backs Bad Bunny after mixed reactions to his Super Bowl performance: ‘Brought tears to my eyes’

Rapper-singer Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime performance has triggered polarised reactions, drawing sharp criticism from US President Donald Trump while earning strong backing from actor-dancer Nora Fatehi, who praised the show for celebrating cultural identity and authenticity.

Taking to Instagram on Monday, Nora shared a video defending Bad Bunny’s performance, saying it resonated deeply with her as an artist. “Watching this performance really brought tears to my eyes,” she said, calling it a powerful celebration of culture rather than an ego-driven spectacle.

Addressing South Asian and North African communities in particular, Nora said Bad Bunny’s global moment sent an important message to artists who are often told that staying true to their language or culture may limit international appeal. “No matter where you’re from or who you are, if you stay authentic, the sky is the limit,” she said.

She added that the performance felt rooted in history and identity, highlighting similarities across cultures and expressing hope that South Asian and North African artists would soon have similar opportunities on the global stage. “For him to stand proud and represent in the most beautiful way possible — I live for that,” she said, urging emerging artists to take inspiration from Bad Bunny’s example.

Bad Bunny’s halftime show transformed the Super Bowl stage into a tribute to his Puerto Rican roots, with a set inspired by his hometown and a narrative-driven performance. The show featured appearances by Ricky Martin, while Cardi B and actor Pedro Pascal were spotted dancing along in the crowd. However, the display of foreign flags during the performance also drew criticism from some quarters.

Trump lashed out at the show in a post on Truth Social, calling it “absolutely terrible” and “one of the worst, ever.” He claimed the performance did not reflect “the greatness of America” and criticised the language, choreography and cultural symbolism used in the act.

Hours after the performance, Bad Bunny surprised fans by deleting all posts from his Instagram account, where he has more than 50 million followers, adding to the post-Super Bowl buzz around the artist.