News | Entertainment
27 Feb 2026 7:34
NZCity News
NZCity CalculatorReturn to NZCity

  • Start Page
  • Personalise
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • Finance
  • Shopping
  • Jobs
  • Horoscopes
  • Lotto Results
  • Photo Gallery
  • Site Gallery
  • TVNow
  • Dating
  • SearchNZ
  • NZSearch
  • Crime.co.nz
  • RugbyLeague
  • Make Home
  • About NZCity
  • Contact NZCity
  • Your Privacy
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Join for Free

  •   Home > News > Entertainment

    J Balvin named his son Rio because he wanted him to "float"

    The 37-year-old rapper - whose real name is José Álvaro Osorio Balvín - welcomed his first child back in June 2021 with model Valentina Ferrer and revealed that the inspiration behind the name Rio was because it is the Portuguese word for river


    He said: "Rio like River... I want him to just float."

    The 'I Like It' hitmaker - who is initially from Medellín, Colombia - also opened up about moving to Oklahoma to learn English as a foreign exchange student and claimed he eventually felt "inspired" to kickstart a music career once he arrived in New York.

    Speaking on 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show', he added: "I did not choose Oklahoma... I loved Oklahoma, don't get me wrong. But when I got to New York I felt inspired to conquer the world with my music."

    The revelations come just days after the Grammy Award winning star spoke out about his struggles with mental health and claimed that there is a "stigma" that stems from his culture.

    He said: "I never thought that I was going to suffer about mental health. I remember seeing people go to the psychiatric and I would be like, 'Why are they going there? They're crazy. Because that's a stigma, something that has always been in the Latino culture or even around the world and once I started suffering from anxiety and depression, I understood that it was a chemical disbalance.

    So I feel that I need to speak out because I think ... I go to that pain with myself ... because we have a voice. So I think music is the way it's helped us to send a message. And I really can feel that it's to tell other people about mental health and how to help them."

    © 2026 Bang Showbiz, NZCity

     Other Entertainment News
     27 Feb: Peter Andre admits "it's a difficult juggle" balancing parenthood with his work life
     27 Feb: Grace Gummer had "so much fun" joining the style set at New York Fashion Week
     27 Feb: Bonnie Blue has told her critics to "direct that anger elsewhere" following a backlash over her pregnancy announcement
     26 Feb: Russell Brand has pleaded not guilty to charges of rape and sexual assault
     26 Feb: BAFTA judge Jonte Richardson has resigned following the racial slur row which overshadowed Sunday night's (22.02.26) ceremony
     26 Feb: Kerry Katona will "100 per cent get married" to her boyfriend Paolo Margaglione
     26 Feb: Frankie Bridge was "terrified" of starting ketamine therapy because she had never taken drugs before
     Top Stories

    RUGBY RUGBY
    Portia Woodman-Wickcliffe has retired from rugby for a second time, aged 34 More...


    BUSINESS BUSINESS
    Air New Zealand's dismissing David Seymour's claims its financial strife is down to 'woke' endeavours More...



     Today's News

    Living & Travel:
    A new rescue helicopter pad in the Mackenzie District, is the work of the community 7:27

    Entertainment:
    Peter Andre admits "it's a difficult juggle" balancing parenthood with his work life 7:21

    Basketball:
    Tall Blacks coach Judd Flavell's praised his side's defensive tenacity during a 69-66 win over the Philippines in World Cup basketball qualifying at Manila 7:17

    Entertainment:
    Grace Gummer had "so much fun" joining the style set at New York Fashion Week 6:51

    Entertainment:
    Bonnie Blue has told her critics to "direct that anger elsewhere" following a backlash over her pregnancy announcement 6:21

    Law and Order:
    Christchurch police say retaliation will not be tolerated - after the death of a man following a gang altercation 5:47

    Rugby:
    Portia Woodman-Wickcliffe has retired from rugby for a second time, aged 34 4:57

    Rugby:
    Tyrel Lomax is closing in on a return to top level rugby after five months sidelined 21:57

    Entertainment:
    Russell Brand has pleaded not guilty to charges of rape and sexual assault 21:51

    Entertainment:
    BAFTA judge Jonte Richardson has resigned following the racial slur row which overshadowed Sunday night's (22.02.26) ceremony 21:21


     News Search






    Power Search


    © 2026 New Zealand City Ltd