24 Interesting facts about J Balvin

Last updated on February 18th, 2022 at 10:00 pm

J Balvin is a Colombian singer, songwriter, and record producer. This Colombian musician is among the most renowned Latin artists in the world today.  He has received nominations for three Grammys and two Latin Grammy Awards. In 2016 he also won the Billboard Music Award for Top Latin Artist of the year.

J Balvin is becoming more and more popular each year, and with that, people want to know, “Who is J Balvin?”. 

Read on to learn 24 of the most interesting facts about the Latin/Reggaeton singer.

What is J Balvin’s Real Name?

J Balvin was born as Jose Alvaro Osorio Balvin on 7th May 1985 in Medellin, Colombia to Jose Alvaro Osorio and Alba Mery Vasquez. He came up with his stage name J Balvin at the age of 19, in 2004.

Familia and His Other 34 Tattoos

J Balvin currently has a total of 34 tattoos covering his body and has become part of his image over the years.

His mother and his family inspired the tattoo on his chest. She had a genetic condition that distressed her greatly. To always remind himself of her, he got the tattoo. 

He loves tattoos in general and got his first one at the age of 12. This tattoo, which is located on the inside of his right bicep, is a tribal design. He had to get permission from his mother to get this one since he was underage.

Some of his other tattoos feature a rose on his right hand, the words “Vida” and “Real” that are on his knuckles, and several various tattoos on his arms such as the name of the song, “Mi Gente.” Additionally, he has tattoos of stars, his initials, an eye, Super Mario and Mickey Mouse, multiple portraits including one of his sister, sparrows on both shoulders, and several other tattoos covering his body.

J Balvin Gets Panic Attacks and Temporary Dementia

The singer suffers from panic attacks that end up giving him temporary dementia. He indulges in meditation and other alternative therapies to help his mental health.

However, instead of allowing the disease to take over his life, the singer embraces it and looks forward to days that are free of attacks.

He Wore Red Lipstick

In 2014, J Balvin made a firm stand by wearing red lipstick in support of abused women. This was in the international day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

It is clear that the artist is not ashamed to take a stand or offer support where it is needed.

What is J Balvin’s Sexual Orientation?

There have been rumors in the past suggesting that the artist is gay, but he came out and has publically made it clear that he is straight.

He has dated Colombian actress Diana Osorio and a few other ladies not in the limelight.

He Grew Up Poor

Growing up in Medellin, Colombia, J Balvin’s family had hard times. This made the singer take a job selling things on the street to help his family.

He understood that things were hard for his family and volunteered to assist in the only way he knew.

Bear in mind that his father lost everything to bankruptcy, and his mother was sickly. Jose resonates with how it feels to lack but doesn’t allow that to hold him back.

What is J Balvin’s Favorite Animal?

His favorite animal is a tiger, and therefore fans should not be surprised when they see him with one.

This is because of the powerful aura that tigers present even when they are not in a pack.

His love for tigers goes further and has made him get several tattoos of the same. In fact, J Balvin currently has a total of four tiger tattoos on his body which include a tiger face on his hand, tiger eyes on his arm, a full tiger on his side, and a tiger on his forearm.

What is J Balvin’s Net Worth?

J Balvin’s net worth is estimated to be $16 million.

This figure will continue to rise considering how hard the artist works and his increasing popularity globally as the prince of reggaeton.

Who is the Most Popular Spotify Artist?

In 2018, J Balvin was Spotify’s most-streamed Latin artist. This was because most of his songs are in Latin, which made him stand out from fellow artists.

It also helped gather his social media presence and his music sales.

How Many Followers does J Balvin Have?

The artist has a solid social media presence. He is one of the most followed Latin artists in social media with over 30 million followers combined between Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

He has managed to gather over one billion Youtube views collectively. A billion of the views are from his hit “Ay Vamos”.

He also won three Latin Billboard Awards in 2015 for Top Latin Artist of the Year, Hot Latin Song, and Collaboration of the Year.

Does J Balvin Speak English?

The singer moved to Oklahoma with a cultural exchange program at the age of 17 to study English together with his friend. He later moved to New York, where his interest in urban music peaked.

During this time when he was learning English, he also decided to study international business and social communication but decided to focus on his music after his third year.

He learned and understood the depths of music and decided to follow it as a career. He started by performing in clubs until he settled for his stage name J Balvin at 19.

How He Got His Big Break

J Balvin was an independent artist in the first eight years of his career. He managed everything himself with no help from anyone.

This is what strengthened him into becoming who he is today. It took eight years for him to be signed up by a label.

J Balvin recently opened up about how he originally got his start in music, and it wasn’t easy for him at all. To make ends meet, J earned money by taking up odd jobs.

Studio Albums

J Balvin’s first studio album, “Real” was released in 2010 after signing record deals with Machete Music and EMI Music. From this album, his song, “Ella Me Cautivo” was released and reached the Tropical Songs chart on Billboard for one of the 40 most important songs.

From his first album, he went on to release several more singles such as, “Sin Compromiso” and “En Lo Oscuro” which earned him his first number one song in his country. After this success, he then decided to venture into international locations such as Boston, New York, Miami, and New Jersey.

His second studio album, “El Negocio” was released in 2011 and was the kick-off to his European tour which had mostly sold-out concerts.

“La Familia,” which was released in 2013, was his third studio album which fell under Capitolio Latino and EMI Music Mexico. This album hit the top ten of Billboard’s Top Latin Albums and won several platinum albums around the world.

Features and Collaborations

The artist has had the honor of being featured on tracks with other famous artists like Robin Thicke and Ariana.

He has also been on tour with Pitbull & Enrique Iglesias. This is the start of many more collaborations with other great artists and will shape his music career.

J Balvin collaborated with Farruko with the song, “6 AM” which reached the top of charts such as Hot Latin Songs and positions in the Latin Rhythm Airplay for several weeks in a row. This was also the first song in Europe to make the music list and came in number 22 of the PROMUSICAE in Spain.

J Balvin also collaborated with Bad Bunny to release the album, “Oasis” and previously were featured together on Cardi B’s single, “I Like It.”

The Latin artist also had a phenomenal experience when he performed with Beyonce at Coachella in 2018. They did a remix of his song, “Mi Gente,” which was originally a collaboration with producer Willy William.

Who is J Balvin’s Role Model?

J Balvin says that his biggest inspirations are Puerto Rican rapper, Daddy Yankee and rapper, Drake. When you listen to his songs keenly, you will understand why they are his inspirations.

It is a classic combination that will ensure he continues to bring out the best. His fans are sure to be kept on their toes for a long time to come. They inspire him in producing his unique reggae tones that are a global sensation.

He wants to collaborate with Rihanna and his role model Drake. He believes they need to come into the Latin world.

This will also ensure that Latin music gains more glory globally by having the two great artists on board.

One thing is for sure at the pace he is moving, it will only be a short while before the collaboration takes place.

Snapchat Increased his Popularity

Snapchat used his song Mi Gente as a filter. Many people could hear his song playing in the background if their sound were on.

This helped him gain more followers on the platform, making another substantial addition to his online presence.

It was also a famous filter as many users tried it out and his song made it viral.

Humble

J Balvin appreciates the small things in life. He is grateful for everything, both big and small. This helps him never to forget where he came from.

It is also why he can relate well with people from various backgrounds and what makes him remain humble despite the enormous wealth he has accumulated so far.

J Balvin Loves Rock Music

J Marvin admits that his interest in music came about when he discovered rock music, and bands such as Nirvana. He further points out that his father was instrumental in encouraging him to follow his dreams by purchasing him a guitar.

He encouraged him to play and gave him the much-needed support at that tender age.

The presence of heavy metal bands, like Metallica, encouraged him to play with friends, which helped grow his skills and his love for music.

He has Sound Memory

The artist has sound memory. He is not good at recalling words but instead sounds, and they stick to his memory.

This ability makes it possible for him to perform countless songs without trouble. He admits that he can’t recite most of his lyrics, but with a beat, he can sing the whole piece with no trouble.

He only requires the tune set up, and the words will flow down his mouth. This ability is also instrumental when it comes to recording his hits.

It has enabled him to formulate his reggaeton style.

Electric Shocks Inspired the Title of His Hit Song, “Energia”

J Marvin says that his hit song Energia‘s title came from electric shocks that he got from its recording.

He says that on that day, everything he touched seemed to give shocks. The song was a huge success and went ahead to be a fans’ favorite. It got positive reviews and ratings from the public.

One of the many reasons why people love J Balvin is because his music has managed to cross over into numerous different genres and markets, making him truly unique in that sense.

He’s even been able to break out internationally, making his success story that much more enjoyable!

One of Few Spanish Artists on US Charts

The artist’s songs are in Spanish, but they managed to make their way into the US charts. This is something extraordinary since not everyone can speak Spanish.

Even when people don’t understand what he is saying, they still listen to his songs and help him climb up the charts.

Many people can relate to his songs despite the language barrier.

Billboard Recognition

Billboard has named him the most significant discovery of Latin music in many years.

Many people will agree with this, considering how his songs have peaked globally, especially in the Us, which can be a challenging market for many foreign artists.

In 2012, J Balvin hit the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart at number 13 for his song, “Yo Te Lo Dije.” This same song made it to number 9 on the Latin Pop Songs of Billboard as well.

His song, “Ginza” made the Billboard Hot 100 List and was honored with platinum and gold records for the song in many places around the world.

Unbelievable Success

His song “Ay Vamos” was named the best urban song of 2014, bagging him an award. It went on to perform well in the charts too.

He did a remix of the song featuring fellow artists Nicky Jam and French Montana. The remix went ahead to feature as the soundtrack for the movie Furious 7.

In addition, he has won many awards, including a Billboard Music Award in 2016 for Top Latin Artist, two Latin Grammy Awards in 2015 for Best Urban Music Album, and Best Urban Song.

He also won several Latin American Music Awards for New Xfinity Artist in 2015, Favorite Urban Artist in 2016, and Favorite Urban Song for “Ginza” in 2016.

iHeartRadio Music Awards honored J Balvin with awards such as Latin Album of the Year for “Energia” in 2017, Best Urban Artist in 2017, Best Musical Video for “Bobo” in 2017, and Best Male Artist in 2017.

In 2017, J Balvin won Best Musical Video in the Juventud Awards with his song, “Sigo Extranandote.”

J Balvin’s Goals

This is one musician with a strange goal, unlike his colleagues in the industry. J Balvin wants to be successful as opposed to being famous.

He believes that the ultimate achievement is in being successful since he will inspire many people. Considering his roots, this is one notion that many people can relate to.

J Balvin’s quest is to ensure that Latin music goes global by taking it to the next level. Many will agree that he is on the right track.

He is already a well-known artist, and many people love his work. It’s only a matter of time before he achieves this ultimate goal that he has.

The prince of reggaeton is already making a mark in the music industry, which will make the goal achievable.