Jennifer Lopez is asking Super Bowl fans to keep an open mind.
During an appearance on CBS Mornings on Thursday, Oct. 9, the "On the Floor" singer was asked how she felt about the pushback that came after Bad Bunny was announced as the upcoming Super Bowl halftime performer.
"Music and art transcends language. It doesn't matter. He's done that probably more than anybody of any generation," Lopez, 56, said. "The Super Bowl is great because it introduces you to people that don't know you. I'm sure there was people that didn't know me or Shakira or weren't fans of ours."
She added, "But when they saw us, [they said] 'Oh! That's what they do.' It's an opportunity to show people who you are, what you're about, what you believe in. It's a big platform for artists. It's probably the biggest stage that you could hope to be on. And I think it's wonderful that people will get exposed to him who don't know him."
Jennifer Lopez, Bad BunnyJennifer Lopez, Bad Bunny
Jennifer Lopez and Bad Bunny. Robin L Marshall/Getty; Jim Poorten/NBAE via Getty
Lopez — who co-headlined the halftime show with Shakira in 2020 — further noted that fans shouldn't close themselves off to "something wonderful."
"Don't do that to yourself. That's what I would say. I'm telling you, just give it a chance," she said.
Lopez's comments come days after her appearance on the TODAY show on Monday, Oct. 6, where she recalled bringing the Puerto Rican star, 31, out as a surprise guest during her own Super Bowl performance.
"Me, Shakira, J Balvin, and we had an amazing time. It was a really cultural moment," she said, adding that Bad Bunny is gong to "blow everybody's mind" with his performance.
Lopez added that she "doesn't understand" the controversy because he's "one of the top artists in the world right now."
"I’m so excited for him. I was excited when he performed with us at the Super Bowl and I’m excited to see what he does. He puts on a great show. He’s an amazing entertainer," Lopez said.
Bad Bunny was announced as the Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show performer during the game between the Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers on Sunday, Sept. 28. The "Monaco" singer spoke about his new gig in an X post that day, writing, "I've been thinking about it these days, and after discussing it with my team, I think I'll do just one date in the United States."
In his post, he referenced his decision to skip touring the country for his Debí Tirar Más Fotos World Tour, due to President Donald Trump's use of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) for immigration crackdown.
Bad Bunny and Jennifer Lopez attend Calibash Los Angeles 2018 at Staples Center on January 20, 2018 in Los Angeles, California.
Bad Bunny and Jennifer Lopez attend Calibash Los Angeles 2018 at Staples Center on January 20, 2018 in Los Angeles, California.
On Saturday, Oct. 4, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed that ICE agents will be at the game. "We’ll be all over that place. We are going to enforce the law. So I think people should not be coming to the Super Bowl unless they’re law-abiding Americans who love this country," she said.
That night, Bad Bunny responded to critics while hosting Saturday Night Live, saying in his opening monologue, "I'm very happy, and I think everyone is happy about it — even Fox News."
"But really, I'm very excited to be doing the Super Bowl, and I know that people all around the world who love my music are also happy," Bad Bunny continued, then adding in Spanish, "Especially all of the Latinos and Latinas in the world here in the United States who have worked to open doors. It’s more than a win for myself, it’s a win for all of us. Our footprints and our contribution in this country, no one will ever be able to take that away or erase it."