Did you happen to catch the LIV Super Bowl half-time show? There’s been a lot of buzz online about the performance both good and bad. One person who knows what it means to show your Latin pride is none other than Miss Universe 1st Runner-Up Miss Puerto Rico Madison Anderson. She spoke out about the historic performance and a potential book deal coming her way during a recent interview with the Miss Universe Organization at their New York Headquarters.
“First off the Latin culture is just really shining right now and I’m so proud,” Madison gushed. This was the first time in Super Bowl history where two Latina women, Shakira and Jennifer Lopez, were the featured headliners. The show actually gave Madison goosebumps when she watched. Jennifer Lopez’s performance specifically inspired her, “JLo is my big inspiration. She has literally shown what it is to be Puerto Rican.”
During the performance, JLo donned an American flag which, when opened, turned into the Puerto Rican Flag, in celebration of her Puerto Rican heritage. Madison felt a lot of emotions about this moment because in the 1940’s it was illegal for someone to carry a Puerto Rican flag with them. She shared, “to just see where we have come right now today, is inspirational.”
Madison’s experience growing up in a bicultural household helped shape her and is part of the inspiration behind pursuing writing a book detailing her upbringing. She explained, “I just want to write a book about my experiences,” including her life before and after competing for Miss Universe back in November.
She says in her book, she wants to detail her move to New York at just 19 years old to pursue a modeling career and how this led led her to find her a passion in communicating with other people. The move is one of the reasons she felt compelled to compete for Miss Puerto Rico and ultimately Miss Universe, where she placed first runner up to Zozibini. The substance of her book is based off taking uncomfortable risks. “If we don’t take risks in life we don’t know how far we can go,” she says.
Check out her full interview with the Miss Universe Organization below:
Pageants & Prosecco 