Bad Bunny and Sabrina Carpenter have both won their first Emmy Awards, adding major television honors to already decorated music careers. The victories came during the 78th Creative Arts Emmys, where the two pop stars were recognized for very different variety specials.
Bad Bunny won Outstanding Variety Special (Live) for the Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show, earning the award as both performer and producer. The February 8 performance at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara became a landmark moment for Latin music, with the Puerto Rican superstar becoming the first Latino solo artist to headline the Super Bowl halftime show and the first to deliver a set performed almost entirely in Spanish.
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The 13-minute production transformed the Super Bowl field into a series of Puerto Rican-inspired scenes, including a sugar-cane field, a bodega, a market and the casita featured during Bad Bunny’s San Juan residency. Lady Gaga appeared for a salsa version of “Die With a Smile,” while Ricky Martin joined the performance for “Lo Que Le Pasó a Hawaii.”
Pedro Pascal, Jessica Alba, Cardi B and Karol G were also incorporated into the spectacle, which concluded with “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS” and a message emphasizing love over hate. Nielsen reported an audience of 128.2 million viewers.
The halftime show entered the Emmys with nine nominations, the most ever received by a Super Bowl halftime performance, and ultimately collected seven trophies. Alongside Outstanding Variety Special (Live), the production won for directing, music direction, choreography, lighting, sound mixing and technical direction. Jay-Z, who served as an executive producer, also received an Emmy.
Sabrina Carpenter’s first Emmy arrived in a completely different setting. The 27-year-old singer won Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded) as an executive producer and guest star of Disney+ and ABC’s The Muppet Show, a 32-minute revival celebrating the 50th anniversary of Jim Henson’s original series.
Carpenter appeared in the special performing “Manchild,” duetting with Kermit the Frog on “Islands in the Stream” and joining the Muppets for “Don’t Stop Me Now.” The revival earned four Emmys from six nominations, including awards for writing, picture editing and production design.
The Emmy adds another major trophy to Sabrina Carpenter’s collection following her two Grammy wins for “Espresso” and Short n’ Sweet.
With both artists now holding an Emmy alongside Grammy wins, they have each reached the halfway point toward an EGOT — leaving an Oscar and Tony between them and one of entertainment’s rarest achievements.
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