J Balvin Lights Up Miami With Back to the Rayo Tour Stop: Best Moments

It was a bit past midnight, and a shirtless and sweaty J Balvin was backstage at the Kaseya Center in Miami chit-chatting and drinking with some of his closest friends. Ryan Castro, Justin Quiles, Sky Rompiendo, Mau & Ricky, and Balvin’s model wife Valentina Ferrer were all there Saturday (March 22), celebrating the wrap of the third night of his Back to the Rayo Tour, which launched Thursday in Atlanta. 

Balvin (real name: José Álvaro Osorio Balvin) was ecstatic to be back in the 305, and to be kicking off the North American leg of his CMN-produced, 27-date trek in support of his Grammy-nominated album Rayo. In 2022, the Colombian artist was set to begin his José U.S. tour, but it was postponed because of “unforeseen production challenges” due to COVID-19.

Three years later, he’s back on the road and not braking.

Inspired by the classic ‘80s film Back to the Future (hence the tour’s name), Balvin — in true fashion — delivered an immersive concert experience for fans. His stage elements were simple yet vibrant, futuristic and captivating: two large LED panels, a floating LED panel and a silver car in which Balvin made his grand entrance. For the second part of the show, a large, purple head and praying hands took over the stage. 

Balvin, as well as a group of six dancers, DJ Pope (his longtime DJ) and backup singer O’Neil carried the two-hour-long spectacle, delivering the back-to-back bangers that have made Balvin a global sensation: “Reggaetón,” “Con Altura,” “6 AM,” “Ay Vamos,” “Ginza,” “Mi Gente,” “La Canción” and many more. 

“¡Qué chimba Miami! I don’t want to leave. If it were up to me, I’d stay parchando [partying] here until 7 a.m.,” he told the packed venue. “Straight from Medellín, I am your parcero [friend] José. I’m proud of being Latino and of taking reggaetón to other levels.” 

Below, check out some highlights from his Miami tour stop: 

A Tribute to Colombia

In the middle of the show, after performing some of his latest songs, such as “Polvo de tu Vida” and “+57,” Balvin proudly showed off his Colombian roots. The lights on the stage reflected the colors of his native country’s flag (yellow, blue and red), and his DJ played a mix of emblematic songs from Colombian artists, starting with Joe Arroyo’s “Rebelión.” The salsa tuned was followed by Shakira’s “Hips Don’t Lie,” Karol G’s “Si Antes te Hubiera Conocido” and Maluma’s “Según Quién” in collaboration with Carín León, before Balvin brought out the first special guest of the night.

Special Guests

As part of the Colombian tribute, Balvin invited Ryan Castro to the stage. There, Castro performed “El Ritmo Que Nos Une,” “Parte y Choke,” “Fan De Su Relación” and “Jordan.” Shortly after, Balvin also invited Puerto Rican artist Justin Quiles to sing some of his greatest tunes for the audience, including “Jeans,” “Cuaderno” and “Loco.” As the crowd danced to Castro and Quiles’ mini sets, Balvin was taking shots. “I’ve never drank so much alcohol in a concert,” he said with a laugh.

Love Is in the Air

A heartfelt moment during Balvin’s show was when he performed his romantic reggaetón song “Rio,” named after his son. He not only dedicated the song to his partner and mother of his child, Valentina, who was in the audience with her parents, but also took the time to give out flower bouquets to his fans. “I still remember when I would come to Miami to vacation, and now I’m here. How cool!” an emotional Balvin said. “It’s worth working hard. I love you!”