Colombian hitmaker J Balvin has captivated the world with his music for more than a decade. Fans from Latin America to Europe can't get enough of The Boy From Medell n and his high-energy, infectious beats. In fact, every second, 140 J Balvin songs are streamed on Spotify, and his songs have been added to more than 240 million user-created playlists.
The star is not just one of the biggest names in urban music; he's the second-most-streamed Latin artist on Spotify-ever. His top hits include LA CANCI N with Bad Bunny, I Like It with Bad Bunny and Cardi B, and Mi Gente with Willy William, each having racked up well over 1 billion streams.
Now the reggaet n pioneer is back with a new album, Rayo, that drops today. J Balvin is well-known for his collaborations, and the album's first single, Polvo de tu vida, features Puerto Rican singer Chencho Corleone. Since its release in June, the track has garnered more than 16 million streams. And just to give a taste of where those listeners are, Bogot takes the spot as the city with the most streams, followed by Madrid, Barcelona, Santiago de Chile, and Mexico City.
A follow-up single, Gaga, finds him collaborating with Spanish artist SAIKO. It, too, is rapidly finding listeners, with more than 7 million streams since its July release, and has surged in listens in Spain, Mexico, and the United States.
For the Record caught up with J Balvin to learn more about the inspiration for his latest project, whom he wants to collaborate with in the future, and what other Colombian genres he enjoys listening to.
Tell us about Rayo. Rayo is about returning to my essence. Rayo is the name of my first car, a car that my father went through a lot of effort to buy me. I used to drive my school friends around and charge them a monthly fee as the driver.
That car allowed me to take my music to different neighborhoods, clubs, and schools. I sold CDs on the street and at events like Sonido sobre Ruedas [Sound on Wheels], where everyone shows up with their sound systems and cars. I even sold clothes from the trunk of Rayo.
Rayo played a big role in the reggaet n history of Medell n because it took me to so many places that, nowadays, have been hugely impacted by the reggaet n scene. So, Rayo, the album, brings a lot of nostalgia, because it's about returning to my essence, to who I was when I made music with no pretensions, without thinking about numbers or streams, but just enjoying it like a little kid.
Which artists inspire you? Daddy Yankee is the reason I decided to enter the world of reggaet n. But I have many inspirations: Craig David, Kurt Cobain, James Hetfield from Metallica, and Ed Sheeran, who is a great friend of mine.
Every era has artists who make a huge impact with different moments. These are some of them, but there are hundreds more.
What other genres of Colombian music do you listen to? I really love Colombian salsa, especially the salsa from Cali and Medell n. I'm also fascinated by vallenato music, like that from Silvestre Dangond. I love what Andr s Cepeda does-same with Fonseca. And I really enjoy the rock music from Juanes, who is from my hometown. El Rock De Mi Pueblo from Carlos Vives is also an album I like a lot. I think Colombia has a lot of incredible music. Of course, there's also native music like cumbia and joropo. While that music may be less commercial, their flavor and groove is carried in the rhythm of the music from the country.
You're known for your collaborations. Which artists, songwriters, or producers would you like to collaborate with from the new urban music scene in Colombia? So many have emerged. Right now, there's Kapo with his Afrobeat song Ohnana, Esteban Rojas from Cali, who I really like, and Philip Ariaz from Medell n, who is amazing. Nath from Medallo is also very good. Pirlo from Cali is also fantastic, and El H from the coast is great, too. There are so many artists. But with all of them, I know that if the opportunity arises, we can work together and enjoy the connection we have.
How has Spotify supported you and your music? Spotify has contributed a lot to my career. The platform helped me reach a truly global audience. Since becoming the most-streamed artist worldwide a couple of years ago, it has really shown me how great Spotify is for helping artists get discovered, and how listeners can explore different cultures from other countries through their Top 50 lists.
How do you like to discover new music on Spotify? Thousands of songs are released every day. I like to focus on the Top 50 lists-not just in Latin countries, which is typically the core or base where our music plays, but I'm also very interested in what's being listened to in places like Nigeria, Japan, Sweden, Netherlands, Lithuania, and Poland. It helps broaden my perspective and makes me think about other genres and languages that I didn't know before.
Go back to the beginning with J Balvin and his new album, Rayo, available now.
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
19/08/2026
As the cost of IP nears price parity with traditional SDI, Reynolds argues that ...
19/08/2026
A private 5G bubble was chosen instead of traditional broadcast RF for the race ...
19/08/2026
(L-R) Rafael Manuel and Isabel Sicat attend the Filipi ana premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at The Ray Theatre on January 23, 2026, in Park Cit...
19/08/2026
Studio owners invited to have their say on rates cuts
The Music Producers Guild (MPG) are inviting UK-based studios to take part in an in-depth survey that ...
19/08/2026
Vintage-inspired desktop interface revealed
Harrison's latest hardware offering sees them head into the world of audio interfaces, delivering a 10-in/12...
19/08/2026
Granular effect remains locked to scale and tempo
Described as your dream granular effect , Minimal Audio's latest creation is capable of turning any s...
19/08/2026
First polyphonic SWAM instrument incoming
Audio Modeling's latest physical-modelling orchestral instrument is just around the corner, and is now availab...
19/08/2026
World Cup Games Generate 84 Billion Minutes Across FOX, Fox Sports 1 and NBCU...
19/08/2026
July brought typical peak-holiday drops in viewership, driven primarily by viewers stepping away from screens and a visible decline in reach across both traditi...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Henry joins BCE as the company accelerates its commercial strategy and expands its international presence across the media, broadcast and technology markets. He...
19/08/2026
iWedia, a leading provider of software solutions for connected TV devices, today announced a major milestone in Android platform optimization with the successfu...
19/08/2026
NTP Technology announces that ST 2110-30 audio-over-IP connectivity with AES67 and RAVENNA capabilities is now available for the brand's world-class audio i...
19/08/2026
Net Insight has been selected to provide its Nimbra platform by the service provider Big Blue Marble, formerly ORS Group, as the core media transport solution f...
19/08/2026
LiveU has supported Coventry City FC and several other top-flight UK football clubs through one of their most demanding live production challenges of the year, ...
19/08/2026
Nature Seekers Documentary Shot with Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K LF
Brie Clayton August 18, 2026
0 Comments
Filming endangered turtles required camera...
19/08/2026
Neyrinck Brings D-Control Consoles Back to Life on Apple Silicon with D-Control ...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Riedel Communications today announced that Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Perth, Australia, implemented a comprehensive communications infrastructure that brin...
19/08/2026
QuickLink, a leading provider of award-winning video production and remote guest contribution solutions, will spotlight a major leap forward in remote guest con...
19/08/2026
Integrated platform melds media asset management, playout automation and newsroom workflows
EMAM, PlayBox Neo and SNEWS have officially launched Nuvex, a conne...
19/08/2026
Screen Australia releases the Private Investment Toolkit to strengthen screen in...
19/08/2026
Do Aussies truly value local content? Unpacking Screen Currency 2026 with Deirdr...
19/08/2026
There's an early Christmas gift for Bookish fans, as UKTV confirms the re-commission of the hit U&alibi drama, created by and starring Mark Gatiss. Viewers ...
19/08/2026
Wednesday 19 August 2026
Sky gives sports fans the chance to watch multiple liv...
19/08/2026
On Saturday September 5 Katie Taylor will step into the ring for the fight of her life against Flora Pili in front of 80,000 fans in Croke Park. A legendary fig...
18/08/2026
SportStream 2026, a free three-day virtual event, will take place September 15-17. One registration provides access to all three days of live programming and on...
18/08/2026
BeckTV will introduce BeckFlow to the European market at IBC2026, demonstrated on the Providius stand (10.F53).
BeckFlow is a web-based schematic documentation...
18/08/2026
Boland Communications will introduce a SMPTE ST 2110 input option for its 4K monitors at IBC2026, along with a new 55-inch super-narrow bezel display for video ...
18/08/2026
Dolby Laboratories and the Seattle Seahawks have announced a partnership integrating Dolby OptiView into the Seahawks' live streaming coverage, making the S...
18/08/2026
For BMG Executive Producer of Sports Production, Graham Taylor, producing live s...
18/08/2026
TMRW Sports has appointed Rufus Hack as President of Golf, a newly created role in which he will lead the company's golf businesses including TGL presented ...
18/08/2026
SMT will provide race technology for FOX Sports' coverage of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C. on August 23, when the NTT INDYCAR SERIES races ...
18/08/2026
The live, YouTube-native roundtables combine fan voices, credentialed reporters,...
18/08/2026
Behind The Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, includ...
18/08/2026
The industry legend sounds off on replacing the Heat's iconic Medusa score...
18/08/2026
William F. Rasmussen, the sports fan-turned broadcaster and entrepreneur whose out-of-the-box idea of a 24-hour cable sports network, ESPN, changed forever the ...
18/08/2026
DAZN Group has completed its acquisition of ViewLift, a provider of streaming and digital solutions for sports content owners. The acquisition was first announc...
18/08/2026
The American Association of Professional Baseball (AAPB) has added SI TV, Sports Illustrated's 24/7 streaming channel, as a broadcast partner for the remain...
18/08/2026
The Esports Foundation has announced that the inaugural Esports Nations Cup (ENC), originally scheduled for November 2026 in Riyadh, will be postponed to Novemb...
18/08/2026
Diversified has announced a new Global Managed Services Practice, consolidating the company's managed services capabilities into one organization. Rob Mello...
18/08/2026
Appear has completed a proof of concept with Thoroughbred Racing Productions (TRP), demonstrating multi-camera remote live production over bonded 5G cellular an...
Colombian hitmaker J Balvin has captivated the world with his music for more than a decade. Fans from Latin America to Europe can't get enough of The Boy From Medell n and his high-energy, infectious beats. In fact, every second, 140 J Balvin songs are streamed on Spotify, and his songs have been added to more than 240 million user-created playlists.
