J Balvin: ‘People See the Glory, but Not the Story’

J Balvin, the Colombian reggaetón star, reflects on his two-decade career in a wide-ranging interview conducted as part of Rolling Stone's Residency at the Cherry Lane Theatre. He stresses that his success, from breakthrough hits to global chart records, has not come easily, describing a long, gradual climb through mental health struggles, controversies and feuds rather than a rapid rise. The interview matters as a rare candid look behind the achievements of one of Latin music's most influential figures, offering insight into the graft underpinning his public triumphs.

The piece traces milestones including his 2015 hit "Ginza", which earned him a Guinness World Record for the longest consecutive run at Number One on the US Hot Latin Songs chart, and his 2018 album Vibras, featuring an emerging Rosalía and the single "Mi Gente", the first fully Spanish-language track to top Spotify's Global Top 50. Other highlights covered include joining Beyoncé at Coachella, his joint album Oasis with Bad Bunny, and this year's Omerta with Ryan Castro, which included a Coachella appearance alongside Karol G and a performance at the World Cup opening ceremony. Balvin, who turned 41 this year, also discusses his working-class Medellín upbringing and his time working undocumented in the United States early in his career.