José Álvaro Osorio Balvín, better known as J Balvin, is a Colombian reggaeton singer and record producer. He was born in Medellín, Colombia on May 7, 1985. With a well-established music career, Balvin is one of the most successful representatives of the genre internationally, having topped various major music charts with many of his songs.
His first album gained recognition in Colombia, and with his second album, La familia, released in 2013, he achieved significant international acclaim, earning gold and platinum certifications in several countries. This success was largely due to his award-winning track "6 AM," featuring Puerto Rican artist Farruko, which reached top positions on the Billboard charts and became the first Spanish-language single to receive diamond certification in the United States. The song won two Premios Lo Nuestro for Best Song and Best Urban Collaboration.
In 2015, he embarked on the Sex and Love Tour with Enrique Iglesias and Pitbull.
That same year, he released "Ginza," which is from his third studio album, "Energía." The song became Balvin's first entry on the main Billboard Hot 100 chart, where it spent twenty-one consecutive weeks at the top. It also reached number one in Spain (platinum record), Mexico (gold record), Italy, and the USA (platinum record). With this track, the Colombian artist made his debut in 2016 at the Sanremo Music Festival in Italy, becoming the first representative from his country to do so.
He has won the Latin Grammy Awards four times, having been nominated many times as well.
In 2017, he recorded "Mi Gente" alongside the French singer and producer Willy William, another of his most popular songs, which he performed during the halftime show of Super Bowl LIV on February 2, 2020, where Jennifer Lopez and Shakira also participated. On that occasion, he also performed "Que Calor."
In 2017, for the soundtrack of the movie Fast and Furious 8, he recorded his first English song, "Hey Ma," together with Cuban-American Pitbull and Cuban Camila Cabello. The latter has praised the singer multiple times, stating that he has been an inspiration for her.
Balvin has publicly acknowledged that he suffers from depression and is on medication. The musician aims to raise awareness about a condition that he says was difficult for him to accept. He frequently references this topic, as he did on World Suicide Prevention Day (September 10), when he shared his personal experience with journalist Enrique Santos.
In September 2020, Time magazine selected him as one of the most influential people in the world.
In July 2020, the Colombian sent a message to the Cuban violinist Zamir Muñoz Hernández, known for his violin renditions of urban genre songs.
In August 2020, former President Obama shared a list of his favorite summer music, which included "One Day" by J Balvin, Bad Bunny, and Dua Lipa. In 2018, Obama had mentioned the Colombian artist during a speech, asking the audience, "Who doesn't like J Balvin and reggaeton?" thus validating the presence of Latin music in the United States.
In February 2021, he announced his fatherhood alongside his girlfriend, Argentine model Valentina Ferrer.
