J Balvin’s participation in Global Citizen’s Vax Live: The Concert to Reunite the World was personal.

Balvin, who had revealed he battled COVID-19 last summer, said he does not want to see others suffer from the coronavirus like he did.

“I had COVID before. It almost killed me,” he revealed before taking the stage during Vax Live. “We don’t want people to feel what I felt.”

Balvin, who’s from Colombia, said too few people are vaccinated there and across South America.

“I want people to really know they have to vaccinate for themselves, for others, for the world,” he stressed.

The singer then put on an atmospheric performance of “Otra Noche Sin Ti” and “Tu Veneno,” surrounded by dancers.

Vax Live addressed the immediate need for wider, more equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines around the globe, and Balvin was one of several big stars who joined the show to help communicate the message.

The fundraising event was hosted by Selena Gomez and aired on May 8 on ABC, ABC News Live, CBS, YouTube (streaming here) and iHeartMedia broadcast radio stations.