Maps of Music

Energía (2016)

Where the lyrics of Energía take you, and where it was really made.

J Balvin says the title came from a day in a Los Angeles studio when everything he touched impressed him.

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Energía: album by Colombian singer J Balvin
Released June 24, 2016 by Capitol Latin and Universal Music Group
Balvin received a nomination for the Lo Nuestro Award for Urban Album of the Year
Balvin toured in support of the album on the Energia Tour, which began on 29 September 2016

Balvin said the title is the result of electricity
The title came from a day in a Los Angeles studio where everything he played impressed him
Balvin said he wanted to change how people around the world see Latinos
Lead single Ginza was released 17 July 2015
Second single Bobo was released 6 May 2016
Third single Safari was released 17 June 2016 with Pharrell Williams, Bia and Sky
Balvin co-wrote every song, working with composers and producers including Alejandro Sky Ramírez, Alejandro Mosty Patiño, Pharrell Williams, Jesse & Joy and Jason Boyd

Discogs credits recording at Infinity Music Studios, Conway Studios and El Cartel Records Studio
Mixed at Mirrorball Studios
Mastered at Sterling Sound by Chris Gehringer

Born José Álvaro Osorio Balvín on 7 May 1985 in Medellín, Colombia, into an upper-middle-class family of Spanish and Syrian descent.
Grew up on rock acts such as Metallica and Nirvana and was drawn to reggaeton after listening to Daddy Yankee.
Moved to the United States at 17 to study English, living in Oklahoma and New York before returning to Medellín.
Adopted the stage name J Balvin "El Negocio" at 19 and began a career in music with his DJ and business partner David Rivera Mazo.

Breakthrough came in 2014 with "6 AM" featuring Farruko, which peaked at number 2 on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart.
"Ginza" and "Ay Vamos" followed; "Ay Vamos" became the first reggaeton song to exceed one billion views on YouTube.
The 2017 single "Mi Gente" with Willy William topped the Spotify Global Top 50, and its Beyoncé remix became his first US top-ten single.
"I Like It" with Cardi B and Bad Bunny became his first number one on the US Billboard Hot 100.
Released albums including Energia, Vibras, Colores, José and Rayo, and the joint album Oasis with Bad Bunny.
Became the first Latino to headline Coachella, Tomorrowland and Lollapalooza.

Sold 35 million records worldwide and won multiple Latin Grammy and Billboard Latin Music Awards.
Guinness World Records recognized him as a leader of a second-generation reggaeton revolution.

Rolling Stone placed it at number four on its 10 Best Latin albums of 2016 and called it Balvin's breakthrough
The reviewer praised the lead single Ginza as among the finest three minutes in reggaetón history
Spanish-language critics gave positive comments, citing guests such as Juanes, Feid, Yandel and Pharrell Williams
AllMusic's Tom Jurek said the album's range is broad, starting with star guest appearances and ending with reggaetón
Jenesaispop's Raúl Guillén gave it 6.8 out of 10, calling the opening impeccable up to Bobo and the rest intermittent
Billboard's Griselda Flores wrote that the rhythms, from reggaetón to acoustic ballads, solidify Balvin as a versatile singer
Remezcla's Isabella Herrera called it a euphoric, impeccably produced record
AXS's Doris Irizarry called it a diverse record full of hits

Billboard 200 debut at number 38 with 12,000 equivalent album units, 7,000 of them traditional sales
First number one for Balvin on the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart
Debuted at 17 on Digital Albums and 23 on Top Album Sales
Topped iTunes charts in 16 territories at launch
Sold 120,000 copies in Mexico on release day
Two platinum certifications from AMPROFON in Mexico
Ranked 24th on Billboard's 50 best albums of 2016, the only Latin urban album on the list
Won a Latin Grammy for Best Urban Music Album in 2016
Nominated for best album at the 2016 Shock Awards, losing to Manuel Medrano
Nominated for Urban Album of the Year at the 2017 Lo Nuestro Awards, losing to Maluma's Pretty Boy, Dirty Boy
Sold more than 1.8 million copies

Balvin became the first Colombian to perform at the Sanremo Music Festival in 2016, singing Ginza
The track No hay título includes uncredited vocals by Bia and guitar by Juanes
The Energia Tour began in Culiacán on 29 September 2016 and ended in London on 28 January 2018
Ginza reached number one in Spain, Italy, Mexico and the US Latin chart, and was Balvin's first song on the Billboard Hot 100, at number 84
Chris Gehringer mastered the album