Music, laughter and dancing filled the Portola Pavilion for Bad Bunny Night on Friday, drawing students in to enjoy a night of fun.
Associated Students held a night dedicated to Bad Bunny just in time for his performance in the half-time show at the NFL’s annual Super Bowl.
Bad Bunny, a Puerto Rican artist, recently won his sixth Grammy with Album of the Year for his sixth album “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS.” For many, the album has had a personal impact, influencing fans on a personal level.
“The current culture of what’s going on right now in the world, especially with the Super Bowl going on, we felt like celebrating something that not everybody in the world is celebrating felt really important, especially acknowledging Spanish culture,” said Jade Estrada, ASI student programmer and lead coordinator of the event and fourth-year communications major.
ASI holds nights like this one to give students the ability to experience a night of music, dancing and fun, highlighting different artists, cultures and genres of music that they may not get to see firsthand.
“They have one other room that’s just a dance room. It’s supposed to be like a club experience,” said Jorge Lua, a fourth-year communications and advertisement major and student programmer of ASI. “The reason why we have these nights is (for) people who can’t afford actually going to go see Bad Bunny, just so you can have the experience.”
Aside from music, the event was hosted to include students in something special. Events like these bring the community together and create a safe space, according to Mikayla Rodriguez, ASI student programmer and co-coordinator of the event and third-year communicative disorders major.
“Jade and I really wanted to promote Bad Bunny performing at the Super Bowl, and we really wanted to make it a safe space for anyone who really likes this type of music, especially with what’s going on in the world,” Rodriguez said. “There’s so much to put good in it. It brings so much community and fun and friendship.”
There has been controversy surrounding Bad Bunny being the performer for the NFL Super Bowl Halftime Show, due to his criticism of President Donald Trump’s immigration policies.
Students, however, are excited for his performance and have even given the event its own nickname.
“It’s ‘Benito Bowl’ all the way,” Rodriguez said. “That’s what we’re excited for.”
Many students attended Bad Bunny Night to support ASI, as well as support Bad Bunny. Jenny Castañeda, a fourth-year business administration, entertainment and hospitality major, attended the event as a result of her past experiences.
“I went my freshman year and it was fun, so I had to come here. He’s also doing the Super Bowl so I had to come here for support,” Castañeda said.
Aside from supporting ASI, the event supports Bad Bunny as an artist and dives deeper into bringing not just the Cal State Fullerton community together, but bringing everyone together.
Students who have seen him live and have shared their immense love and support for his music were excited to share his artistry, which has brought people together in an impactful way.
“I actually saw him live in (Puerto Rico), so that was super fun. And that was what really sparked my interest in the community he builds, the way that everyone was supporting it at the stadium was actually insane,” Rodriguez said.
Bad Bunny is currently one of the top artists worldwide, which is why it is not surprising for this event to have many students come in support of it. Aside from the Super Bowl, Bad Bunny Night shares the massive love for Latin culture.
“We just felt like highlighting the culture and that we acknowledge that it’s special and accepted here,” Estrada said.