J Balvin & Ryan Castro Chat the World Cup, New Album & More on “Close Friends Only”
Today, Instagram dropped a new episode of our original series Close Friends Only with Latin music superstars and collaborators J Balvin and Ryan Castro.
In the series’ first-ever episode in Spanish, the duo link up to perform hits from their new album Omerta and chat about celebrities in their DMs, the World Cup, how Instagram inspires their creativity and more.
Catch the latest Close Friends Only episode on streaming platforms including Spotify, YouTube, iHeartRadio and Apple Podcasts.
A Few Highlights From the Episode:
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• In the DMs (3:30): J Balvin’s first celebrity DM was from The Weeknd, while Ryan’s was from Balvin himself:
- J Balvin:“My first DM from a famous person that really blew my mind was from The Weeknd.” (English translation)
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• Family Values (5:30): The duo get deep about family & their roots in Colombia and Curaçao:
- J Balvin:“Do you want a family? Because I have the family I dreamed of.”
- Ryan:“Yeah, I dream of family. Honestly, a little soccer team [of kids] wouldn’t be bad… The blessing of growing up in a Latino family, bro. We’re go-getters, and it’s like that same old determination, go for it, get it, work hard, give it your all, you know what I mean? I grew up with that culturally.” (English translation)
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• From the Neighborhood to the World Cup (8:50): Ryan compares the thrill of reaching soccer’s biggest stage to achieving success in music.
- Ryan:“I feel like it’s a really good opportunity for [the Colombian national team] to be there at the World Cup, because at the end of the day, they’re just like us. Like for us to be at Coachella, play a stadium, and the feeling they get from going to a World Cup. A kid who grew up in the neighborhood playing soccer.”
- J Balvin:“Who do you think is the best player in Colombian history?”
- Ryan:“James [Rodríguez] has done some really great things in soccer… and has brought a lot of joy to the country.” (English translation)
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• Before Reggaeton, There Was Rock (12:30): J Balvin shares how bands like Nirvana inspire him:
- J Balvin:“Did you know that I got into music because I was still really into rock? And I wanted to do all the covers of Nirvana. And that was my first official introduction into music. I remember ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit.’” (English translation)
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• Athlete Mindset (14:35): Ryan talks about athletes who inspire him:
- J Balvin:“What has been inspiring you lately that you see on Instagram?”
- Ryan:“I get a lot of inspiration from athletes. I watch soccer players a lot, and I also really like watching NBA players. There are a lot who are really into fashion, for example Jimmy [Butler]…. I really like watching how they train, how they take care of their bodies, how they are, like mentally prepared for games.” (English translation)
About Close Friends Only
Close Friends Only is Instagram’s original series, where your favorite duos and friend groups connect a little deeper, reveal a little more about themselves, and give you a glimpse into what — and who’s — inside their green circle of trust. Explore past episodes of Close Friends Only with KATSEYE & Larray, Paige Bueckers & Azzi Fudd, and more.