Now that the glitter and fireworks have settled in Miami after Jennifer Lopez and Shakira’s Super Bowl Halftime performances, the ladies are getting their just due props for incorporating Latinx, Arabic, and black/African culture into their sets.
Shakira’s homages were the most prominent Sunday (Feb. 2) with many mocking her “tongue-wagging” which was a nod to her Lebanese roots. Known as zaghrouta, the act is one of celebration and joy often done to express gleeful emotions at weddings and graduations. The 43-year-old (Sunday was her birthday) was born and raised in Barranquilla, Colombia, by her Lebanese father and Spanish/Italian mother. The singer, whose name is Arabic for “grateful,” has talked about her mixed heritage and how it played a big role in her music and performances (think her iconic Bellydancing or her punk-rock era).
“I am a fusion. That’s my persona. I’m a fusion between black and white, between pop and rock, between cultures — between my Lebanese father and my mother’s Spanish blood, the Colombian folklore and Arab dance I love and American music,” she told Faze Magazine in the early aughts. “I was born and raised in Colombia, but I listened to bands like Led Zeppelin, the Cure, the Police, The Beatles, and Nirvana. I was so in love with that rock sound but at the same time because my father is of 100 percent Lebanese descent, I am devoted to Arabic tastes and sounds.”
Zaghrouta was heard loud and clear during her performance of the 1998 classic “Ojos Así,” which is also one of the few songs in her catalog to feature Arabic on it. She also tapped Afro-Colombian dancer Liz Dany Campo Diaz to help incorporate champeta into her performance. A dance from her hometown, the moves are traced back to African ancestors. It also has a similar groove to South African pantsula dance routines which some may remember from Beyonce’s “Run the World (Girls)” music video.
Btw this dance is called Champeta and it is originated in Shakira’s hometown of Branquilla Colombia! It’s respected for its footwork and it’s an important part of Colombian culture 💃🏼 pic.twitter.com/JtcLsl9sm9
— SHAKIRABOWL2020 (@Exmotions) February 3, 2020
The singer also danced to another Afro-Colombian routine called mapalé, importantly at the start of her performance. The moves (including the beautiful sea of Afro-Latinx dancers) was a sight to see at one of the most-watched shows all over the world.
The initial eyebrow raises of a Colombian pop singer at the Super Bowl Halftime Show made sense but the singer was thoughtful in the songs she picked (her 2008 World Cup hit “Waka Waka” (This Time For Africa)” is a remake of the 1986 song “Zamina Mina” by Cameroonian makossa group Zangaléwa) and even more mindful in her riffs (she repeated with passion the “no fighting” lyric during her performance of “Hips Don’t Lie”). In all, Shakira’s set will be one hell of a cultural study in years to come.
Jennifer Lopez also made subtle political statements during her performance. Her set was a pleasant blend of her Vegas and “It’s My Party” tour sprinkled with some of her newfound pole skills from her performance in Hustlers. Swing Latino, a competitive world-champion salsa group from Colombia returned to the stage with the singer as they previously were special guests during her “Party” tour dates. It took her On The 6 single “Let’s Get Loud” to new heights as the group brought together swing dancing, a very Americana dance, and salsa on the stage.
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A treat for pop culture fanatics, J. Lo’s five outfits were customed made by Versace which we can give a smirk to. There’s also the undeniable presence of Parris Goebel, who choreographed Lopez’s entire Super Bowl performance. The two met back in 2012 when Goebel worked on her world tour and the American Idol season 11 finale where Lopez sang her 2012 hit, “Dance Again.”
But it was the presence of her daughter Emme Maribel Muñoz singing with her that captured the audience. What many did miss was how the 11-year-old along with other children, appeared in silver cages, pointing towards the immigration and family separation policies the country has enforced at the southern border. “Let’s Get Loud” then collided with a cover of “Born In The USA” with Lopez touting a feathered American flag with the Puerto Rican flag on the other side.
You can’t please everyone, but their performances were one of precision. The two living legends who don’t need validation from anyone were in control and commanded the attention of everyone, including those who make it difficult for Latinx families to live their version of the American dream. We like to imagine that the two singers also learned from each other, especially J. Lo since some cultural stances go over her head. “Let’s show the world what two little Latin girls can do,” Lopez said on Instagram before their takeover. And that’s exactly what they did.
Rewatch their performances below.