After performing at the FIFA Club World Cup half-time show final and dropping Mixteip earlier this summer, J Balvin took the stage at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday.
The Colombian star performed his new single, “Zun Zun,” with Justin Quiles and Lenny Tavárez, before being joined by DJ Snake for the live debut of their new track, “Noventa.” For “Zun Zun,” the set turned into a fluorescent dreamscape with dancers decked in glow-in-the-dark gear. Transitioning to “Noventa,” the stage morphed and became a bustling New York City street, complete with a giant Timberland boot as a signal of the metropolis’s signature footwear. For the finale, the street went dark, and the UBS Arena in Elmont, near New York City, was lit up with teal strobe lights like a riotous party.
Balvin joined a slate of celebrated performers for this year’s awards show, including Lady Gaga, Sabrina Carpenter, and Alex Warren. Balvin is nominated for one VMA this year, Best Latin, for his song, “Rio.”
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During an interview with Rolling Stone in July, Balvin provided insight into the making of Mixteip. “There is a personal mission behind my music: for us Latinos to finally be allowed to step outside of the box. ‘You speak Spanish, this is the kind of art you are supposed to make, this is what you are allowed to give.’ I never understood why nobody had done anything about it,” he said. “We deserve our rightful place as citizens of the world. It was a long road, from gaining respect in the business, to telling my stories with visuals, and expressing myself through every possible avenue.”
Earlier this year, Balvin wrapped the North American leg of his Back to the Rayo tour, which launched on March 20 at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta and concluded at the Moda Center in Portland on May 17. The 27-date trek also saw the star stop in Miami, Atlanta, Chicago, and Las Vegas, along with shows in Montreal and Toronto in Canada.
