For J Balvin, performing alongside Will Smith was a dream come true because he always considered him an idol. That’s why he persisted in convincing him to perform together.

Credit: CJ Rivera | AP

In April, J Balvin surprised everyone by performing with Will Smith at Coachella. At the festival, the Colombian singer and the American actor performed the 1997 hit “Men in Black” from the film of the same name.

In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, J Balvin revealed why he decided to invite Will Smith to join him on stage. “My inner child was shouting for me to have him in my show because there was no one better,” said the Colombian artist.

Convincing the Oscar-winning actor to join him on stage wasn’t easy. The “Mi Gente” singer recounted that he persistently pushed until Smith agreed.

“I shared my vision with him. He said, ‘Give me a week.’ And I kept insisting,” he remembered. “I kept sending him photos of me praying until he called and said he was feeling down. It was a beautiful moment to see us together,” he added.

For the singer, performing with Will Smith was a dream come true because he has always considered Smith his idol. Making that dream a reality was very important for Balvin.

“Will Smith has always been one of my biggest idols. Period. I feel very connected to him. You can’t judge a person by a few mistakes,” said the singer.

Regarding the incident at the 2022 Oscars, where Will Smith slapped Chris Rock after a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith, J Balvin expressed deep empathy for the actor.

“One mistake doesn’t define who you are because if it did, we’d all be bad,” he said. “With what happened with Will Smith, I felt his pain because I was going through a similar situation when I felt like part of the world was against me due to mistakes,” he added.

Now, J Balvin feels that both he and Will Smith are experiencing better moments in their careers. “Right now, I’m happy for his new chapter. Just as I’m in a new chapter, he is too, and I applaud him,” he said.