Vibras
Studio album by
J Balvin
Released25 May 2018
Genre
Length43:44
LanguageSpanish
LabelUniversal Latin
Producer
J Balvin chronology
Energia
(2016) 		Vibras
(2018) 		Oasis
(2019)
Singles from Vibras
  1. "Mi Gente"
    Released: 30 June 2017
  2. "Machika"
    Released: 19 January 2018
  3. "Ahora"
    Released: 26 February 2018
  4. "Ambiente"
    Released: 13 April 2018
  5. "No Es Justo"
    Released: 11 May 2018[2]

Vibras (English: Vibes[3]) is the third studio album by Colombian reggaeton singer J Balvin released on 25 May 2018 through Universal Latin. The album was promoted with five singles, including the international hit, "Mi Gente", which was released as the lead single of the album.

Development

Even though you don't understand what I’m saying, you are going to really feel it. The same thing happened to me when I used to listen to English music. I didn't even understand one word. You know? But, it just makes me feel great.

—Balvin talking to NBC News about the fact that album was completely done in Spanish[4]

In June 2017, Balvin together with French producer and DJ Willy William released the single, "Mi Gente". The song became a major commercial success reaching number one in over thirty countries worldwide, including number three on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart; it stayed on the chart for 35 consecutive weeks.[5] According to Balvin he developed the concept for the album from the moment "Mi Gente" started "connecting with audiences around the world", wanting to make a fusion of different world beats and rhythms and refine the reggaeton music.[6]

In an interview with Ebro Darden for Beats 1 Radio on Apple Music in April 2018, Balvin described the sound of the record as 33% dancehall, 33% R&B, and 33% reggaeton. Balvin further elaborated that a lot of love was put into the album's work and that contains different vibes, hence the name, Vibras, "The real meaning of this album was what's going on with Spanish music that's going so global, the fact that we did an album that the beats are so amazing that you don't have to understand what we say, you just have to love the songs."[7]

Talking to NBC News Balvin explained how the core of the album is still the reggaeton, but according to him you can present the genre "in a way that people that don't know reggaeton or don't understand it, they would feel great." The singer further elaborated that he went back to his roots, but also "added some extra spice to it".[4] Apart from William, the album features multiple other collaborators including the reggaeton duos Wisin & Yandel and Zion & Lennox, Brazilian singer Anitta, Mexican indie-pop musician Carla Morrison, flamenco singer Rosalía and Aruban singer Jeon.[4]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic80/100[8]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[5]
The Guardian[1]
Pitchfork8/10[9]
Rolling Stone[10]

Vibras received generally favorable reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 80 based on 4 reviews.[8] Thom Jurek of AllMusic described Vibras as Balvin's attempt to reach English-speaking audience without singing in English. He wrote that the singer's ambition on the record is "grand" and further called it more "consistent" and "varied" than his previous album, Energia (2016), "its songwriting, performances, and production are truly inspired, making for an utterly compelling listen and one of the essential soundtracks of summer."[5] Juana Giaimo of The Guardian gave the album four out of five stars commending its production, lyrics and Balvin's vocals. She also praised the sound of the reggaeton music on the album calling it "smooth" and "sensual", "tracks such as this still make Vibras perfect as a party playlist, but confirm that the noisy style of early reggaeton hits such as Daddy Yankee's 'Gasolina' is slowly being left behind."[1] Rolling Stone's Will Hermes stated that Vibras "happens to be a pan-Latin masterstroke of its own, a set of primo Spanish-language pop with vibe deep enough to make it universal."[10]

Raisa Bruner of Time magazine named Vibras the fifth best album of 2018, writing "[J Balvin] has carved out a space in mainstream music on his own terms; he makes no concessions for English speakers, instead serving up a colorful tour of Latin America's hottest musical trends."[11] Billboard ranked it at number nine on their year-end list.[12]

Commercial performance

Vibras achieved the highest first-week streams for a Latin album on Apple Music globally, replacing Romeo Santos' 2017 album Golden. It also claimed the record for the most-streamed Latin album in 24 hours on the streaming platform for 2018.[13] In the United States, it debuted at number one on the Top Latin Albums chart for the issue dated 9 June 2018. According to Nielsen Music, the record sold 22,000 album-equivalent units and became Balvin's second number-one album on the chart, following Energia in 2016. Out of the starting sum, 10,000 were in traditional album sales, which marked the second largest sales week of 2018, behind only CNCO's self-titled album that sold 13,000 copies. Additionally, Vibras scored the largest streaming week ever for a Latin album by an artist; its songs were streamed 16.1 million times.[14] Subsequently, it debuted at number 15 on the US Billboard 200 and became his highest-charting album on the chart.[15]

Promotion

Main article: Vibras Tour

To further promote the album, Balvin began The Vibras Tour[16][17] in Mexico City, Mexico on 26 May 2018.

Track listing

Vibras track listing[18]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Vibras" (featuring Carla Morrison)
1:06
2."Mi Gente" (with Willy William)
William3:05
3."Ambiente"
  • Tainy
  • Sky
4:09
4."Cuando Tú Quieras"
  • Osorio
  • Jesús Manuel Nieves Cortes
  • Masis
  • Rodriguez
  • Tainy
  • Sky
3:25
5."No Es Justo" (featuring Zion & Lennox)
  • Tainy
  • Sky
4:11
6."Ahora"
  • Osorio
  • Nieves
  • Masis
  • Ramirez
  • Tainy
  • Sky
4:15
7."Brillo" (featuring Rosalía)
  • Tainy
  • Sky
2:40
8."En Mí (Interlude)"
  • Osorio
  • Ramirez
  • Vila
  • Tainy
  • Sky
0:54
9."En Mí"
  • Osorio
  • Nieves
  • Ramirez
  • Tainy
  • Sky
3:16
10."Peligrosa" (featuring Wisin & Yandel)
  • Gaby Music
  • Jeday
3:22
11."Noches Pasadas"
  • Osorio
  • Nieves
  • Masis
  • Ramirez
  • Tainy
  • Sky
3:42
12."Tu Verdad"
  • Osorio
  • Masis
  • Ramirez
  • Tainy
  • Sky
3:25
13."Dónde Estarás"
  • Osorio
  • Masis
  • Ramirez
  • Tainy
  • Sky
3:12
14."Machika" (with Jeon and Anitta)
3:10
Total length:43:44
Japanese edition bonus tracks[19]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
15."Positivo" (with Michael Brun)OsorioBrun2:53
16."Ginza"
  • Osorio
  • Ramírez
  • Rene Cano
  • Alejandro Patiño
  • Feid
  • Ramírez
  • Patiño
2:51
17."Safari" (featuring Pharrell Williams, BIA and Sky)
  • Pharrell Williams
3:25
18."Bobo"
  • Osorio
  • Ramírez
  • Cano
  • Patiño
  • Ramírez
  • Patiño
3:29
Total length:56:29

Personnel

Credits adapted from AllMusic and Tidal.[20]

Performance

Technical

Miscellaneous

Charts

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[35] Diamond 160,000*
Canada (Music Canada)[36] Gold 40,000‡
Mexico (AMPROFON)[37] 3× Platinum+Gold 210,000‡
Poland (ZPAV)[38] Gold 10,000‡
United States (RIAA)[39] 8× Platinum (Latin) 480,000‡

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

List of release dates, showing region, formats, labels and references
Region Date Formats Labels Ref.
Various 25 May 2018
Universal Latin [18][40][41]
Japan 11 July 2018 CD Universal Music Japan [19]

References

  1. ^ a b c Giamo, Juana (25 May 2018). "J Balvin: Vibras review – Latin superstar brings reggaeton to heel". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 25 May 2018. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
  2. ^ "No Es Justo (Radio Date: 13-07-2018)" (in Italian). Archived from the original on 10 July 2018. Retrieved 9 July 2018.
  3. ^ Cabo, Leila (24 May 2018). "J Balvin Talks New Album 'Vibras,' Working With Cardi B and More: Watch". Billboard. Archived from the original on 25 May 2018. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
  4. ^ a b c Acevedo, Nicole (25 May 2018). "J Balvin drops new album 'Vibras,' redefines how Latin artists cross over to U.S. music scene". NBC News. Archived from the original on 25 May 2018. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
  5. ^ a b c Jurek, Thom. "Vibras – J Balvin". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 26 May 2018. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  6. ^ "J Balvin's new album 'Vibras' hits the stores". Times of india. 25 May 2018. Archived from the original on 6 June 2018. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
  7. ^ Pimentel, Julia (25 May 2018). "J Balvin's New Album 'Vibras' Is Here". Complex. Archived from the original on 25 May 2018. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
  8. ^ a b "Vibras by J Balvin Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Archived from the original on 4 June 2018. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  9. ^ Ruiz, Matthew Ismael (31 May 2018). "J Balvin: Vibras". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 9 July 2018. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
  10. ^ a b Hermes, Will (25 May 2018). "Review: J Balvin's 'Vibras' Is a Warm, Universalist Take on Latin Pop". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 26 May 2018. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
  11. ^ "The 10 Best Albums of 2018". Time. 16 November 2018. Archived from the original on 17 November 2018. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
  12. ^ "50 Best Albums of 2018: Critics' Picks". Billboard. 10 December 2018. Archived from the original on 13 December 2018. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  13. ^ Fernandez, Suzette (6 June 2018). "J Balvin's 'Vibras' Album Has Biggest First Week Ever for a Latin Artist on Apple Music". Billboard. Archived from the original on 8 June 2018. Retrieved 7 June 2018.
  14. ^ Bustios, Pamela (6 June 2018). "J Balvin Lands Biggest Week of 2018 For a Latin Album With No. 1 Debut of 'Vibras'". Billboard. Archived from the original on 8 June 2018. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
  15. ^ a b "J Balvin Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  16. ^ "Eventos". jbalvin.com. Archived from the original on 18 July 2018. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
  17. ^ Suzy, Exposito (23 April 2018). "J Balvin Plots North American 'Vibras' Tour". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 18 July 2018. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
  18. ^ a b "Vibras by J Balvin". Apple Music. Archived from the original on 25 May 2018. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
  19. ^ a b "ヴィブラス [CD]" (in Japanese). Universal Music Japan. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
  20. ^ "Vibras – J Balvin | Credits". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 26 May 2018. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
  21. ^ "Ultratop.be – J Balvin – Vibras" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  22. ^ "Ultratop.be – J Balvin – Vibras" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  23. ^ "Shawn Mendes Locks in With His 3rd No. 1 Album". FYIMusicNews. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
  24. ^ "Le Top de la semaine : Top Albums – SNEP" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Archived from the original on 5 June 2018. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
  25. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – J Balvin – Vibras" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  26. ^ "Album – Classifica settimanale WK 22 (dal 2018-05-25 al 2018-05-31)" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Archived from the original on 23 February 2017. Retrieved 2 June 2018.
  27. ^ "Top 100 Albumes – Semana 22: del 25.05.2018 al 31.05.2018" (PDF) (in Spanish). Productores de Música de España. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
  28. ^ "Sverigetopplistan – Sveriges Officiella Topplista". Sverigetopplistan. Archived from the original on 13 January 2013. Retrieved 1 June 2018. Click on "Veckans albumlista".
  29. ^ "Swisscharts.com – J Balvin – Vibras". Hung Medien. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
  30. ^ "J Balvin Chart History (Top Latin Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
  31. ^ "Top Latin Albums – Year-End 2018". Billboard. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  32. ^ "Top Latin Albums – Year-End 2019". Billboard. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  33. ^ "Top Latin Albums – Year-End 2020". Billboard. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  34. ^ "Top Latin Albums – Year-End 2021". Billboard. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  35. ^ "Brazilian album certifications – J Balvin – Vibras" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
  36. ^ "Canadian album certifications – J Balvin – Vibras". Music Canada. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
  37. ^ "Certificados Musicales Amprofon (in Spanish)". Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas, via Facebook.
  38. ^ "Wyróżnienia – Złote płyty CD - Archiwum - Przyznane w 2020 roku" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  39. ^ "American album certifications – J Balvin – Vibras". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
  40. ^ "Vibras by J Balvin". Amazon UK. Retrieved 3 June 2018.
  41. ^ "Vibras de J Balvin" (in Spanish). Amazon Spain. Retrieved 3 June 2018.
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