J Balvin: A Serious Case Of #DontCrackUnderPressure

Fueled by a deep passion for music, J Balvin lives the #DontCrackUnderPressure motto of TAG-Heuer.  Born as José Álvaro Osorio Balvin in Medellín, Colombia, his interest in music grew while listening to rap, champeta, bachata, and reggae, as well as watching music videos. These were the seeds that would eventually evolve into his style, opening the road to success.

J Balvin took this road in the fast lane, in 2009 he signed on with EMI Colombia and released his first single. “Ella Me Cautivó,” which hit No. 35 on the U.S. tropical chart. It brought to the world that unique urban-fusion sound that would become J Balvin’s hallmark. His success made him one of the fastest-rising stars in the music industry and the most promising Latin-America artist in recent history.

His talent didn’t go unrecognized as he won the Billboard Latin Music Award for New Artist of the Year, Latin Rhythm Song of the Year and Latin Rhythm Songs Artist of the Year. With “Ay Vamos” he also secured his first Grammy in 2015, followed in 2016 by one for his fourth studio album Energía. If that wasn’t enough, he also made the Guinness Book of World Records title for the longest stay at No. 1 on the U.S. Hot Latin Song chart by a single artist with his hit song “Ginza.”

As successful as J Balvin is as a solo artist, his talent and energy can also take many collaborations to the next level. He teamed up with Robin Thicke for the Colombian version of the hit single “Blurred Lines” in 2013, while later on joining Julión Álvarez on Juan Gabriel’s single “La Frontera.”

It is this energy that made J Balvin and TAG-Heuer team up earlier this year, where he joined as one of the #DontCrackUnderPressure ambassadors. This relationship runs deeper than just being a famous face for the brand. J Balvin is not only a passionate watch collector himself but also has a strong affection for the world of fashion. His unique style was always based on being himself, and we are likely to see much of this in future collaborations with TAG-Heuer.

Another passion J Balvin shares with TAG-Heuer is giving back. Even at the announcement of J Balvin as new TAG-Heuer ambassador, the two joined forces to host a fundraising gala to benefit the “Give to Colombia”-organization. Despite the trailblazing success of both, they know that #DontCrackUnderPressure also means giving back to those in less fortunate situations.

Despite by taking the music world by storm, when Haute Time’s Violet Camacho sat down with him for an exclusive interview, she found a modest, down-to-earth artist, with a deep-rooted passion for music, and watches. You can find the full interview here

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