This year’s Super Bowl halftime show gave viewers a double dose of girl power – and a powerful hit of Latin culture — thanks to electrifying performances by Shakira and Jennifer Lopez.
Shakira donned an appropriately all-red outfit to open her set with a fiery “She Wolf” – probably the only pop hit in history to use the word “lycanthropy.” The Colombian star showed off her versatility by strapping on an electric guitar for a rock interlude that quoted Led Zeppelin’s “Kashmir,” before dropping the instrument for an sultry belly-dance routine that ran through “Wherever, Whenever” and wrapping up with a Bad Bunny-enhanced version of “Hips Don’t Lie
Jennifer Lopez picked up the gauntlet and ran with it, launching her segment from atop a pedestal, then getting back to the street with a sassy “Jenny From the Block.” The Bronx-bred diva brought her home borough’s spirit to a fast-paced medley that took in bits of “Get Right,” “On the Floor” and “Waiting for Tonight.”
J-Lo took the spectacle to another level by risking a wardrobe malfunction with an onstage costume change – ripping off her black bodysuit to reveal an even tighter silver number in order to hit the stripper’s pole and show off her Hustlers moves, much to the delight of her special guest J Balvin.
The divas joined forces to wrap up the show with a totally over-the-top version of “Let’s Get Loud,” which featured Shakira on drums, along with a snippet of Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the U.S.A.” — during which J-Lo unfurled a Puerto Rican flag. The coda featured a vocal cameo by J-Lo’s daughter Emme, along with a children’s choir that emerged from what some viewers say looked like cages — a subtle political message thrown into the mix.
Demi Lovato kicked off the festivities earlier in the day by taking the field to sing the national anthem. The comeback-minded singer looked healthy and recharged in a crisp white pantsuit and belted out the song with gusto – and, yes, she clocked in under two minutes — a minute-and-53-seconds to be precise.
