Colombian reggaeton star J Balvin captivated 100,000 fans at Rock in Rio on Saturday, playing a run of his biggest hits alongside personal versions of songs made with artists including Anitta, Rosalia and Cardi B.
Balvin performed as the opening act for Maroon 5 and Demi Lovato on the festival's main stage, but the Colombian singer, one of the artists who helped bring reggaeton to a global audience over the past decade, still got the Rio de Janeiro crowd dancing to the Caribbean rhythm.
He won over a Brazilian audience not especially familiar with reggaeton, a crowd that had already responded warmly when fellow Colombian Karol G performed at the 2014 edition of Rock in Rio.
A hit-filled set
Balvin drew on his biggest successes, including 'Ay Vamos', 'Mi Gente', 'I Like It', 'Con Altura' and 'Reggaeton', along with tracks released in partnership with global stars such as Rosalia and Skrillex, keeping the party's momentum going from start to finish.
Shortly before Balvin took the stage, Rock in Rio's speakers built anticipation by playing Puerto Rican star Daddy Yankee's 'Gasolina'. Immediately afterward, an introductory video showing Balvin wearing the Colombian flag kicked off the show.
Balvin told the crowd he wanted everyone in Brazil singing along as he opened the concert with 'Mi Gente'.
He then moved quickly to win over the Brazilian audience with 'Bola Rebola', his collaboration with Rio-born singer Anitta, whom he describes as one of his closest friends.
To keep the crowd dancing and jumping, he followed with 'Loco Contigo', his track with DJ Snake, and then 'Con Altura', the product of his partnership with Spanish singer Rosalia.
Guest appearances on stage
The crowd's excitement peaked when Balvin brought Brazilian singer Pedro Sampaio, who had performed on the same stage a little earlier, out to join him for 'Perversa', echoing a performance the pair gave last year at The Town festival in Sao Paulo.
To please the local audience further, Balvin also performed 'Downtown', another of his collaborations with Anitta, before declaring his love for the Brazilian singer.
Winning over the Brazilian crowd appeared to come easily to Jose Alvaro Osorio Balvin, who was born in Medellin 41 years ago and has sold 35 million records. He has won eleven Billboard Latin Music Awards and six Latin Grammys, and has received four nominations for the U.S. Grammy Awards.
About Rock in Rio 2026
This year's edition, the eleventh held in Brazil, featured 190 performances by around 1,300 artists, including 45 international acts, across seven days: September 4, 5, 6, 7, 11, 12 and 13. The festival spans an area of 385,000 square meters with a range of attractions for different tastes.
The first three days of the festival last week featured Foo Fighters, the heavy rock of Avenged Sevenfold, and veteran stars Elton John and Gilberto Gil as headline attractions. The final day, Sunday, will close with Twenty One Pilots.
Rock in Rio was founded in Rio de Janeiro in 1985. This year marks its 26th overall edition, comprising eleven editions in Brazil, eleven in Portugal, three in Spain and one in the United States.
