José Álvaro Osorio Balvín, known professionally as J Balvin, is a Colombian singer. He has been referred to as the "Prince of Reggaeton", and is one of the best-selling Latin artists, with over 35 million records sold worldwide. Balvin was born in Medellín. At age 17, he moved to the United States to learn English, where he lived in both Oklahoma and New York. He then returned to Medellín and gained popularity performing at clubs in the city.
Balvin in 2014
Balvin performing "Sigo Extrañándote" in Chile in March 2017
Balvin is noted for his eccentric style, often wearing bright colors and dyeing his hair.
J Balvin in 2023 holding the trophy for The Latin American Fashion Awards designed by Studio Lenca, accompanied by Constanza Etro and Silvia Arguëllo
Honorific nicknames in popular music
When describing popular music artists, honorific nicknames are used, most often in the media or by fans, to indicate the significance of an artist, and are often religious, familial, or most frequently royal and aristocratic titles, used metaphorically. Honorific nicknames were used in classical music in Europe even in the early 19th century, with figures such as Mozart being called "The father of modern music" and Bach "The father of modern piano music". They were also particularly prominent in African-American culture in the post-Civil War era, perhaps as a means of conferring status that had been negated by slavery, and as a result entered early jazz and blues music, including figures such as Duke Ellington and Count Basie.
American singer Aaliyah is known as the "Princess of R&B".
American singer Christina Aguilera is known as the "Voice of a Generation".
American musician James Brown was known as the "Godfather of Soul".
American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey is known as the "Songbird Supreme" and "the Queen of Christmas".