J Balvin

José Álvaro Osorio Balvín, known professionally as J Balvin, was born on May 7, 1985, in Medellín, Colombia. His journey into the world of music began earnestly at the age of 19, after returning from a stint in the United States where he had gone to learn English. His initial years in the industry were marked by local performances in Medellín's clubs, a period during which he also pursued a degree in international business at EAFIT University. His early music was described as imitations of Puerto Rican reggaeton, but he soon found his own voice, adopting a more relaxed, minimalist style.

Balvin's breakthrough came in 2014 with the single "6 AM," featuring Puerto Rican singer Farruko. This was followed by other hits like "Ay Vamos" and "Ginza." His 2016 album, Energia, included hit singles like "Bobo," "Safari," and "Sigo Extrañándote." In 2017, he released "Mi Gente" with Willy William, a song that topped Spotify's Global Top 50 and garnered a billion views on YouTube. His 2018 album, Vibras, further solidified his standing in the Latin music world, featuring a mix of dancehall, R&B, and reggaeton.

Balvin has won numerous awards, including eleven Billboard Latin Music Awards, six Latin Grammy Awards, and four Grammy Award nominations. He has also been acknowledged by the Guinness World Records as a "leader of a second-generation reggaeton revolution." Despite his success, Balvin continues to sing almost exclusively in Spanish, aiming to introduce Spanish-language music to a global audience.

His music is not confined to reggaeton alone; he has experimented with a variety of genres, including electronica, house music, Latin trap, and R&B. His influences range from rock groups like Metallica and Nirvana to reggaeton artist Daddy Yankee. Balvin has collaborated with a wide array of artists, from Latin American stars like Ozuna and Bad Bunny to international names like Beyoncé and Pharrell Williams.

In 2019, Balvin released Oasis, a collaborative album with Bad Bunny, which received critical acclaim and commercial success. His 2020 album, Colores, was a conceptual piece where each song is named after a color. In 2021, he released "José", his sixth studio album, and also collaborated with Pokémon for their 25th anniversary.

In 2021, he released "José," his sixth studio album, which added another layer to his already diverse discography. The album was met with critical acclaim and commercial success, further solidifying his standing in the Latin music world.

In terms of live performances, J Balvin has been quite active. In 2022, he performed at various venues and festivals, including the Coca Cola Flow Fest in Monterrey, Mexico, and the Miami-Dade County Fair & Exposition in Miami, Florida. He also took part in international events, such as Qatar Live 2022 in Doha, Qatar. His performances spanned multiple countries and continents, from Santiago, Chile, to São Paulo, Brazil, and even Cluj-Napoca, Romania.

In 2023, J Balvin's year began with a performance on July 23 at the Margaret Court Arena in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. During this concert, he performed a setlist that included hits like "Reggaeton," "Loco Contigo," and "Mi Gente." Following this, he was part of the lineup for the Splendour in the Grass Festival 2023, which took place in Byron Bay, New South Wales, Australia.

On October 11, 2023, J Balvin took a brief hiatus from touring to release a new song. He collaborated with Young Miko and Jowell y Randy on a track called “Colmillo,” which was produced by Tainy. Accompanying the song was a cinematic video directed by Pau Carreté2.

After the release of "Colmillo," J Balvin returned to live performances. On October 20, 2023, he performed at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. Following this performance, he had additional shows scheduled in Australia, including one at the Hordern Pavilion in Moore Park, New South Wales.