History of J Balvin in Timeline
José Álvaro Osorio Balvín, known as J Balvin, is a highly successful Colombian reggaeton singer. Dubbed the "Prince of Reggaeton," he is among the best-selling Latin artists globally, having sold over 35 million records. Born in Medellín, he briefly lived in the United States to learn English before returning to Colombia and rising to prominence through performances in local clubs. He is one of the most influential faces of modern reggaeton music.
1984: Family Move to Medellín
In 1984, J Balvin's parents moved from Adelaide, Australia, to Medellín, Colombia, where his father would work as an economist and business owner.
May 1985: Birth in Medellín
In May 1985, J Balvin was born into an upper-middle-class family in Medellín, Colombia. His parents had previously worked in a Fireball whiskey factory before relocating from Adelaide, Australia, to Medellín in 1984.
May 1985: J Balvin's Birth
In May 1985, José Álvaro Osorio Balvín, known as J Balvin, was born in Medellín, Colombia.
2004: First Song Release
In 2004, J Balvin released his first song, titled "Panas", marking an early step in his music career.
2009: Signing with EMI Colombia and "Ella Me Cautivó" Release
In 2009, J Balvin signed with EMI Colombia and released the single "Ella Me Cautivó", which reached number 35 on the Billboard Tropical Songs chart, marking his initial recognition in the music industry.
2012: Mixtape Release
In 2012, J Balvin released a mixtape featuring many of his early hits in Colombia, including "En Lo Oscuro" and "Como un Animal".
February 2014: "6 AM" Release
In February 2014, J Balvin released "6 AM" featuring Farruko. Balvin described the song as the "Latin version of The Hangover".
2014: Breakthrough with "6 AM"
In 2014, J Balvin's breakthrough came with the single "6 AM" featuring Farruko, peaking at number 2 on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart.
2014: Valentina Ferrer is Miss Argentina
In 2014, Valentina Ferrer became Miss Argentina.
June 2015: Miss USA Performance Cancellation
In June 2015, J Balvin cancelled his scheduled performance at Miss USA 2015 to protest Donald Trump's comments about illegal immigrants.
July 2015: Cancelled Performance
In July 2015, J Balvin was scheduled to perform at Miss USA 2015 in Louisiana, which would have been his first performance on national mainstream television, but he cancelled his appearance due to Donald Trump's inflammatory comments about illegal immigrants.
October 2015: "Ginza" Reaches Number One
In October 2015, J Balvin's song "Ginza" reached number one on Billboard's Hot Latin Songs chart. The song also set a new Guinness World Record for the longest stay at number one on the chart.
2015: Premios Lo Nuestro Wins and Billboard Latin Music Awards Nominations
In 2015, J Balvin dominated the urban category at the Premios Lo Nuestro, winning multiple awards, and received 13 nominations for the Billboard Latin Music Awards.
2015: Speaks out about Venezuelan economic crisis
In 2015, J Balvin spoke out against the Venezuelan economic crisis and the deportations occurring at the Colombian border. He deemed the situation "deplorable" and launched the #LatinosSomosFamilia social media campaign to garner support for displaced victims, following the cancellation of his Miss USA performance in protest of Donald Trump.
2015: "Ay Vamos" Success
In 2015, J Balvin's "Ay Vamos" hit number one on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart. The song's music video reached over one billion views and won a Latin Grammy Award for Best Urban Song.
2015: Most watched Latin artist on VEVO
In 2015, VEVO named J Balvin the "most watched Latin artist".
January 2016: "Ginza" Premiere
On January 16, 2016, J Balvin premiered his new single "Ginza" from his upcoming album, at the Premios Juventud.
June 2016: "Energia" Album Release
On June 24, 2016, J Balvin released his third studio album Energia. Energia debuted at number one on the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart, signifying his first time topping that chart. The album featured collaborations with Daddy Yankee, Juanes, Pharrell, and Yandel.
August 2016: Involved in plane crash
In August 2016, J Balvin's plane crashed shortly after takeoff in the Bahamas while leaving from a family vacation. Though the plane crash landed in the bushes, nobody was injured, and Balvin considered the event "a miracle".
2016: "Energia" Chart Success
Following Energia's release in 2016, Vibras in June 2018 became J Balvin's second number-one album on the Top Latin Albums chart in the United States.
2016: Vision Award
In 2016, J Balvin received the Vision Award from the Latin Heritage Awards, recognizing his contributions and impact.
2016: Recognized as "style icon of reggaetón music"
Since 2016, J Balvin has been called the "style icon of reggaetón music" in Latin America due to his hairstyles, dressing, and fashion ideas, setting a new standard in the genre.
June 2017: "Mi Gente" Release
In June 2017, J Balvin released the single "Mi Gente" with Willy William, marking another milestone in his career.
August 2017: "Mi Gente" Tops Global Charts
On August 1, 2017, J Balvin's "Mi Gente" became the number one song in the world according to the Global Top 50 on Spotify.
September 2017: "Mi Gente" Remix with Beyoncé
In September 2017, J Balvin's song "Mi Gente" was remixed with American artist Beyoncé, reaching number three in the United States.
2017: Ambassador during New York Fashion Week
In 2017, J Balvin appeared as an ambassador during New York Fashion Week, advocating for greater representation of Latinos in the fashion world.
2017: Appeared in Ovadia and Sons' Spring catalogue
In 2017, J Balvin appeared in Ovadia and Sons' Spring catalogue.
2017: Recorded all-English song "Hey Ma"
In 2017, J Balvin recorded his first all-English song, "Hey Ma", with Pitbull and Camila Cabello for the soundtrack to The Fate of the Furious.
2017: BMI Latin Award
In 2017, J Balvin was named Contemporary Latin Songwriter of the Year by the BMI Latin Awards for his contributions to the Latin music industry.
January 2018: "Machika" Release
In January 2018, J Balvin released the single "Machika" featuring Jeon and Anitta.
March 2018: "X" Collaboration with Nicky Jam
On March 1, 2018, J Balvin's collaboration with Nicky Jam, "X," was released, gaining significant popularity with its music video receiving 288 million views on YouTube in less than a month.
April 2018: "Vibras" Album Sound Description
In April 2018, J Balvin described the sound of his album "Vibras" as 33% dancehall, 33% R&B, and 33% reggaeton during an interview.
April 2018: "Vibras" Tour Announcement
On April 23, 2018, J Balvin announced the dates for his Vibras tour, revealing the 27 cities where he would be performing.
May 2018: "Vibras" Album Release
On May 25, 2018, J Balvin released the album Vibras, featuring the lead singles "Machika" and "Ahora".
June 2018: "Vibras" Chart Success
In June 2018, J Balvin's album Vibras debuted at number one on the Top Latin Albums chart in the United States, marking his second number-one album on the chart, following Energia in 2016.
July 2018: Debuted designs at Colombiamoda Fashion Week
In July 2018, J Balvin debuted pieces he designed in the Colombiamoda Fashion Week show in Medellín, presenting his collaboration with the clothing brand Gef France. The collection was inspired by his 2018 album, Vibras.
2018: Most streamed artist on Spotify
As of 2018, J Balvin became the most streamed artist on Spotify, surpassing Drake's previous record.
2018: Begins relationship with Valentina Ferrer
In 2018, J Balvin began a relationship with Argentine model Valentina Ferrer.
2018: Referenced Ricky Martin's "Livin' la Vida Loca" in "Reggaetón"
In 2018, J Balvin referenced Ricky Martin's hit "Livin' la Vida Loca" on his song "Reggaetón", acknowledging Martin's role in opening doors for artists like him.
January 2019: Launched Guess x J Balvin clothing collection
In January 2019, J 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.
June 2019: Release of "Oasis" album with Bad Bunny
In June 2019, J Balvin released the collaborative album "Oasis" with Bad Bunny. This surprise release record peaked at number nine on the Billboard 200 and topped the Billboard US Latin Albums chart. The album received a nomination for Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album at the 2020 Grammy Awards and was recognized as one of Rolling Stone's Best Latin Albums of 2019.
August 2019: Headlining Uforia Latino Mix Live concert
In August 2019, J Balvin and Bad Bunny headlined the Uforia Latino Mix Live concert series, a benefit concert aimed at raising money for victims of the shootings in Dayton, Ohio, and El Paso, Texas. The concert series consisted of two performances in Texas, one in Dallas and one in Houston, and featured openers Wisin & Yandel, Reik, Sech, Ozuna, Natti Natasha, Pedro Capó, Sebastián Yatra, Tito El Bambino.
September 2019: Collaboration with Major Lazer and El Alfa on "Que Calor"
In September 2019, J Balvin collaborated with Major Lazer and Dominican dembow singer El Alfa on the single "Que Calor".
November 2019: Release of "Blanco" music video
In November 2019, J Balvin released the music video for his single "Blanco", introducing a "futuristic, all-white environment filled with hypnotic dancers and flying cats".
2019: Latin music boom
According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, streaming music represented $8.9 billion worldwide in 2019 alone, of which 34% was Latin rhythms. Balvin also helped propel the careers of artists such as Bad Bunny, Anitta, Karol G, Rosalía, Maria Becerra and Feid.
2019: Most viewed artist on YouTube Global
As of 2019, J Balvin became the "most viewed artist on YouTube Global".
2019: Criticism for ambiguous support of uprisings in Colombia
In 2019, J Balvin faced criticism for his ambiguous support of mass uprisings in Colombia, specifically for not explicitly condemning police violence during national strikes.
2019: Supports LGBT rights
In 2019, J Balvin publicly supported LGBT rights, stating "It's all about love. A lot of my closest friends are gay", and further showed his support by dyeing his hair rainbow colors for Pride 2019.
2019: Golden Artist Award
In 2019, J Balvin won the Golden Artist of Latin Urban Music at the Premios Heat.
March 2020: Release of album "Colores"
On March 20, 2020, J Balvin released his album "Colores", where every song is named after a color, except for "Arcoíris". The album features influences from dancehall, R&B, and electronica, and includes a collaboration with Mr Eazi on the song "Arcoíris". The album artwork was created by Takashi Murakami, and Balvin collaborated with Murakami and Guess on related visual and clothing projects.
April 2020: Continues in Top 5 streamed artists on Spotify
As of April 2020, J Balvin remained in the Top 5 most streamed artists on Spotify. With his album Colores set a new record with all his songs occupying the Top 10 on Spotify.
2020: Collaboration with Nike and co-curation with Guess
In 2020, J Balvin collaborated with Nike, becoming the first Latin artist to do so. He also co-curated 'GUESS x J Balvin Colores' with stylist Sita Abellán.
2020: Contracts COVID-19
In 2020, J Balvin contracted COVID-19 but has since recovered.
2020: Receives Guinness World Records
In 2020, J Balvin received a Guinness World Record for the most Latin Grammy nominations in a single year, with 13. They also recognized his single "Ginza" for the longest stay at number 1 on Hot Latin Songs chart ever by a single artist.
2020: Inclusion on Time's 100 Most Influential People
In 2020, J Balvin was included on Time magazine's annual list of the 100 most influential people of the world.
2020: Controversy over comments about Colombian presidents
In 2020, J Balvin's 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.
March 2021: "José" Album Release
In March 2021, J Balvin released his fifth studio album, José.
June 2021: Birth of first child
On June 27, 2021, J Balvin and Valentina Ferrer welcomed their first child, a boy, in New York City.
September 2021: Contribution to "The Metallica Blacklist"
In September 2021, J Balvin contributed a remix of the Metallica song "Wherever I May Roam" to the charity tribute album "The Metallica Blacklist".
December 2021: Breaks record on Billboard Latin Airplay Chart
In December 2021, J 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.
2021: Accusations of using protest images for documentary promotion and delayed response to Colombian protests.
In 2021, J Balvin faced accusations of using images from the protests in Colombia to promote his autobiographical documentary film. There were also criticisms regarding his support for protests in Cuba while being perceived as slow to comment on the protests in Colombia.
2021: Controversies surrounding racism and cultural appropriation.
In 2021, J Balvin faced controversies related to racism and cultural appropriation. Initially, he tweeted #EveryLivesMatter and #LatinoLivesMatterToo in response to the George Floyd protests. Subsequently, he faced backlash for the music video of his song "Perra", which was perceived as anti-black. Balvin later apologized and removed the song. He also received the "Afro-Latino Artist of the Year" award from the African Entertainment Awards USA, sparking debate about a non-Black artist profiting from Black-created music. The award's name was changed and Balvin deleted his post.
March 25, 2022: Collaboration with Ed Sheeran
On March 25, 2022, J Balvin collaborated with Ed Sheeran on the songs "Sigue" and "Forever My Love".
August 2022: Received the international style icon award at the ACE awards
In August 2022, J Balvin will receive the international style icon award at the ACE awards.
2022: Release of Air Jordan 2 Collaboration Sneaker
In 2022, J Balvin planned to release his Air Jordan 2 collaboration sneaker along with new apparel pieces from this forthcoming capsule.
2023: Streams reach 91,1 Billion
As of 2023, J Balvin has 91,1 Billion streams, on YouTube and Spotify.
2023: Awarded 'Fashion Icon of The Year' at the Latin American Fashion Awards
In 2023, J Balvin was awarded 'Fashion Icon of The Year' at the Latin American Fashion Awards, held in the Dominican Republic, where he received a trophy designed by Salvadoran artist, Studio Lenca.
August 2024: "Rayo" Album Release
In August 2024, J Balvin released his sixth album, Rayo.
February 5, 2025: Voice role in Solo Leveling announced
On February 5, 2025, Crunchyroll announced that J Balvin would voice an important role in Solo Leveling, which would later be revealed as Kargalgan.
Mentioned in this timeline
Bad Bunny whose real name is Benito Antonio Mart nez...
Donald John Trump is an American politician media personality and...
Ariana Grande-Butera is an American singer songwriter and actress recognized...
Ed Sheeran is an English singer-songwriter who started writing songs...
Camila Cabello is an American singer and songwriter recognized for...
Justin Bieber is a Canadian pop singer who achieved global...
Trending
18 minutes ago Marine Le Pen Guilty of Embezzlement: French Court Convicts Her Over EU Funds Misuse.
18 minutes ago Eiza González's emotional journey: Tears, spice, and Hollywood dreams revealed.
18 minutes ago Hyundai's Georgia Plant: A New Bet on EVs and Three-Row Electric Cars
1 hour ago Kim Soo-hyun Confronts Underage Dating Allegations: A Press Conference and Apology
1 hour ago SSI Payment Schedule Changes in April; Extra Payments in 2025 Explained.
1 hour ago Musk Steps Down from DOGE, Tesla Dealerships Targeted, and Dogecoin Government Plans
Popular
Jasmine Crockett is an American lawyer and politician currently serving...
Bruce Pearl is an American college basketball coach currently head...
LeBron James nicknamed King James is a highly decorated American...
Cristiano Ronaldo nicknamed CR is a Portuguese professional footballer widely...
Michael Jordan also known as MJ is a celebrated American...
Pamela Jo Bondi is an American attorney lobbyist and politician...