Superstar singer J Balvin goes from painting houses to filling stadiums

nypost.com:

taken him all the way to the biggest stages of the world, from Coachella (with Beyoncé in 2018) to the Super Bowl (with Jennifer Lopez in 2020), turning “Mi Gente” into his people all around the globe.The five-time Latin Grammy winner has done it all in a rule-breaking, trend-setting style that was squarely on display during his Alexa cover shoot in Manhattan’s Chelsea Studios, where Balvin brought his creative spirit to designer duds by legacy brands Balenciaga and Givenchy as well as cool couturiers Puppets and Puppets, and KidSuper.

For him, it was no different than telling a story with an album or a tour. “The idea is always to make things that are cohesive, you know?” he says. “Also, when you do an editorial [shoot], you can try things you’ve never done before … It was really dope, really risky, but at the same time, I felt more comfortable than ever.”Indeed, Balvin has been cozy with who he is — and what he looks like — from the very beginning of his career, even though it didn’t fit the male mold for Latin artists.

He has always been dancing — and dressing — to his own rhythm.For Balvin, it’s all about expressing himself, onstage and off. “Every day is like Fashion Week for me,” he says. “One of my favorite moments of the day is when I pick my looks.”No doubt, it’s another creative calling for him. “I love fashion in the same way that I love music,” he says. “I always think that fashion is the way you can, you know, speak about yourself without saying a word.