80 Fun Facts About J Balvin

In which Colombian city was J Balvin born?

He still lives there most of the time, saying it keeps him connected to his roots.

J Balvin's family is of Spanish and which other descent?

His father was an economist and business owner whose company later went bankrupt.

At what age did J Balvin move to the United States to learn English?

He lived in both Oklahoma and New York before returning home.

In which US state did a teenage J Balvin do a disappointing English-exchange program?

He said he had been expecting the America everyone knows from Hollywood.

What job did J Balvin work while living with an aunt on Staten Island?

He also worked illegally as a roofer and house painter in the US.

What did J Balvin study for seven semesters at EAFIT University?

He adopted a stage-name nickname that fitted the subject.

What did the nickname "El Negocio", which J Balvin adopted at 19, mean in English?

He began seriously pursuing music at that age.

How did J Balvin meet his DJ and longtime partner David Rivera Mazo?

The two started producing and promoting music without a record label.

What was the title of J Balvin's first released song, from 2004?

He signed to EMI Colombia five years later.

Which one-night-stand-themed song was J Balvin's first international hit?

He signed with Capitol Latin, a Universal subsidiary, a year later.

Which Puerto Rican singer features on J Balvin's 2014 breakthrough single "6 AM"?

The song reached number one on the Billboard Latin Airplay chart in May 2014.

J Balvin described "6 AM" as the Latin version of which Hollywood comedy?

In the song, the two singers try to remember what happened during a night of partying.

How many weeks did J Balvin's album La Familia spend on the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart?

It peaked at number ten on the chart.

Which J Balvin video was the first reggaeton clip to reach one billion YouTube views?

It won the Latin Grammy for Best Urban Song and has since passed two billion views.

J Balvin cancelled a July 2015 performance at which event over Trump's comments on immigrants?

It would have been his first performance on national mainstream US television.

Where did the title of J Balvin's hit "Ginza" come from?

His fans took to the name, so he kept it; it is also a fashion district in Tokyo.

"Ginza" set what world record in 2015?

Its video also broke the 24-hour view record for a Latin music video.

Which 2016 album was the first by J Balvin to top the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart?

It also debuted at number 38 on the all-genre Billboard 200.

Which American artist sings the hook in Spanish on J Balvin's 2016 single "Safari"?

Balvin called getting non-Latino musicians to sing in Spanish one of his biggest dreams.

Which French singer and producer is credited alongside J Balvin on "Mi Gente"?

The pair released six further remixes with DJs including Steve Aoki and Alesso.

"Mi Gente" remakes which earlier track by the same French producer that went viral in 2016?

That song was itself taken from a Bangla track.

Which superstar's remix of "Mi Gente" gave J Balvin his first US top-ten single?

The remix reached number three on the Hot 100 in 2017.

Where did the proceeds from the "Mi Gente" remix go?

The guest singer donated all her proceeds from the song.

Which rapper released a "Mi Gente" remix after its shout was heard to resemble his signature grito?

He later secured a US trademark on the shout in 2020.

"Mi Gente" was the first Spanish-language song to top which chart?

He went on to become the platform's most-streamed artist in 2018.

Whose record did J Balvin break to become Spotify's most-streamed artist in 2018?

He was still in the top five as of April 2020.

Which Brazilian singer features with Jeon on J Balvin's 2018 single "Machika"?

It was one of the two lead singles from Vibras.

J Balvin's first US Billboard Hot 100 number one came on which artist's debut album Invasion of Privacy?

The song was also his first RIAA Diamond certification.

J Balvin's first Hot 100 number one interpolates which 1967 boogaloo hit by Pete Rodriguez?

Atlantic Records hired musicians to replay the sampled elements so it retained full rights.

The music video for "I Like It" was filmed in which Miami neighbourhood?

The video has passed 1.7 billion views.

"I Like It" earned a nomination in which category at the 61st Grammy Awards?

Rolling Stone later placed it at 384 on its 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

What does the title of J Balvin's 2018 album Vibras mean in English?

He said the beats were so good you did not need to understand the words.

J Balvin described Vibras as one-third reggaeton, one-third R&B and one-third which genre?

He gave the breakdown to Ebro Darden on Beats 1 Radio in April 2018.

Where did Vibras debut on the Billboard 200, his highest position at that time?

Its songs were streamed 16.1 million times in the biggest streaming week ever for a Latin album at the time.

J Balvin's surprise 2019 joint album Oasis was recorded with which Puerto Rican artist?

The two first met at a Balvin concert in Puerto Rico before the guest had a record deal.

What was the lead single from the album Oasis?

Its video was released alongside the album.

Where did Oasis debut on the Billboard 200?

It topped the Top Latin Albums chart with first-week sales of 36,000.

Which Spanish singer's 'Con Altura', with J Balvin, won Best Urban Song at the 2019 Latin Grammys?

Billboard ranked it fifth among its 100 best songs of 2019.

Which numbered Super Bowl featured the 2020 halftime show by Jennifer Lopez and Shakira, with guest J Balvin?

The February 2020 show in Miami also featured Bad Bunny.

Every song on J Balvin's 2020 album Colores is named after a colour except one track named after what?

That track, "Arcoíris", features Nigerian afrobeats star Mr Eazi.

Which Japanese artist created the artwork for Colores?

His signature smiling flowers also appear in the album's videos and a Guess capsule collection.

Who directed the music videos for the songs on Colores?

Every track except "Arcoíris" received a video.

Which award did Colores win at the 2020 Latin Grammy Awards?

That same year he set a Guinness record with 13 Latin Grammy nominations.

How long is J Balvin's 2021 album Jose, his longest studio album?

A deluxe edition added eight more tracks in December 2021.

J Balvin's 2021 album Jose shares its title with what?

He has said that at the worst of his anxiety he "forgot about José".

J Balvin contributed a remix of "Wherever I May Roam" to a 2021 tribute album for which band?

He grew up listening to the band and their thrash contemporaries.

J Balvin has a tattoo of which band on his knee?

He says he incorporates the grunge aesthetic into his personal style.

Which reggaeton artist does J Balvin cite as his biggest musical inspiration?

He has called him the reggaeton equivalent of Jay-Z.

Which pair of hometown-based producers does J Balvin frequently name-drop in his songs?

Sky Rompiendo also produced the whole of Colores.

Which singer has J Balvin called a 'teacher', referencing 'Livin' la Vida Loca' on his song 'Reggaetón'?

He has also named the Weeknd and Cultura Profética as desert-island listening.

J Balvin's first all-English song, "Hey Ma", appeared on the soundtrack of which 2017 film?

He recorded it with Pitbull and Camila Cabello but still plans to sing mostly in Spanish.

Which Puerto Rican rapper mocked J Balvin after his call to boycott the 2021 Latin Grammys?

Balvin had complained about a lack of nominations for urban artists.

In 2019, J Balvin became the first Latin man to collaborate with which clothing brand?

He said he grew up with the brand and admired the Marciano brothers' story.

How quickly did J Balvin's 2020 Nike collaboration shoe sell out on Nike's website?

He was the first Latin artist to collaborate with the brand.

J Balvin's 2022 sneaker collaboration with Nike's Jordan Brand was on which numbered model?

The shoe was designed with cloud-like patterns and a matching sweatsuit.

J Balvin survived a plane crash in August 2016 while leaving which country?

Nobody was hurt and he called it a miracle.

J Balvin's partner Valentina Ferrer was Miss 2014 for which country?

Their first child, a boy, was born in New York City in June 2021.

How old was J Balvin when he got his first tattoo?

He has since covered much of his body, including a chest tattoo honouring his mother.

J Balvin's mother lives with which rare genetic condition?

It causes seizures, chronic pain and mental health difficulties.

J Balvin says which practice "saved his life" when his panic attacks were at their worst?

He has spoken openly about anxiety and depression throughout his career.

J Balvin was the first Latino to headline Coachella, Lollapalooza and which Belgian dance festival?

Variety called his Coachella set one of the festival's greatest achievements.

Which organisation described J Balvin as the "leader of a second-generation reggaeton revolution"?

He also holds its record for most Latin Grammy nominations in a single year.

How many Latin Grammy nominations did J Balvin receive in 2020, a single-year record?

Colores won Best Urban Album at that ceremony.

In which year was J Balvin named to Time magazine's list of the 100 most influential people?

Billboard called him one of the greatest Latin artists of all time the same year.

J Balvin was the first Latin artist to reach one billion streams on which platform?

He also holds Spotify records and was VEVO's most-watched Latin artist of 2015.

Roughly how many records is J Balvin credited with selling worldwide?

He is counted among the best-selling Latin artists.

J Balvin released a 2021 song to celebrate the 25th anniversary of which franchise?

The same year he released Jose and a Metallica remix.

With which English singer did J Balvin release the 2022 songs "Sigue" and "Forever My Love"?

The two later discussed making a full collaborative album.

What is the title of J Balvin's 2024 studio album?

Feid, Carín León and Quevedo were among the guests.

Which anime did Crunchyroll announce J Balvin would voice a role in during 2025?

His character was later revealed as Kargalgan.

J Balvin's first acting role came in which Canadian crime drama that premiered at TIFF 2025?

He filmed it in 2024.

Which Nigerian afrobeats artist features on 'Arcoíris', the closing rainbow of Colores?

The album blends dancehall, R&B and electronica; Rolling Stone called it a sophisticated show of Balvin's sonic palette.

Which 2021 song gave J Balvin a record 33rd number one on Billboard's Latin Airplay chart?

It arrived the same year as his sixth studio album José and his Metallica Blacklist remix.

Which Dominican dembow singer joined J Balvin and Major Lazer on the 2019 single 'Que Calor'?

It came out in September 2019, weeks after his surprise joint album with Bad Bunny.

Which 2017 track was J Balvin's first collaboration with Bad Bunny, two years before Oasis?

The two first met at a Balvin concert in Puerto Rico when Bad Bunny was still releasing music on SoundCloud.

Which salsa legend was among J Balvin's earliest musical influences, alongside Metallica and Nirvana?

As a teenager he moved on to hip-hop acts such as 2Pac, Wu-Tang Clan and Bone Thugs-n-Harmony.

Which Nirvana hit has J Balvin covered in live performances?

His love of the band runs deep enough that he has a Nirvana tattoo on his knee.

Which stylist and techno DJ took J Balvin on as her sole styling client after Coachella 2018?

She later co-curated the Guess x J Balvin Colores collection with him in 2020.

At which Medellín fashion week did J Balvin debut his own designs with Gef in July 2018?

The collection drew on the bright aesthetic of that year's album Vibras.

Which pop singer, his 'Hey Ma' collaborator, has cited J Balvin as a musical influence?

Fellow Latin artists Residente and Lido Pimienta have been far less complimentary about his musicianship.