The lights dim and the stadium grows quiet—for a moment, there’s a thrilling sense of serenity. Then, in a heartbeat, bright lights burst to life and point to a stage filled with dancers. This short show will become a hot topic for the millions of people watching on screen, including the students who find it just as exciting as the game itself. It’s the Super Bowl halftime show, one of the most-watched performances in history.
For students, the halftime show is often equally as important as the game itself. What had originally started as marching bands performing to entertain the crowd during the break evolved into what we know now: a pop-culture spectacle. The famous shows have featured celebrities since Broadway star Carol Channing’s 1970 performance and they have since included intricate and detailed stage designs and unforgettable moments.
Though the halftime show has featured a slew of performers, students have strong opinions on which were the most memorable and impressive for them. The artists will perform well-known songs, given the short amount of time they have to perform, which allows viewers to hear multiple tracks while experiencing a stadium performance. Over the years, these performances have pushed the boundaries of what exactly can be a part of the halftime show.
This year, at Super Bowl LX, Puerto Rican rapper and singer Bad Bunny performed, despite the amount of backlash he encountered for having decided to do the entire show in Spanish. This did not deter him, but rather motivated him to promote unity during the show with a short, energetic speech. Junior Esha Khosla said, “My cousin introduced me to Bad Bunny…and I fell in love with his music…I loved all the props incorporated in his performance and all the inclusivity.”
These theatrics have been in play since the beginning, but in the student’s lifetime, one particular performance in that category seems to stand out. Katy Perry’s 2015 Super Bowl XLIX halftime performance featured a mechanical lion that she sang on, pyrotechnics and vivid costumes to create a lasting impression. “It’s the first one that I feel like stuck with our generation and is a Gen Z classic,” senior Caitlin Dexter said.
In addition to the universality the show brings, students also relate certain shows with certain cherished memories. Senior Maria Thomas said, “I think my favorite halftime show was Lady Gaga’s…it’s a very core memory for me because I watched it with my mom. I remember loving the songs she chose and the order in which she played them in, so many of them were her big hits and very hype, which is what I think made it so good. I feel like her show catered to both the people watching on the TV at home and also the people watching live, so it was the best of both worlds.”
Long after the lights fade and the portable stage is removed, the halftime show will continue to be a major topic of conversation and draw spectators from all over the world, despite the fact that students have differing opinions about which halftime show is the best.
