The 33-year-old singer reaches the milestone after surpassing the mark of 48 million monthly listeners.
- June 26, 2018
AceShowbiz - Latin pop star J Balvin has stolen Drake's crown to become the world's most-streamed artist on Spotify.
Officials at the streaming service announced the news on Monday, June 25, revealing the Colombian reggaeton artist now boasts 48 million monthly listeners, more than any other musician.
The milestone was reached in part due to the popularity of his 2017 smash Mi Gente, which also featured a remix with Beyonce, and his recent single X with Nicky Jam, which has been played on Spotify more than 327 million times to date.
"All I can say is thank you, thank you," Balvin shares in a statement issued to Fader.com. "I'm so grateful and proud to be the most heard artist in the world on Spotify. It's bigger than J Balvin, it's the movement and it's in Spanish.
"We are proving that Latinos have the power to connect with an audience on a global level without having to leave our identity behind. This is an achievement for the entire Latino community. I'm so grateful to Spotify for the enormous support to the reggaeton movement."
The rapper also marked the news on social media, telling fans, "The world is for those of us who dream big."
The news gives Balvin extra reason to celebrate, after cheering on the Colombian national soccer team at the World Cup on Sunday, June 24, when the sportsmen beat Poland 3-0 in host nation Russia to avoid elimination.
He wasn't the only Colombian star to get in on the soccer action - Shakira and Carlos Vives also tweeted their support, while singer Maluma shared a photo of himself celebrating in the stands at the game in host nation Russia.
