Shakira shared the stage with Lopez to celebrate their Latina heritage during their performanceGETTY IMAGES
Jennifer Lopez and Shakira headlining the Pepsi Super Bowl LIV Halftime Show marked the "first time an all-Latin lineup took on this big stage," as the two "delivered one of the best halftime performances of recent vintage," according to Peter Larsen of the L.A. DAILY NEWS (2/3). USA TODAY's Patrick Ryan writes, "Who could've guessed just how infectiously joyous the combo of Jennifer Lopez and Shakira would be, smiling and dancing their way through an energetic set that was short on over-the-top spectacle ... but abundant in jaw-dropping choreography, Top 40 hits and celebrations of Latin culture" (USA TODAY, 2/3). In Chicago, Greg Kot writes the halftime show was "less about music than it was eye-catching spectacle." Prince's performance in '07 is "still king of halftime, but Shakira and J Lo were certainly the most undeniable performance since then" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 2/3). SI.com's Charlotte Wilder writes there might not have been "any way" to do the halftime show "justice with words." Wilder: "You know that Jennifer Lopez and Shakira left everything they had on that stage" (SI.com, 2/3). The AP's David Bauder writes Lopez and Shakira "infused the Super Bowl halftime show with an exuberance and joy that celebrated their Latina heritage." The first halftime show to celebrate Latin artists "could rightly be declared a success, and it also bodes well for the management of Jay-Z, who packaged the program for the first time on a new deal with the NFL" (AP, 2/3). VARIETY's Chris Willman writes the show "couldn't have been more evenly split if it'd been contractually mandated" (VARIETY.com, 2/3).
EPIC PERFORMANCE: In Newark, Bobby Olivier writes the halftime show was "high-octane, relentless Latin pop fun delivered by two artists who know better than most how to blow a crowd's hair back with their dance moves and magnetism" (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 2/3). In Toronto, Steve Simmons writes the "immediate review" for the halftime show was: "Wow. The choreography and costumes were impressive" (TORONTO SUN, 2/3). ESPN's Mike Greenberg called it "spectacular" and said, "If they decided to cancel the rest of the game and just continue this, it would have been fine by me" ("Get Up," ESPN, 2/3). ROLLING STONE's Suzy Exposito writes Lopez and Shakira "dominated the stage" with their "electrifying medley of songs old and new" (ROLLINGSTONE.com, 2/2). NBC's Sheinelle Jones said Lopez and Shakira "brought the house down." Jones: "These girls came to play" ("Today," NBC, 2/3). In N.Y., Chuck Arnold writes the pair "brought muy caliente stuff" to Hard Rock Stadium (N.Y. POST, 2/3). In Ft. Lauderdale, Ben Crandell writes the show, "taking place on a circular stage in the middle of the field," was a "visual explosion aided by a fusillade of fireworks and lighted wristbands handed out to fans that were synchronized with the music" (South Florida SUN SENTINEL, 2/3). In N.Y., Lauren Theisen writes Hard Rock Stadium "provided plenty of pyrotechnics and fireworks for emphasis, while top-notch choreography helped transform the halftime show into the spectacle it never fails to be" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 2/3). The NATIONAL POST's Tyler Dawson writes it was a "banger of a performance, beginning to end" (NATIONAL POST, 2/3).
ALL ABOUT THE SHOW: In Buffalo, Jeff Miers writes the Super Bowl halftime show "has not really been about music, per se, in a long while." This year's show "carried that tradition forward, emphasizing spectacle, bombast and flash over music." It was "all high energy, flawlessly presented dance-pop with Latin overtones." Ultimately, it was "more notable for the fast-pace brilliance of the dance routines, which were unfailingly dazzling" (BUFFALO NEWS, 2/3). In Toronto, Jane Stevenson writes Lopez and Shakira "didn't disappoint with a high-energy, 12-minute performance, even if they crammed a lot into their allotted time and went big on Hispanic influences" (TORONTO SUN, 2/3). ESPN's Mike Golic: "It was very entertaining because of the constant movement and dancing, and mountain of dancers that were out there" ("Golic & Wingo," ESPN Radio, 2/3). In N.J., Chris Jordan writes the show was "full of thrills, spins and plenty of backfields in motion" (ASBURY PARK PRESS, 2/3).
MINOR COMPLAINTS: In Cleveland, Troy Smith writes Lopez had the "it" factor during the show, while Shakira was "not quite as great, but still good" (Cleveland PLAIN DEALER, 2/3). In San Diego, Kirk Kenney writes Lopez and Shakira were "pleasant enough," but "nothing special." Kenney: "In a word: meh" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 2/3). In L.A., Mikael Wood writes Shakira "appeared to be lip-syncing for much of her set -- at least until she dove into the crowd for 'Hips Don't Lie,' in which you could hear her exhorting those holding her aloft" (L.A. TIMES, 2/3). In N.Y., Jon Pareles writes with two headliners sharing the show, it meant "cramming a whole career into six minutes: more like greatest hooks than greatest hits" (N.Y. TIMES, 2/3). The AP's Bauder writes having Shakira as an "opening act for a concert that stretches not much longer than a dozen minutes was a risky move." At times, the performance "seemed rushed, as if they were trying to say too much in too short of time" (AP, 2/3).
TRULY UNIQUE: In Detroit, Adam Graham writes Lopez and Shakira "used the massive Super Bowl platform to celebrate Latin pop and its boundless energy, and expose the big game's massive audience to something it hasn't necessarily seen before" (DETROIT NEWS, 2/3). The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER's Daniel Fienberg wrote the NFL "made a correct call that it didn't matter if the halftime show was a showcase for live singing or for songs that topped the charts in the past year or two." The halftime show was "just pure fun." Fienberg: "I don't know if Shakira sang appreciably less than previous acts, but you can't fake her dancing and stage command" (HOLLYWOODREPORTER.com, 2/2). BILLBOARD.com's Leila Cobo wrote fans got a halftime show that "majorly broke ranks from previous years." With guest performers Bad Bunny and J Balvin, for the "first time in history, every act on the stage was Latin -- a momentous statement that underscores a unique moment in this nation's history, one filled with divisiveness that this show sought to mend, but also, one full of diversity like never before" (BILLBOARD.com, 2/2).
LATIN PRIDE: The N.Y. TIMES' Pareles writes this year's show was a "no-nonsense affirmation of Latin pride and cultural diversity in a political climate where immigrants and American Latinos have been widely demonized" (N.Y. TIMES, 2/3). The L.A. TIMES' Wood writes the production of the show, given President Trump's "anti-immigrant rhetoric," was as precise and "pointed as any in recent memory." After "back-to-back years in which deeply underwhelming white guys headlined" the show, the "physicality of Shakira's presence, especially in a city as suffused with Latin American heritage as Miami, provided a welcome electricity" (L.A. TIMES, 2/3). In DC, Chris Richards writes Lopez and Shakira "didn't sing about huddled masses yearning to breathe free," but their "mere presence was a tacit rebuke against weaponizing racism and xenophobia for political gain" (WASHINGTON POST, 2/3).
