Jackson Volenec – Reporter
The Super Bowl 2020 Halftime Show featured Shakira and Jennifer Lopez performing two separate shows that merged together, both containing elements of Latinx culture and music with high energy and fast-paced dancing with great visuals.
Shakira had opened up with the first performance. and I think she displayed a great performance. While performing eight snippets of different songs, she went through a cycle of different visual themes and dance styles. She performed a rendition of “I Like It Like That” halfway through her show with Bad Bunny, who is originally featured on the song.
All of these songs flowed together well, and most of the stage performances featured many other artists on stage.
Shakira actually plays an electric guitar during the peak of that song, which I thought was exciting. There were also a group of trumpet players, who were simultaneously playing and dancing in her background for her song “Chantaje.”
While not every song featured live instruments, there is almost always a large group of backup dancers who are providing well-synced choreography, which was always upbeat and flashy. It added to the fast pacing and energy of the performance.
Shakira’s performance was overall solid, with great camera angles for those watching it on TV. It displayed a range of angles that showed the elements in a balanced, interesting way. During “Empire,” the camera was zoomed in on her face, hiding the fact that she was holding the electric guitar. Then, it zoomed out during the drop of the song, which I thought added drama and spunk.
J.Lo’s performance was also good, showcasing a review of the highlights of her career. There was a lot of sonic diversity in her performance, as she was simultaneously playing some of her classic songs and some Latin pop songs, too. Her entire performance had multiple different phases of lighting, which highlighted how impressive Lopez’s dances were.
All of the songs matched Shakira’s energy on stage and remained on theme with her performance as well. At one point during her performance, she had been wearing an American flag during the song “Born in the USA.” The flag inverted into a Puerto Rican flag, recognizing the Latinx communities in the United States and any immigrants living in the nation. I think this was a good addition, especially during a political climate where the Latinx community is demonized by some.
This halftime show displayed an array of talent between all of the performers, backup musicians, and dancers. It displayed a lot of cultural diversity throughout, which was a good way of introducing different cultures to a wide display of Americans.
Overall, I think that this was an entertaining performance. There were catchy songs being performed by extremely talented singers and dancers, backed up with great visuals. The flow of the entire show was seamless, as Shakira and J. Lo had finally reunited in performing the last moments of the show together.
