Bad Bunny's Super Bowl Halftime Show Makes History: First-Ever Puerto Rican Sign Language Interpreter Takes Center Stage

In a groundbreaking move that transcends music, Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime show is set to make history by featuring the first-ever Puerto Rican Sign Language (LSPR) interpreter in the event's six-decade history. This isn't just a performance—it's a cultural revolution.

While Bad Bunny's show is already historic as the first primarily in Spanish, the inclusion of LSPR interpreter Celimar Rivera Cosme marks a seismic shift in accessibility and representation. Typically, Super Bowl interpreters use American Sign Language (ASL), but LSPR—which evolved from ASL in the early 1900s—carries the unique rhythm, slang, and soul of Puerto Rico.

Celimar Rivera Cosme, the LSPR interpreter, at Super Bowl LX Pregame in San Francisco on Feb. 5, 2026. Christopher Polk/Billboard/Getty

Cosme, a hard-of-hearing Puerto Rican, was handpicked by the NFL after she boldly reached out to Bad Bunny via an Instagram video in 2022, urging him to include LSPR at his concerts. Since then, she's been collaborating with the artist, and now, she's about to step onto the world's biggest stage.

"We've been fighting to keep our language alive, to prevent it from disappearing," Cosme told The New York Times. "The Super Bowl is our chance to show the world what Puerto Rico is made of—our warmth, our dance, our words. Our island may be small, but our hearts are enormous."

With an estimated 7% of Puerto Rico's population—around 220,000 people—facing hearing challenges, LSPR is considered endangered. This performance isn't just about accessibility; it's a lifeline for a language on the brink.

Bad Bunny in Medellin, Colombia, on Jan. 23. Jaime SALDARRIAGA / AFP/Getty

Cosme's excitement is palpable. "I'm thrilled," she shared with KQED. "And Puerto Rico's deaf community is over the moon that the game will be accessible in their native sign language. I may be the one on stage, but it's my island's deaf community that will truly shine."

This isn't just a halftime show—it's a statement. Bad Bunny and Cosme are using the Super Bowl's global platform to champion diversity, preserve culture, and give a voice to those often unheard. Get ready to witness history in motion.