Tokyo, Japan. Summer Sonic 2025.
The air was thick with heat and anticipation as J Balvin turned Tokyo’s Marine Stage into a reggaeton takeover. From the first drop, the Colombian superstar pushed the festival into overdrive, folding Latin rhythm into the city’s summer chaos.
photo by @gabydeimeke
The crowd was a collision of cultures, Colombian and Japanese flags waved shoulder to shoulder, fans shouting “Latinos en Japón” as Balvin delivered hit after hit. Midway through the set, he welcomed fellow paisa and global rising force Feid onto the stage, sending the arena into a frenzy. Together, they delivered a performance that felt less like a guest appearance and more like a cultural statement, Medellín energy transported directly into Tokyo’s heart.
photo by @gabydeimeke
The official press team captured the spectacle in full color with fireworks, LED explosions, and Balvin commanding the stage in larger-than-life form. PINES STUDIOS documented a different side. Our black and white lens moved backstage, where Balvin was stripped of spotlight and pyrotechnics. Here, the energy shifted with calm focus before the storm, tattoos speaking their own stories, laughter exchanged with friends. Among them was Bajowoo of 99%IS-, the cult Tokyo designer whose presence underscored the creative bridge between reggaeton’s global rise and Japan’s underground fashion world.
photo by badboi
Together, these dual perspectives tell the full story. The press captured the chaos and color while PINES STUDIOS revealed the grit and intimacy. What emerged at Summer Sonic 2025 was not just a set but J Balvin continuing to redefine how Latin culture moves across borders, sweating it out in Tokyo and taking everyone with him.
Words by Mat Abad
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