BBLatin
Page: 15
New Music Latin is a compilation of the best new Latin songs and albums recommended by Billboard Latin and Billboard Español editors. Check out this week’s picks below.
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
Ricky Martin & Christian Nodal, “Fuego De Noche, Nieve De Día” (Sony Music Latin)
[embedded content]
Ricky Martin delivers a reimagined version of his already iconic and gorgeous ballad “Fuego De Noche, Nieve De Día.” This time, he adds elements of mariachi and recruits Mexican star Christian Nodal to sing the 1995 anthem. The new song starts off with Martin singing softly over a piano, much like he did in the original version. Then, at the minute-mark, melancholic mariachi trumpet notes come in to complement Nodal’s vocals as he joins Martin to sing about a person that’s come to turn their world upside down. Marking the first collaborative effort between Ricky Martin and Nodal, the essence of the song — which will be discovered by a new generation of fans nearly 30 years later — remains untouched. “It’s a dream come true,” Nodal says about the duet in a statement. “This song is so special and so profound that it really tugs at your emotions.” — GRISELDA FLORES
Manuel Medrano, “Verano En NY” (Warner Music México)
[embedded content]
Colombian singer Manuel Medrano pays tribute to a summer in New York with this soulful alt-pop song powered by sincere lyrics inspired by a memorable summer spent with a great love. The song was co-produced by Juan Ariza, Jona Camacho and Manuel Medrano, and features Medrano’s deep vocals chanting lyrics such as, “Remember that summer in New York/ When we walked hand in hand together/ Don’t forget that I’m still alive.” The accompanying music video, directed by Salomon Simhon and filmed in New York, tells a captivating story about a boy who works at a flower shop and falls in love with one of his customers, daydreaming about various romantic scenarios and always bringing her flowers. “Verano En NY” is the first single from his upcoming third studio album and showcases Medrano’s artistic and musical evolution, immersing us in magical realism. — INGRID FAJARDO
Roberto Fonseca, La Gran Diversión (3ème Bureau / Wagram Music)
Virtuoso Cuban pianist Roberto Fonseca is back with La Gran Diversión (The Great Fun), a 10-track album that intertwines contemporary genres like R&B, rock and funk with the timeless sound of Cuba’s rhythms. From the opener “Yanim,” to the previously released singles “Mani Mambo” featuring Dutch EMD singer Clarence Bekker and “Sal al Malecón,” the Grammy-nominated artist takes us on a scenic voyage — one with end-of-summer vibes that will carry us through the winter. “[This is] the most personal record of my life,” Fonseca says in a press release. “It is a tribute to my roots and above all to traditional Cuban music due to the great connection and acceptance of the public from the ’30s to the present.”
Co-produced by Fonseca and Daniel Florestano, La Gran Diversión was recorded in Havana, Paris and New York with guests including, besides Bekker, guitarist Jorge Chicoy, violinist Regina Carter, and Buena Vista Social Club vocalist Carlos Calunga. Don’t miss the focus track “Baila Mulata” — it will make your body move. — SIGAL RATNER-ARIAS
Juan Luis Guerra, “Mambo 23” (Rimas Entertainment)
[embedded content]
“Mambo 23” is the first single from Juan Luis Guerra’s upcoming EP RADIO GUIRA, set to release in November. “’Mambo 23′ is the first time we ventured into a mambo merengue — we had never done it and the rhythm caught our attention and we began to work with arrangements of saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and classical instruments,” says the Dominican artist in a statement. “We liked the result very much and we believe that we have the piece to launch our new EP Radio Guira.”
The video, directed by his son Jean Gabriel Guerra, shows a lonely night cleaning worker of Radio Guira. Feeling alone and curious, he presses a button unleashing an explosion of music and videos. Driven by the irresistible music of Juan Luis Guerra and his 4.40 band, he indulges in an energetic dance routine. In the end, as often happens in life, he discovers that he was not alone. The artist surprises him, gives him a wink and then leaves: a magical moment that captures the essence of his music. Guerra doesn’t shy away from his message of gospel; “Mambo 23” will make more than one person dance no matter where it plays, as only JLG knows how to do. — LUISA CALLE
Luzmila Carpio, Inti Watana – El Retorno del Sol (ZZK Records)
On Inti Watana – El Retorno del Sol, Luzmila Carpio’s music, sung in her native Quechua, resonates with age-old enchantment. Amid pan flutes and twinkling strings, the Bolivian singer effortlessly traverses a range of themes — from celebrating sacred traditions, in the charango-driven hymn of “Kacharpayita,” to contemplating themes of loss and remorse in “Requiem para un Ego.” She engages in captivating conversations with avian companions in “Ofrenda de los Pájaros” and pays homage to the revered goddess of the Andes in “Pachamama desde el Cosmos,” as with Inti, the Inca sun god. Amidst all this, Carpio’s unwavering voice shines through in nine songs that brim with a mystical essence cultivated over centuries of ceremonial rites and a profound connection with the natural world. — ISABELA RAYGOZA
Yandel & Myke Towers, “Borracho y Loco” (Warner Music Latina/La Leyenda LLC)
[embedded content]
Yandel and Myke Towers find each other in a new collaboration titled “Borracho y Loco,” following their previous 2020 collab “Mayor.” A hard-hitting reggaeton fused with sensual dancehall melodies, at the helm of Puerto Rican hitmaker Nesty La Mente Maestra, “Borracho y Loco” narrates the story of a man who’s drunk and crazy as he’s trying to heal a broken heart. “I think about you when I’m drunk and crazy/ You left me a broken heart/ I only know about you on social media/ I’m not satisfied only with giving your photo a like,” goes the catchy chorus. Directed by Fernando Lugo, the video shows the two men at a wild party, but distracted by the thoughts of their former partner. — JESSICA ROIZ
Purchase tickets to the 2023 Billboard Latin Music Week here.
Listen to the New Music Latin playlists below:
The Jenni Rivera Estate has filed a lawsuit against Cintas Acuario, a West Coast-based indie label owned by the late singer’s father Don Pedro Rivera. Ayana Musical, another music company also owned by him, is named in a complaint filed on Wednesday (Sept. 20) in California by Jacquelin Campos — who last year took over as head of the Jenni Rivera estate.
According to the 39-page lawsuit, before and after the singer’s untimely death in 2012, the música mexicana star’s father, along with the companies aforementioned, “exploited” sound recordings and musical compositions written, recorded, produced and performed by Jenni during her lifetime. Furthermore, the defendants “exploited Jenni’s name, image and likeness to the tune of tens of millions of dollars,” the complaint alleges.
The civil case also claims that the plaintiffs have “repeatedly” asked the companies to “act in accordance to the terms of agreements entered into by Jenni during the early part of her career” and to stop claiming to own and control rights to Jenni’s music. The companies have refused to do so, according to the suit, which is why the Jenni Rivera Estate has decided to file the lawsuit, “holding each of them liable for their unlawful acts” and seeking the return of money collected and withheld from the plaintiffs.
While owned by Don Pedro Rivera, the lawsuit says the day-to-day operations of the company are carried out by Jenni’s siblings, Rosie Rivera — who previously served as head of the Jenni Rivera estate — and Juan Rivera. “This matter provides a perfect illustration of the significant and lasting impact that money, power, and greed can have on a family,” the lawsuit reads.
Cintas Acuario did not return Billboard‘s request for comment at press time.
Jenni entered her first recording agreement with Cintas Acuario in 1993 when she began her career. According to the lawsuit, the three-year deal provided Cintas with “several” rights to the sound recordings and albums recorded, produced and distributed under the 1993 Recording Agreement. It also granted the rights to manufacture and distribute merchandise in connection to the promotion and sale of her music. In return, Cintas was “obligated” to provide Jenni with statements and make royalty payments to her on a quarterly basis. According to the complaint, “the obligation to account and pay royalties owed to Jenni in connection with the 1993 deal was never waived or otherwise terminated. Thus, the foregoing obligations subsisted in favor of plaintiffs as Jenni’s successors-in-interest, following her death in December of 2012.”
The most successful woman in regional Mexican on the Billboard charts, Rivera died in an small aircraft accident in 2012 at the age of 43. She has a total of 19 entries on Top Latin Albums, 12 of which reached the top 10 and seven of which topped the chart. She has earned a total of 12 entries on the Billboard 200 and has 14 top 10 hits on the Regional Mexican Airplay tally. Most recently, Jenni’s children released the posthumous album Misión Cumplida.
In a press release issued in light of the lawsuit, the Jenni Rivera Estate said that it is “grateful for the support and understanding of the fans during this challenging period” but will refrain from making any further statements.
Read the lawsuit below:
Shakira steps into new territory with “El Jefe,” the Colombian superstar’s collaboration with Fuerza Regida, which dropped Wednesday (Sept. 20).
The chart-topping artist first teased the collab last week when she shared a short clip of an interview with ET, in which she said, “I”m not the boss in this song, but wait and see.” Then, she shared a snippet of “El Jefe (The Boss),” which is about someone who has the mentality of a millionaire but doesn’t actually have money.
Although previous songs of Shakira’s have included elements of regional Mexican music, such as the mariachi trumpet on “Ciega, Sordomuda” and the country-tinged “Te Espero Sentada,” this is her first full-blown Mexican music song.
In the catchy corrido, Shakira and Fuerza’s frontman JOP sing about being tired of their 9-to-5 jobs, especially their arrogant boss, and the desire to quit and become their own bosses. The music video features the global superstar and regional urban act performing the track together.
Shakira Will Speak at Billboard’s 2023 Latin Music Week in Miami
09/20/2023
Shakira’s collab with Fuerza Regida is a reflection of Mexican music’s dominance and influence on Latin music today. With acts like Fuerza at the forefront, the genre is having a record year, growing in popularity in the United States and beyond. In May, Billboard reported that regional Mexican music consumption in the U.S. jumped 42.1% year to date through May 25, outpacing gains in the Latin genre overall, as well as country, dance/electronic, rock and pop, according to Luminate.
Both Shakira and JOP are set to be part of Billboard‘s Latin Music Week, taking place Oct. 2-6 in Miami. The former will participate in an exclusive superstar Q&A moderated by Leila Cobo, Billboard’s Chief Content Officer for Latin/Español, and the latter in a panel on Música Mexicana touring. Purchase tickets to the 2023 Billboard Latin Music Week here.
Stream “El Jefe” or watch the music video below:
[embedded content]
The nominees for the 2023 Latin Grammys were announced on Tuesday (Sept. 19) with Mexican producer-songwriter Edgar Barrera as the most nominated person with a total of 13 nominations. Barrera is followed by Colombian stars Camilo, Karol G, Shakira and composer Kevyn Mauricio Cruz (also known as Keityn), each with seven nominations. Argentine producer and DJ […]
Shakira is set to release a new song in collaboration with Fuerza Regida.
The Colombian superstar took to social media on Friday (Sept. 15) to announce “El Jefe,” which is set to drop Wednesday (Sept. 20). When talking about her upcoming new track during an interview with ET, Shakira didn’t reveal much and only teased, “I”m not the boss in this song, but wait and see.”
Then, she posted a snippet of “El Jefe,” Shakira’s first venture into música mexicana, that’s about someone who has the mentality of a millionaire but doesn’t actually have money. “You’re dreaming of leaving the barrio, you have everything it takes to be a millionaire, expensive taste, the mentality, you’re just missing a salary,” she sings over a fast-paced beat.
Shakira’s collab with Fuerza Regida is a reflection of Mexican music’s dominance and influence on Latin music today. With acts like Fuerza at the forefront, the genre is having a record year growing in popularity in the United States and beyond. In May, Billboard reported that regional Mexican music consumption in the U.S. jumped 42.1% year to date through May 25, outpacing gains in the Latin genre overall, as well as country, dance/electronic, rock and pop, according to Luminate.
The new song announcement arrives just days after Shakira’s show-stopping performance at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards on Sept. 12, where she sang a medley of her hits, including “She Wolf,” “Hips Don’t Lie,” “Objection” and newer ones such as “Te Felicito” and “Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53.”
The singer-songwriter also made history at the VMAs, becoming the first South American artist to receive the Video Vanguard Award. She is the second Latin artist to receive the award; Jennifer Lopez, the first performer of Latin descent, received the honor in 2018.
Check out a teaser of “El Jefe” below:
Edwin Luna y La Trakalosa de Monterrey capture their fourth champ on Billboard’s Regional Mexican Airplay chart with “No Se Vale.” The group’s latest single rises 3-1 to lead the chart dated Sept. 16.
“No Se Vale” crowns Regional Mexican Airplay in its 10th week with 6.37 million audience impressions. That’s less than a 1% gain from the week prior, earned in the U.S. in the week ending Sept. 7, according to Luminate.
“No Se Vale” gives Edwin Luna and La Trakalosa their fourth No. 1 and first in almost two years, after the two-week coronation of “Saludos a Mi Ex” in March 2021. The group achieved its first Regional Mexican Airplay ruler through “Dormida” which dominated for three weeks in 2020. In total, Luna and La Trakalosa have placed nine top 10 entries dating back to 2017 when “Aplauso” reached its No. 4 high.
Beyond the new Regional Mexican Airplay No. 1, “No Se Vale” holds at No. 10 (its peak) on the overall Latin Airplay chart for a second week.
[embedded content]
Mora’s Fourth Straight Top 10: Over on Top Latin Albums, Mora picks up his fourth straight top 10 with his fourth album, Estrella. The 15-track set, released via Rimas Entertainment on Aug. 28, advances 12-8 with 9,000 equivalent album units, up 19%, earned in the U.S. during the Sept. 1-7 tracking week.
As with most Latin rhythmic efforts, the bulk of Estrella’s activity comes from streaming equivalent album units. That figure equals to 12.2. million official U.S. on-demand streams of the album’s songs. Album sales and track-equivalent album units, meanwhile, account for the negligible remaining units.
Estrella follows three other top 10s, two No. 4-peaking sets which landed in 2022: While Microdosis endured for 33 weeks, Paraiso’s run completed after six weeks on Top Latin Albums.
Elsewhere, Estrella jumps 6-4 for a new peak on Latin Rhythm Albums. It also debuts at No. 167 on the all-genre Billboard 200.
As Estrella arrives, two songs debut on the Global charts. On Billboard Global 200, “Reina,” with Saiko, debuts at No. 149 after drawing 15.18 million global streams, while “Dónde Se Aprende a Querer” starts at No. 156 with 14.4 million worldwide streams. The former concurrently logged 13.7 international streams with a No. 87 start on Global Excl. U.S., while the latter launched at No. 99 with 12.62 streams outside the U.S.
Throughout almost four decades, Los Auténticos Decadentes have been able to get the party going with joyful and irreverent classics such as “Entregá el Marrón,” “La Guitarra” and “El Murguero.”
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
Starting today (Sept. 14), fans of the Argentine ska and alternative rock band will be able to see them play in five U.S. cities, kicking off at the Palladium Times Square in New York and ending at the iconic Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, where they will close, along with Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, the KCRW Festival on Sept. 24. They will also perform in Washington, D.C., as well as Napa and San Diego in California (more details here).
“We invite everyone,” Jorge Serrano, who has been part of Los Decadentes since its inception, tells Billboard Español. “Those who know us know they’re going to have a good time. Those who don’t know us will be surprised,” he adds with a smile.
The show they will be performing was presented last month at a sold-out concert in Buenos Aires in front of more than 15,000 people, according to a statement, which was also streamed in North and South America on the Star+ platform.
In the last three years, Los Auténticos Decadentes released A D N (2021, 2022, 2023, respectively), a trilogy of albums with covers of well-known Spanish-language songs, mostly recorded with guests such as Natalia Lafourcade, Panteón Rococó, Andrés Calamaro, Beto Cuevas and Diego Verdaguer. The most recent installment, N, was released last July, with eight songs — including versions of “Golpes En El Corazón” by Los Tigres del Norte, “Oro” by Bronco, “Costumbres Argentinas” by Calamaro and “La Ladrona” by Verdaguer.
“We’ve known those songs for a long time,” Serrano tells Billboard, explaining how they are part of the band’s DNA. “Many of them we play at our family parties, like Los Tigres’, or Bronco’s.”
[embedded content]
Comprised of 12 musicians, of which 10 are still founding members, Los Auténticos Decadentes was formed in 1986 and became known with the hit “Vení Raquel,” which set the tone for the irreverence and ironic humor of their future songs. While they have not entered the Billboard charts in the States, they have placed six songs from their A D N trilogy on the Billboard Argentina Hot 100, including “Golpes En El Corazón” featuring Natalia Lafourcade (November 2021), “La Ladrona” (August 2022) and, most recently, “Costumbres Argentinas” (May 2023).
Below, Serrano talks with Billboard Español about the group’s recent covers project, and how they’ve managed to stay relevant across the decades.
When you hear Auténticos Decadentes, you think of ska, rock, irreverence, joy. But then you see that in your DNA there are songs like “Costumbres Argentinas” by Andrés Calamaro or “La Ladrona” by Diego Verdaguer. How did this project come about and why do you consider that these songs are part of your DNA?
The album began as a whim when we said, “How nice it would be to make an album with songs by people we admire, that we like … not our songs, but songs by other people.” And we had started to do it in Mexico in a Sony studio where we had some few hours left, so we took advantage of it, so we took advantage of it and said, “Well, this is the moment.”
Then the pandemic caught us — so we continued it, each one of us in our own home studios, sending vocals and different things; the [plans] were more or less already laid. It was something that kept us active and connected and songs and songs and songs and songs followed one after the other until it ended up being a triple [album]. Because when you make your own album you somehow have the limit of the songs you have done so far — but when you do a tribute album, a covers album, you can never finish, because there are millions of songs.
And well, our DNA… you say “La Ladrona,” for example — or songs that are somehow more popular than rock or ska, which is where we really came from — were always part of our style, because somehow one of the things that Los Decadentes did and contributed was to make a kind of crossover with what is popular music that at that time was not well received. As if rock was one thing and popular music was the music of adults or other people, but not of rockers. With affection, with love and because we liked it and enjoyed it, we incorporated it into our music. We have known those songs for a long time: Many of them we played in our family parties, like Los Tigres, or Bronco. And well, that’s how it was done.
[embedded content]
And did all 12 of you have a say in the selection of songs for the three albums?
Always. The 12 of us always have a say in everything we do. We are a cooperative, we are a horizontal group. When we make albums, we vote on the songs we choose. In this case, we didn’t vote on them, because we mostly suggested a song and in general we knew it and liked it and it was more like a “yes.” We didn’t have to vote a lot to decide whether to do it or not. We would say, “Yeah come on, let’s go!”
With Diego Verdaguer, who died last year — did you record together?
Yes, although not the vocal part, because we did the version of the song ourselves. But we did go to the house, he invited us to a barbecue, and there we did a little bit of the images that you see in the video.
After so many years, you have managed to stay relevant as a band. To what do you attribute your longevity and multi-generational success?
It’s usually a mystery, isn’t it, why people choose you and not the one next to you? But I think that continuity has a lot to do with it. We have been playing for 37 years, we are already very much part of people’s memories, of many people’s lives. We have transcended generations and we have never separated, we have always been present.
We were fortunate that we always had a song that was being listened to at the time, that people accepted us, even though we were getting older. We kept renewing our audience. We keep going to places where we are surprised that people from 15 to 25 years old know us and listen to us. We are grateful. It is beautiful and we do our best to respond to that. When we go to play, we do our best to make sure they have a good time at the show. I think all those things add up to that [longevity].
It’s interesting, because the music industry and people’s taste have changed so much, especially in the last decade. What would you say has been the key to navigating these changes?
We somehow continue to do the same thing. What survives is a style of music, what survives are the memories, the affection that people have for this type of songs. And what we contribute in some way – I don’t know if we’ve been getting better and better or rather we are a testimony to our analog era of songs and this type of music, that if we are unplugged we can continue playing. We don’t depend on computers or things like that, although we use them.
It is also striking that after so many years, 10 out of 12 are still founding members. What is the dynamic among you? I imagine you are a family.
Yes, our children are also friends with each other, we have always had that multigenerational family spirit. On the other hand, we are a horizontal group, because we vote on the decisions, the songs we choose. We are a cooperative. All these things help us to live together. And also, being a group of friends before being musicians, we stayed true to ourselves — knowing how to value that somehow for all of us, who were like a herd of losers, the group got us out of where we were and the group is so much more than the sum of us. We value it and we know it. We take care of it.
A D N has had you doing covers for the last three years. Are you planning to release original music soon?
That’s what we’re focused on. We’re going to do it very quietly, without the pressures that albums usually [generate]. This one we want to do at our own pace, but I guess it will be for the next year or so.
In another three years the group will be 40. Do you already know how you want to celebrate?
We haven’t thought about it. At one point we celebrated our 10 years, then we celebrated 15, 20, 25. I don’t know if we celebrated 30, but we said, “Let’s stop a little bit to celebrate more [like] every now and then.” [Laughs.] But 40 is going to be unmissable!
Colombian superstar Karol G will be honored with the Spirit of Hope award at the 2023 Billboard Latin Music Awards, Billboard and Telemundo announced on Thursday (Sept. 14). The special award — which was established in 1996 in honor of the late Tejano singer Selena Quintanilla — will recognize Karol for her exceptional commitment to civic, community and humanitarian causes beyond their artistic success.
“I am grateful for this special recognition,” Karol G said in a statement. “My commitment with Con Cora Foundation is a fundamental part of my life and I am proud to be able to help the women who need it most.”
The “Provenza” singer’s impact extends beyond music. In 2022, Karol G founded the Con Cora Foundation, which aims to support the economic, social, psychological and artistic development of underprivileged women. Her philanthropic work will be recognized with the Billboard Spirit of Hope Award at the 2023 Billboard Latin Music Awards, which will broadcast live on Telemundo on Oct. 5 at 7 p.m. ET.
Con Cora Foundation has partnered with She Is Foundation, dedicated to empowering women and girls through education in science, technology and entrepreneurship. Together, they aim to help one million women and girls by 2030. In addition, Karol’s foundation has teamed up with Fundación Acción Interna to offer scholarships — which provide skills and knowledge necessary to secure employment and reintegrate into society — to older female inmates in Bogotá and to female family members of those inmates.
A 13-time finalist at the 2023 Billboard Latin Music Awards, earlier this year Karol made history with Mañana Será Bonito, becoming the first woman to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with an all Spanish-language album. Currently, she’s on her U.S. stadium tour, which wraps up Sept. 28 in Boston.
This year, Peso Pluma leads the list of finalists with 21 nods across 15 categories, including artist of the year, songwriter of the year, Global 200 Latin artist of the year, and Top Latin Album of the year. See the complete list of finalists here.
As has been the case for more than 20 years, the Billboard Latin Music Awards coincide with Billboard’s annual Latin Music Week, the single largest and most important gathering of the Latin music industry, taking place Oct. 2-6. The event will feature panels, conversations and workshops at the Faena Forum and exclusive performances and fan experiences throughout the week in Miami. Artists Shakira, Myke Towers, Vico C, Grupo Frontera, Peso Pluma, Nicki Nicole, RBD, and many more, are confirmed to participate.
Purchase tickets to the 2023 Billboard Latin Music Week here.
Mexican music singer-songwriter Ivan Cornejo has signed an exclusive global publishing agreement with Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG), the company announced Wednesday (Sept. 13). The deal with UMPG comes just weeks after Cornejo joined Interscope Records’ roster — he had been signed to indie label Manzana Records since 2021. “I’m incredibly grateful about my signing with […]
Karol G‘s Mañana Será Bonito stadium tour is in full swing, visiting major markets across the United States. So far, artists such as Young Miko and Bad Gyal, who’ve opened up for Karol in different cities, have also joined the Colombian superstar on stage to sing their respective collaborations with her: “Dispo” for Young Miko […]