Billboard In Conversation
Ahead of his performance at the palenque during the San Marcos Fair, Billboard cover star Carín León reflects on his pride in being Mexican, the significance of palenques to him, and his career trajectory — starting in a band and transitioning to a solo artist.
He also discusses collaborating with C. Tangana, how “The One” with Kane Brown came to life, the country musicians he’s working with on his new album, his acceptance within the country music community, and his collaborations with Maluma, Alejandro Fernández and more.
Leila Cobo:
Carín!
Carín León:
Hi!
Welcome to my hacienda in Aguascalientes.
Thank you, thank you for the invitation. I’m so happy to be here.
Aguascalientes is — for those who don’t know — we’re here because tonight you’re going to perform at el palenque at the fair in San Marcos.
That’s right.
So what is the San Marcos fair?
The best Mexican music and Latin music is presented, too. So, it’s a huge party that I think, as you noticed yesterday, it’s a big party. The experience is worth living once in a lifetime.
And it’s music, music, music, and more music?
Music, shots, food. A lot of Mexico in one month. Too much Mexico that can cause havoc.
So this is an experience that is natively Mexican?
It’s the most Mexican, I think, that you can see in music, a palenque. I always tell people, “You have to see your artist at a palenque to understand what the experience is to take it all the way.” And the artists, too, appreciate the format of the palenque, we love it. The majority of my colleagues love it because you have all the people super close.
Like on top of each other.
Yes.
So, you’re there on stage, and I’m at this distance here.
Yes, easily. You can just be there with the people and drink some shots, it’s beautiful, it’s a communion of public that’s really interesting compared to shows at tours.
Completely. I’m going to show you my gardens.
It’s really beautiful, honestly.
Right?
Keep watching for more!
Manuel Turizo invites us to his house to share an exclusive interview on his 201 Tour, his friendship with Shakira after their “Copa Vacía” collab, his collaboration with Xavi on “En Privado” reaching No. 1 on the Latin Airplay chart, teases his new music, how “QUE HACES” with Becky G came to life and more.
What’s your favorite song from Manuel Turizo? Let us know in the comments!
Manuel Turizo:
Hello! Billboard, welcome to my house. Good evening!
Jessica Roiz:
Hi Manuel, thank you.
I’m just letting you guys know I’m sorry for the mess, today we are on set, so it’s a mess in there, but enter. Welcome.
Manuel, thank you for having us in your beautiful home in Miami.
Welcome, welcome.
It seems like a dream that I’m sitting here on a sofa in the living room of Manuel Turizo. If I knew I would’ve brought my bikini because when I entered I saw the big pool.
You could’ve gone in the pool-
And we could’ve done this interview in the pool.
Even though it’s not daytime, but it doesn’t matter, whatever you want.
Manuel, we are at the point of almost going on tour. You are going to be in Latin America and the United States for the rest of the year. What do you miss the most from your house when you are on the road?
What I miss the most… I think that no one sleeps that good unless it’s in their own bed. That’s another level, that’s something else, but honestly the ambiance of the house. The ambiance of when you’re carefree at home and I’m naked at home.
Relaxed, your house is super cozy man.
Look, there are the three dogs, well the camera can’t see them, but they’re outside, they’re bothering her.
What happens with the dogs when you go on tour, you don’t bring them?
Keep watching for more!
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Carín León invites Leila Cobo to eat tacos with Victoria Beer, and the singer shares how his roots in Hermosillo have influenced who he is today, his new line of hats, what fans can expect from his new album, working with Maluma and Alejandro Fernández, and more!
Leila Cobo:Carín!
Carín León:Hey, Leila!
How are you?
How are you! Great. It’s nice to have you here.
It’s nice seeing you here.
Likewise. Thanks for coming.
No, thanks for inviting me.
How have you been?
Music, tacos, beer …
Music, tacos and beer — the whole Mexican kit and combo.
I love the whole Mexican kit!
Come on in before they cool down. They are waiting for us.
OK.
Come on in. Come into the house.
Oh!
We’re here so ready. Everything is ready.
How delicious these tacos are!
We are hungry.
Beer.
We’re hungry.
Well … That’s the way.
The whole kit.
Everything is here.
With everything …
Cheers.
Cheers, cheers!
Carín León, welcome!
Thanks. Welcome.
Thanks for the space. It’s always a pleasure to see you. Have a drink to cool off.
That’s never wrong.
Cheers.
The time to drink never came. I was dry.
Hey, Carín, your roots are in Hermosillo, your hometown. What about Hermosillo defines you today? Is it the way of being? Is it the way you behave in the world, or what you like? What do you have in you from Hermosillo?
I think it’s everything. I am always really proud, extremely proud of Hermosillo and try to take it anywhere. It has given me many things, right? As it’s near the border, and it’s not a big city it still keeps many of its traditions that are really rooted. So this mixture of modern and rooter things and everything that came to us for being so near to the border.
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Los Tigres del Norte have enjoyed a career spanning over 57 years. The renowned regional Mexican group sat down with Leila Cobo to share their thoughts on some of their biggest hits, including “Contrabando y Traición.” They also discussed their thought process behind their new track, “La Lotería,” their decision to include an image of Donald Trump as “el diablito,” their opinions on narcocorridos and the ongoing efforts to ban them, immigration issues in the U.S.. and more.
What do you think of the “La Lotería” music video? Let us know in the comments!
Leila Cobo:
Los Tigres del Norte, welcome to Miami.
Los Tigres del Norte:
Thank you.
It’s so great to have you, like always, I always have to go to other places to find you, but today you guys came to the tropics. On top of that, I really appreciate you guys being dressed up like Miami.
Thank you so much.
Apart from that fact that we’re at a Mexican restaurant-
We’re here at our Mexican restaurant.
At Tacology.
It’s so pretty.
Yes, very pretty. I only take you guys to pretty places.
Everytime you invite us, you always take us to wonderful places.
How many years has it been?
We have many years under our belt. We have recorded-
40?
CDs since 1968.
1968?
Many years already. I think that the first song that people knew us by was “Camelia, la Texana.”
It’s one of the corridos that got people to notice Los Tigres del Norte. It’s already been many years.
Well, Jorge told me the story about “Camelia, la Texana.” I’m trying to remember, but weren’t you under age when you recorded that song?
Practically.
And you were there hiding yourself in bars to sing it no?
Exactly, I told you the story of how the song was born because they brought me to a place in Los Angeles because I was underage and the didn’t let me enter the place.
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Fito Páez has spent more than three decades crafting his new album, Novela. He opens up about why it took so long to create, the inspiration behind the album, his plans for an upcoming tour, how politics are impacting concert attendance, his views on narcocorridos and the secret to his longevity and success.
What are your thoughts on Fito Páez’s Novela? Let us know in the comments!
Sigal Ratner-Arias:Good morning and welcome! We’re here with the legendary Fito Paez to talk about his new album, Novela, and so many more things. What is your favorite Billboard moment? Past, present or future. This moment. It has to be this moment.
Fito Paez: Obviously it’s this one. Clearly, being here with you. You guys have always treated me well. You guys have always loved me, you’ve listened to me, you’ve given me your attention, so that alone is huge. I really appreciate that. I always feel very grateful when people follow you, they join you, they respect you.
You’re a classic, Fito.
We have a quality bond.
It’s your longest album. Why did it take you so long to finish?
I think there are some works, some pieces that are made over time and that are outside the system of anxiety, outside the system of immediate requirements, outside of the industry and outside of productivity. Because someone can make music, but to start out you need to go back to school first. Here, no. One makes music because you want to express yourself because he needs to share or have that want to get it out from inside, or give it life. Or, to start enjoying the language of music, the language of words. So, behind the scenes of that experience, in my case, my whole life, and that’s how it’s going to be until the day I die.
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Jeff Goldblum is on the verge of releasing his fourth album, Still Blooming. The actor-musician reveals how he nabbed Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo and Scarlett Johansson to take part on his album, teases what’s to come in Wicked: For Good, talks about playing the piano for in the White House, dabbling in scatting and more!
What do you think of Jeff Goldblum’s music? Let us know in the comments!
Lyndsey Havens:You’re releasing your fourth album.
Yes, ma’am.
Still Blooming, coming in April. Tell me a bit about this project. When did you start working on it? What inspired it?
It’s our fourth album with the great Decca-
Yes.
label and Verve. But this one, as we continued and found ourselves at Scott Gilman studio, The Hobby Shop, we said, “Let’s make some more music, and let’s get some more singers to do, like we had on our other three, half of the tracks.” So on this one, we got half kind of instrumentals, and we’ll talk about all the tracks, if you like, and half singers, so let’s do more of that. And we found ourselves in the studio and doing it for heaven’s sakes because we had good ideas that we were excited about. And we’ve got merchandise coming out with a, you know, that has something to do with that. And the singers to whom I referred we’ll talk about, you know, how about that?
Yes, we will talk about that.
Because maybe they don’t even know yet, but you do, you listened to it.
I know, yeah, some pretty big names. Before we get into the features, I need to ask the obvious questions. You’ve had quite a life and career, but do you feel as though you are still blooming?
Well, like the record title suggests, refers to, yeah.
How nice.
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Natti Natasha has returned with a bachata-filled album, Natti Natasha en Amargue. The Dominican singer shares why it took her so long to release the album, working with Romeo Santos as her composer and producer on the new project, recounts the story of Romeo Santos nearly dying on set during the music video shoot for […]
Myriam Hernández shares how she began hosting the Festival de Viña, recounts the story of how she met Karol G and their memorable duet of “El Hombre Que Yo Amo” during her performance at Viña del Mar, reflects on her personal growth since her divorce, discusses what it’s like working with her son as her publicist, highlights her friendship with Luis Miguel, reveals plans for her upcoming tour later in the year and more!
Leila Cobo:Myriam Hernández, I would tell you, “Welcome to Billboard,” but it looks like you’re the one who has to tell me, “Welcome to Viña del Mar.”
Myriam Hernández:Welcome to my country. Welcome to Viña del Mar, Leila. You’re always welcome here, and you’re always welcome in my heart because I have great affection for you, just like your husband, who is a tremendous musician, Arthur Hanlon. I know your family, and your children as well. So, there is a closeness and affection there since always.
The feeling is totally mutual. I should say that the first time I came to Chile and to Viña del Mar was for a Festival de Viña where Myriam was the lead.
It was in 2005.
And you welcomed me in Hotel O’Higgins. Do you remember?
Exactly.
At the Hotel O’Higgins with a bottle of Carménère, which was the first time that I drank Carménère in my life. I remember a lot.
How beautiful, but you’re always welcome here, always.
Myriam, you did Viña for five years?
This came up. Well, I lived in Miami. You remember I lived there for 10 years. And in 2001 they invited me — well, they sent me the invitation in December for the festival in 2002. At first, I got really nervous because it was like I’m not a host, and I took this as a challenge. I said, “Well, it’s one night and it’s the overture for the festival,” and in the end, I stayed for five years with different hosts.
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Ha*Ash shares how performing at Viña del Mar in 2018 changed the trajectory of their career, how they’re able to maintain their energy after 23 years, working with Thalia on “Amiga Date Cuenta,” an upcoming release for a new single, red flags they have for men and more. Ingrid Fajardo:Hi, friends at Billboard! Today we’re […]
Kidd Voodoo shares his experience of being on the panel for Viña Del Mar, how he went from making rock music to reggaeton, why he chose Kidd Voodoo as his stage name, his feelings about Chilean music starting to spread, defining Chilean slang and more!
Leila Cobo:David, welcome to Billboard!
Kidd Voodoo:Thank you.
Well, for the people that don’t know, David is Kidd Voodoo. So here in Chile, you guys know him by his artistic name, Kidd Voodoo. He’s one of the biggest trap rappers in Chile at this moment, but his real name is David León. In other words, why Kidd Voodoo?
Because I needed to start releasing music and I wanted to give myself a name. In that moment in Chile, it was really trendy to put a prefix like it was in the United States, putting “Lil” or “Kid,” too. So I preferred to put “Kid” because there were a couple of artists that I really liked that had it and I needed to upload the song in that moment because I had already announced it.
So you didn’t have a lot of time to think about this?
No, I thought about it a lot, but I said, “If I never get this song out, I’m never going to start this.” So I said, “OK let’s go through with this,” and I looked at the pedals of the guitar and someone said, “Kidd Voodoo — it doesn’t sound too bad.”
So because of a guitar pedal that had nothing to do with rap, truthfully–
Exactly.
Well, it was a song about what? Was it rock, or was it rap?
Rap. It was a rap song, trap. Yep, and from there the name stuck and now I’m here.
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