Nick Garcia was born and raised in Santa Clara and therefore always played football and watched San Francisco 49ers games at Levi's Stadium. Taking part in the Super Bowl has always been a dream of his and on February 8 it came true, even if not in the way he imagined. He took to the field yes, but as bush number D83, one of the 400 performers dressed as sugar canes for Bad Bunny's halftime show. «I've always dreamed of emerging from the stadium tunnel and going onto the field… seeing the cameras flashing, hearing the roar of the crowd… thanks to Bad Bunny I realized my childhood dream».
Bad Bunny's performance was praised for the narrative with attention to detail and for the scenography, in particular there was talk of the shrubs who were actually real people. Those who were at the stadium posted videos of the human bushes and that's when the internet went crazy. And there are already those who want the Bad Bunny shrub costume for Halloween (calm down guys, it's only February). “The reaction has been crazy, people love us weed people.”
A very practical reason led to people instead of props: Levi's Stadium has a natural grass field, not synthetic, and it must be protected. In January the agency that deals with live events Backlit launched the casting. The advert specified the minimum height required and explained that the role “did not include dance steps”. The performers would instead perform “structured movements as part of the production”
Excited that the Super Bowl was in his city, Garcia responded immediately. “I thought: maybe the chances of them catching me are higher because I live here.” He sent body measurements and photos, and was selected. He couldn't imagine what would happen… at least until the first day of rehearsals. «They told us: you will become a meme. I remember the first day we saw the costumes, it was a mix of shock, laughter and excitement.” Not even the costume, weighing 15 to 18 kilos on his shoulders, discouraged Garcia. “It was heavier than we thought, but we would have done that and more for Bad Bunny.” Here's how that day went in his words.
7:00 am, the alarm clock
«From the moment I woke up until the show started, I kept telling myself: don't be nervous, enjoy it. When we got on the buses to go to the stadium, the energy was through the roof. Everyone was singing and dancing. It's impossible to get nervous.”
Arrival at 12:00
«We arrived at the stadium around midday to have time to review any last minute details. There wasn't much to sort out, but I think the fact that we were all there well in advance and took the roll call was important.”
I WAS A BUSH FOR THE BAD BUNNY SUPER BOWL https://t.co/UrU3ZARs8l pic.twitter.com/RTjR987DAY
— manny🧸 (@Samirararah) February 9, 2026
4.30pm, the charge
“We were in the tunnel and we were all screaming: 'Come on, guys, let's do it! We're part of the Super Bowl!' It's difficult to describe what it feels like in moments like that. I never thought I would experience something like this.”
5pm, everyone in their seats
«Maybe from the outside it looked like a big mess, but everyone knew exactly where to position themselves. Moving through the other shrubs to get to your position was probably the hardest thing, but we had rehearsed the route from the tunnel to there many times, so it came naturally. We also knew that the break doesn't last long, so we had to get moving. Where was I exactly? Do you see the scene where Bad Bunny falls backwards? I was right there in the front row, he fell in front of me.”
5.13pm, on stage
«The crew made fun of us: “In Puerto Rico there is no wind, so you have to stay still”. Not easy, with the music and the dancers you have to move a little. Some bushes let go: “You know what? I'm at the Super Bowl, I'll make some moves.” I had to keep my back turned, but if I tilted my head slightly I could see what was happening through the bushes. And looking at the audience gave me a crazy boost. The people with their phones raised, the screaming, the dancing in the stands, thousands of people involved in the performance: it was a show almost as good as Bad Bunny's.”
Bush costumes are already being sold in the United States after Bad Bunny's Halftime Show. #SuperBowl pic.twitter.com/p03ABEMcPQ
— Access Bad Bunny (@AccessBadBunny) February 9, 2026
5.15pm, surprise guests
«Having done the rehearsals we knew who the guests would be. But not the Casita ones, we had no idea until the day of the show. There were hopes and hypotheses, yes, but seeing them there was incredible. I remember the roar of the people when Lady Gaga came out. What crazy energy. The whole stadium roared when they saw it, it was just as I hoped.”
5.21pm, the flag parade
«When the flags of all the countries came out and Bad Bunny named them, it was impossible not to feel proud. I saw a small Mexican flag appear among the shrubs, one of those small gestures that anyone watching from home notices. It's become one of the best posts I've seen online. We all came from different backgrounds and felt united, included, special thanks to Bad Bunny. Nothing I can do in the future can surpass this experience.”
5.25pm, it's over
«After the show was over, all of us bushes slipped into the tunnel and left the stadium. We went to the buses and returned to the place where we met, because we had parked the cars there. They let us keep some parts of the costume. I wanted to take everything home, but it was impossible to take it on the bus. I held an “arm”».
7pm, at home
«When I arrived home, my parents had a big party. “Here is our bush!”. They overwhelmed me with questions and made videos as if I were the artist on stage. They were a little moved, my parents, and this made me move too. That's a stadium we frequent, being on the pitch in one of the most historic halftime shows ever… there are no words to describe it.”
@nickgarcia10 PROUD BUSH!!! Incredible experience all the way through🙏🏼 #fyp #foryoupage #superbowl #badbunny #halftimeshow ♬ NUEVAYoL – Bad Bunny
From Rolling Stone US.
