All About Maluma, Team Legend’s Playoff Mentor on Season 25 of The Voice

As Season 25 of The Voice continues, the competition is getting fierce. Luckily, all of the contenders are getting a little bit of extra help as the Playoffs loom. Every team is getting a Playoff Mentor, a successful, talented musical artist who can offer some additional pointers to their mentees.

Team Legend’s Playoff Mentor knows a little something about F.A.M.E. — no, really. Colombian Urbano singer Maluma has joined The Voice to assist Coach John Legend as he tries to guide his team to victory. 

Who Is Maluma, Team Legend’s Playoff Mentor?

Maluma, whose real name is Juan Luis Londoño Arias, is a singer-songwriter from the Colombian city of Medellín who has become a major force in Latin music. Born January 28, 1994, Maluma started his musical career when he was only 16, releasing his debut album Magia in 2012. While well-received, it wasn’t until Maluma’s sophomore album, 2015’s Pretty Boy, Dirty Boy, that he really achieved mainstream success. Pretty Boy, Dirty Boy debuted at No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Top Latin Albums. 

RELATED: The Voice Season 25's Mega Mentor Has Been Revealed!

He followed that up with three more albums: 2018’s F.A.M.E., 2019’s 11:11, and 2020’s Papi Juancho. He’s no stranger to collaborating either, which will come in handy as he works to help contestants on The Voice. He’s performed with Ricky Martin, J Balvin, The Weeknd, and Jennifer Lopez. He even co-starred opposite J.Lo in the 2022 comedy Marry Me.

Some of Maluma’s biggest songs include “Felices los 4,” which features Marc Anthony; “Hawai,” which was a hit on its own and an even bigger hit when The Weeknd remixed it; and “Corazón.” He’s also the featured artist on Shakira’s hit song “Chantaje.”

Maluma’s stage name is a combination of the first syllable of his mother, father, and sister’s names —  Marlli, Luis, and Manuela.

What Do Playoff Mentors Do on The Voice?

Mentors are a storied tradition on The Voice. While the four coaches typically do the bulk of the work picking and guiding their Artists as they compete to win the season, occasionally mentors will come in to help, offering new insights or expertise in a different genre of music than their coach. For Season 25, Kieth Urban is serving as a Mega Mentor, meaning he will float from team to team. During the Playoffs, though, every team is getting its own Playoff Mentor. 

Watch The Voice Mondays at 8/7c on NBC and next day on Peacock.