No artist epitomizes the last four years of Latin pop like J Balvin. Ever since the 2017 worldwide sensation of his and Willy William’s “Mi Gente,” the Colombian reggaetonero has notched hit after hit. In 2018, he replaced Drake as the most-streamed artist on Spotify. Amid this meteoric rise, J Balvin seemed not so much a reggaeton singer as the genre’s mainstream embodiment. His early songs told stories of partying, desire, and seduction from such a generic perspective that it was hard to find a hint of individuality in the lyrics. Instead, the catchy beats, booming production, and over-the-top aesthetic took center stage. For proof, look no further than Balvin’s phenomenal 2020 concept album “Colores,” where he named each song after a color of the rainbow.
On Sep. 10, with the release of his latest album “JOSE,” Balvin reversed his prior commitment to aesthetic over substance. It’s telling that the title of the project spells out Balvin’s first name, rather than the usual anonymizing initial. More than a powerful confirmation of his continuing ability to produce hits, Balvin’s latest project takes him in surprising musical direction by foregrounding what his previous records sidelined: his own personality. Who is the man behind the hits? The songs on the album paint an expansive portrait.
| A1 | F40 |
| A2 | Una Nota |
| A3 | Te Acuerdas De MÃ |
| A4 | In Da Getto |
| A5 | Billetes de 100 |
| A6 | La Venganza |
| A7 | Vestido |
| B1 | Que Locura |
| B2 | Bebé Que Bien Te Ves |
| B3 | Lo Que Dios Quiera |
| B4 | Si Te Atreves |
| B5 | FantasÃas |
| B6 | Pa’Guyarte |
| C1 | Ganas De Verte |
| C2 | Perra |
| C3 | 7 De Mayo |
| C4 | Suerte |
| C5 | Querido Rio |
| C6 | La Familia |
| D1 | Qué Más Pues? |
| D2 | Otra Fili |
| D3 | Otra Noche Sin Ti |
| D4 | Poblado - Remix |
| D5 | Un DÃa (One Day) |
