J Balvin and Valentina Ferrer have ended their relationship after nearly 10 years together.
Ferrer confirmed the split on September 16, saying she and the Colombian singer, whose real name is José Álvaro Osorio Balvín, had “decided to take separate paths.” She did not give a reason for the breakup.
The Argentine model said the decision was made with “love, respect and the desire to do what is best for our family,” adding that their five-year-old son, Río, would remain their priority. Ferrer also asked for privacy as the family adjusts to the change, according to Just Jared.
The announcement came six days after Ferrer discussed their relationship in an interview published ahead of Balvin’s Rock in Rio performance. At the time, she spoke about the respect and communication involved in maintaining a long-term relationship and how they arranged their schedules around Río.
Ferrer Said They Had Decided to Take Separate Paths
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Ferrer announced the breakup in an Instagram Story, writing that she and Balvin had shared years of important experiences before deciding to separate.
“After sharing so many years and important moments together, José and I have decided to take separate paths,” she wrote. Ferrer said they were approaching the decision calmly and asked for understanding and respect while they moved through what she described as a personal period for the family.
She kept the focus on their son, writing that their priority would continue to be “always accompanying Río with all our love.” HOLA! reported that Balvin had not issued his own public statement about the breakup when Ferrer confirmed the news.
The announcement followed several days of online speculation about the couple’s status, including attention around Ferrer’s recent social media activity. Neither Ferrer nor Balvin had publicly confirmed a separation before her September 16 statement.
Six Days Earlier, Ferrer Discussed Their Relationship and Parenting
In a September 10 interview with gshow, Ferrer was asked what had helped her relationship with Balvin last for nearly a decade. She said there was no single formula and that every couple develops its own way of functioning.
Ferrer pointed to respect, communication and companionship while discussing their relationship. She also explained that Río’s school and activities had become a major part of the family’s schedule, requiring both parents to organize their work around spending time with him.
Ferrer stayed in New York while Balvin traveled to Brazil for his Rock in Rio performance, telling the outlet that Río’s routine was part of the reason she was not making the trip. The interview was published less than a week before she announced their separation.
Their Relationship Began on a J Balvin Music Video Set
Balvin and Ferrer met in January 2017 while filming the music video for “Sigo Extrañándote,” from his 2016 album Energía. Ferrer played his partner in the video, with the two portraying parents raising a child together before they became a couple offscreen.
Their relationship developed after filming, and they welcomed Río on June 27, 2021. Balvin’s official website later described their meeting while portraying a family as “almost as a premonition of what was to come.”
Their family also became part of Balvin’s music. In January 2025, he released “Río,” which his website described as his “deepest expression of love for his family.” The accompanying video incorporated personal footage of Ferrer and their son from Balvin’s phone, along with performance footage he secretly recorded during a family vacation.
Balvin later surprised Ferrer with the completed video during Paris Men’s Fashion Week. More than a year after its release, Ferrer’s breakup statement again centered their son, saying that she and Balvin intend to continue supporting Río together despite ending their romantic relationship.