It isn’t a sprawling Hollywood mansion, but a modest Puerto Rican house that has become a visual manifesto of Latino identity. The “Casita,” a symbol that has accompanied the Puerto Rican star’s performances for years, made its most iconic appearance yet during the Super Bowl halftime show.
The February 8 performance at Levi’s Stadium drew nearly 130 million live viewers, making it one of the most-watched halftime shows in Super Bowl history. The 13-minute set in Santa Clara was conceived by creative director Harriet Cuddeford alongside designers from Yellow Studio and stylist Karla Miranda.
Screenshot from halftime show Super Bowl LX, Feb. 8, 2026© NBC/NFL.
Music, Memory, and Cultural Identity
Far from a simple stage prop, the Casita functioned as a self-contained microcosm suspended between music, nostalgia, and cultural identity. Pastel walls, open windows, and a welcoming porch transformed the stage into a space evoking intimacy and community, capturing the spirit of Puerto Rican neighbourhoods. Every movement — from stepping inside the house to singing from its roof — blended choreography with storytelling, turning the structure into a living stage and the show into a collective celebration charged with political meaning.
Screenshot from halftime show Super Bowl LX, Feb. 8, 2026© NBC/NFL.
The carefully chosen set dressing — vintage furniture, everyday utensils, domestic details — told stories of Puerto Rico and made tangible the link between tradition and modern life. Each colour, window, and lit corner interacted with the audience, creating an immersive experience that transcended a standard concert performance. The stage became a home, and the home a visual manifesto for the Latino community.
Screenshot from halftime show Super Bowl LX, Feb. 8, 2026© NBC/NFL.
The Casita as a Symbol of the Puerto Rican Diaspora
“Casita,” Spanish for “little house,” draws inspiration from traditional Puerto Rican homes, especially those built in residential neighbourhoods between the 19th and 20th centuries. These houses were compact, colourful, and practical, often featuring front porches and inner courtyards where families and neighbours gathered. Pastel walls, tin or tiled roofs, and shuttered or grilled windows weren’t just decorative — they responded to climate and social needs, allowing ventilation, natural light, and conviviality.
Screenshot from halftime show Super Bowl LX, Feb. 8, 2026© NBC/NFL.
Today, the Casita has evolved into a cultural symbol for the Puerto Rican diaspora, evoking nostalgia, identity, and roots — particularly for those living far from the island.
The Super Bowl version was modelled after the home of Román Carrasco Delgado, 84, a resident of Humacao, who built the salmon-pink house with yellow trim for himself and his wife. The structure was faithfully recreated by the artist’s production team.
Screenshot from halftime show Super Bowl LX, Feb. 8, 2026© NBC/NFL.
A Collective “Party” on the Super Bowl Stage
The staging featured 9,852 pyrotechnic devices, more than 300 performers, and another 383 extras dressed as blades of grass who rotated like gears in front of the Casita, turning the entire set into a complex theatrical machine.
Screenshot from halftime show Super Bowl LX, Feb. 8, 2026© NBC/NFL.
Throughout the show, the singer animated the Casita alongside dancers, transforming each moment into a whirlwind of energy, symbols, and visual detail, with celebrity cameos punctuating the stage like accents in a grand scenic composition.
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Screenshot from halftime show Super Bowl LX, Feb. 8, 2026© NBC/NFL.
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