Culture / Entertainment

J. Balvin Misses a Huge Opportunity on the Houston Rodeo’s Big Stage: Latin American Star Puts On a Nice Pop Concert, But It Could Have Been So Much More

BY // 03.14.18

Colombian-born José Álvaro Osorio Balvin, better known as J. Balvin to his millions of fans around the globe, sits perched atop a new wave of Latin-American music. Through a tireless work ethic, and landing big-name features with the likes of Beyonce, Pharrell Williams, and Justin Bieber, Balvin has ascended to the top of reggaeton, that off-shoot of hip-hop and Puerto Rican music, that gave us everything from early-aughts hit “Gasolina” to 2017’s inescapable “Despacito.”

And while Balvin has flirted with crossover success, it’s his bright-eyed charm, authenticity, and commitment to singing in Spanish that keeps Latin American music fans listening. He cavorts with American pop stars and the spunky upstarts of Latin trap music easily, yet is seen as authentic because his music still mostly consists of pop vocals atop the “Dem Bow” loop that is the heartbeat of reggaeton.

Balvin’s Tuesday night performance at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo — with 74,701 paying fans, second behind only Garth Brooks and Go Tejano Day in attendance so far this year — was the perfect opportunity to show the world what the king of Latin American music is up to right now. But Balvin, a bit sleepy, with nonchalant body language and sunglasses that covered his eyes for most of the show, and a new bald head (which meant none of his trademark sandy brown locks were flowing), commanded a fine set that nonetheless felt a little bit like auto-pilot.

He was resplendent in a bedazzled tracksuit that looked like the work of Maison Margiela and Johnny Dang combined, and the tens of thousands of screaming fans rested nary a moment for his hour-long performance. And when Balvin finally removed his glasses and jacket, he looked noticeably younger and fresher than I had imagined him to look (maybe he danced the jet lag off).

But I wanted Balvin to take the stage as confidently as Bad Bunny did in Sugar Land at Smart Financial Centre Sunday night, or when he took the Latin Grammys stage with French Montana and Steve Aoki in tow.

Still, even a low-energy Balvin show is a welcome hit parade that can get most moving. From his 2016 album, Energia, he performed “Safari,” (sans Pharrell), the second song of his set that got everyone dancing; there was “Sigo Extranandote” and “Ginza,” which are now classics in the Balvin catalog (still, “Bobo” and “Snapchat” were missed). But it’s his deep collection of one-off singles and features that have perhaps propelled him to his highest level of fame: “Ahora Dice,” a four-man posse cut with more than a billion views on YouTube (five, if you include the remix featuring Cardi B), translated superbly live, its melancholy trap rhythms filling out the cavernous NRG Stadium; “Si Tu Novio Te Deja Sola,” a slinky, sultry, midtempo “leave your man for me” hit also worked a stadium crowd into a heated high; and the just-released “Ahora,” another pop-reggaeton hit that confirms Balvin is on something of a historic run, unable to miss (think Lil Wayne in 2008 or Lady Gaga in 2010).

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And of course he saved the best for last: “Mi Gente,” with its quivering, honking sample that can transform any room, big or small, into a raucous house party. It definitely encouraged Balvin to give his most effective performance of the night, submitting to the song’s propulsive rhythm and commanding the stage with the air of a genuine pop star.

From the opening song “Machika,” which boasts a heavy Afrobeat influence, to the closing “Mi Gente,” and with Bieber’s “Sorry” remix in the middle, it’s clear Balvin’s intention is to someday take over the world. It’s commendable he refuses to perform traditional crossover pop gambits (say, singing in English). And it was refreshing to see that Balvin, with his minimal American radio and video presence, bring out such a huge, diverse crowd, on neither of the Rodeo’s token appreciation nights.

But if he wants to take that next step, to rightfully compete with the Rihanna, Drake, and Ed Sheerans of the world, he could have taken the juicy opportunity of a Houston Rodeo stage and made a defining statement much like Selena did in 1995.

Instead, he put on a pretty nice pop concert. There are worse things, but I wanted to see him truly bring home the next big thing.

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