José Álvaro Osorio Balvín (born 7 May 1985), known professionally as J Balvin, is a Colombian singer and songwriter. He has been referred to as the " Prince of Reggaeton" (from Spanish: "Príncipe del Reggaetón"), and is one of the best-selling Latin artists, with over 35 million records. Balvin was born in Medellín. At age 17, he moved to the United States to learn English, where he lived in both Oklahoma and New York. He then returned to Medellín and gained popularity performing at clubs in the city.
Throughout his career, Balvin has won eleven ''Billboard'' Latin Music Awards, six Latin Grammy Awards, five
MTV Video Music Awards
The MTV Video Music Awards (commonly abbreviated as the VMAs) is an award show presented by the cable channel MTV to honour the best in the music video medium. Originally conceived as an alternative to the Grammy Awards (in the video category ...
Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pre ...
nominations. In 2017, the BMI Latin Awards named him the Contemporary Latin Songwriter of the Year for his contribution in the Latin music industry, and has won the first Global Icon Award given by Lo Nuestro Awards, in recognition of his contribution to spread Latin music worldwide. He became the first Latino to headline world-musical events such as
Coachella Coachella may refer to:
* Coachella, California
* Coachella Canal, in California
* Coachella (festival), an annual music and arts festival in California
* "Coachella – Woodstock in My Mind
"Coachella – Woodstock In My Mind" is a song by Ame ...
Lollapalooza
Lollapalooza (Lolla) is an annual American four-day music festival held in Grant Park in Chicago. It originally started as a touring event in 1991 but several years later made Chicago the permanent location for the annual music festival. Mus ...
. The ''
Guinness World Records
''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a reference book published annually, listing world ...
'' acknowledged him as a "leader of a second-generation reggaeton revolution".
His breakthrough came in 2014 with the single " 6 AM" featuring Puerto Rican singer Farruko, which peaked at number 2 on the ''Billboard'' Hot Latin Songs chart, followed by "
Ay Vamos
"Ay Vamos" ( en, "Here We Go") is a song performed by Colombian singer J Balvin, released as the lead single of the reissue of his second studio album, '' La Familia B Sides'', by Universal Music Mexico on July 22, 2014.
It received a nominatio ...
" and "
Ginza
Ginza ( ; ja, 銀座 ) is a district of Chūō, Tokyo, Chūō, Tokyo, located south of Yaesu and Kyōbashi, Tokyo, Kyōbashi, west of Tsukiji, east of Yūrakuchō and Uchisaiwaichō, and north of Shinbashi. It is a popular upscale shopping area ...
". In 2016, he released ''
Energia
Energia or Energiya may refer to:
* Energia (corporation), or S. P. Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation Energia, a Russian design bureau and manufacturer
** Energia (rocket), a Soviet rocket designed by the company
*Energia (company), a company th ...
'', which included the hit singles " Bobo", " Safari", and "Sigo Extrañándote". In June 2017, Balvin released the single " Mi Gente" with Willy William. On 1 August 2017, "Mi Gente" topped the Global Top 50 on
Spotify
Spotify (; ) is a proprietary Swedish audio streaming and media services provider founded on 23 April 2006 by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon. It is one of the largest music streaming service providers, with over 456 million monthly active us ...
, and later reached one billion views on
YouTube
YouTube is a global online video sharing and social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by Google, and is the second most ...
. In January 2018, he released the hit single " Machika" featuring Jeon and Anitta. He collaborated with
Cardi B
Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar Cephus (, ; born October 11, 1992), known professionally as Cardi B, is an American rapper and songwriter. She first gained popularity as an influencer on Vine and Instagram. From 2015 to early 2017, she appeared as ...
José
José is a predominantly Spanish and Portuguese form of the given name Joseph. While spelled alike, this name is pronounced differently in each language: Spanish ; Portuguese (or ).
In French, the name ''José'', pronounced , is an old vernac ...
'' in March 2021.
Though his music is primarily
reggaeton
Reggaeton (, ), also known as reggaetón and reguetón (), is a music style that originated in Panama during the late 1980s. It was later popularized in Puerto Rico.
It has evolved from dancehall and has been influenced by American hip hop, ...
, Balvin has experimented with a variety of musical genres in his work, including electronica, house music, trap, and R&B. His original musical inspirations included rock groups such as
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band. The band was formed in 1981 in Los Angeles by vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and has been based in San Francisco for most of its career. The band's fast tempos, instru ...
and Nirvana, and reggaeton artist Daddy Yankee. He has collaborated with Latin American artists such as
Ozuna
Juan Carlos Ozuna Rosado (; born March 13, 1992), known simply by his surname Ozuna, is a Puerto Rican singer. Five of his studio albums have topped the ''Billboard'' Top Latin Albums chart, with ''Aura'' (2018) charting at number seven on ...
,
Nicky Jam
Nick Rivera Caminero (born March 17, 1981), known professionally as Nicky Jam, is an American singer and actor. He is best known for hits such as " X", "Travesuras", "En la Cama", "Te Busco", " El Perdón", " Hasta el Amanecer", and " El Amante ...
Pitbull
Pit bull is a term used in the United States for a type of dog descended from bulldogs and terriers, while in other countries such as the United Kingdom the term is used as an abbreviation of the American Pit Bull Terrier breed. The term was f ...
. Despite working with many English-speaking artists such as Beyoncé,
Pharrell Williams
Pharrell Lanscilo Williams (; born April 5, 1973) is an American record producer, rapper, singer, and songwriter. Alongside close colleague Chad Hugo, he formed the hip hop and R&B production duo the Neptunes in the early 1990s, with whom h ...
Cardi B
Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar Cephus (, ; born October 11, 1992), known professionally as Cardi B, is an American rapper and songwriter. She first gained popularity as an influencer on Vine and Instagram. From 2015 to early 2017, she appeared as ...
,
Dua Lipa
Dua Lipa ( , ; born ) is an English and Albanian singer and songwriter. Possessing a mezzo-soprano vocal range, she is known for her signature disco-pop sound. Lipa has received numerous accolades, including six Brit Awards, three Grammy ...
and Major Lazer, Balvin continues to sing almost exclusively in Spanish, and hopes to introduce Spanish-language music to a global audience. He is also noted for his eclectic and colorful fashion sense.
Balvin received the Vision Award from the Latin heritage Awards in 2016, and in 2019 he won the Golden Artist of Latin Urban Music at the Premios Heat. In 2020 he was included on ''Time'' magazine's annual list of the 100 most influential people of the world, and was called one of the Greatest Latin Artists of All Time by '' Billboard''. Balvin is the artist with the most number one songs on the ''Billboard'' Latin Airplay chart. He is also the only Latin artist to reach number one on the ''Billboard'' charts 174 times.
Life and career
1985–2013: Early life and career beginnings
Balvin was born in Medellín on 7 May 1985 into a middle-class family. His father was an economist and business owner, and he grew up in a large home in the hills outside the city. He grew up listening to rock groups such as
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band. The band was formed in 1981 in Los Angeles by vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and has been based in San Francisco for most of its career. The band's fast tempos, instru ...
and Nirvana, and states that he incorporates the grunge aesthetic into his personal style, having a Nirvana tattoo on his knee. He developed an interest in reggaeton after listening to Daddy Yankee. He recalls that "I was such a fan that I was copying his style, the way he moved onstage, his flows, his raps," comparing him to the reggaeton equivalent of Jay-Z. His father's business went bankrupt, and the family lost their home and car, requiring the family to move to a poorer neighborhood. During this period of his life, Balvin notes, "When I would go to the barrio, people saw me as a rich person, but when I'm around rich people they see me as someone from the ghetto. It's all perceptions. I like moving between worlds. I feel equally comfortable in both."
When Balvin was 16, he participated in an English-exchange program in Oklahoma, but was disappointed by the experience, saying, "I was expecting the U.S. that everyone knows from Hollywood." Soon after the program, he moved to New York City to further study English and music, living with an aunt on
Staten Island
Staten Island ( ) is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Richmond County, in the U.S. state of New York. Located in the city's southwest portion, the borough is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull an ...
and working as a dog walker. During his time in New York, he became fascinated by the business savvy of New York rappers 50 Cent and P. Diddy. Balvin worked various jobs in New York, Miami, and Medellín, including working illegally in the United States as a roofer and house painter. He ultimately decided to return to Colombia and began performing at various urban clubs in Medellín and increasing his social media following. He enrolled at the prestigious EAFIT University in Medellín for seven semesters, studying international business. At age 19, he began to seriously pursue a career in music and adopted the stage name J Balvin "El Negocio", meaning "The Business" in English.
He met his DJ and business partner David Rivera Mazo in a freestyle battle on the street in Medellín. The two became fast friends and started producing and promoting their own music without a record label. Balvin's early songs were described as "basically poor imitations of commercial reggaeton from Puerto Rico," but he soon adopted a more relaxed, minimalist style in his music. In 2004, he released his first song titled "Panas". He signed to EMI Colombia in 2009 and soon after released the single "Ella Me Cautivó," which charted at number 35 on the ''Billboard'' Tropical Songs chart. He released his reissue of his mixtape, ''Real'', in 2009. In 2012, Balvin released a mixtape featuring many of his early hits in Colombia, including "En Lo Oscuro" and "Como un Animal". His first international hit was the one-night-stand-themed "Yo Te Lo Dije" and signed with Universal subsidiary Capitol Latin a year later.
2014–2016: "6AM" success and ''La Familia''
In February 2014, Balvin released a new track entitled " 6 AM," featuring Puerto Rican singer Farruko. Balvin described the lyrical content of the song as the "Latin version of ''
The Hangover
''The Hangover'' is a 2009 American comedy film directed by Todd Phillips, co-produced with Daniel Goldberg, and written by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore. It is the first installment in ''The Hangover'' trilogy. The film stars Bradley Cooper ...
''," where the two singers attempt to remember what happened during a night of partying. The song debuted at number 43 on the ''Billboard'' Latin Airplay chart in February and reached number one in May. His album ''La Familia'' reached number ten on the ''Billboard'' Top Latin Albums chart, spending 122 weeks on the chart in total.
Shortly after, Balvin released his second track in the United States, "
Ay Vamos
"Ay Vamos" ( en, "Here We Go") is a song performed by Colombian singer J Balvin, released as the lead single of the reissue of his second studio album, '' La Familia B Sides'', by Universal Music Mexico on July 22, 2014.
It received a nominatio ...
," which solidified his mark in the Latin urban market. It won a Latin Grammy Award for Best Urban Song. This was a bonus track on the deluxe edition of Balvin's album ''La Familia B-Sides'' The music video is one of the most watched Latin music videos of all time, at over one billion views. and the song became the first 1 billion views in history by a reggaeton artist. Currently having 1.8 billion views on YouTube, the song is the most watched solo Latin urban artist video. The song went to number one on the ''Billboard'' Hot Latin Songs chart in 2015. The remix, featuring Nicky Jam and French Montana was used in the soundtrack to the film '' Furious 7''. Balvin performed the track at the 2015 Premios Lo Nuestro and the ''Billboard'' Latin Music Awards. Balvin has been featured on remixes of "
Sorry
Sorry is a word commonly used in apologizing. Sorry may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''Sorry'' (2002 film), a 2002 Japanese film
* ''Sorry'' (2021 film), a 2021 comedy film
* '' Sorry: A Love Story'', an upcoming Pakistani film
* ''So ...
" by
Justin Bieber
Justin Drew Bieber ( ; born March 1, 1994) is a Canadian singer. Bieber is recognized for his genre-melding musicianship and has played an influential role in modern-day popular music. He was discovered by American record executive Scooter ...
Problem
Problem solving is the process of achieving a goal by overcoming obstacles, a frequent part of most activities. Problems in need of solutions range from simple personal tasks (e.g. how to turn on an appliance) to complex issues in business an ...
" by
Ariana Grande
Ariana Grande-Butera ( ; born June 26, 1993) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Her four-octave vocal range has received critical acclaim, and her personal life has been the subject of widespread media attention. She has received ...
, "
Blurred Lines
"Blurred Lines" is a song by American singer Robin Thicke featuring American rappers T.I. and Pharrell Williams from the former's sixth studio album of the same name (2013). Solely produced by Williams, it was released as the album's lead si ...
" by
Robin Thicke
Robin Alan Thicke (born March 10, 1977) is an American singer, songwriter and record producer. He is best known for his 2013 hit single " Blurred Lines", which is one of the best-selling singles of all time. At the 56th Annual Grammy Awards, h ...
, " Maps" by Maroon 5, and " Stuck on a Feeling" by Prince Royce. Balvin was the first Colombian singer to record with "The Prince of Bachata" and establishing itself as an international artist.
Balvin swept the urban category at the 2015 Premios Lo Nuestro, including Urban Artist of the Year, Urban Album of the Year, Urban Song of the Year, and Urban Collaboration of the Year. On 12 February, the nominees for the ''Billboard'' Latin Music Awards were announced, and Balvin was nominated 13 times, of these nominations, eight were in the same category twice "Ay Vamos" and "6 AM," being the most nominated Colombian and the first urban artist from Colombia. Balvin won New Artist, Latin Rhythm Song of the Year, and Latin Rhythm Song Artist of the Year, where he dedicated the award to his home country of Colombia.
In June 2015, it was announced that Balvin had cancelled his performance on
Miss USA 2015
Miss USA 2015 was the 64th Miss USA pageant, held at the Raising Cane's River Center Arena in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on July 12, 2015. All fifty states and the District of Columbia competed. Nia Sanchez of Nevada crowned her successor Olivia ...
to protest
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.
Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of ...
une 2015
Une is a municipality and town
A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world.
Origin and u ...
Trump accused illegal immigrants of bringing drugs, crime and rapists to the U.S." His live performance had been scheduled for 12 July 2015 in
Louisiana
Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a U.S. state, state in the Deep South and South Central United States, South Central regions of the United States. It is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 20th-smal ...
, which would have been Balvin's first performance on national mainstream television.
2016–2017: ''Energia''
On 16 January 2016, Balvin premiered his new single "Ginza" from his upcoming album, at the Premios Juventud. Later that week, he premiered the music video on Vevo. The music video broke the record for the most views for a Latin music video in the first 24 hours, at over two million views. Since then, the video has racked up over 807 million views. The song reached number one on '' Billboard''s Hot Latin Songs chart for the week of 17 October 2015. The song also set a new Guinness World Record for the longest stay at number one on the chart. Balvin became the first artist to receive a
diamond
Diamond is a solid form of the element carbon with its atoms arranged in a crystal structure called diamond cubic. Another solid form of carbon known as graphite is the chemically stable form of carbon at room temperature and pressure, ...
certification in the Latin field from the
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/ ...
, denoting digital sales of 600,000 units for his songs "6 AM" and "Ay Vamos". Andrew Casillas of ''Rolling Stone'' wrote that "with its deliciously liquid beat, Ginza"among the finest three minutes in reggaetón history."
On 24 June 2016, Balvin released his third studio album ''
Energia
Energia or Energiya may refer to:
* Energia (corporation), or S. P. Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation Energia, a Russian design bureau and manufacturer
** Energia (rocket), a Soviet rocket designed by the company
*Energia (company), a company th ...
''. ''Energia'' debuted at number one on the ''Billboard'' Top Latin Albums chart, signifying his first time topping that chart. It had the third-best debut sales of any Latin artist in 2016, after Juan Gabriel's ''Los Duo 2'' and Banda Sinaloense MS de Sergio Lizarraga's ''Que Bendicion''. It also debuted at number 38 on the all-genre ''Billboard'' 200. The album features collaborations with Daddy Yankee, Juanes, Pharrell, and Yandel. He launched 3 hit singles from the album, "Bobo," "Safari," and "Sigo Extranandote," which all reached the top 10 of the Latin charts. "Bobo" spent a week at the top of the ''Billboard'' Hot Latin Songs chart. Mario Prunes of Allmusic described ''Energia'' as "an album that knew it was going to be an international blockbuster almost a year before its release," due to the success of "Ginza". ''Rolling Stone'' ranked the album number four on the magazine's list of the 10 Best Latin Albums of 2016.
In promotion of the album, Balvin embarked on the ''Energia'' Tour, traveling with several special guests including French Montana, Zion & Lennox, Bad Bunny, and
Steve Aoki
Steven Hiroyuki Aoki (, ; born November 30, 1977), best known as Steve Aoki, is an American DJ, record producer, music programmer, and record executive.
, the latter of whom appeared as a surprise for fans during the last stop of the tour in
Miami
Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at th ...
. That same year, Balvin featured on "Cuando Seas Grande" by Spanish musician Alejandro Sanz and American singer Sofia Carson´s "Love is the Name". He launched a partnership with SoundCloud and Buchanan's Whiskey in a project called Es Nuestro Momento, where fans can access Balvin's previously unreleased a capella vocals and create personalized remixes of his songs. Buchanan's Whisky also served as a sponsor for the ''Energia'' Tour in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month.
2017–2018: International success: "Mi Gente" and ''Vibras''
On 30 June 2017, Balvin released his new single along with the official music video " Mi Gente" featuring Willy William. On 1 August 2017, "Mi Gente" became the number one song in the world according to Global Top 50 on
Spotify
Spotify (; ) is a proprietary Swedish audio streaming and media services provider founded on 23 April 2006 by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon. It is one of the largest music streaming service providers, with over 456 million monthly active us ...
. It soon reached 1 billion views on
YouTube
YouTube is a global online video sharing and social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by Google, and is the second most ...
. In September 2017, the song was remixed with American artist Beyoncé. The remix reached number three in the United States, giving Balvin his first US top-ten single. Balvin and Willy William released six more "Mi Gente" remixes with
Steve Aoki
Steven Hiroyuki Aoki (, ; born November 30, 1977), best known as Steve Aoki, is an American DJ, record producer, music programmer, and record executive.
Dillon Francis
Dillon Hart Francis (born October 5, 1987), also known by the stage name DJ Hanzel, is an American electronic music producer and DJ.
Early life
Francis was born in Los AngelesAhmed, Insanul (March 13, 2012Who Is Dillon Francis?Complex. Retri ...
, Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano, and Henry Fong. Despite the song's success, "Mi Gente" did not win any awards at the 2017 Latin Grammy Awards, with many awards going to Luis Fonsi's hit " Despacito". At the ceremony, he performed "Mi Gente" as well as "Si Tu Novio Te Deja Sola" alongside Bad Bunny and his remix of " Unforgettable" with French Montana.
On 19 January 2018, Balvin released his new single along with the official music video "Machika" featuring Jeon and Anitta. His collaboration with Nicky Jam, "X," was released on 1 March 2018, and the music video received 288 million views on YouTube in less than a month. Nicky Jam stated that he attributes the success of "X" to Balvin's contribution. He also appeared on
Cardi B
Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar Cephus (, ; born October 11, 1992), known professionally as Cardi B, is an American rapper and songwriter. She first gained popularity as an influencer on Vine and Instagram. From 2015 to early 2017, she appeared as ...
´s '' Invasion of Privacy'' album, with Bad Bunny on the song "I Like It". It became Balvin's first number one single on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100, and first
Diamond certification
Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music Sound recording, recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type (such as album, single, music video) and by nation o ...
by the
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/ ...
(RIAA).
Balvin released the album '' Vibras'' on 25 May 2018. The two lead singles from the album were "Machika" and "Ahora". On 23 April 2018, Balvin announced the dates for his Vibras tour revealing the 27 cities where he will be
performing
A performance is an act of staging or presenting a play, concert, or other form of entertainment. It is also defined as the action or process of carrying out or accomplishing an action, task, or function.
Management science
In the work place ...
. ''Vibras'' claimed the record for the most-streamed Latin album in 24 hours on the streaming platform for 2018. In the United States, it debuted at number one on the
Top Latin Albums
Top Latin Albums is a record chart published by ''Billboard'' magazine and is labeled as the most important music chart for Spanish language, full-length albums in the American music market. Like all ''Billboard'' album charts, the chart is base ...
chart for the issue dated 9 June 2018. According to Nielsen Music, the record sold 22,000 album-equivalent units and became Balvin's second number-one album on the chart, following ''Energia'' in 2016. Additionally, ''Vibras'' scored the largest streaming week ever for a Latin album by an artist; its songs were streamed 16.1 million times. Subsequently, it debuted at number 15 on the US ''Billboard'' 200 and became his highest-charting album on the chart.
In an interview with Ebro Darden for Beats 1 Radio on
Apple Music
Apple Music is a music, audio and video streaming service developed by Apple Inc. Users select music to stream to their device on-demand, or they can listen to existing playlists. The service also includes the Internet radio stations Apple ...
in April 2018, Balvin described the sound of the record as 33%
dancehall
Dancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s. Initially, dancehall was a more sparse version of reggae than the roots style, which had dominated much of the 1970s.Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter (2004) "The Ro ...
, 33% R&B, and 33% reggaeton. Balvin further elaborated that much love was put into the album's work and that contains different vibes, hence the name, ''Vibras'', "The real meaning of this album was what's going on with Spanish music that's going so global, the fact that we did an album that the beats are so amazing that you don't have to understand what we say, you just have to love the songs."
2019–present: ''Oasis'' and ''Colores''
On 27 June 2019, Balvin released his new album in collaboration with Bad Bunny titled ''
Oasis
In ecology, an oasis (; ) is a fertile area of a desert or semi-desert environment The two artists first met at a Balvin concert in Puerto Rico, when Bad Bunny was working on releasing music on SoundCloud, and then collaborated on the 2017 track "Si Tu Novio Te Deja Sola". The chemistry between the two was so strong that they came up with the idea to release a joint album. ''Oasis'' peaked at number nine on the ''Billboard'' 200, and topped the ''Billboard'' US Latin Albums chart. The album was nominated for Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album at the 2020 Grammy Awards and was named one of ''Rolling Stones Best Latin Albums of 2019.
In August 2019, Balvin and Bad Bunny headlined the Uforia Latino Mix Live concert series to raise money for victims of the shootings in
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton () is the sixth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County. A small part of the city extends into Greene County. The 2020 U.S. census estimate put the city population at 137,644, while Greater ...
, and
El Paso, Texas
El Paso (; "the pass") is a city in and the seat of El Paso County in the western corner of the U.S. state of Texas. The 2020 population of the city from the U.S. Census Bureau was 678,815, making it the 23rd-largest city in the U.S., the ...
. The concert series consisted of two performances in Texas, one in Dallas and one in Houston, and featured openers
Wisin y Yandel
Wisin & Yandel is a Puerto Rican reggaeton duo consisting of Wisin and Yandel. They started their career in the late 1990s and have been together since, winning several awards including a Grammy Award in 2009. They became the first and the o ...
Ozuna
Juan Carlos Ozuna Rosado (; born March 13, 1992), known simply by his surname Ozuna, is a Puerto Rican singer. Five of his studio albums have topped the ''Billboard'' Top Latin Albums chart, with ''Aura'' (2018) charting at number seven on ...
,
Natti Natasha
Natalia Alexandra Gutiérrez Batista (born December 10, 1986), better known by her stage name Natti Natasha, is a Dominican singer. She was signed to Don Omar's label Orfanato Music Group. Her debut EP, ''All About Me'', was released on Marc ...
Super Bowl LIV halftime show
The Super Bowl LIV halftime show, officially known as the Pepsi Super Bowl LIV Halftime Show, took place on February 2, 2020, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, as part of Super Bowl LIV. It was televised in the U.S. by Fox. It was ...
Shakira
Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll ( , ; born 2 February 1977), professionally known by the mononym Shakira, is a Colombian singer and songwriter. Born and raised in Barranquilla, she has been referred to as the " Queen of Latin Music" and is ...
. He also collaborated with Major Lazer and Dominican dembow singer El Alfa on the single "
Que Calor
"Que Calor" () is a song recorded by American electronic dance music trio Major Lazer featuring Colombian singer J Balvin and Dominican rapper El Alfa. It was released on September 11, 2019, through Diplo's label Mad Decent. It is the second sing ...
" in September 2019.
In November 2019, Balvin released the music video for the single "Blanco", which introduced a "futuristic, all-white environment filled with hypnotic dancers and flying cats". On 20 March 2020, Balvin released the album ''
Colores
''Colores'' (English: ''Colors'') is the fourth solo studio album (fifth overall) by Colombian reggaeton singer J Balvin, released on 19 March 2020 through Universal Latin. The album was produced by Sky Rompiendo. It was preceded by the singles ...
'', in which every song is named after a color except the song "Arcoíris" (the Spanish word for rainbow). The album contains influences from dancehall, R&B, and electronica, and features Nigerian afrobeats artist Mr Eazi on the song "Arcoíris". Suzy Exposito of ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its co ...
'' called the album "sophisticated show of Balvin's sonic palette". The album artwork was created by Japanese artist
Takashi Murakami
is a Japanese contemporary artist. He works in fine arts media (such as painting and sculpture) as well as commercial (such as fashion, merchandise, and animation) and is known for blurring the line between high and low arts as well as co ae ...
. Balvin collaborated with Murakami for the music videos and album and single artwork, which notably feature Murakami's flowers, as well as American clothing brand Guess on a capsule collection inspired by the album.
In 2021, Balvin released ''José'', his sixth studio album. Later that year Balvin released a new song in collaboration with
Pokémon
(an abbreviation for in Japan) is a Japanese media franchise managed by The Pokémon Company, founded by Nintendo, Game Freak, and Creatures (company), Creatures, the owners of the trademark and copyright of the franchise.
In terms of ...
for their 25th anniversary. Balvin also contributed a remix of the Metallica song " Wherever I May Roam" to the charity tribute album '' The Metallica Blacklist'', released in September 2021. In December 2021, Balvin earned his 33rd No. 1 on the ''Billboard'' Latin Airplay Chart with "Una Nota", breaking the record for the most No. 1s on the chart.
Artistry
Musical style and influences
In an interview with Colombian newspaper ''El Tiempo'', Balvin stated that he felt encouraged to pursue a career as a reggaeton artist after seeing that Daddy Yankee was of a lighter complexion and not Black, as he had assumed while listening to his music.
Critics have contrasted Balvin's musical style from the first internationally popular wave of reggaeton led by Daddy Yankee. Marlon Bishop of ''The Fader'' described his vocal delivery as a "gentle drawl", differing greatly from the rapid-fire, aggressive delivery of earlier reggaeton acts. He generally sings over his beats as opposed to rapping, and favors a more melodic, pop-influenced style. Describing his music's production, Bishop writes, "Instead of the hard-edged, maximalist beats of the first wave, Balvin's tracks are moody and spaced out". He frequently works with Medellín-based writer/producers Alejandro "Sky" Ramirez and Carlo Alejandro "Mosty" Patiño, whom he often name-drops in his songs. He has been credited with popularizing a new style of reggaeton based in Medellín, along with Maluma and Puerto Ricans who have relocated to the city to become involved in the reggaeton scene, such as Nicky Jam and Farruko.
Though he cites Daddy Yankee as his biggest musical inspiration, Balvin's earliest influences were rock bands such as Metallica and Nirvana, as well as salsa legend Hector Lavoe. He has covered Nirvana's hit " Smells Like Teen Spirit" in live performances. As a teenager, he listened to hip-hop artists such as
2Pac
Tupac Amaru Shakur ( ; born Lesane Parish Crooks, June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), also known as 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper. He is widely considered one of the most influential rappers of all time. Shakur is among the b ...
Snoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. (born October 20, 1971), known professionally as Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg and briefly Snoop Lion), is an American rapper. His fame dates back to 1992 when he featured on Dr. Dre's debut solo single, ...
,
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan is an American hip hop group formed in Staten Island, New York City, in 1992. Its original members include RZA, GZA, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, and Masta Killa. Close a ...
Onyx
Onyx primarily refers to the parallel banded variety of chalcedony, a silicate mineral. Agate and onyx are both varieties of layered chalcedony that differ only in the form of the bands: agate has curved bands and onyx has parallel bands. The c ...
. He also cites albums by Canadian R&B singer
The Weeknd
Abel Makkonen Tesfaye (born February 16, 1990), known professionally as the Weeknd, is a Canadian singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor. Known for his sonic versatility and dark lyricism, his music explores escapism, Romance (love), ...
and Puerto Rican reggae band Cultura Profética as his "desert island albums". He has also described
Ricky Martin
Enrique Martín Morales (born December 24, 1971), known professionally as Ricky Martin, is a Puerto Rican singer, songwriter, and actor. He is known for his musical versatility, with his discography spanning Latin pop, pop, dance, reggaeton ...
as a "teacher" and credited him as an artist who "opened the doors" for him. In 2018, he referenced Martin's hit " Livin' la Vida Loca" on the song "Reggaetón" since Martin "gave as clear a depiction of his actualized artistic dreams".
The singer says his collaboration with Beyoncé on the remix of "Mi Gente" was a crucial step in his career: "I think it was a really good cultural move. People see me with Queen Bey, so they feel that if she's working with me, it's because I'm an important artist. She doesn't work with everyone. All the other collaborations are really helping me to continue to spread the Latin vibe that I want."
Pop singer
Camila Cabello
Karla Camila Cabello Estrabao (; ; born March 3, 1997) is a Cuban-born American singer and songwriter. She rose to prominence as a member of the girl group Fifth Harmony, which became one of the best-selling girl groups of all time. While i ...
has cited Balvin as a musical influence.
Puerto Rican singer Residente has criticized Balvin's musicianship. In a viral video post, he explained: “I have to admit from my heart that you have a talent, you have the talent of not having talent and make people believe that you do.” The remarks came after Balvin called for a boycott of the 2021 Latin Grammys due to the alleged lack of nominations for urban music artists. Colombian artist Lido Pimienta has also argued that Balvin is more of an entertainer than an artist. Balvin has also been accused of cultural appropriation, which noted reggaeton historian Katelina Eccleston references in an interview for Paper Mag, specifically the song, "In Da Getto." According to Eccleston, "This track highlights the issue of Black Latinos being spoken for without consideration of their plight."
Public image and lyrics
His public image was described by Bishop by saying, "J Balvin's not a bad boy, he's a good guy with a well-tended naughty side." He often interacts with fans on social media sites such as Snapchat and
Instagram
Instagram is a photo and video sharing social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. The app allows users to upload media that can be edited with filters and organized by hashtags and geographical tagging. Posts can ...
, and cites these platforms as essential for his success. His musical partner Mazo explained, "We wanted to make music that was clean enough for your grandma to like, but sensual enough that the streets would like it too." His lyrics have been described as more vulnerable than typical reggaeton lyrics, discussing interpersonal relationships, exemplified by the single "Ay Vamos". For this reason, he has been compared to Canadian artist Drake, a comparison with which Balvin agrees.
On the issue of
misogyny
Misogyny () is hatred of, contempt for, or prejudice against women. It is a form of sexism that is used to keep women at a lower social status than men, thus maintaining the societal roles of patriarchy. Misogyny has been widely practiced ...
in reggaeton, Balvin notes, " have mothers, sisters, relatives. Part of what we did is change that misconception that reggaetón is machista and misogynist. On the contrary, women are our biggest fans, and they inspire us." He also refrains from singing about his country's violent past, saying that doing that exacerbates stereotypes about Colombians and that the country has made vast improvements since the days of
Pablo Escobar
Pablo Emilio Escobar Gaviria (; ; 1 December 19492 December 1993) was a Colombian drug lord and narcoterrorist who was the founder and sole leader of the Medellín Cartel. Dubbed "the king of cocaine", Escobar is the wealthiest criminal in h ...
. Instead, he discusses everyday life in his songs. Luis Estrada of Universal Music Latino and Capitol Latin says of Balvin, "He breaks every rule of what people think reggaeton is, and they love him for that...He doesn't take himself too seriously." Balvin is unique also in that his dance crew on his videos and concerts are all male.
Despite being fluent in English and frequently collaborating with English-speaking artists, Balvin plans to only sing in Spanish. His goal is to make reggaeton a globally popular genre without having to sing in English to attain crossover success. He explains, "I want to keep making history in Spanish. I want to invite the mainstream into my world, and to my sound, and to what I'm doing. And I want mainstream artists to respect me, and accept Latino artists as equals, without us having to sing in English. I want them to know that I can compete globally with whomever, in Spanish." American artist Pharrell instead sings the hook in Spanish on "Safari", and Balvin described having more Non-Latino musicians singing in Spanish as one of his "biggest dreams". However, he recorded his first all-English song with
Pitbull
Pit bull is a term used in the United States for a type of dog descended from bulldogs and terriers, while in other countries such as the United Kingdom the term is used as an abbreviation of the American Pit Bull Terrier breed. The term was f ...
and
Camila Cabello
Karla Camila Cabello Estrabao (; ; born March 3, 1997) is a Cuban-born American singer and songwriter. She rose to prominence as a member of the girl group Fifth Harmony, which became one of the best-selling girl groups of all time. While i ...
for the 2017 soundtrack to '' The Fate of the Furious'', known as "Hey Ma", and explained that he is open to the idea of singing in English if the opportunity presents itself.
Balvin has often been criticized for his ambiguous support of mass uprisings in his native Colombia. He failed to explicitly condemn rampant police violence during the 2019 and 2021 national strikes in Colombia, leading in the latter case to a significant drop in streaming of his music within the country. but later on, Balvin called for help for his country from his Instagram and Twitter accounts and shared posts about many events in his country. He tagged world-famous artists such as Selena Gomez, Justin Bieber and Katy Perry in the photos he shared to make the voice of his country and people heard in foreign media. In this way, many European and Asian followers of Balvin learned about the events in Colombia. During the 2021 national strike, Balvin was also accused of using images from the protests to promote his autobiographical documentary film, which was set to premiere later in the summer. Balvin's support for protests in Cuba via the hashtag #SOSCuba also drew criticism from Colombians who felt that Balvin had not commented on protests in Colombia in a timely fashion. Balvin's 2020 interview with journalist Vicky Dávila stirred controversy when he referred to current president Ivan Duque and former president Alvaro Uribe as "cool guys" despite both men being accused of significant human rights abuses. Balvin, who also gave an interview during the protests in Colombia. "I know what's going on in my country, people are right to beg for help on many issues, it's so painful but is it my fault? no it's not. I've never seen J Balvin's name on the ballot.”
In response to the widespread George Floyd protests, Balvin tweeted out #EveryLivesMatter and #LatinoLivesMatterToo. After the ensuing outrage Balvin stated, “After taking time to speak to those close with me, I am educating myself on the deep significance and horrifying history that is the root of the #blacklivesmatter movement.” However, Balvin would again face accusations of anti-black racism upon the release of the music video for his song, "Perra," which featured Balvin walking with two Black women on leashes. Balvin later made a lengthy statement in which he apologized. He apologized to all women, especially his mother, and said that this song is about sex and sexuality, and that sex slavery is a reality in the world. He deleted the song from YouTube, stating that he didn't want anyone to feel humiliated and bad because of this song. In yet another incident, Balvin accepted the award for "Afro-Latino Artist of the Year" from the 2021 African Entertainment Awards USA. The news provoked strong reactions on social media, including discussion around Balvin's global success as a non-black artist profiting off a genre of music primarily created by Black artists. The name of the award was changed to "Best Latin Artist of the Year" and Balvin, who is not black, deleted his original Instagram post. also on his Instagram story, "I'm so misunderstood about this, I'm not afro Latina but I have accepted this award for my contribution to the genre thanks to my collaborations with afro Latin artists". At the same time, many Balvin fans stated that lynching Balvin on this issue was ridiculous because the problem was not with Balvin but with the awards ceremony.
Fashion
Balvin has called fashion "his life's passion, on the same level as music." He appeared as an ambassador during the 2017 New York Fashion Week, and has called for greater representation of Latinos in the fashion world. He utilizes eccentric accessories such as cowboy hats, colorful tracksuits, and ripped jeans. Isabela Raygoza described his aesthetic at the 2017 Latin Grammys as a "Latin raver
Eminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17, 1972), known professionally as Eminem (; often stylized as EMINƎM), is an American rapper and record producer. He is credited with popularizing hip hop in middle America and is critically acclai ...
" due to his neon blonde hair and brightly colored athletic clothing. His style often combines streetwear traditionally associated with reggaeton artists and classic luxury brands. Balvin is influenced by musicians such as
Kanye West
Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer.
Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
and
Pharrell Williams
Pharrell Lanscilo Williams (; born April 5, 1973) is an American record producer, rapper, singer, and songwriter. Alongside close colleague Chad Hugo, he formed the hip hop and R&B production duo the Neptunes in the early 1990s, with whom h ...
who have made forays into fashion. Discussing Pharrell's influence, Balvin explained, "I don't dress exactly like him, but I want to be like him in the cultural way. He opens the doors for a lot of new fashion designers and creates his own style. It's all about love with him and he's the culture."
The musician appeared in Ovadia and Sons' Spring 2017 catalogue. He debuted pieces that he designed in the Colombiamoda Fashion Week show in Medellín in July 2018, where he presented his collaboration with the clothing brand Gef France. The collection was inspired by the colorful, bright aesthetic of his 2018 album, ''Vibras''. While at Coachella festival in 2018, he met avant-garde stylist, designer and techno DJ
Sita Abellán
Maria Abellán, known artistically as Sita Abellán, is a Spanish DJ, model, designer and stylist. Beginning her career in modelling, she was discovered through her content creation on Tumblr and Instagram, and has since come to prominence as a ...
, who took him on as her sole styling client. In January 2019 Balvin launched another ''Vibras''-inspired clothing campaign with the Guess x J Balvin clothing collection, becoming the first Latin man to collaborate with the brand. Balvin explained that he "grew up with the Guess brand" and "always respected and identified with the Marciano brothers' history of taking influence from the country and culture of their heritage, and fusing it with the spirit of the United States". In Spring 2020, Balvin co-curated 'GUESS x J Balvin ''Colores','' with stylist
Sita Abellán
Maria Abellán, known artistically as Sita Abellán, is a Spanish DJ, model, designer and stylist. Beginning her career in modelling, she was discovered through her content creation on Tumblr and Instagram, and has since come to prominence as a ...
.
He was also the first Latin artist to be awarded the best stylist of the year by the J Balvin FNAA awards. however, since 2016, Balvin has been called the "style icon of reggaetón music" in Latin America, thanks to his hairstyles, dressing and different fashion ideas in the reggaetón genre. because no reggaetón artist has ever been ambitious and fashion-conscious before balvin. Collaborating with Nike in 2020, Balvin became the first Latin artist to collaborate with Nike. however, the shoe he designed was sold out within 1 minute, breaking the sales record on the official Nike website. Balvin, who later participated in events such as the Met gala and Paris fashion week. In 2022, he collaborated with Guess again and released a new collection called Amor. This new collaboration, which appeared in countries such as the United States, Japan and Italy, was highly appreciated. Balvin will receive the international style icon award at the ACE awards in August 2022.
Building on his partnership with Nike, Balvin looks to release his Air Jordan 2 collaboration sneaker in 2022 along with new apparel pieces from this forthcoming capsule. The Colombian crooner’s AJ 2 is expected to be embellished in cloud-like patterns, and its matching sweatsuit is designed to mimic the same motif.
Personal life
Balvin has spoken out about the Venezuelan economic crisis and the situation occurring at the country's border with Colombia, where thousands of Venezuelans have been forcibly deported. He called the situation "deplorable" and created the social media campaign #LatinosSomosFamilia (We Latinos are Family), encouraging fans to sign a petition to support the displaced victims. The petition was soon signed by other prominent Latin artists including Colombian singer Maluma. Balvin's campaign was launched shortly after cancelling his performance on Miss USA 2015 in protest of Donald Trump.
He supports
LGBT
' is an initialism that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. In use since the 1990s, the initialism, as well as some of its common variants, functions as an umbrella term for sexuality and gender identity.
The LGBT term i ...
rights, explaining "It's all about love. A lot of my closest friends are gay", and dyed his hair rainbow colors to show support for
Pride
Pride is defined by Merriam-Webster as "reasonable self-esteem" or "confidence and satisfaction in oneself". A healthy amount of pride is good, however, pride sometimes is used interchangeably with "conceit" or "arrogance" (among other words) wh ...
2019.
In August 2016, the singer was involved in a plane crash while leaving the Bahamas. While returning from a vacation with his family, the plane failed to take off properly and crash landed shortly after departing from the runway. He posted a photo on Instagram of the small private plane after having landed in the bushes. Nobody was injured in the accident, and Balvin called it "a miracle".
Balvin has experienced panic attacks and stated that "meditation saved islife". When his anxiety was at its worst, he recalled that "I forgot about my happiness. I forgot about José (his given name)." He is known for his tattoos and got his first tattoo when he was twelve years old. His mother suffers from the rare genetic condition acute intermittent porphyria, which causes seizures, chronic pain, and mental health difficulties. He has the word "Familia" tattooed on his chest in her honor.
Unlike many popular reggaeton singers who move to the United States upon gaining popularity, Balvin continues to live in his hometown of Medellín, explaining, "It keeps me real. I'm gonna be real everywhere I go, but I'm with my people, I'm connected to my roots – I'm in my country! I don't need to live somewhere else. I respect the ones who make it and leave their home base, but I'm good in Colombia." He declared he has a home in New York, but he lives mostly in Medellín.
In 2020, it was revealed that Balvin contracted
COVID-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease quickl ...
, but he has since recovered.
Since 2018, Balvin has been in a relationship with the Argentine model and Miss Argentina 2014 Valentina Ferrer. On 27 June 2021, the couple's first child, a boy, was born in New York City.
Impact
Balvin's global success with his Spanish recordings has been praised by music critics. According to the
International Federation of the Phonographic Industry
The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) is the organisation that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide. It is a non-profit members' organisation registered in Switzerland and founded in Italy in 1 ...
(IFPI) "he has pioneered Latin music's explosion onto the global stage". '' Billboard'' described him as "the biggest breakout act Latin music has seen in many years". Nicole Acevedo of
NBC News
NBC News is the news division of the American broadcast television network NBC. The division operates under NBCUniversal Television and Streaming, a division of NBCUniversal, which is, in turn, a subsidiary of Comcast. The news division's ...
said that although Latin artists such as
Ricky Martin
Enrique Martín Morales (born December 24, 1971), known professionally as Ricky Martin, is a Puerto Rican singer, songwriter, and actor. He is known for his musical versatility, with his discography spanning Latin pop, pop, dance, reggaeton ...
,
Enrique Iglesias
Enrique Miguel Iglesias Preysler (; (born 8 May 1975) is a Spanish singer and songwriter. He started his recording career in the mid-1990s on the Mexican indie label Fonovisa and became the bestselling Spanish-language act of the decade. By th ...
and
Shakira
Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll ( , ; born 2 February 1977), professionally known by the mononym Shakira, is a Colombian singer and songwriter. Born and raised in Barranquilla, she has been referred to as the " Queen of Latin Music" and is ...
achieved crossover success by recording English-language albums, "Balvin is reinventing the way Latin music artists cross over to the U.S. music scene" with musical productions recorded entirely in Spanish. Similarly, August Brown of ''
Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the ...
'' commented that "Balvin's ideas felt like an inevitable future" and is part of a new wave of several Latin artists representing the "future of Latin and global pop where language is less a barrier than a invitation".
Balvin's participation in the reggaeton scene has been noted, a genre previously associated primarily with Puerto Rican and Panamanian artists. He uses reggaeton as a vehicle to "expose ideas, identities" and other social messages, and is "perhaps the genre's most visible star" according to American journalist Jon Caramanica. Elias Leight of ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its co ...
'' included him along Karol G and Ozuna as "global hit-makers" with reggaeton and trap songs. When Joan Scutia from Mexican '' Vogue'' reviewed Balvin's career and success, noted that reggaeton is part of Simon Reynolds' theory about globalization in music: "Nothing is foreign in an internet age". Evan Lamberg, UMPG's president commented: "I consider J Balvin one of the greatest global contemporary songwriters/artists in any genre".
In a general perspective, Sofia Rocher from ''
Guinness World Records
''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a reference book published annually, listing world ...
'' stated Balvin became "leader of a second-generation reggaeton revolution propelling Urban music back to the forefront of Latin music worldwide".
Univision
Univision () is an American Spanish-language free-to-air television network owned by TelevisaUnivision. It is the United States' largest provider of Spanish-language content. The network's programming is aimed at the Latino public and inclu ...
presented him as "Latin Music's most popular and influential international artist". He was the first Latino to headline world-musical events such as
Coachella Coachella may refer to:
* Coachella, California
* Coachella Canal, in California
* Coachella (festival), an annual music and arts festival in California
* "Coachella – Woodstock in My Mind
"Coachella – Woodstock In My Mind" is a song by Ame ...
Lollapalooza
Lollapalooza (Lolla) is an annual American four-day music festival held in Grant Park in Chicago. It originally started as a touring event in 1991 but several years later made Chicago the permanent location for the annual music festival. Mus ...
. Iman Amrani from ''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper
A newspaper is a periodical publication containing written information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background.
Newspapers can cover a wide ...
'' felt that Balvin is "now arguably Colombia's biggest cultural export" and described him as example on "how embracing national pride can be a force for cultural good".
Awards and achievements
Balvin has won numerous awards and achievements. He became the first recipient of the Global Icon Award given by Lo Nuestro Awards, in recognition of his contribution to spread Latin music worldwide, and the first recipient of the inaugural Contemporary Song of the Year at the BMI Latin Awards with "Ay Vamos". Additionally, he received a ''
Guinness World Records
''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a reference book published annually, listing world ...
'' by the most
Latin Grammy
The Latin Grammy Awards are an award by The Latin Recording Academy to recognize outstanding achievement in the Latin music industry. The Latin Grammy honors works recorded in Spanish or Portuguese from anywhere around the world that has bee ...
nominations in a single year, with 13 in 2020. They also recognized his single "
Ginza
Ginza ( ; ja, 銀座 ) is a district of Chūō, Tokyo, Chūō, Tokyo, located south of Yaesu and Kyōbashi, Tokyo, Kyōbashi, west of Tsukiji, east of Yūrakuchō and Uchisaiwaichō, and north of Shinbashi. It is a popular upscale shopping area ...
" for the longest stay at number 1 on Hot Latin Songs chart ever by a single artist. Balvin is the second artist with the most number one on Latin Rhythm Airplay, behind only Daddy Yankee as of 2019.
His music videos have billions of views, and had a consecutive record-setting of 100 million views on
VEVO
Vevo ( , an abbreviation for "Video Evolution", stylized as VEVO until 2013) is an American multinational video hosting service, best known for providing music videos to YouTube. The service is also available as an app on selected smart TVs, ...
with "Tranquila", 6 A.M.", "Ay Vamos" and "Ginza", which marked the most viewed Spanish video debut in history. "Ay Vamos" became the first reggaeton song to exceed one billion views on YouTube. In addition, VEVO named Balvin "most watched Latin artist of 2015" and he became the "most viewed artist on YouTube Global" as of 2019. Balvin has multiple streaming records. " Mi Gente" is the first Spanish-language song to be number one on Spotify's Global Top 50 Chart, and he became the most streamed artist on Spotify as of 2018, overtaking Drake's previous record. He remains in the Top 5 as of April 2020. With his album ''
Colores
''Colores'' (English: ''Colors'') is the fourth solo studio album (fifth overall) by Colombian reggaeton singer J Balvin, released on 19 March 2020 through Universal Latin. The album was produced by Sky Rompiendo. It was preceded by the singles ...
'' set a new record with all his songs occupying the Top 10 on Spotify. Additionally, he became the first Latin artist to reach one billion streams on Apple Music. His other achievements include selling 35 million singles worldwide, and having 44,2 billion streams as of 2022, YouTube and Spotify
Oasis
In ecology, an oasis (; ) is a fertile area of a desert or semi-desert environmentBad Bunny) (2019)
* ''
Colores
''Colores'' (English: ''Colors'') is the fourth solo studio album (fifth overall) by Colombian reggaeton singer J Balvin, released on 19 March 2020 through Universal Latin. The album was produced by Sky Rompiendo. It was preceded by the singles ...
Vibras Tour
The Vibras Tour was the third headlining concert tour by Colombian singer J Balvin to promote his fifth studio album, ''Vibras'' (2018). The tour began on May 26, 2018 in Mexico City, and concluded on November 24, 2018 in Buenos Aires.
Set list
...
(2018)
*
Arcoiris Tour
''Vibras'' (English: ''Vibes'') is the third studio album by Colombian reggaeton singer J Balvin released on 25 May 2018 through Universal Music Latin Entertainment, Universal Latin. The album was promoted with five singles, including the intern ...
(2019)
Supporting
*
The Sun Comes Out World Tour
The Sun Comes Out World Tour (also known as the Sale el Sol World Tour) was the fifth concert tour by Colombian singer and songwriter Shakira, launched in support of her eighth and ninth studio albums, '' She Wolf'' (2009) and '' Sale El Sol'' ...
(2011)
*
Sex and Love Tour
The Sex and Love Tour was the tenth headlining concert tour by the Spanish recording artist Enrique Iglesias. The tour supported his tenth studio album, ''Sex and Love'' (2014). Beginning in February 2014, Iglesias performed in the Americas, Asia ...