- What can the fans expect from your performance
at the VMAs this year?
- If it's not the best one, it's top two.
- Ooh, in VMA history?
- In this show. (laughs)
In this show, you know, let me start.
This is our first time with a show here.
I don't know.
Gotta respect all the OGs
and everybody that's been doing amazing jobs.
But to see us Latinos the first time,
100% we're gonna kill it.
And that I'm for sure.
- All right, we got J Balvin who's got five VMA nominations
this year. - Oh, for real?
- Five of 'em, you know that!
Two in the same category.
- Thank you, man. - On top of the moon, man,
that you got last year,
but this time you're taking the stage.
How does it feel to be back?
- It's amazing, man.
Last time I was in Japan,
so like I see it on TV, what's that?
My first moment but I wasn't there,
you know? - Right, right.
- So now like let's see what's going on,
but I'm grateful, man, like I'm happy to be here
and it's just like, it's a beautiful moment for the culture,
for Latinos, you know, being here,
singing, performing in Spanish is such a vibe, man.
I'm grateful. - I mean, you don't even
perform in English, but we feel the vibe of the music.
- That's what matters, man, you know,
that's what matters.
Unless you feel the vibe and make you feel
kind of type of way, we're good.
- What's surprising to me about your rise
is that, you know, you're the first Latin artist
to headline Lollapalooza.
I'm from Chicago, I was there.
It was a vibe. - Ooh, 'sup?
- First reggaeton artist to perform on SNL
and it's so weird that we're still
seeing you break barriers,
still seeing Latin artists break barriers.
It seems like by now you shouldn't even be able
to create these records.
(chuckles) Right?
Like, it feels weird that this is still something
that's happening right now.
What does that feel like?
- I feel so grateful, but you know,
and I'm super focused on just keep spreading the vibe
and show the world that, you know,
it doesn't matter where you're from or what language,
as long as you are giving a good vibe
and making people happy, that's what matters, you know?
Like basically, I can go to a studio
and try to do a perfect song in English,
but I'd rather just to keep real and do it in Spanish.
It doesn't mean that I'm not gonna do
one day something in English,
but I just wanna make a real statement
of how to make a new story worldwide
with Spanish music, you know, Latin music.
But, you know, the fact that I'm Latino
doesn't mean that I'm not part of the globe.
I'm global, anyway.
So that's what matters. - Right.
A lot of people when it comes to Latino artists
automatically categorize it as reggaeton.
- Yeah, they bring it like yeah.
And that's good
as long as they're speaking of reggaeton,
but like my point of view and what I really wanna do
is just like, yeah, do things in Spanish
but it doesn't mean that I'm not reaching global.
- Yes. - And that's what we do
and that's why we're here.
That's why we keep elevating our culture
because that's what I wanna do, make history.
I wanna be like that guy,
he brought the Spanish to another level.
That's my dream and make part of that story.
- What does it mean to have a Colombian artist
and a Puerto Rican artist and Bad Bunny,
you guys collaborate and what does it mean for the culture
that has those two nations come together?
You guys are the biggest stars in the world right now, man!
- Nah, you know, we're just dreamers.
Maybe Bad Bunny is a big star
and I'm just, you know, a dreamer.
(Dometi chuckles) I feel great, man.
I feel blessed.
You know, we make part of the Latino gang
and proud to be here.
It's a great moment, we just launched our new album,
a collab album, me and Bad Bunny.
So it's a blessing, man.
It's a blessing that we collide these two worlds,
Puerto Rico and Colombia, and just vibing.
- A tour coming soon, 'Oasis' tour?
- Well-- - Make the announcement!
Give me something, man!
(chuckles) - Come on, man,
you know, like, I really wanna do it
but there's two schedules.
There's two lives.
So I want it, you know?
But decided by, you know, I'm gonna fix on other things.
To me, if it's for me, I'd just do it now.
- Right, right, right. - Yeah, 100%.
- Talk to me about how you and Beyoncé
ended up on the Coachella stage together.
That was a time back, but it was such an iconic moment.
And I understand you got a call from her team
in the middle of the night?
- That was like three hours before the show.
(laughs) - Get out of here!
What was that like?
- They called me one day before and
thank God that day, it was a day off,
but even if I had a show, I think I might cancel it
just to fly there.
And it was like that, you know,
it was my only day off I remember.
I was just like chilling, watching some movies.
When I just received a text like,
you wanna join us at Coachella?
I think it was a friend.
Like come to Coachella and just chill.
It was like Melissa, a friend of mine
that works with Beyoncé.
We're like, "Oh, let's go.
"Let's go!" (chuckles)
So yeah, we went there and I even, you know,
didn't even thought about it.
Just like went there and it was amazing.
- Are there any celebrities that somebody
even like you as a super megastar,
billions of YouTube views, multiple awards,
is there anybody that you get starstruck when you bump into
and who is that person? - All the time, man.
I'm a big fan of music so, you know, like Rihanna.
If I see Rihanna once again, I'm gonna pass out.
You know, like there's a lot of people
that I love and I respect.
You know like Drake, I haven't met Drake.
I'm one of his biggest fans.
You know, The Weeknd.
I talk to him sometimes.
We text each other, but we haven't had the opportunity
to be together and vibe.
But you know, there's a lot of people
that I've always admired and I just like, wow.
- "Con Altura" is up for a VMA today.
What was it like working with Rosalía?
- Rosalía is super dope.
She's one of a kind.
You know, she's different.
Her talent, the way she looks, you know,
it's just like, it's like hypnotic.
- Yeah. - And I'm so grateful
that we did this smash "Con Altura"
and the video went all over the world and the song, too.
And I'm blessed, I'm blessed to be nominated with her.
Hopefully we can win.
And you know, let's get it, man,
let's get the dreams.