Marc Anthony says he’s rooting for his longtime friend Bad Bunny as the Puerto Rican rapper and singer gears up to perform at February’s Super Bowl Halftime Show.
Speaking to Rolling Stone ahead of his upcoming Las Vegas residency, which kicks off a few days after Super Bowl LX, Anthony says he’s excited for Bad Bunny to bring Latin music to an even larger audience.
“Bad Bunny reminds me of me when I was younger,” Anthony says. “He’s just done things his way and he’s having fun with it. I’m proud of what he’s been able to accomplish in terms of spreading his gospel and that type of music, and the level he’s taken it to, and I’m really looking forward to seeing what he brings to the table, because he’s extremely innovative, so I can only imagine what he’s going to do with the tools of what the Super Bowl production brings to the table.”
Though Bad Bunny’s Halftime Show selection has been met with controversy, Anthony is quick to come to his defense. “He’s not there because he’s lucky,” the singer says, adding, “he’s there based on merit and everything that he’s accomplished. I mean, his numbers are just astronomical.”
Anthony has known Bad Bunny since the artist first burst onto the scene a decade ago, and the two recently shared the stage at Bad Bunny’s Debí Tirar Más Fotos concert in Puerto Rico. Anthony has sung at the Super Bowl before, memorably performing “America the Beautiful” at Super Bowl XXXVI, and he says he’s spoken to Bad Bunny about the gravitas of his upcoming Super Bowl moment.
“Every time I talk to him, I tell him to just to be responsible with the risk [and] with the responsibility that he’s taking on, because I’m sure for him, he sees this as a massive responsibility to represent not only his culture, but his music,” Anthony says. “He’s going to work that much harder to bring an amazing show and I’m looking forward to it,” he continues. “I’ll definitely be there and I’ll be the first one cheering him on.”
Anthony says there are a handful of other younger artists that he has “huge respect for” these days, shouting out Maluma, Colombian singer Beéle, and Christian Nodal. As he prepares for his career-spanning residency at Fontainebleau Las Vegas’ BleauLive Theater, Anthony credits his longevity to staying focused on the music, something he’s tried to instill in the new artists he meets.
“I gave my life to music, and music gave me life, and I urge all these young kids to see it that way, and not do it because they want to be popular, or because of money, or the women, or the partying,” he says. “Do it because you’re a lifer,” he stresses. “I’m definitely a lifer.”
