Billboard’s current cover star J. Balvin speaks with Billboard Chief Content Officer Leila Cobo during a Superstar Q&A on Wednesday (October 16) during Billboard Latin Music Week 2024 did. He talked about the future of reggaeton, the power of collaboration, and his vision for the future of reggaeton. The importance of mutual support during difficult times.
Below are the top 10 quotes from Colombian superstars.
On A Wonderful Day with J Balvin: “[This series]is about sharing with artists and celebrities and taking them out of their comfort zones. They talk about topics that artists don’t usually talk about, like their fears and Talk about concerns. I don’t know how they did it, but they were able to get a lot of information out of them about their spiritual and mental health. Jimmy Butler, Demi Lovato, Anitta, Brooklyn Beckham. I’m with you.”
On collaborating with new talent: “Ever since I started (my career), I’ve always loved collaborating with new artists. It’s not just something that’s happening at this stage of my life. (When I started) ) I’ve always wanted an opportunity that would give me the thrill of collaborating with an (established) artist that would allow people to get to know me, so I wanted to do that for other people as well, and grow my career. I want to be able to share my dream of improving the world. I am not interested in absorbing their activities, only acting as a medium.”
On Latino gangs: “My thinking has been not just about Jose and J Balvin, but about Latino culture in general, about Latino gangs. To be there, to sit (at a table) now where I didn’t have the opportunity to sit before.”
Latin music explosion: “There’s a movement happening in Colombia right now with artists from different urban genres: trap, drill, dancehall, Afrobeat, reggaeton. There’s a real movement right now. Formerly in Colombia. I was the first one to get that exposure in the US. It wasn’t because I was the best. It was just because I was working (in the US). Because I was allowed to be one of the first to open the doors to reggaeton.”
About my friend Karol G.: “Carolina is someone to be admired and highly respected. I have had the opportunity to see her through her entire process, her perseverance and resilience until the time finally came. She believed this moment would come, and she knows it, and she thinks it’s just the beginning. There’s still a lot of work to do. , a powerful and empowering woman for all who say it can be done.”
On reggaeton in Colombia: “We didn’t have a map, but we had a desire. Reggaeton obviously originated in Puerto Rico.[Colombia]had Juanes, Carlos Vives, Shakira, but in the end… Now, it’s a completely different genre. We don’t have a reggaeton artist that represents Colombia. And I thought there was an opportunity to achieve that.”
On his downfall: “After that storm that hit me, after that earthquake, we’re stronger now, more mature than before. We’ve had a lot of No. 1s non-stop for a long time. I felt like I was laughing and thinking, “Why is this happening to them and nothing happening to me?” And when that happened to me, I said, “You know what? Ok, I was no exception, it happens to me too. And that learning has served me well, allowing me to know who is my friend and who is not, and giving more of myself to my family, my wife, and my closest friends who stand by me in times of darkness. ”
On his latest album, Rayo: “I thank God that I can make music out of necessity like I used to, and I can make music from a different perspective, from a different situation. I was able to connect with my inner child and enjoy the music without worrying about whether it would sell or not. That makes me happy.”
On Coachella, extraterrestrials, and Will Smith: “I’ve always been very enthusiastic and very curious about extraterrestrials, and I wanted to bring back my inner child. decided on that concept. I explained to Will Smith from artist to artist that the alien was part of the original concept. We both had a problem. A person’s greatness cannot be overshadowed by a few mistakes. I’m not criticizing Will Smith for his mistakes. You can’t erase a human legacy.”
Latin Music Week will coincide with the 2024 Billboard Latin Music Awards, which will air on Telemundo on Sunday, October 20th at 9pm ET. The service will be available simultaneously on the Universo, Peacock and Telemundo apps, and in Latin America and the Caribbean through Telemundo Internacional.
