Bad Bunny’s historic Super Bowl halftime performance just added some serious hardware to its résumé after a record-setting awards night.
As spotted on Variety, The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny cleaned up during the first night of the 78th Emmy Awards on Saturday, Sept. 5, taking home seven trophies. The massive haul included Outstanding Variety Special (Live), Outstanding Music Direction, Outstanding Directing for a Variety Special, Outstanding Choreography for Variety or Reality Programming, Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety Series or Special, Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction for a Special and Outstanding Technical Direction and Camerawork for a Special.
The wins also officially made Benito an Emmy winner for the first time, as the Puerto Rican superstar was credited as both a performer and producer on the halftime special. Even more impressive, the production won all seven categories in which it was nominated and became the most-awarded Super Bowl halftime show in Emmy history.
Putting together the spectacle was apparently no easy task. Music director Miguel Gandelman, who earned an Emmy for his work on the show, told reporters that simply working around Bad Bunny’s schedule required some international travel. “The hardest part for me was catching Benito on tour. I had to record the band, so I had to go to Colombia. I had to go to Chile,” Gandelman said, according to Variety.
The end result was one of the biggest productions in Super Bowl halftime history. Bad Bunny took over Levi’s Stadium in February with a performance rooted heavily in Puerto Rican culture, with the set moving through environments inspired by everything from a sugar cane field and neighborhood bodega to a casita and wedding celebration. Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin joined him as special guest performers, while Karol G, Cardi B, Pedro Pascal, Young Miko and others also made appearances.
Bad Bunny wasn’t the only Hip-Hop-adjacent name to add another Emmy to the trophy case. JAŸ-Z, who executive produced the halftime show through Roc Nation, also earned an Emmy for Outstanding Variety Special (Live). The win gives Hov another television honor after previously earning Emmys connected to the star-studded 2022 Super Bowl halftime show featuring Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar and 50 Cent, as well as Kendrick Lamar’s 2025 halftime performance.
Bad Bunny’s seven wins made his halftime show the biggest winner of the first night of the Emmys, ahead of The Traitors with six awards, The Late Show With Stephen Colbert with five and The Muppet Show with four. Not bad for 13 minutes of work.
