J Balvin Took Miami Back to the Future During His Rayo Tour

On Saturday night at the Kaseya Center, J Balvin proved why he remains one of reggaeton's biggest stars.

Taking the stage at 9:25 p.m., he made a grand entrance in a chrome-out car, nicknamed "Rayo," setting the tone for a night inspired by 1985's Back to the Future. Dressed in a red leather outfit, Balvin opened the show with "Doblexxó," the standout track from his latest album, Rayo. The crowd immediately went wild.

Looking around the arena, the audience wasn't made up of any particular demographic. A mix of younger and older reggaeton fans packed the venue, showcasing Balvin's appeal to listeners of any generation.

Balvin wasted no time delivering hit after hit, packing his setlist with performances of "Reggaeton," "Amarillo," "Morado," "Azul," "Loco," "Con Altura," and "Blanco" all within the first 30 minutes. The energy was unmatched, with the Colombian superstar assisted by a dynamic troupe of dancers who brought the stage production to life.

In the show's second act, Balvin transported the audience back in time, treating fans to classic tracks such as "6 AM," "Ay Vamos," "Safari," and "Ginza," each eliciting roaring applause. Meanwhile, Balvin's performances of "No Me Conoce" and "X" continued to whip the audience into a frenzy. It all helped reinforce Balvin's reputation as a magnetic artist and helped showcase both his longevity and ability to evolve.

Not to be overshadowed, the stage production was equally impressive as Balvin's music catalogue. A runway stretched into the pit, along with a B-stage near the back, which Balvin utilized during the show's third act.
Dressed in a giant white fur coat and a cowboy hat, he performed songs like "La Canción," "Rojo," "Oasis," "Downtown," and "Qué Más Pues." The B-stage was adorned with giant inflatable hands that Balvin performed in front of, while the main stage now had a huge inflatable head — a gnarly sight all on its own.

Adding on the onstage oddities, during "I Like It," the dancers paraded around on stage as giant green balls — quite the interesting look.

Then Balvin surprised the crowd by bringing out the night's special guest, fellow countryman Ryan Castro. A close friend and collaborator, Castro performed a medley of hits, including "El Ritmo Que Nos Une," "Nivel de Perreo," "Parte y Choke Remix," "Quema," and "Jordan."

The surprises didn't stop there, though. J Quiles also appeared to perform his own medley, including a standout moment where an edit of Fisher's "Losing It" transitioned into "Ojos Rojo," his collaboration with Karol G.

Eventually, it was back to Balvin, who performed his Hugel and Ellie Goulding collaboration "I Adore You" as he made his way back to the main stage. It was the perfect warm-up to the Miami Music Week mayhem about to take over the city.
Closing out the show, Balvin delivered fan favorites like "Ritmo," "Qué Calor," "In Da Ghetto," and "Mi Gente." Dressed in a Marty McFly-inspired outfit — a red vest over a denim jacket and white collared shirt — Balvin embraced the heat of the moment, eventually tossing his vest aside.

When it was over, I couldn't help but be left thinking that J Balvin made a strong case for why he is still a force to be reckoned with within the Latin music sphere. When he's on stage, it's hard to believe there is another Latin artist who can match him. His music catalogue is so overstuffed with hits and memorable songs that even though he performed a two-hour set, some were still missing from last night's show.

The last time I saw him perform live was in October at Wynwood Marketplace. However, with the full-scale production of an arena show, it's evident that J Balvin is still at the top of his game.