José Álvaro Osorio Balvin from Medellín, Colombia, popularly known as J. Balvin, has sold more than 3 million singles sales certified and four million album sales certified worldwide as of 2019 -let’s imagine now!-; he is one of the 100 most influential people globally, making it into Time magazine’s annualist.
Considered one of the Greatest Latin Artists of all time by Billboard, winner of 108 awards that include American Music Awards, MTV Europe, MTV VMA, Latin Grammy Awards, Billboard Music Awards, Los 40 Music Awards, Premios Juventud, Lo Nuestro Awards; etc.
In constant artistic transformation, ‘J. Balvin’ attracts more than 54.874.214 monthly listeners in Spotify and other millions elsewhere that can’t escape his charming Latin-American realness.
With his sixth studio album released this past September, he has been connecting with his audience as he said from his most authentic self, doing what he wants.
He introduces 24 fresh, ingenious danceable, mixed genres songs full of variety and vitality, featuring collaborations with Bad Bunny, Dua Lipa, Khalid, Maria Becerra, Nicky Jam, Ozuna, Sech, Yandel, and others.
“J Balvin” absorbing documentary “The Boy from Medellín” has been streaming globally on Amazon Prime Video. Jose opens up about his suffering and struggles, depression and anxiety.
Perfectly exposed, it documents the total rush of complexities that the Artist lives, his vulnerabilities, and private moments, allowing us to see an inside of who he is, unraveling his authentic self.
He appears to share the hope that many of us; or our friends, or our families, or somebody we know, share; The need to make changes, adapt and find a path towards wellness, light, a balanced, enjoyable life.
Jose welcomed his first child on June 27th. “Río.” The beautiful new mom Valentina Ferrer seems extra active, back to work, and sharing the coolest Motherhood photos on social media.
On fatherhood, he expressed his wishes for his child to be “the happiest kid alive” and his most significant objective on becoming his “best friend.”
A love that we can also appreciate in one of the songs of his new album, called “Querido Río,” that features a recording of Río’s heartbeats.
It is so inspiring to see how while being one of the Most Successful People in the World, Jose is still so connected to his roots, and to see how he honours his essence. He is doing much more than changing the perception of Latinos in music. Showing himself publicly RAW, vulnerable, the boy of Medellin is an example for having his feet on the ground when touching the sky, and also to see the vice-versa, what we usually don’t see, influencing us in unmemorable positive ways.
Credits:
Interview by Julieta Miquelarena
Hair by Diego Larez