It was past midnight and J Balvin, sweaty and shirtless, was backstage at the Kaseya Center in Miami chatting and drinking with some of his closest friends. Ryan Castro, Justin Quiles, Sky Rompiendo, Mau and Ricky, and model Valentina Ferrer, Balvin’s wife, were all there celebrating the end of the third night of his Back to the Future tour, which kicked off on Thursday (March 20) in Atlanta.
Balvin (real name: José Álvaro Osorio Balvin) was excited to be back in the 305 and to start the North American leg of his 27-date tour, produced by CMN, in support of his Grammy-nominated album Rayo. In 2022, the Colombian artist was supposed to kick off his U.S. tour José, but it was postponed due to “unforeseen production challenges” caused by COVID-19. Three years later, he’s back in the game and not slowing down.
Inspired by the classic 80s movie Back to the Future, hence the tour’s name, Balvin, true to his style, offers an immersive concert experience for fans. The stage elements are simple yet vibrant, futuristic and captivating: two large LED panels, a floating LED panel, and a silver car in which Balvin makes his grand entrance. For the second part of the show, a large purple head and praying hands took over the stage.
Throughout about two hours, Balvin, a group of six dancers, his longtime DJ Pope, and backup singer O’Neil put on the show, delivering the consecutive hits that made Balvin a global sensation: “Reggaeton,” “Con altura,” “6 AM,” “Ay vamos,” “Ginza,” “Mi gente,” “La canción,” and many more.
“What a vibe, Miami! I don’t want to leave. it were up to me, I’d stay until 7 a.m. partying,” he told the packed venue. “Straight from Medellín, your buddy José, proud to be Latino and take reggaeton to new heights.”
Here are some more highlights from his stop in Miami.
A tribute to Colombia
In the middle of the show, after performing some of his recent songs like “Polvo de tu vida” and “+57,” Balvin proudly showcased his Colombian roots. The stage lights reflected the colors of his home country’s flag (yellow, blue, and red), and his DJ played a mix of iconic songs from Colombian artists starting with the salsa “Rebelión” by Joe Arroyo. This was followed by “Hips Don’t Lie” by Shakira and “La Bicicleta” by Carlos Vives and Shakira, among others.
A surprise appearance by Karol G
As if the show couldn’t get any better, Balvin surprised the audience by bringing out fellow Colombian artist Karol G to perform their hit collaboration “Mi cama (Remix).” The crowd went wild as the two artists delivered a high-energy performance, with Karol G showing off her impressive rap skills.
A message of unity and love
Throughout the show, Balvin took the time to spread a message of unity and love, reminding the audience that music has no borders and that we are all one. He also dedicated a moment to honor the victims of the recent mass shooting in Atlanta, saying, “We are all one, and we have to love each other. We have to stop the hate and spread love.”
A grand finale with fireworks
To close out the show, Balvin performed his latest hit “Poblado” and ended with a bang, literally. As the song reached its climax, fireworks lit up the stage, adding an extra touch of excitement and leaving the audience in awe.
Overall, J Balvin’s Back to the Future tour stop in Miami was a night to remember, filled with high-energy performances, special guests, and a powerful message of unity and love. It’s safe to say that Balvin has once again proven why he is one of the biggest names in Latin music today.