BBLatin
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When Pedro Tovar — Eslabon Armado‘s frontman — first came up with the melody to a new track back in January, he didn’t think much of it. He boxed the tune for a few days not knowing whether he’d come back to it or not. He did.
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A few weeks later, Tovar and Peso Pluma started exchanging direct messages on social media and discussed a potential collaboration. “I told him that I really liked his music and he said he’d be down to do a song together,” recalls Tovar. So, he went back to that melody and began writing the lyrics to what is now known as the global hit song “Ella Baila Sola.”
Currently, the romantic sierreño track — not to be confused with a corrido, Tovar categorically explains — sits at No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200. It’s the first leader on the list for each act, as well as the first for the regional Mexican genre. Additionally, “Ella Baila Sola” has, so far, spent three weeks at No. 1 on the Hot Latin Songs chart. On the Billboard Hot 100, the banger is No. 5 on the tally dated April 29 — the first Mexican music song to enter the top 10 on the chart.
Below, a breakdown of “Ella Baila Sola”:
The players
Eslabon Armado, signed to indie label DEL Records, is no stranger to making history on the charts. After scoring four consecutive No. 1 albums on the Regional Mexican Albums chart between 2020-2021, the California-based, Mexican-American teenage group — known for their sad sierreño anthems “Jugaste Y Sufri” and “Con Tus Besos” — made history last year with Nostalgia, which became the first top 10-charting regional Mexican album ever on the Billboard 200.
While considered a new act, Peso Pluma has rapidly climbed to the top of the charts. In the past year alone, Billboard‘s Latin Artist on the Rise in March signed with indie label Prajin Records, his first record deal, and has so far placed 14 songs on the Hot Latin Songs chart. The corridos juggernaut joined Becky G at Coachella during her weekend one set and announced his first U.S. tour this year, which will kick off July 20 at L.A.’s YouTube Theater. Peso, who was born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico is set to make his late-night TV debut on April 28 when he performs on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
The song’s backstory
After talking to Peso on social media, Tovar wrote the lyrics to “Ella” in a matter of “two or three” days, he tells Billboard. He wrote the first half in one day, and two days later he wrote the second part. “Peso asked me to send him songs, so I wrote ‘Ella Baila Sola’ after we had messaged each other. I called him right after I finished writing it. I remember he was at an airport and I was like, ‘Hey bro, I have the song.’ He asked me to send it to him but I decided to sing it to him instead. ‘So I can see your reaction,’ I explained to him. He immediately fell in love with it. He was hella hyped.”
Peso adds, “It’s a song that many people can relate to, besides having the elements of the instruments that really make it stand out, people received it so well and are enjoying it as much as we enjoy it.”
The lyrics and the sound
The song tells the story of two compas (guy friends), who are at a gathering and spot a beautiful girl who is the belle of the ball. But don’t ask Tovar where he drew inspiration for that specific track — because, as he puts it, “I always say the same thing when they ask what inspired my lyrics: ‘I really don’t know,” he says. “For sure I knew that I wanted to tell a story and wanted it to have the point of view of two guys talking about a girl at a party.”
The sound strikes the perfect balance between Eslabon and Peso Pluma’s musical styles. “Each one of us did our own thing and it became its own style. No one forced anything, which in return made the song turn out so well,” Peso Pluma says. The core sound is sierreño, with the requinto as its leading guitar. For a twist, they added charchetas, trombone and the tololoche. “We used very specific instruments to get the sound we wanted and for it to sound like what is popular today,” adds Tovar, who also produced the song.
Mexican music titan Pepe Aguilar was honored with a special legacy award at the 2023 Latin American Music Awards, which took place Thursday, April 20 live from Las Vegas.
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None other than his daughter, recording artist Ángela Aguilar, took the stage to present the award to her father. “When I was a little girl, I didn’t know what I wanted to be, but I knew I wanted to be like him,” she offered. “My father has sold millions of albums, he’s a songwriter, singer, producer, entrepreneur but most of all, a great man. I have the great privilege and great pride to recognize the greatest exponent of Mexican music. The man I most admire and love the most, he’s the artist that has represented Mexico in the best way. My father, my hero, Pepe Aguilar.”
An emotional Pepe Aguilar took the stage, humbled by his daughter’s words. “Thank you so much,” he began the speech. “I accept this but I don’t feel like I personally deserve this because all I’ve done in life is to follow my heart and my passion, and that is Mexican music. Honestly, if it’s legacy or not, one thing I will say is that, God willing, I will continue to do what my heart tells me to do, and my heart tells me to respect my traditions, to move forward with Mexican music — which is mariachi, banda, norteña. And that’s the legacy, more than a person, it’s the energy that represents regional Mexican music. Y viva México!“
His tribute continued with a special medley by Banda El Recodo, Carin Leon and Rubén Blades, who sang some of Aguilar’s most well-known songs including. Leon gave “Perdóname” the norteño treatment, El Recodo got everyone dancing with the Sinaloa banda version of “Son Las Dos de la Mañana” and Blades gave “Por Mujeres Como Tú” a salsa twist. One of the best performances of the night that, deservingly, got a standing ovation.
Nominations for the 2023 awards — based on streaming, sales, radio airplay, tours and even social media interactions data provided by Billboard and Luminate during the eligibility period (Feb. 12, 2022, through Feb. 4, 2023) — are led by Bad Bunny with 11 nominations. He’s followed by Becky G and Daddy Yankee, each with nine nominations. For the first time since its debut on Oct. 8, 2015, the ceremony — which is taking place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas — will be broadcast live simultaneously on Univision, UNIMÁS, and Galavisión.
Get tickets to the first-ever #BBMujeresLatinas on May 6 in Miami: billboardmujeresenlamusica.com
Spanish flamenco-pop star David Bisbal was honored with the Pioneer Award at the 2023 Latin American Music Awards, which took place Thursday, April 20 live from Las Vegas.
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Celebrating 20 years in music, Bisbal was praised by his good friend, and fellow superstar Olga Tañón, who presented him with the special award. “David, it’s incredible all you’ve achieved in 20 years,” she told him. “You brought flamenco to my home and you continue to making our lives more joyful.”
A visibly emotional Bisbal, took the stage to thank his fans, his family and the Latin AMAs for the recognition. “Madre mía de mi vida. I fell in love with Latin music 20 years ago thanks to great colleagues like Ricky Martin, Chayanne and Juan Luis Guerra. That allowed me to really fall in love with Latin music. When I had the chance to record my first album, I decided to fuse it with my roots, my flag. To date, I haven’t stopped. And you know what? I’m ready for the next 20 years. Vamos!”
Then came his performance, which kicked off with his new track “Ajedrez,” and later transitioned into musical tribute with Tañón and Ángela Aguilar leading the set. The former performing Bisbal’s “Bulería” flamenco-fused pop anthem. Aguilar then took the stage to sing “Ave María,” his hit song from 2003.
Nominations for the 2023 awards — based on streaming, sales, radio airplay, tours and even social media interactions data provided by Billboard and Luminate during the eligibility period (Feb. 12, 2022, through Feb. 4, 2023) — are led by Bad Bunny with 11 nominations. He’s followed by Becky G and Daddy Yankee, each with nine nominations. For the first time since its debut on Oct. 8, 2015, the ceremony — which is taking place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas — will be broadcast live simultaneously on Univision, UNIMÁS, and Galavisión.
Get tickets to the first-ever #BBMujeresLatinas on May 6 in Miami: billboardmujeresenlamusica.com
Puerto Rican stars Wisin and Anuel AA literally brought the heat to the 2023 Latin American Music Awards on Thursday night (April 20).
Surrounded by cage-like structures that were lit on fire, the reggaetoneros joined forces for their new collaboration “Mi Exxx” — a breakup song, produced by Los Legendarios, which finds both men singing about a possible reunion with an ex, even if it is for one last time.
“Collaborating with Anuel is always an honor for me, he is one of the most respected artists in the genre and being able to create good music with him is always nice because I know that people will receive it and support it as they always do with our songs,” Wisin said about the collaboration in a statement. “This song is designed for people to listen to it, dedicate it, sing it and even dance to it. By creating it we kept our essence and I know that is one that people will enjoy.”
During the awards show, Wisin also performed “Tu Recuerdo” alongside Emilia Mernes and Lyanno.
Nominations for the 2023 awards — based on streaming, sales, radio airplay, tours and social media interactions data provided by Billboard and Luminate during the eligibility period (Feb. 12, 2022, through Feb. 4, 2023) — are led by Bad Bunny with 11 nominations. He’s followed by Becky G and Daddy Yankee, each with nine nominations. For the first time since its debut on Oct. 8, 2015, the ceremony — which is taking place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas — will be broadcast live simultaneously on Univision, UNIMÁS, and Galavisión.
Get tickets to the first-ever #BBMujeresLatinas on May 6 in Miami: billboardmujeresenlamusica.com
Before kicking off the live broadcast of the eighth edition of the Latin American Music Awards on Thursday night (April 20), stars such as Becky G, Anuel AA, David Bisbal, Chiquis and Pepe Aguilar walked the red carpet.
Outside the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Becky G — who will perform “Chanel” alongside Peso Pluma at Thursday’s Latin AMAs — strutted the carpet in a bedazzled little black dress that she styled with a long and dramatic black cape. Meanwhile, Chiquis was pretty in pink and looking very glamorous with a short pink dress with puffy sleeves.
Up-and-comers Peso Pluma and Yahritza y Su Esencia opted for a more casual and youthful look, wearing cargo pants or slacks paired with blazers or a simple button-down shirt. Mexican music titan Pepe Aguilar, who is being honored with one of the Legacy Awards, walked down the red carpet with his beloved Gordo, El Pug.
Nominations for the 2023 awards — based on streaming, sales, radio airplay, tours and social media interactions data provided by Billboard and Luminate during the eligibility period (Feb. 12, 2022, through Feb. 4, 2023) — are led by Bad Bunny with 11 nominations. He’s followed by Becky G and Daddy Yankee, each with nine nominations. For the first time since its debut on Oct. 8, 2015, the ceremony — which is taking place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas — will be broadcast live simultaneously on Univision, UNIMÁS and Galavisión.
Get tickets to the first-ever #BBMujeresLatinas on May 6 in Miami: billboardmujeresenlamusica.com
Peso Pluma
Image Credit: ROBYN BECK/AFP via GI
Peso Pluma arrives for the 8th annual Latin American Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, on April 20, 2023.
Lele Pons & Guaynaa
Image Credit: Denise Truscello/WireImage
Lele Pons and Guaynaa attend the 2023 Latin American Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 20, 2023 in Las Vegas.
Anuel AA
Image Credit: ROBYN BECK/AFP via GI
Anuel AA arrives for the 8th annual Latin American Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on April 20, 2023.
Steve Aoki
Image Credit: ROBYN BECK/AFP via GI
Steve Aoki arrives for the 8th annual Latin American Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on April 20, 2023.
Ivan Cornejo
Image Credit: Denise Truscello/WireImage
Ivan Cornejo attends the 2023 Latin American Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 20, 2023 in Las Vegas.
Chiquis
Image Credit: Ethan Miller/GI
Chiquis Rivera attends the 2023 Latin American Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 20, 2023 in Las Vegas.
Justin Quiles
Image Credit: Ethan Miller/GI
Justin Quiles attends the 2023 Latin American Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 20, 2023 in Las Vegas.
Grupo Frontera
Image Credit: ROBYN BECK/AFP via GI
Grupo Frontera arrives for the 8th annual Latin American Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on April 20, 2023.
Jesse & Joy
Image Credit: ROBYN BECK/AFP via GI
Jesse & Joy arrive for the 8th annual Latin American Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on April 20, 2023.
Prince Royce
Image Credit: ROBYN BECK/AFP via GI
Prince Royce arrives for the 8th annual Latin American Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on April 20, 2023.
Yahritza y Su Esencia
Image Credit: ROBYN BECK/AFP via GI
Yahritza y Su Esencia arrives for the 8th annual Latin American Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on April 20, 2023.
Bad Gyal
Image Credit: ROBYN BECK/AFP via GI
Bad Gyal arrives for the 8th annual Latin American Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on April 20, 2023.
Eslabon Armado
Image Credit: Ethan Miller/GI
Damian Pacheco, Brian Tovar, Pedro Tovar and Ulises Gonzalez of Eslabon Armado attend the 2023 Latin American Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 20, 2023 in Las Vegas.
Pepe Aguilar
Image Credit: ROBYN BECK/AFP via GI
Pepe Aguilar arrives for the 8th annual Latin American Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on April 20, 2023.
Myke Towers
Image Credit: Denise Truscello/WireImage
Myke Towers attends the 2023 Latin American Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 20, 2023 in Las Vegas.
Becky G
Image Credit: Ethan Miller/GI
Becky G attends the 2023 Latin American Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 20, 2023 in Las Vegas.
Carlos Vives
Image Credit: ROBYN BECK/AFP via GI
Carlos Vives arrives for the 8th annual Latin American Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on April 20, 2023.
David Bisbal
Image Credit: Denise Truscello/WireImage
David Bisbal attends the 2023 Latin American Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 20, 2023 in Las Vegas.
Angela Aguilar
Image Credit: ROBYN BECK/AFP via GI
Angela Aguilar arrives for the 8th annual Latin American Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on April 20, 2023.
JLuna
Image Credit: Ethan Miller/GI
JLuna attends the 2023 Latin American Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 20, 2023 in Las Vegas.
Banda Renovación
Image Credit: ROBYN BECK/AFP via GI
Banda Renovación arrive for the 8th annual Latin American Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on April 20, 2023.
Banda El Recodo
Image Credit: ROBYN BECK/AFP via GI
Banda El Recodo arrives for the 8th annual Latin American Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on April 20, 2023.
Mar Solís
Image Credit: Denise Truscello/WireImage
Mar Solís attends the 2023 Latin American Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 20, 2023 in Las Vegas.
It’s the day of show for the 2023 Latin American Music Awards, which is being broadcast live on Univision Network for the first time.
This year, Bad Bunny leads the list of nominees with 11 nods, including artist of the year, song of the year and album of the year. The Puerto Rican star is followed by Becky G and Daddy Yankee, each with nine nominations; and with eight nods each are Grupo Frontera, Karol G, Rauw Alejandro, Romeo Santos and Rosalía.
The show will feature over 30 performances and will honor Carlos Vives, David Bisbal, Pepe Aguilar and Prince Royce with special awards throughout the night.
The winners of the Latin AMAs are voted for by fans. This year’s nominations are based on streaming, sales, radio airplay, tours and social media interactions data provided by Billboard and Luminate during the eligibility period (Feb. 12, 2022, through Feb. 4, 2023).
Below, the winners of the night (so far):
Song of the Year
“Bebe dame” – Fueza Regida & Grupo Frontera“Despechá” – Rosalía“Dos oruguitas” – Sebastián Yatra“Está dañada” – Ivan Cornejo“La bachata” – Manuel Turizo“MAMIII” – Becky G & Karol G — WINNER“Me porto bonito” – Bad Bunny & Chencho Corleone“Quevedo: BZRP Music Sessions, Vol. 52” – Bizarrap & Quevedo“Sus huellas” – Romeo Santos“Te felicito” – Shakira & Rauw Alejandro
Collaboration of the Year
“Bebe dame” – Fueza Regida & Grupo Frontera“El incomprendido” – Farruko, Víctor Cárdenas & DJ Adoni“MAMIII” – Becky G & Karol G — WINNER“Mayor que usted” – Natti Natasha, Daddy Yankee & Wisin y Yandel“Me porto bonito” – Bad Bunny & Chencho Corleone“Medallo” – Blessd, Justin Quiles & Lenny Tavárez“Que vuelvas” – Carin León & Grupo Frontera“Quevedo: BZRP Music Sessions, Vol. 52” – Bizarrap & Quevedo“Te espero” – Prince Royce & Maria Becerra“Te felicito” – Shakira & Rauw Alejandro
Best Duo or Group – Pop
Jesse & Joy — WINNERLos Enanitos VerdesManáMau y RickyReik
Best Duo or Group – Regional Mexican
Banda Los RecoditosBanda MS de Sergio LizárragaCalibre 50Eslabón ArmadoFuerza RegidaGrupo Firme — WINNERGrupo FronteraIntocableLos Ángeles AzulesYahritza y Su Esencia
New Artist of the Year
Bizarrap — WINNERBlessdEdén MuñozGrupo FronteraLos LaraLuis FigueroaLuis R ConriquezQuevedoSanta Fe KlanYahritza y Su Esencia
Best Collaboration – Regional Mexican
“Billete grande (En vivo)” – Fuerza Regida & Edgardo Nuñez“Brindo” – Mario Bautista & Banda El Recodo“Calidad” – Grupo Firme & Luis Mexia“Con un botecito a pecho” – Adriel Favela & Carin León“Hay que hacer dinero” – Banda MS de Sergio Lizárraga & Edén Muñoz“Jugaste y sufrí” – Eslabón Armado & DannyLux“Que vuelvas” – Carin León & Grupo Frontera“Se acabó (En vivo)” – Lenin Ramírez, Fuerza Regida & Banda Renovación“Si ya hiciste el mal” – Luis R Conriquez & Jessi Uribe“Ya acabó” – Marca MP & Becky G — WINNER
Best Collaboration – Tropical
“Baloncito viejo” – Carolos Vives & Camilo“El pañuelo” – Romeo Santos & Rosalía“Monotonía” – Shakira & Ozuna — WINNER“Soy yo” – Don Omar, Wisin & Gente de Zona“Te espero” – Prince Royce & Maria Becerra
Best Crossover Artist
DJ KhaledDJ SnakeEd SheeranFatman ScoopGimsJustin TimberlakeLil JonMegan Thee StallionMr. VegasThe Weeknd — WINNER
Best Artist – Pop
AnittaBecky GCamiloEnrique IglesiasKali UchisLuis FonsiRicky MartinRosalíaSebastián YatraShakira – WINNER
Best Artist – Tropical
Carlos VivesMarc AnthonyPrince RoyceRomeo Santos — WINNERVíctor Manuelle
Artist of the Year
Bad BunnyBecky GDaddy YankeeEslabón ArmadoFarrukoIvan CornejoKarol GRauw AlejandroRomeo SantosRosalía
Album of the Year
Ahora Me Da Pena EP – Buena Vista Social ClubDañado – Ivan CornejoEsquemas – Becky GFórmula, Vol. 3 – Romeo SantosJose – J BalvinLa 167 – FarrukoLegendaddy – Daddy YankeeMotomami – RosalíaNostalgia – Eslabón ArmadoUn Verano Sin Ti – Bad Bunny — WINNER
Collaboration Crossover of the Year
“Arhbo (Music from the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Official Soundtrack)” – Ozuna, Gims,Redone & FIFA Sound“Borracho” – Sech & DJ Khaled“La fama” – Rosalía & The Weeknd — WINNER“Sigue” – J Balvin & Ed Sheeran“Sin fin” – Romeo Santos & Justin Timberlake
Streaming Artist of the Year
Bad BunnyChencho CorleoneGrupo FronteraIvan CornejoKarol G
Tour of the Year
Enfiestados y Amanecidos Tour – Grupo FirmeLa Última Vuelta World Tour – Daddy YankeePapi Juancho World Tour – Maluma$trip Love Tour – Karol GWorld’s Hottest Tour – Bad Bunny
Best Album – Pop
@dannocean – Danny OceanDe Adentro Pa Afuera – CamiloDharma – Sebastián YatraEsquemas – Becky GMotomami – Rosalía — WINNER
Best Song – Pop
“Bailé con mi ex” – Becky G“Junio” – Maluma“Provenza” – Karol G“Tacones rojos” – Sebastián Yatra“Te amo y punto” – Chayanne
Best Artist – Urban
Anuel AABad BunnyDaddy YankeeFarrukoJ BalvinJhaycoKarol GNatti NatashaOzunaRauw Alejandro
Best Album – Urban
Jose – J BalvinLa 167 – FarrukoLegendaddy – Daddy YankeeSaturno – Rauw AlejandroUn Verano Sin Ti – Bad Bunny — WINNER
Best Song – Urban
“Desesperados” – Rauw Alejandro & Chencho Corleone“Envolver” – Anitta“Remix” – Daddy Yankee“Sensual bebé” – Jhayco“Tití me preguntó” – Bad Bunny
Best Collaboration – Pop/Urban
“Buenos días” – Wisin, Camilo & Los Legendarios“El incomprendido” – Farruko, Víctor Cárdenas & DJ Adoni“Hot” – Daddy Yankee & Pitbull“MAMIII” – Becky G & Karol G“Mayor que usted” – Natti Natasha, Daddy Yankee & Wisin y Yandel“Me porto bonito” – Bad Bunny & Chencho Corleone“Medallo” – Blessd, Justin Quiles & Lenny Tavárez“Punto 40” – Rauw Alejandro & Baby Rasta“Quevedo: BZRP Music Sessions, Vol. 52” – Bizarrap & Quevedo“Te felicito” – Shakira & Rauw Alejandro
Best Artist – Regional Mexican
Ángela AguilarCarin LeónChiquisChristian NodalEdén MuñozGerardo OrtizIvan CornejoJunior H — WINNERLuis R ConriquezPepe Aguilar
Best Album – Regional Mexican
Dañado – Ivan CornejoDel Barrio Hasta Aquí, Vol. 2 – Fuerza RegidaMi Vida En Un Cigarro 2 – Junior H — WINNERNostalgia – Eslabón ArmadoObsessed Deluxe – Yahritza y Su Esencia
Best Song – Regional Mexican
“Chale” – Edén Muñoz“La boda del huitlacoche (Live)” – Carin León“No se va (En vivo)” – Grupo Frontera“Que te vaya bien” – Julión Álvarez y su Norteño Banda“Si me duele que duela” – Intocable
Best Album – Tropical
Ahora Me Da Pena EP – Buena Vista Social ClubCumbiana II – Carlos VivesFórmula, Vol. 3 – Romeo SantosPa’lla Voy – Marc AnthonyThe Ultimate Bachata Collection – Héctor Acosta “El Torito”
Best Song – Tropical
“Despechá” – Rosalía“Después de la playa” – Bad Bunny“La bachata” – Manuel Turizo“Pegao” – Camilo“Sus huellas” – Romeo Santos
More Spanish-language artists were featured last year at Coachella compared to this year. In 2022, over 20 Latin acts were on the lineup — the most ever featured at the festival — while this year’s number just cracked double digit. But those that were featured at the 2023 fest — including headliner Bad Bunny, Becky G, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, Conexión Divina and DannyLux — performed enthralling, history-making sets during weekend one of the festival, and are set to do it all over again next weekend (April 21-23) in Indio, Calif.
Just days after the RIAA revealed that Latin music revenues in the United States had hit an all-time high last year, exceeding the $1 billion mark, global superstar Bad Bunny, who has massively contributed to the continuous growth of the genre, made history at Coachella on Friday (Apr. 14), becoming the first Latin act to close out the festival’s main stage. “Latinos have been rompiéndola (killing it) for some time now,” the Puerto Rican hitmaker said during his nearly two-hour show. “It’s the first time a Benito closes the festival. It may be the first time, but perhaps not the last time.”
That same day, just hours before Bad Bunny made history, Becky G rocked the main stage and paid tribute to her Mexican roots, spotlighting regional Mexican Music and its new generations of artists, which included special guests Marca MP, Jesús Ortiz Paz of Fuerza Regida and Peso Pluma.
Billboard tried to catch as many performances by Latin or Spanish-language artists as possible throughout the weekend. Here are some memorable moments from a few of those sets.
DannyLux
“My family and I are still processing what happened this weekend,” DannyLux tells Billboard after making his Coachella debut on Friday (April 14). His show at the desert festival was a homecoming for the Mexican-American sierreño act, who grew up in the Coachella Valley area. In fact, the entire town, and his family in particular, showed up and expressed their support for the 19-year-old singer-songwriter. For DannyLux’s father, who was a sanitation worker and picked up the trash after the festival year after year, going to the festival this year was special. A billboard in the valley that read a special message from his father to Danny went viral. “My last time at Coachella I was picking up the trash. Now I’m back to see my son perform this Friday. Te amo DannyLux, Tu Papá.”
“Me and my parents pray right before going up, and we just gave thanks for everything,” Danny says. During his set at the Sonora tent, which was fully packed up with people squeezing in to get in and see him play, Danny performed songs like “Jugaste y Sufrí,” “Junto a Ti,” “Mi Otra Mitad” and he covered Feid’s “Ferxxo 100.”
“It was crazy seeing all those people because when you’re behind the stage before the show, you can’t really see how many people are out there,” Danny says. “When I saw all those people, it was a beautiful moment.”
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Becky G
Image Credit: Emma McIntyre/GI for Coachella
A native Californian, Becky G stunned with her star-studded, unforgettable show that was packed with hits, surprise guests and Latin pride. “What’s up Coachella?” she asked a sea of festival-goers, who had stationed themselves at the main stage for her 45-minute set after immediately being hooked with her reggaeton banger “Mayores.” “You’re looking mighty beautiful from up here,” she briefly said after performing her first song. “I’m so happy to be here with you guys today.”
Known for being a true team player and someone who wants to empower fellow artists, Becky G came to Coachella with some of her friends. “I couldn’t come to Coachella and not share the stage. Who else did we invite to the carne asada (cookout)?” she asked her DJ. She then went on to explain how she has been working on her first Mexican music album and how beautiful the process has been. To honor her Mexican roots at Coachella, she brought out regional Mexican heavy-hitters Marca MP, Fuerza Regida’s Jesús Ortiz Paz and Peso Pluma. Natti Natasha also made her way to the desert to sing “Sin Pijama” with Becky.
Bad Bunny
A lot went down during Bad Bunny’s nearly two-hour headlining set — even a mid-show marriage proposal in the crowd — where he made history as the first Spanish-language artist to close out the main stage. The set kicked off a with a pre-recorded video of the Puerto Rican hitmaker saying how grateful he felt to be the first Benito to ever headline the fest. “It’s incredible to see the list of all the other artists that have performed on this stage. So many of them, but no one like me,” he said.
He then opened with back-to-back Un Verano Sin Ti hits, “Titi Me Preguntó” and “Moscow Mule.” Supported by eye-popping visuals and his troupe of dancers, it seemed like Bad Bunny could keep performing forever, continuously asking fans, “Le seguimos? (Do we keep going?)”
As for special guests, Bunny had a few surprises in store. He brought out OG reggaetoneros Jowell & Randy and Ñengo Flow for “Safaera” and frequent collaborator Jhayco for “Dákiti.” But perhaps the most unexpected guest was Post Malone, who, with guitar in hand, sat next to Bunny to play “La Canción” and “Yonaguni” from a stage in the middle of the crowd. But what could have been en epic moment was unfortunately plagued by audio issues, and fans never even got to hear Post play. “Something happened to a cabrón cable,” Bunny said as an apology to his fans and, of course, Post. But Bunny was quick to move on from the technical difficulties and just kept going and going, saving “Callaíta,” “Me Porto Bonito” and “Después de la Playa” until the very end to close with a bang as fireworks fittingly lit up the sky.
Rosalía
Image Credit: Frazer Harrison/GI for Coachella
Rosalía is on a winning streak, and her performance at Coachella was no exception. Perhaps one of the best performances overall during the festival’s first weekend, the Spanish star’s set was hypnotizing, emotional and a literal piece of art. “Buenas noches, Coachella? I feel very happy to see you all here today,” said Rosalía, who was accompanied by a troupe of fierce dancers. “You fill my heart with your presence. I come from Barcelona, that’s why this stage is so special. It’s because of you that I’m here.”
Rosalía brought her Motomami Tour concept to the desert, built upon a minimalistic white canvas with multiple cameras live feeding content from multiple angles. The tracklist spanned her albums El Mal Querer and Motomami, including hits like “Saoko,” “Bizcochito,” and “La Fama.” Then, she brought out a special guest. Her fiancé Rauw Alejandro joined her on stage to perform “Beso” and “Vampiros” off their recently-released joint EP. “How many of you have already listened to RR,” the Spanish star asked the crowd. “Four years ago, I came to Coachella, and I came alone. Not this time around.” A few seconds later, the Puerto Rican hitmaker joined his lover onstage where they sang, kissed and twerked.
Eladio Carrión
Bad Bunny wasn’t the only one repping for Puerto Rico at Coachella. Rapper and singer Eladio Carrión also performed in front of a packed room on Saturday at the Gobi tent, making his debut at the desert. “It’s my first time at Coachella,” the hitmaker told those that had trekked to see him performed, “so it’s a historic day for me.”
He then powered through hard-hitting songs like “Flores En Anónimo,” “Sin Frenos,” “Al Capone” and of course the new fan favorite “Coco Chanel,” off his new set 3MEN2 KBRN. At one point, fans thought Bad Bunny could show up to join Eladio for their new collab but he did not. Either way, Eladio shined at Coachella, and is a must-see if you’re heading out for the second week of the festival.
Conexión Divina
Image Credit: Edgar Gomez
Regional Mexican trio Conexión Divina made their Coachella debut on Sunday (Apr. 16), and the all-women sierreño ensemble caught up with Billboard post-performance to talk about a moment that they thought would come much later during in their careers.
“There aren’t a lot of artists that get to say that performed at Coachella less than a year after launching their project,” Liz tells Billboard. The group — who released their debut album, Tres Mundos, on Friday (Apr. 14) — took time before stepping onstage at the Sonora stage to talk about what this meant to each of them, and how they wouldn’t get their hopes up if “no one showed up.” “We were trying to be relaxed,” says Ashlee. “We said that this was just another session in our room and to not even think about how many people showed up. We didn’t want to have expectations.” Adds third member Sandra, “Everyone gets here till later at night and we thought, 1 p.m., there’s going to be no one there.” Safe to say, they packed the room and serenaded fans with music from the recently released set.
Los Fabulosos Cadillacs
It wouldn’t be Coachella without a proper Latin rock moment, and who better to deliver that than the iconic Argentine band Los Fabulosos Cadillacs? Even after a last-minute change on their set — they were moved up on the schedule and to a different stage — a significant crowd gathered to show the band support and rock out to songs like “Matador,” “Mal Bicho” “El León,” “Vacos Vacíos” and “Satanico.”
After their allotted 45 minutes on stage, the band said their goodbyes, but the fans weren’t ready to let them go just yet. After wrapping with “Satánico,” fans began chanting “otra, otra” asking them to sing another song. “We’re asking if it’s possible to sing another song,” frontman Vicentico told the crowd. And so they did: they performed one last song to please the fans that made it to the festival earlier to catch them, only fair after the last-minute shift.
Kali Uchis
Image Credit: Frazer Harrison/GI for Coachella
Kali Uchis delivered an epic performance on Sunday that featured back-to-back surprise guests. The Colombian-American artist started off strong performing her bilingual hit “Telepatía,” which earned the singer-songwriter her first leader on Billboard‘s Hot Latin Songs chart in 2021. Wearing a two-piece denim piece (bustier and shirt) with matching boots, Kali introduced her first guest, none other than Tyler, the Creator, to sing their duet “See You Again.” She then brought out Omar Apollo to perform “Worth the Wait.” For her last guest, Uchis invited rapper (and her significant other) Don Toliver for “Fantasy.”
“Are you guys hot?” she asked the crowd after Toliver left the stage. Things were only about to get hotter when she performed OG reggaeton anthems “Rica y Apretadita” by El General and Don Omar’s “Salvaje.” Recently, Uchis dropped her new album, Red Moon in Venus, which earned her her first top 10 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. During her set, she teased that she’s about to drop a Latin album next.
Coachella quickly became Motochella when Rosalía set foot on the festival’s main stage on Saturday (April 15).
The Motomamis and Motopapis assembled when they heard motorcycle engines roar. It only meant one thing: Rosalía was close to arrival. Wearing a black and white helmet, black leather pants, and a flowy pink robe over a black bra, Rosalía took the spotlight for her highly-anticipated performance on day two of the three-day event.
“Buenas noches, Coachella? I feel very happy to see you all here today,” said Rosalía, who was accompanied by a troupe of fierce dancers. “You fill my heart with your presence. I come from Barcelona, that’s why this stage is so special. It’s because of you that I’m here.”
For the special set, Rosalía brought her Motomami Tour concept to the desert, built upon a minimalistic white canvas with multiple cameras live feeding content from multiple angles. The tracklist spanned her albums El Mal Querer and Motomami, including hits like “Saoko,” “Bizcochito,” and “La Fama.” For the lattermost, she hopped off stage with a hand-held camera in selfie mode to capture the crowd taking turns on the mic.
“Are there many Motomamis here tonight? I see you all,” she declared soon after. She went on to sing “La Noche de Anoche,” “Despechá,” “Hentai,” “Motomami,” and “Candy” before unveiling her big surprise of the night.
“How many of you have already listened to RR,” the Spanish star asked the crowd. “Four years ago I came to Coachella — and I came alone. Not this time around.” Seconds later, her fiancé (and superstar in his own right) Rauw Alejandro joined Rosalía onstage where they oozed love. “Qué dice Coachella? Where’s my Latin people?” the Puerto Rican hitmaker asked the crowd.
The couple, who announced their engagement last month, performed “Beso” and “Vampiros” off RR, the joint EP they dropped March 24. After singing, kissing and a little perrero, they both stepped off the stage and shared a sweet kiss before going their separate ways. Rosalía made her way back to the white canvas for her last few songs., including an emotional cover of Enrique Iglesias’ “Héroe,” as well as “Chicken Teriyaki,” and “CUUUUuuuuuute.”
Coachella is part of Rosalía’s 20-date festival tour, which kicked off at Lollapalooza Argentina on March 17. It follows her Motomami world tour, which grossed $33.7 million and sold 443,000 tickets worldwide, landing her at No. 7 on the year-end Top Latin Tours list, according to Billboard Boxscore.
Get tickets to the first-ever #BBMujeresLatinas on May 6 in Miami: billboardmujeresenlamusica.com
Becky G’s debut as a billed Coachella act was a long time coming, but good things come to those who wait. While the Mexican-American artist was at Coachella last year, when she joined Karol G to sing their hit song “MAMIII,” Becky G hadn’t had a solo performance at the festival.
“What’s up Coachella?” she asked a sea of festival-goers who had stationed themselves at the main stage for her 45-minute set after immediately being hooked with her reggaeton banger “Mayores.” “You’re looking mighty beautiful from up here,” she briefly said after performing her first song. “I’m so happy to be here with you guys today.”
Becky was a woman of a few words and let her music do the speaking instead. With a Luis Barragán-inspired set as her background, she stepped out in a dark blue denim three-piece and white sneakers to perform “Fulanito,” “Cuando Te Besé” and “Bailé Con Mi Ex” back-to-back before transitioning into a special segment that paid tribute to her Mexican roots.
“México en la casa! I’ve been working on my regional project and it’s been so beautiful,” she expressed. “I’m proud to be Mexican-American. And I couldn’t come to Coachella and not share the stage. Who else did we invite to the carne asada (cookout)?” she asked her DJ.
With a tuba in tow, Marca MP joined Becky — who wore a tejana for this part of her set — to sing “Ya Acabó.” But that was just the first artist of a parade of acts who joined the star. Following MP, Jesús Ortiz Paz of Fuerza Regida took her side to sing “Te Quiero Besar.” Paz stayed to sing Becky’s “favorite” song of his, the cumbia-powered “Bebe Dame.”
The third surprise guest was an artist who is relatively new to performing in front of crowd, let alone a festival of this magnitude, but fans went crazy when corridos up-and-comer Peso Pluma appeared on stage to sing his collab w Becky, “Chanel.” The surprise guests didn’t end there. Becky, who by this point had changed into a sparkly blue mini-dress, brought out bestie Natti Natasha to sing their girl-power track “Sin Pijama.” The two shared a friendly kiss with Becky after singing together.
To close her set with a bang, Becky sang her Karol G-assisted “MAMIII,” which she ended with the iconic wailing part of “Killing Me Softly.” And to end with a trip down memory lane, she performed her first hit single “Shower.” “Let me take this in for a second,” she said before leaving the stage. “It has truly been an honor.”
Get tickets to the first-ever #BBMujeresLatinas on May 6 in Miami: billboardmujeresenlamusica.com
Bad Bunny first performed at Coachella in 2019, a then-emerging reggaeton and trap artist. On Friday (April 14), the Puerto Rican hitmaker returned to the desert as a global superstar to make history as the first Spanish-language artist to ever headline the festival.
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“Latinos have been rompiéndola (killing it) for some time now,” he said with pride. “I just did a tour last year that I never imagined I’d be able to do. I’ve been out for some time but [I’m back] and it feels cabrón to be here tonight and that you’re all here with me.”
The past four years have been pivotal for the Grammy-winning artist, who has redefined what it means to be a Latin artist today with two No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 (including his latest Un Verano Sin Ti) and a record-breaking tour.
So, when he took the stage at exactly 11:35 p.m., he was received as the icon that he is. A roaring crowd went crazy when Bad Bunny, who wore a colorful puffer jacket and chunky diamond necklaces, appeared on top of a rectangular box. His two-hour show — one of the longer Coachella headlining sets in recent memory — included special guests such as Jhayco, Jowell & Randy and Ñengo Flow, plus Post Malone (who’s appearance was overshadowed by mic issues). The set also, most notably, featured a passionate speech by Bunny who assured his zealous fans that, “People think they know the lives of famous people — but they don’t.”
Here’s what went down during Bad Bunny’s history-making performance.
He Expressed His Gratitude
Before Bad Bunny sang literally all the hits, those in attendance heard a pre-recorded video of the Grammy-winning artist expressing the significance of this moment. “The sun and the moon have witnessed epic moments, magical nights. Artists have found their purpose, their inspiration, the answer to all their questions, that perhaps weren’t questions in the first place. Here, history has been made thousands of times. My head is spinning. It’s incredible to see the list of all the other artists that have performed on this stage. So many of them, but no one like me,” he said entirely in Spanish. “It’s the first time a Benito closes the festival. It may be the first time, but perhaps not the last time.”
He Performed All The Hits
Guessing which song Bad Bunny would start with was no easy task. Surprisingly, he kicked off with “Me Porto Bonito” — a bold move to some as the banger could just have easily closed his set .”Coachella, quieres perreo? Before I keep going with my show, what do you prefer? Me talking in English or español? You decide.” The unanimous decision was, of course, español. And once he resumed, it was almost like he didn’t want to stop. The first half of the show featured a stacked setlist including hits from albums released since he was last at Coachella: “Moscow Mule,” “Neverita,” “Si Veo A Tu Mamá,” “La Difícil,” “La Santa,” “Estamos Bien” and “Te Boté,” among other anthems.
He Set the Record Straight
Mid-set, Bad Bunny took a moment to make one thing very clear: “Humbly speaking, people think they know the lives of famous people but they don’t,” he said categorically. “They don’t know what we feel, what we live through. They will never know what a heart can feel. Don’t believe everything you hear. You won’t get to know the real me through a video on Instagram, an interview or a TikTok. If you really want to get to know me, I invite you to my home. My name is Benito Martinez Ocasio,” he stated. “I’ve met good people, I’ve met bad people. You learn from both. I know who I am, what my purpose is and I promise you I will see it through. Don’t worry about me, I’m ok.”
He also addressed a quote of his from a recent interview he gave, in which he said he didn’t feel strongly about the lyrics to one of his songs. “I don’t regret anything. I don’t even regret my errors because you learn from your mistakes. The last thing I’d regret is writing this song,” referring to was “El Apagón,” which he performed right after this heartfelt speech.
He Welcomed Both Expected and Unexpected Guests
Bad Bunny would have had no problem filling 120 minutes on his own. But the more the merrier. The chart-topping artist brought out OG reggaetoneros Jowell & Randy and Ñengo Flow to perform the perreo anthem “Safaera” from Bunny’s 2020 set YHLQMDLG. It’s safe to say that his next guest was the least expected; as Bad Bunny made his way to another part of the stage out in the middle of the crowd, he was joined by Post Malone who played guitar renditions of “La Canción” and “Yonaguni.” But after a few tries, his mic never cooperated and Bad Bunny ended up singing the two songs a cappella (he even briefly tried holding a second microphone to the then unplugged guitar). “Something happened to el cabrón cable,” he said visibly upset.
But technical difficulties didn’t stop him from continuing his show. Instead, he jumped on a jet ski as frequent collaborator Jhayco rode one beside him to perform their euphoric duet “Dákiti.” And yet, there was still more. Bunny ended the set back on the main stage — and on his own, performing hits “Callaíta,” “Me Porto Bonito” and “Después de la Playa” as a final lengthy round of fireworks exploded behind him.
Get tickets to the first-ever #BBMujeresLatinas on May 6 in Miami: billboardmujeresenlamusica.com