Entertainment
How J Balvin's thoughts about his first car reconnected him with reggaeton
José Balvin remembers being 17 when he noticed an ad for a used 1997 Volkswagen Golf in the local newspaper. With dreams of driving around Colombia to sing reggaeton and sell CDs out of a trunk, he felt that the only thing he needed to make them a reality was this car.
“I didn’t have any money and my dad also was super broke. But he knew that I really loved it, and he knew my purpose with it,” said Balvin.
The vehicle, fondly named Rayo, took the fresh-faced singer to every city in Colombia willing to give him a chance. Now, seven albums and six Latin Grammys later, the 39-year-old self-proclaimed “Prince of Reggaeton” returns to his first car as the main source of inspiration behind his newest project, “Rayo.”
J Balvin poses at L.A.’s Petersen Automotive Museum.
(Michael Blackshire/Los Angeles Times)
Per request of the singer’s team, I meet the “Mi Gente” singer at the Petersen Automotive Museum. Shiny lowriders fill the lobby while high-end sports cars of the past and prototypes of the future fill its four floors to the brim. Inside, J Balvin spots the museum’s “crown jewel” — a 1925 Rolls-Royce Phantom — and behind his flashy chrome sunglasses, his eyes widen. The glassy black car with a seductive red interior exudes the feeling of true luxury, something the singer has become accustomed to. Dubbed “the rarest Rolls-Royce in existence” by the museum, the vintage vehicle is circled by Balvin, who takes in every small detail, from its circular doors to its reflective grill. The same teenager who was excited about a newspaper ad emerges, playfully insisting it’s the only car he wants to be photographed with.
As he continues to lap the Rolls-Royce, his silver accessories, a grill for his bottom teeth and lustrous Jordan sneakers, shine from under his all-black attire. His outfit aligns with the vision of “Rayo” — its album cover depicts a luxury-looking, metallic version of his Volkswagen with scissor-style doors.
As a unifying symbol of the singer’s beginnings and the life he leads today, his seventh studio album attempts to make these two versions of Balvin meet sonically. Turning to the pure sounds of reggaeton he has built his legacy around, “Rayo” evaluates how Balvin can distinguish himself in today’s Latin music scene.
The world first came to know J Balvin with his debut studio album, “Mi Familia.” The 2013 release helped popularize the then-fresh blend of reggaeton with current hip-hop and club-style beats. Consistent hits like his first No. 1 on Billboard’s Latin Airplay, “6 AM,” and “Ay Vamos,” the first video to reach a billion YouTube views by a “Latin urban/reggaeton artist,” put him on the frontlines of the genre at the time.
By the end of the 2010s, his reach expanded beyond the Latin market. With the 2017 release of “Mi Gente,” Balvin became the first entirely Spanish-language song to ever top Spotify’s Global chart, which eventually garnered a remix with Beyonce. With frequent collaborations with fellow high-profile artists such as Cardi B, Bad Bunny and Rosalia, he dethroned Drake as Spotify’s most listened to artist worldwide in 2018. To this day, he still holds the title of Spotify’s second most streamed Latin artist in the world, under Bad Bunny.
J Balvin flashes his silver grill.
(Michael Blackshire/Los Angeles Times)
As he released his sixth album, “Jose” in 2021, his reputation began to crumble. He became the subject of several controversies — a multilayered industry beef with Puerto Rican rapper Residente; the offensive nature of the “Perra” video, which had Black women dressed as dogs on leashes; and his contentious acceptance of the Afro-Latin artist of the year award by the African Entertainment Awards.
Balvin hit a breaking point, not only in his image but also in his sound.
“Once you start doing what people want, you start losing your identity. But that’s not me,” said Balvin. “I see this point of strength where people want to keep going with the trend. It’s OK. But what makes me special is me.”
After finishing a 10-year record deal with Universal Music Latino, Balvin inked a new contract with Interscope Capitol in May. Nir Seroussi, the executive vice president of Interscope Capitol Labels Group, looks to the singer as “an ambassador of Latin music.”
“We all have our ups and downs. Regardless of what has happened, what matters at the end of the day is how you are able to get up. That’s just really been my focus [with Balvin],” said Seroussi. “The Jose I know is someone who is very mature and disciplined. He’s like a boxer getting ready to go into the ring. He’s at the top of his game for his energy, mental stamina and drive.”
Balvin says his process began to feel “calculated.” When it came to making albums, he often found himself falling into a steady routine.
J Balvin poses in front of a 1953 Cadillac Series 62.
(Michael Blackshire/Los Angeles Times)
“We would go in [to the studio and] say, ‘This is the mission. This is what I wanna do.’ It works with all the other [albums] that we have done. But in this case, it was so pure and so joyful and so real to myself,” said Balvin. “ This is the most fun that I’ve had with an album in a long time.”
With “Rayo,” he didn’t go into the studio with any sort of expectation or pressure.
“I went in and was just kind of freestyling, like the way I used to. I was playing with the beat and the melodies. I would even do 10 or 20 takes,” he said. “It didn’t matter because we were just having fun. It took me to the very beginning of my creative process when it was more go with the flow.”
His return to a more organic process eventually led him back to his roots in party-centric music.
Instead of blending the popular sounds of the early 2000s into reggaeton as he once did on records like “Mi Familia,” now he turns to the more current trends of synth pop, EDM and trap beats to create a modern-day version of J Balvin. On tracks like “Swat” he pays tribute to a more belligerent version of old-school reggaeton, while on “Doblexxó,” featuring frequent collaborator and fellow Colombian singer Feid, Balvin blends an industrial electronic feeling into a classic perreo tune.
The biggest risk on the album was “Stoker,” featuring musica Mexicana crooner Carin Leon. The track starts off as a melodic ballad — a rare moment for Balvin. But as the chorus starts, an underlying Afro-beat becomes the song’s backbone. As he and Leon pass the baton between their combined individual styles, the musicians bring their worlds of reggaeton and Mexican folk together seamlessly.
“How can we do a song where Carin fans are happy and where my fans are happy without not feeling like J Balvin is a sellout? Personally, I’m not someone who likes to jump in on the hype because I have a lot of respect for their movement [musica Mexicana],” said Balvin in reference to the current popularity of musica Mexicana. “I wanted to be super cautious in the way we were gonna make the song together.”
The two initially connected at this past year’s Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, where the lineup consisted of the most Latin music acts ever at the desert festival.
“The best thing about the song was the surprise for both of us,” Leon said. “The most beautiful thing about collaborating with Jose is the simplicity with which he approaches things. He always makes room to welcome his friends.”
They began the process by sending each other ideas for potential songs back and forth. But upon hearing an unfinished version of “Stoker,” Balvin knew he could add something “really new and special” to the track.
“There’s a fine line between changing something to make it cooler and destroying something,” Balvin said.
When asked if he has ever destroyed any of his songs, he begins to laugh and says, “Sometimes I don’t know what happens, but I’m like, ‘What did I do?’ Most of the time, it’s worth taking the risk.”
J Balvin shows off his hand tattoos and braids for a portrait.
(Michael Blackshire/Los Angeles Times)
“I’m not afraid. I have proof in the years of my career. We make these switches, and we’re game changers.”
To his credit, the game — the Latin music scene — looked very different when he started than what it is today. He feels “grateful” to have started his career when he did. In the age of streaming and the current saturation of the genre, he says he’s aware of how hard it is for new artists to distinguish themselves.
Something he’s always been adamant about is singing exclusively in Spanish — refusing the idea of crossing into the English-language market. Now that Latin music is the U.S.’s fastest-growing genre, he lets a smile shine through and says, “I knew it.”
“Growing up, I would listen to Shakira and Enrique Iglesias and they were doing the same songs in English [that they previously released in Spanish]. I respect that because at that moment, the timing wasn’t right,” said Balvin. “But my language is the way I express myself and the way I express my heart.”
After all these years of J Balvin being hailed as a leader in Latin music, today “Rayo” is seen as one of the many newly released Latin albums. In the currently flourishing genre, his legacy is what he will continue to rely on.
“It’s so gratifying. It feels like I manifested it. I had a vision of what we’re living now,” said Balvin. “We have the doors open and this is the time we have to say they are going to be open forever.”
After a half hour of Balvin posing with the glamorous Rolls-Royce, his publicist calls a wrap on the shoot. Balvin puts his chrome sunglasses back on and heads out of the exhibit. Too sidetracked by the endless rows of showstopping vehicles, he foregoes a goodbye. As his entourage of about 15 people slowly trails behind him, a member of the group stops to ask a nearby employee where they keep the Batmobile. After confirming its location on the fourth floor, he hustles to catch the elevator Balvin was headed toward. Despite having a busy day packed with press interviews and business meetings, the “Prince of Reggaeton,” who has the Batman symbol tattooed on his chest, refused to leave the museum before checking out the iconic ride featured in Tim Burton’s 1989 superhero film.
Movie Reviews
Bandar Movie Review: Bobby Deol roars in Anurag Kashyap’s unsettling legal thriller that refuses to spoon-feed
Name: Bandar
Director: Anurag Kashyap
Cast: Bobby Deol, Sanya Malhotra, Sapna Pabbi, Saba Azad, Jitendra Joshi, Raj B Shetty
Writer: Sudip Sharma, Abhishek Banerjee
Rating: 3.5/5
Plot:
Bandar follows Sameer Mehra’s character, essayed by Bobby Deol, a fading star who is desperately clinging to his past glory. Just as he attempts to rebuild his life and finds solace in a new relationship, his world comes crashing down. A former girlfriend files a heinous allegation against him, dragging him into a vicious, high-profile legal battle. Written by Sudip Sharma and Abhishek Banerjee, the film moves away from standard Bollywood courtroom setups. Instead, it dives straight into the murky waters of social media trials, public perception, and a sluggish judicial system where the truth gets buried under layers of gray.
What works:
Known for his chaotic energy, Anurag Kashyap takes a remarkably mature and controlled approach here. He avoids sensationalizing a highly sensitive topic, choosing instead to focus on the psychological claustrophobia of the protagonist. The prison sequences are exceptionally well-shot. They create a suffocating, raw atmosphere that makes you feel the weight of the character’s confinement. The script successfully avoids preachy, black-and-white monologues. It bravely forces the audience to confront their own biases regarding modern-day public trials and the digital judge-and-jury culture.
What doesn’t:
Clocking in at nearly two hours and twenty minutes, Bandar feels heavily weighed down in the second half. The narrative stretches thin, and a few subplots demand too much patience, making you wish for a tighter edit. The film stubbornly refuses to take a definitive moral stance or offer a neat resolution. While film enthusiasts might appreciate the complexity, mainstream viewers looking for a clear-cut ending or emotional payoff might walk away feeling detached and frustrated.
Performances:
- Bobby Deol is the beating heart of this film. Stripping away the massive macho swagger and menacing villainy of his recent hits, he delivers a deeply vulnerable, understated performance. He plays Samar with a mix of arrogance, confusion, and raw helplessness, proving his immense range.
- Sanya Malhotra anchors her screen time with her trademark reliability, turning in a grounded and impactful performance.
- Saba Azad and Sapna Pabbi excel in their respective roles, bringing genuine nuance to characters that could have easily been sidelined.
- Jitendra Joshi is an absolute scene-stealer, commanding your attention every single time he steps into the frame.
- Indrajith Sukumaran and Raj B Shetty are absolute show stealers with their raw acting.
Final Verdict:
Bandar is an unsettling, morally complex thriller that refuses to spoon-feed its audience. It isn’t a comfortable watch, nor does it try to be. While the sluggish pacing in the second half prevents it from being an absolute masterpiece, it is worth a watch for Bobby Deol’s spectacular acting reinvention and Anurag Kashyap’s gritty, thought-provoking storytelling.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of Pinkvilla. No statement in this article is intended to defame, harm, or malign any individual or entity.
ALSO READ: Maa Behen Movie Review: Madhuri Dixit, Triptii Dimri, and Dharna Durga save a slow-burning mystery
Kathy Hilton will no longer be the grand marshal of West Hollywood’s pride parade.
The city and WeHo Pride on Wednesday released a joint statement, announcing that “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star would no longer serve as the Grand Marshal Icon for the 2026 WeHo Pride Parade. The event is scheduled for Sunday.
“After thoughtful discussions, the City of West Hollywood, the WeHo Pride production team, and Kathy Hilton have determined that the 2026 WeHo Pride Parade will not designate a Grand Marshal Icon honoree,” read the statement.
The decision comes less than a week after Hilton was announced. That May 28 announcement was met with swift backlash from the LGBTQ+ community and allies, who called out Hilton’s ties to President Trump and alleged MAGA-leaning politics. Critics also cited accusations that the socialite had used a homophobic slur while on a trip with other cast members of “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,” an action she has previously denied.
In their joint statement, West Hollywood and the WeHo Pride team expressed their appreciation for “the respectful and sincere dialogue” around both the event and the “role and significance” of Pride honorees.
“The City of West Hollywood has always believed that Pride belongs to the community,” the joint statement said. “Since its earliest days, Pride has served as both a celebration and a platform for activism, visibility, resilience, and the ongoing pursuit of equality, dignity, and justice for LGBTQ+ people. … These conversations reflect the passion people have for WeHo Pride and underscore the importance of ensuring that WeHo Pride continues to honor the history, values, and diverse voices of the LGBTQ+ community.”
In a statement, Hilton expressed gratitude for being considered for grand marshal and reaffirmed her commitment to the LGBTQ+ community and causes.
“My reason for wanting to be involved in this year’s WeHo Pride weekend was simple: to celebrate, support, and share in the joy of a community that means a great deal to so many people,” Hilton said. “Pride is, and always will be, about celebrating and uplifting LGBTQ+ voices, experiences, and achievements. … My support for the community and WeHo Pride is unwavering.”
She also mentioned several queer advocacy organizations and events she has supported over the years, including GLAAD, the Elton John AIDS Foundation, the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation, Dr. Mathilde Krim, God’s Love We Deliver and Project Angel Food.
The latest Pride-related dust-up follows the abrupt cancellation of the Long Beach Pride Festival in May. The city’s Pride Parade took place as planned.
Both snafus have occurred as conservative politicians and advocates continue to attack LGBTQ+ rights and visibility nationwide. Some Republican governors have even pushed for conservative alternatives to Pride month festivities. A recent Gallup poll has found that after years of steady gains, support for marriage equality and same-sex relationships has slipped, particularly among Republicans.
Movie Reviews
Movie Review: Travolta’s “Propeller: One-Way Night Coach” is One for the Ages — All Ages
Back in the good ol’days — the ’90s — John Travolta would love to get off the topic of “Michael,” “Pulp Fiction” or “Get Shorty” in interviews with film journalists like me and regale us with how utterly besotted he had been with his first flying experience, how that drove his passion for piloting and buying planes and airfield-adjacent luxury houses.
He didn’t even seem to mind having to move house when this or that development balked at him flying his Boeing 707 out of there on the way to locations.
Travolta would tell any journalist who asked that he was writing a kid-friendly book, “Propeller: One Way Night Coach,” based on his first flights as a child in old propeller driven airliners — cheap red-eye overnight treks with too many connections for your average jet age traveller to tolerate.
I remember picking up the book when it came out later in the ’90s — at an airport gift shop — and thinking “Well, that’s as cute as I figured.”
And now, decades later and trapped in the B-movie hell of his post “Gotti” career, Travolta’s turned that cute book into the most delightful, fanciful and colorful bon bon of a movie.
“One Way Night Coach” is a child’s fantasy of flight and flying the way it used to be — with pristine, uncrowded, futuristic airports, an early ’60s era of jets and prop planes with over-uniformed stewardesses in white gloves, the days “Back before every Joe Sweatsock could wedge himself behind a lunch tray and jet off to Raleigh-Durham,” as Sideshow Bob memorably sneered on “The Simpsons’.”
It’s a fictionalized account of Travolta’s childhood about an only child (at least two Travolta siblings have bit parts in this movie) of a never-made-it/never-will actress/single-mom (Kelly Eviston-Quinnett) who indulges her aviation-obsessed eight-year-old with a cheap cross-country overnight flight.
Little Jeff (Clark Shotwell) will revel in almost every Idlewild to Pittsburgh to Dayton to Chicago to Kansas City to Denver and Los Angeles minute. He strolls into the cockpit to meet pilots, charms the stewardesses and checks out the sleeping bunks on the TWA Lockheed Super Constellation, loving even the delays if not the Chicken Cordon Bleu he’s offered on legs of the journey that offer a meal.
And as he’s an observant child, he comments (Travolta narrates) on his 50ish mother’s vamping and posing, her choice of cigarettes (Newports) and drinks, the solo traveling men whose attention she pursues and earns.
“I was her best audience,” adult Jeff remembers of the mother who’d read him plays as bedtime stories and delusionally hopes that this trip to Los Angeles might be her “big break” even though she’s pushing 50.
“Hollywood called,” she’d explain about their overnight cheap flight arrangements to ticket agents and crew. “They told me to take the next flight!”
At every turn, Jeff meets or sees kindness — stewardesses who indulge his many questions and bump them up to first class on the mostly-empty planes, a captain who fixes his toy model of a Constellation, a mentally ill flyer who flips out but is calmed by a flight attendant who isn’t overworked and frazzled in jet-powered tin-can jammed with Joe and Jane Sweatsocks who think nothing of traveling in their pajamas.
Normally, I cringe at pictures this reliant on voice-over narration. I recoil from stars who populate their picture with Sandler etc. offspring. But “Propeller” is unfailingly sweet and never cloying.
Sure, it’s fictionalized. But if you’ve followed Travolta’s life and career, a lot of him is in this — his raptoruous engagement with flying, an indulged child who developed a taste for fine food and creature comforts, a mother who was his guiding star as an actor.
I get why there are less adoring reviews than mine floating around “Propeller.” It’s unfailingly sweet. Mom’s man-hunting is seriously dated. This TWA tale is decorated with Gershwin’s majestic “Rhapsody in Blue” — United Airlines’ signature tune. And Travolta’s been around long enough for recent generations to come up and not feel a connection to the “Saturday Night Fever/Get Shorty” star whose career has fallen off and life has been visited by too much tragedy.
But I’d hate to be seated next to anybody who doesn’t appreciate this adorable, pristine and nearly perfect aviation fantasy on any flight, much less an overnight one.
Rating: TV-PG
Cast: Clark Shotwell, Kelly Eviston-Quinnett, Ellen Travolta, Ella Beau Travolta, Olga Hoffmann and John Travolta.
Credits: Scripted and directed by John Travolta, based on his book. An Apple TV+ release.
Running time: 1:01
-
Movie Reviews1 minute agoBandar Movie Review: Bobby Deol roars in Anurag Kashyap’s unsettling legal thriller that refuses to spoon-feed
-
World9 minutes agoTaormina Film Festival Head Tiziana Rocca Says She Wants to Deliver a ‘Human Festival’ Amidst AI Boom, Asks Stars to Be ‘Generous’ to Local Audiences
-
Politics19 minutes agoVideo: Jan. 6 Rioter Hired by Pentagon
-
Lifestyle49 minutes ago‘How to Rule the World’ explores education and power at Stanford University
-
Technology1 hour agoCyberdecks used to look like little laptops, but now they’re getting more personal
-
World1 hour agoPete Hegseth warns narco-terrorists as U.S. backs Bolivia’s government amid coup warnings
-
Politics1 hour agoDemocrats split over Tlaib’s Lebanon measure as Republicans seize on Hezbollah omission
-
Health1 hour agoPopular weight-loss diet shows surprising impact on serious mental health condition
