State Champ Radio

by DJ Frosty

Current track

Title

Artist

Current show
blank

State Champ Radio Mix

12:00 am 12:00 pm

Current show
blank

State Champ Radio Mix

12:00 am 12:00 pm


espanol

Page: 11

In 2022, Billboard‘s Latin Artists on the Rise series featured throughout a select group of artists who had a breakthrough inside or outside of their genre, scored a significant chart feat and/or created a buzz that was impossible to ignore.

This year, the series went from featuring two artists a month to only having one Artist on the Rise per month, which leaves us with a total of 12 up-and-coming acts who were spotlit — including 25-year-old Silvana Estrada, who was the first Artist on the Rise of 2022 and went on to win best new artist at the Latin Grammys in November (in a tie with 95-year-old musician Ángela Álvarez).

April’s Artist on the Rise was Mexican-American teenage trio Yahritza Y Su Esencia, who made history with their first-ever single “Soy El Único.” Siblings Yahritza, Armando, and Jairo Martinez first created a fan base on TikTok and then made history on the Billboard charts after their debut single (released March 25 via Lumbre Music) debuted at No. 1 on Hot Latin Songs, and hit No. 20 on the Hot 100 chart, making the then 15-year-old Yahritza ​​the youngest Latin performer to enter the all-genre tally.

Another artist that was part of the exclusive list was Spanish artist Quevedo who, alongside Bizarrap, scored his first No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. thanks to their summer smash hit “Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 52.”

Below, we highlight all the artists who formed part of the coveted Billboard Latin Artist on the Rise series throughout 2022.

Carin León and Grupo Frontera each land their second top 10 on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart as “Que Vuelvas,” their first team-up rallies 15-5 on the Dec. 31-dated ranking in its second week on the chart.

“Que Vuelvas” was released Dec. 9 via BorderKid/Sony Music Latin. The track traces its arrival to the top 10 on the multi-metric tally to a robust streaming activity, earning the Greatest Gainer/Streaming honors of the week.

On the streaming front, the track logged 7.2 million official U.S. streams, up 64%, in the Dec. 16-22 tracking week, according to Luminate. The boost yields a 16-5 ascent on Latin Streaming Songs, to secure León his first top 10 there. The song also sold 1,000 downloads holding at No. 2 on Latin Digital Song Sales.

Meanwhile, radio airplay also accounts for “Que Vuelvas’” surge on Hot Latin Songs, which blends airplay, streaming data, and digital sales. The song registered 3 million in audience impressions in the same period, up 38%, sparking a 44-34 lift on the all-genre Latin Airplay chart.

Both León and Grupo Frontera claim their second top 10 on Hot Latin Songs. For the former, it arrives a year and four months after the Mexican singer-songwriter secured his first top 10 through another partnership: “El Tóxico,” with Grupo Firme, reached No. 9 high in Aug. 2021. For the latter, it lands just a month after the Texas sextet scored its first top 10 with “No Se Va.” The track holds at No. 4 for a fifth non-consecutive week after its No. 3 high (Nov. 12-Dec.10). Notably, it pegged its first and only entry on the overall Billboard Hot 100 list (No. 57 high in Oct.)

“Que Vuelvas” was written by Edgar Barrera who wrapped 2022 at No. 8 on the year-end Hot Latin Songwriters chart.

Bad Bunny is ending the year by giving back to his beloved Puerto Rico.

The superstar helped spread holiday joy on the island on Tuesday (Dec. 27) with the “Bonita Tradición” gift drive, which was held at the Coliseo Roberto Clemente in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The nonprofit organization, founded by Billboard’s Top Artist of 2022, handed out 20,000 gifts (sports equipment, instruments, paint materials and more) to the children who attended the drive.

The event also includes stations serving traditional food and drinks, as well as live music and an opportunity to get a picture with Los Reyes Magos and Bad Bunny himself. “We want to close the year in the best way, bringing a bit of joy, hope, and love to the children with an event that reflects the best of this time with a very special emphasis on the traditions of our island,” José “Che Juan” Torres, director of the Good Bunny Foundation, previously said in a press statement.

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

Recently, Bunny — who was Spotify’s most streamed artist globally for a third consecutive year — released his new track, “Gato de Noche,” in collaboration with Ñengo Flow. “This is to close the year,” he said on TikTok just hours before blessing fans with the surprise song on Dec. 22.

“With the real beast,” the Puerto Rican act said of Ñengo when he revealed the collab on his Instagram Stories. The pair has many collaborative efforts, including “Que Malo” and “Safaera” (also featuring Jowell & Randy), with the latter peaking at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart dated April 11, 2020. Both tracks come from Bunny’s YHLQMDLG album.

Every month, the Billboard Latin team asks readers to vote for the best Latin collaboration released. The December fan poll is officially out now, highlighting 11 collaborative efforts that were featured on Billboard.com and our weekly First Stream Latin throughout the month.

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

December’s list includes Paloma Mami’s infectious reggaetón “Síntomas de Soltera” with Chilean rappers Pailita and El Jordan 23, Carin León’s “Que Vuelvas” with norteño newcomers Grupo Frontera, and “Si Te Pillo,” where Jowell y Randy and Wisin y Yandel, two of reggaeton’s most coveted duos, joined forces, to name a few. 

Last month, more than 80 percent of the votes crowned the 2022 World Cup anthem “Tukoh Taka” by Nicki Minaj, Maluma and Myriam Fares the winner. In October, Juan Gabriel and Anahí’s “Dejame Vivir” won the fan poll with a whopping 94 percent of the votes. The reimagined version of the 1984 track, which originally featured Rocío Dúrcal, comes six years after Juanga’s passing.

Up to now, the top Latin collaborations as voted by fans include Christina Aguilera and Ozuna’s “Santo” (January); Becky G and Karol G’s “Mamiii” (February); Sebastian Yatra and John Legend’s “Tacones Rojos (Remix)” (March); Bizarrap and Paulo Londra’s “BZRP Music Sessions #23” (April); Morat and Duki’s “Paris” (May); Blessd and Rels B’s “Energia” (June); Sebastian Yatra and Pablo Alboran’s “Contigo (July); R3ymon and Anonimus, “Santa Diabla” (August); and Kany Garcia and Christian Nodal’s “La Siguiente” (September). 

Which collaboration should take the crown in December? Check out the candidates and vote below!

Just two days after teasing fans with new music, Bad Bunny officially unleashed the track called “Gato de Noche” in collaboration with Ñengo Flow, out today (Dec. 22). “This is to close the year,” he said on TikTok just hours before blessing fans with the surprise song.

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

Urbano veteran Ñengo recruited Bunny for “Gato de Noche,” a hard-hitting reggaeton track from the point of view of the “chico malo” (bad boy) who’s after a taken lady. “He loves you and gives you everything/ But you’re the devil and you’re crazy for me/ You like the bad boys and are playing fire with me […] although you’re a sin, I’m going to hell following that big a–/ I’m on my way/ Today I’m picking you up after midnight,” Bunny chants in the sultry lyrics.

“With the real beast,” the Puerto Rican act said of Ñengo when he revealed the collab on his Instagram stories. The pair have many collaborative efforts, including “Que Malo” and “Safaera,” which peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart dated April 11, 2020. Both tracks form part of Bunny’s YHLQMDLG album.

“Gato de Noche” follows the Arcangel and Bad Bunny track “La Jumpa,” which debuted at No. 3 on the Hot Latin Songs chart dated Dec. 10, 2022 and wraps up Bunny’s fruitful year.

In 2022, Bunny ruled Billboard’s year-end Top Artists chart for the first time, while his Un Verano Sin Ti made history as the first all-Spanish album to hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200 year-end albums chart. He also closed out the year with a record-breaking $435 million in tour grosses that combine more than 80 concerts from two separate tours (El Último Tour del Mundo and The World’s Hottest Tour).

Watch the “Gato de Noche” video below.

Earlier this month, Grupo Frontera landed a major collaboration with Carin León, resulting in their latest single, “Que Vuelvas.” Composed and produced by Edgar Barrera, the heartfelt track debuts at No. 15 on Billboard‘s Hot Latin Songs chart this week — and in less than two weeks since its release, its video has amassed nearly 10 million views on YouTube, and is quickly becoming a popular sound on TikTok.  

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

The group is also simultaneously making the rounds with two Fuerza Regida collabs, called “911” and “Bebe Dame,” proving that they are Música Mexicana’s “it” boys right now. 

But this time last year, Frontera — a six-man ensemble comprised of Adelaido “Payo” Solis III (vocalist and bajo quinto player), Juan Javier Cantú (vocalist and accordionist), Julian Peña Jr. (percussionist and animator), Alberto “Beto” Acosta (bajo quinto), Carlos Guerrero (drums), and Carlos Zamora (bass) — was merely a local band from the Texas border town McAllen, creating music as a hobby and performing at family gatherings.

“We all had our own jobs and didn’t really do things as a group,” Cantú tells Billboard, expressing that once they took the project seriously at the beginning of 2022, great things began to happen. 

The indie Mexican group officially launched this March with an independently-released debut EP that contained four cover versions of timeless pop songs, such as Diego Verdaguer’s “La Ladrona.” But it was a one-off released just a month later — their norteño rendition of “No Se Va,” a 2019 single by Colombian folk-pop group Morat — that catapulted them to fame. 

To date, the music video has nearly 170 million views on YouTube, and the sound has hundreds of thousands of creations on TikTok, where it first gained momentum. “No Se Va” debuted on Hot Latin Songs in September, and scored the group their first top 10 hit on the chart, peaking at No. 3. The track also became only the fifth regional Mexican song to hit the Billboard Hot 100 in the chart’s history, and topped Latin Digital Song Sales for one week in October. 

“Honestly, I think it was the seasoning that we put with the congas,” Cantú says of the cover’s runaway success. “It doesn’t sound like your typical norteño song; in fact, it sounds like something fresh with that reggaetón vibe.”

And it’s precisely that — the group’s “fresh Norteño sound” — that’s making big waves in the music industry.   

“The group’s appeal is very easy,” assures Peña Jr. “We’re trending, we’re moving up, and we’re doing great music that everyone likes. We’re creating music for people of all ages. We’re making romantic songs that you can dedicate. I feel that a lot of artists right now want to release love songs as opposed to party songs, and that’s why they want to work with us.” 

Since their popularity skyrocketed earlier this year, Frontera has sold out shows in Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, California, and Mexico, to name a few. They also closed the year with over 125 million streams on Spotify, and established a relationship with the McAllen-based hitmaker (and Latin Grammy winner) Barrera, who’s working on the group’s upcoming music. Frontera is managed by Victor Ruiz (founder of indie record label VHR Music), who also serves as its booking agent. 

“​You’d think we’ve been playing together for 10 years, but we’ve only been out for a couple of months,” Cantú notes. “I still can’t believe everything that’s happening to us.”

Below, learn more about this month’s Billboard Latin Artist on the Rise.

Names: Adelaido Solis III, Alberto Acosta, Carlos Guerrero, Carlos Zamora, Juan Javier Cantú and Julian Peña Jr.

Ages: 19 to 32

Recommended Song: “Que Vuelvas” (with Carin León)

Biggest Achievement: “Up to now, it’s been two [different career achievements],” Peña Jr. says. “A very important one for us was our concert at the Auditorio Citibanamex in Monterrey. This is where artists such as Luis Miguel and Juan Gabriel have performed, and it was a dream come true for us. The other big accomplishment is that we’re managing to break away from being just a ‘one-hit wonder’ group.”

What’s Next: “We plan to go international in 2023, and already have two very big and important collaborations lined up,” he adds. “We’re also going to announce the tour. Hopefully the first week of January, everyone will already know about Grupo Frontera’s first-ever tour.”

Puerto Rican artist Jay Wheeler and Venezuelan newcomer Zhamira Zambrano tied the knot in an intimate civil ceremony on Wednesday.

Wheeler shared the exciting news on his social media with a video of his wife dressed in a baby blue gown and singing “Dicelo,” the collaborative heartfelt track they released in August. “I got married! I got married to the best woman on earth,” he’s heard saying in the background.

The newlywed couple met at the East Hotel in Miami and made their relationship Instagram official in February. Zambrano, who competed in the sophomore season of Univision’s La Banda, later made a cameo on Wheeler’s official music video for “EaZt.” “I imagine you already know to whom I dedicate this song. Zhamira, I’m so fortunate to have you,” he wrote in the caption.

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

The lovebirds have since shared tons of sweet moments on social media, including when La Voz Romantica proposed to Zambrano at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico in October. “She said yes,” he captioned the post on social media. Waiting for the Venezuelan artist onstage was a towering cake decorated with photos of them together, red roses and sunflowers, a big sign that said “Marry Me” and Wheeler dressed in a dinosaur costume.

Wheeler’s big day comes nearly four months after he earned his first top 10 on Billboard’s Top Latin Albums chart with Emociones (Linked/Dynamic/EMPIRE), on the Sept. 3-dated ranking. The album marked his fourth chart visit, three of which he achieved in 2022. His previous high came with El Amor y Yo when it debuted and peaked at No. 13 on the Feb. 26-dated survey. 

See Wheeler’s adorable wedding announcement below:

After the pandemic quarantine lifted, the Billboard Latin team continued its tradition of hosting interviews via Instagram Live, resulting in our social media franchise “Live with Billboard Latin.” Moderated biweekly on Thursdays, the Billboard Latin editors invited some of today’s hottest music acts for a 15- to 30-minute interview about their current projects, as well as to answer fan questions.

The series kicked off with CNCO, who spoke to us about their exciting plans for 2022, and later on in the year, we caught up with the Latin boy band at the Latin American Music Awards. Throughout the year, fans connected on Instagram with artists such as Mexican sisters Ha*Ash, who talked about their comeback tour; Latin pop crooner Mario Bautista, who celebrated his first-ever Billboard hit; Puerto Rican perreo duo Jowell & Randy, who premiered their single “Toro”; and most recently, Argentine rapper Trueno, who shared his excitement with Argentina headed to the World Cup finals.

With many exciting “Live with Billboard Latin” episodes, we have compiled the most-viewed interviews this year, which include our chat with Argentine singer Emilia Mernes, a laid-back conversation with Tokischa and Ozuna, and of course, CNCO. Below, see the top episodes from our 2022 live interviews:

Manuel Turizo adds a 14th week at No. 1 on the Billboard Argentina Hot 100 chart (dated Dec. 17). In addition to becoming 2022’s longest domination, it breaks a tie from Sech, Darell, Nicky Jam, Ozuna & Anuel AA’s “Otro Trago” for the third-most weeks atop the ranking since the chart launched in 2018. Here’s the leaderboard:
Weeks at No. 1, Title, Artists25 weeks, “Tusa,” Karol G & Nicki Minaj16 weeks, “Entre Nosotros,” Tiago pzk, Lit Killah, Nicki Nicole & Maria Becerra14 weeks, “La Bachata,” Manuel Turizo13, weeks, “Otro Trago,” Sech, Darell, Nicky Jam, Ozuna & Anuel AA12 weeks, “Hawai,” Malum & The Weeknd12 weeks, “Calma (Alicia remix), Pedro Capó & Farruko

Argentinian La Mosca Tsé -Tsé is in double celebration of chart achievement and victory after Argentina beat France to become the 2022 World Cup champions. In addition to securing its first top 10, the ensemble takes the Greatest Gainer trophy of the week as its latest single, “Muchachos, Ahora Nos Volvimos a Ilusionar,” surges 55-2 in its second week.

Rosalía’s “Despechá” remains at No. 3, Bizarrap and Quevedo’s “Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 52” drops 2-4, while La Joaqui, Gusty DJ Salsatkbron’s “Dos Besitos” dips 4-5.

Further, the week’s Hot Shot Debut goes to Maria Becerra’s “La Nena de Argentina” as the song arrives at No. 24. The tune is the title track of Becerra’s second studio album under the same name. Plus, Becerra boasts another entry from the same set: “Adios,” which opens at No. 79. With both new entries, the singer adds 35 total career entries, tying with Anuel AA, Duki, Ozuna and Rauw Alejandro for the fourth-most overall. Here’s the scoreboard:

54, Bad Bunny49, J Balvin40, Bizarrap35, Anuel AA35, DuKi35, Maria Becerra35, Ozuna,35, Rauw Alejandro

Four other songs debut this week, starting with Nacho and Marama’s “La Culpa” at No. 91, Juanes follows with “Amores Prohibidos” at No. 92, MYA’s “Bikini” at No. 94 and lastly, Camilo and Myke Towers team-up with “Bebiendo Sola” at No. 98.

Bad Bunny is doing it once again: surprising fans with brand-new music. On Tuesday (Dec. 20), just five days before Christmas, the Puerto Rican artist unleashed a preview of a never-before-heard track on TikTok.

“OK, now yes, check this out,” he said in the 50-second clip. “Let me play this for you. This is to close the year.” 

Bunny’s sultry vocals are heard over a simple beat that soon transitions into a hard-hitting reggaeton. “He loves you and gives you everything/ But you’re the devil and you’re crazy for me/ You like the bad boys and are playing fire with me […] although you’re a sin, I’m going to hell following that big a–/ I’m on my way/ Today I’m picking you up after midnight,” he chants in the saucy snippet. 

He teased fans some more in the caption. “Let me know if you want another preview,” he wrote, which has fans speculating in the comments that this could either mark the return of “Trap Bunny,” or that he might drop a whole new album before 2022 comes to an end.  

As fans patiently wait for El Conejo’s next big move, there’s no denying that Bad Bunny was the year’s biggest music star. 

Bad Bunny ruled Billboard’s year-end Top Artists chart for the first time, while his Un Verano Sin Ti made history as the first all-Spanish album to hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200 year-end albums chart (and has spent 13 weeks at the top so far), and the album also became the first-ever all-Spanish release to earn a Grammy nomination for album of the year.  

He also closed out the year with his record-breaking $435 million in tour grosses that combine more than 80 concerts from two separate tours (El Último Tour del Mundo and The World’s Hottest Tour). That amount became the highest gross for an artist in a calendar year since Billboard Boxscore launched in the late 1980s.

The unreleased track he teased on TikTok will follow his Arcangel-assisted “La Jumpa,” which debuted at No. 3 on the Hot Latin Songs chart dated Dec. 10, 2022.

Listen to his snippet of new music below: