2024 was a year of recalibration for J Balvin. The reggaeton trailblazer’s first album in three years, Rayo, blends urbano, pop and electronic music with an all-star supporting cast of Latin trendsetters including fellow Colombians Feid, Ryan Castro and Blessd, as well as Mexico’s Carín León, Spain’s Quevedo and Puerto Rico’s Dei V. The creative and personal journey Balvin undertook while recording Rayo resulted in a well-deserved Grammy nomination for Best Música Urbana Album.

What is your favorite moment from Rayo?

My favorite moment from Rayo has to be falling back in love with music. It took taking a step back to reconnect with myself and with my family and remind myself why I loved creating music in the first place. It was reconnecting with that little kid from Medellín who had these big dreams and reviving that drive and passion to create music.

So much has changed—for you personally and in listening trends—since you last released a full-length solo album. Have these changes affected the way you create? If so, in what ways?

I think that taking that time to recharge after the release of JOSE has affected the way I approach music creatively for the better. Creating Rayo was a totally different vibe from my past projects because I did this album without feeling any pressure. It was honestly about going into the studio and having fun, and that’s the beautiful thing about this album. I didn’t plan to make it.

Your Back to the Rayo North American arena tour is lined up for 2025. What are you most excited to share with fans?

That familiar feeling of truly just enjoying the music.

What did you learn from that splashy Coachella slot and the European dates in 2024?

This year’s set at Coachella was a really big eye-opening experience for me—being able to feel the importance of Latin music on a global level as if it were the first time. Being able to represent my community at one of the biggest music festivals… it was special to see our space at the top. That showed me that Latin music is not just another genre of music. It goes beyond, and those lines are being blurred—that was clear to me onstage. Touring Europe with Que Bueno Volver a Verte was especially important because I was able to reconnect with fans across the globe, and it was a realization that we live in a moment where Latin music has such a special place in the hearts of audiences everywhere.

Rayo features a diverse crop of hitmakers from Colombia, Mexico, Spain, Puerto Rico. As a champion of collaboration throughout your career, why has it been so important to Latin music?

Empowering this new wave of incredibly talented artists is always a key goal for me. There’s so much talent from all walks of life, and it’s so important to continue to bridge the gap between our Latin communities and proudly wave the Latin flag high. We’re leaving our mark on the world and continuing the globalization of Latin music.