genre latin
Go behind the scenes with Leila Cobo at Latin Music Week 2024 as she finds out if Peso Pluma cooks, rides with Grupo Frontera to see how they warm up before a show, offers advice to Thalía, takes a shot with Tito Double P’s team, and more!
Peso Pluma:
Anyway, I live here. If he tells me, “I’ll go home tomorrow,” I’ll invite you to eat soup the day that you want.
Leila Cobo:
Seriously? Are you going to prepare the soup?
Peso Pluma:
No, we have the Mexican chef.
Thalia:
This girl told us to come to the panel, and then she said, “What are you going to do?” What!
Leila Cobo:
Did they tell you the dress code?
Alejandro Sanz:
Yes, of course.
Leila Cobo:
Didn’t they tell you it was a tuxedo and…
Alejandro Sanz:
I had to come like this. You know what I wear.
Leila Cobo:
You wanted to bring me a purse? You didn’t have to.
J Balvin:
I always do that with women.
Leila Cobo:
Thank you.
Ronald Day:
Where should it say Latin Week?
Leila Cobo:
Here, Latin Power Players. Hey!
Leila Cobo:
I am looking for air.
Leila Cobo:
Isa, can you interview Ronald? Because Ronald is the President of Telemundo.
Isabela Raygoza:
Really?
Leila Cobo:
So he’s going to do our show.
Leila Cobo:
He’s the man. Telemundo in the house.
Emilio Estefan:
Oh, yea.
Leila Cobo:
A kiss in the air so we don’t lose our makeup.
Emilio Estefan:
I went off air where I was working and now…
Leila Cobo:
I love it! Really?
Emilio Estefan:
For you? Anything for you.
Keep watching for more!
Billboard Women in Music 2025
Drea, a Latin Grammy-winning singer-songwriter, has been in many rooms throughout her twenty year career, but a recent three-day songwriting camp in Miami was a “game changer” for her.
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Drea (real name: Andrea Lopez) — who in 2021, won her first Latin Grammy with Gloria Estefan’s album #Brazil305, as a co-writer on the song “Cuando Hay Amor,” and in 2024 inked a deal with Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) — was one of 10 music visionaries who formed part of UMPG and She is the Music’s songwriting camp held at the Mindful Music Lab that incorporated creativity and wellness.
“It’s been quite the experience to bring mindfulness and meditation into this space,” she tells Billboard. “I already do this on the regular, but never before a session, especially with other women who have the same intention.”
Led by the studio’s owner, wellness and music expert Brittany Berger, the songwriting camp was designed as a safe and supportive space for female artists, songwriters and producers while also fostering collaboration and community. The day kicked off with a sound healing meditation, followed by songwriting sessions with Isadora Figueroa, Shirel, RPLK, Aris, Nicole Horbath, MJ Nebreda, Nancy Sánchez, Renee, Ella Bric, Maia and Drea.
Below, Drea, as well as Alexandra Lioutikoff, President of US Latin and LATAM operations at UMPG and Vicky Rivas, A&R at UMPG Latin, speak to Billboard about the empowering initiative.
Aris and Renee create music together at UMPG / She is the Music song camp in Miami, Fla.
Javi Perez Fernandez
How did you recruit the nine female creatives for this specific three-day camp?
Rivas: Whenever I’m doing a camp, I try to put all three in a room, a producer, a songwriter and an artist. The golden number is four: one producer, two writers and the artist, but it depends on the room and we’re honestly flexible. It depends on how we’re feeling. Typically I have a plan, but the girls also come in with their own suggestions, so we shift things around to give them the session they are looking for. We’re paying for the studio time and putting all these resources in so that the songs can come together.
We started with our core roster from UMPG — such as Drea, MJ, Nancy — and then I talked to Chile and Mexico, to [ask them to] send us some of their amazing women. It’s also about finding people who are open to collaborating. We build a list and go from there to see who would be a great fit.
Lioutikoff: And also, this area is so much smaller than male. There are very few women. It’s not like we have a lot to choose from, but I think that it works out really well, because we can develop them, we can mentor them, and provide them with the right steps.
Why is it essential for these talented and creative women to incorporate the wellness portion to their day-to-day worklife?
Lioutikoff: It’s actually interesting. Mental wellness is such an important part in the industry. This is a perfect match. I’ve had many female songwriters complain throughout the years that when they are the only women in a session, their ideas are not taken seriously. Remember, women write from a different perspective. If you think about it, a lot of women sing songs written by men. It’s so important to have women in this particular area of songwriting, and even more in the Latin world. It’s very important for us to support these initiatives to the max. We see things with a different sensibility, especially in this part of the business.
Rivas: It’s also that they feel supported. I feel that when we started the first day with our mindful hour, at first it was new to them, but on the third day when Britney asked them how they felt, everyone was positive and even wanted to include it before their own sessions. They felt it was a moment about them, and it actually helps their creativity. The songs keep getting better. In the creative world, you’re giving so much. Creativity keeps going and going, but to have the opportunity to be vulnerable before their session, it’s truly wonderful.
Drea: A lot of us think it should be like this. It should have the mindfulness component when you’re creating because you need that calmness, that mindset of bringing a vision to life and you can’t do that if you’re chaotic. It’s been quite the experience to bring mindfulness and meditation into this space. I already do this on the regular, but never before a session, especially with other women who have the same intention. It really helped us a lot when we went into the room to create — it’s a game changer.
Now that you experienced this one-of-a-kind song camp; what do you expect moving forward?
Drea: We’re going to stay connected. The beauty about this is that everyone has different styles, different languages, different tastes, and it’s fun to be in these rooms with women who have different visions. I try not to expect anything from writing camps because you have to be really open — the more open, the better the experience. With this one, precisely, I didn’t have an expectation but I’m leaving with a lot of positivity and a lot of energy. The beginning of making music is always trying to express yourself and have fun with it, but then you realize you want it to become your career and it can get a bit clouded. With this, we went back to those beginnings, those initial feelings of excitement, of wanting to create. We are able to learn from other women, and it’s the best feeling. I feel like I’ve grown in the past three days.
Rivas: We want them to get a song out, and hopefully we offer the tools they need for their own project or someone else’s that they’re working on. On the other hand, it’s also a networking opportunity, where I want them to know that they are available to each other, and for them to also feel that they can recharge with the wellness aspect of it. We’ve given them new tools for their creativity.
Top (L-R): RENEE, Nancy Sanchez, Sofia Lafuente, Maia Vercelleto, Drea Lopez, Shirel
Bottom (L-R) Isadora Figueroa, Brittany Berger, Aris, Vicky Rivas, RPLK, Mj Nebreda
Javi Perez Fernandez
Billboard Women in Music 2025
The she-wolf has a name: It’s Isabel. And no, it’s not just a stage prop or an imposing figure decorating the set as one of the most powerful elements of the tour to convey a message that has crossed borders: “Las mujeres ya no lloran, las mujeres facturan” (“Women don’t cry anymore, women cash in”). It carries an entire connotation.
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The she-wolf is Shakira’s alter ego, almost an extension of her own being — not only as an artist but also as a person — a symbolic manifestation of her rebirth and the woman who has built a new empire through her art, her music, and her resilience. For this reason, it’s no coincidence that this stage companion, which has become a symbol of strength and empowerment for her pack, was named after the Colombian artist’s middle name (Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll).
Isabel embodies the very essence of the artist and the woman who now reveals a new facet after having been a wounded she-wolf. A transformation of tears into diamonds that has been reflected not only in her music but also in the most ambitious tour of her more than 30-year career — her first stadium trek: the Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour.
It’s a tour of colossal proportions, featuring a monumental stage weighing over 62 tons and a giant 50 x 12-meter screen that brings to life an AI-created avatar showcasing the show’s visuals, alongside musicians and dancers. But above all, it’s the existence of an all-terrain team of more than 150 people who serve as the backbone of everything, making the tour possible while becoming a pack that helps the she-wolf shine.
The Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour is almost like a mini-Tower of Babel, where languages and people of different nationalities come together to accompany the Barranquilla-born artist and bring to life the spectacle seen on stage each night. The team includes individuals from the United States, England, Ireland, Belgium, South Africa, Scotland, Cuba, Colombia, Mexico, Australia, and the Dominican Republic.
“A tour of this size is only possible thanks to all the people who travel with it. For example, the technology, the lights… It’s not just about the technical team; if you don’t take into account the people who do all the work, you really have nothing,” explains Marty Hom, the director of the LMYNL World Tour, who has been working with Shakira for 16 years. He has also been the longtime tour director/tour manager for Fleetwood Mac, Barbra Streisand and Stevie Nicks; more recently, he worked with the Rolling Stones, Beyonce and Olivia Rodrigo.
Upon entering the backstage area, the first thing you notice is the meticulous precision with which a team of this magnitude operates. Inside El Campín in Bogotá, or any other venue on the tour, many individuals have their own workspaces with computers and offices, and each zone has a designated person in charge to ensure that not even the smallest detail is overlooked. From these offices, everything is managed — from the arrival of refreshments to preparations for upcoming tour dates. And such logistics are necessary: when Shakira travels across the continent, she moves a total of 249,000 kilograms of equipment alone.
The artist’s security is also coordinated from this location, covering both the infrastructure and setup of the show as well as the personnel essential to ensuring Shakira enters and exits the venue safely. Hours later, as showtime approaches, the she-wolf’s pack witnesses the security operation unfold. At El Campín, between 50 and 70 officers are strategically positioned, giving the appearance of being bolted to one side of the stadium to ensure order for an unforgettable night.
Shakira’s health is also a priority, which is why the artist travels with two therapists, several masseuses and her own chef. Her diet, with the occasional indulgence, has to be quite strict, as does her training routine. The two-and-a-half-hour performance on stage demands constant discipline to maintain the physique, vitality, and stamina of a world-class pop star who, at 48 years old, continues to prove that her hips don’t lie.
For nearly a year and a half, her team worked tirelessly, with shifts lasting up to 16 hours a day, to bring to life the idea of a tour of this magnitude — an idea that initially came about during a casual conversation while creating a song in the studio. However, it has been Shakira herself who has led the charge, serving as the creative mind behind the tour, the hardest worker, and the driving force pushing the limits of what’s possible to ensure every detail bears the mark of the she-wolf.
The Challenge of Bringing Shakira’s Dream to Life
The staging is not just a technical matter but also an economic one. Marty Hom reveals that one of his greatest challenges as the head of the show has been balancing Shakira’s artistic vision with the financial realities of executing a tour of this magnitude. “The hard part for me is seeing the financial and economic impact of doing a tour of this scale,” he says. “The challenge is to let her have her artistic vision, maintain the integrity of the show, but also stay within budget. It’s about having a financial framework that ensures she can still turn a profit.”
That balance has been achieved with precision, resulting in a show that not meets the artist’s expectations and those of her fans — a multigenerational audience that has grown alongside the different phases Shakira has offered over the years. From the rockstar and the golden-hipped dancer to her romantic pop era and her latest empowered single-woman persona, embracing more contemporary and urban rhythms like reggaeton and other electronic sounds.
“The thing with Shakira is that she’s a perfectionist, and she wants everything to be perfect for her fans because they are the most important thing to her. She’s constantly thinking about how they will react and whether they’ll like what’s being done. That’s always her top priority,” concludes Hom.
Additionally, the staging includes a groundbreaking approach with the use of nine visual interludes that build the show’s narrative through artificial intelligence. A realistic avatar of her image and evolution over the years was developed over the course of more than five months at the Los Angeles-based creative studio Actual Objects — a rigorous creative process involving over 40 specialists in digital animation and 3D sculpting.
“Until now, no artist of Shakira’s caliber had used artificial intelligence in this way in the service of pop culture,” says Maite Marcos, her choreographer and right-hand collaborator for more than 20 years, who has been with her since day one of creating the tour. “An immense team was involved, with Shakira making constant changes to achieve the perfection of what she wanted to project. Creating this avatar of herself wasn’t easy, but we managed to use the technology to its fullest potential. Even the 13 costume changes she makes on stage were made possible thanks to the magic of the show.”
Now that the show is a reality, her team, who worked tirelessly for months to make it happen, is beginning to grasp the impact of what they’ve built and the message they want to convey. “Now is when I’m really starting to realize how big this is, seeing the audience’s reaction — not just live, but also on social media. And seeing what the message of ‘Women don’t cry anymore, women cash in’ means to them, and how it has connected with so many people, is indescribable,” says Alex Castillo, better known as AC, Shakira’s music producer and the mind behind hits like “Soltera.”
The show is a display of innovation and technology, but also a doctrine of female empowerment, carrying a clear message that has been conveyed through Isabel, the she-wolf, in whom many people have found inspiration for strength and freedom.
Isabel, the She-Wolf Shakira Brings to Live Each Night as a Symbol of Greatness
The symbolism of the she-wolf is no coincidence. Since her 2009 Spanish-language hit *”Loba”* (or “She Wolf” in English), the character of this animal has accompanied Shakira in her artistic evolution, with its meaning evolving alongside her — from representing a simple woman with carnal desire to becoming a symbol of empowerment that reflects her strength and resilience in the face of the challenging personal experiences she has endured in recent years.
“The she-wolf is our mascot. It’s a symbol of strength for her, one she has embraced as an emblem of female empowerment. The she-wolf is not only a symbol of empowerment for Shakira but is also meant to be a symbol of empowerment for women around the world,” says Hom.
And Shakira is not just a she-wolf. She is an untamed, passionate, and unrestrained she-wolf.
“She has that she-wolf spirit. She’s sexy, she’s free, she’s wild, as if she has no limits,” says Danira Littleton, the captain of the dance team for the LMYNL World Tour, who has closely experienced the entire creative process of the tour. “Many women can be shy, holding back out of fear of taking risks. But Shakira breaks through that. She dances on the ground, her hair and everything about her is like an untamed creature. She brings all that energy that makes women feel like we can be ourselves.”
“There are people who have such a powerful energy that everyone wants to be near them, and that’s precisely Shakira. Even if you don’t like her music, you can’t ignore her; everyone knows who she is because what she does and the energy she exudes are special,” adds Albert Menendez, her keyboardist since the recording of her MTV Unplugged, who has witnessed the she-wolf through all her stages.
During the tour, the figure of the she-wolf expands to a total communion with her pack, in a sort of pact portrayed in the “ten commandments of the she-wolf” projected during the show, because what would a she-wolf be without her pack?
It’s something that can be seen from the very first moment of the show, starting with the support she receives during her grand entrance, accompanied by fans dressed in silver as she makes her way to the stage.
A Vibrant Show With a Message that Resonates Powerfully
From the backstage of the Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran tour, there is one thing Shakira’s entire team agrees on: “The show is alive.”
Although the creative work behind the monumental final result took many months — with training sessions between Miami and Mexico to adapt to the altitude and workdays lasting up to 16 hours — every day and every performance is unique. There’s always a new surprise, continuous improvement, or a new resource or element that makes it special and different from all the others. All of this is done with the most important element in mind: the fans.
“The audience’s reaction is the final ingredient, the touch that ties everything together. It’s like the last instrument that completes the harmony of the show,” says AC. “Without that energy, it was hard to truly know how the show felt. But from the very first concert in Rio, it was clear: everything was in its place, the show was complete.”
And so, the howl of Isabel, the she-wolf, is finally heard louder than ever, transformed into a symbol of strength, freedom, and rebirth. It’s a journey of learning that Shakira herself expresses on stage during every concert — a story of a she-wolf wounded by life’s blows, who emerged stronger and filled with answers. A she-wolf who transformed her pain and found meaning in every fall. Because, as Shakira herself explains, it’s not just about recovering but about understanding the message that pain brings and using it as a driving force for growth, realizing that the only love that truly saves and shows the light at the end of the tunnel is self-love, though having the support of the pack during the process is also essential.
The Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour is more than just a tour. It is a testament to resilience, reinvention, female empowerment, and self-love. Now, after conquering Latin America with impressive numbers in the region — including 11 sold-out shows in Mexico and new dates scheduled for the summer — it will continue its journey through the United States starting May 13, marking Shakira’s return to North American stages, where her last stadium performance was at the iconic 2020 Super Bowl.
Shakira will return for a second leg in Latin America before taking her show to Europe, with plans to continue her journey in the near future through Asia and the Middle East. Over the next two years, her music, her story, and her legacy will resonate in every corner of the globe through her she-wolf Isabel, delivering a message that began as an artistic expression and has now evolved into an entire movement, driven by a massive pack that loudly proclaims, “Women don’t cry anymore, women cash in.” And why not men, too?
This article was originally published by Billboard Colombia.
¡Bienvenidos a Mic’d Up! This exciting first episode is an exclusive and immersive behind-the-scenes experience of Billboard chief content officer for Latin and Español Leila Cobo’s life during Billboard Latin Music Week, a notable event in the Latin music calendar. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Viewers will […]
Shakira has been unstoppable since kicking off her Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran world tour in Brazil in February. Now, due to an overwhelming demand, the Colombian global artist has added two more dates to the North American leg of the trek, slated to start May 13 in North Carolina. Explore Explore See latest videos, […]
Billboard Women in Music 2025
The U.S. State Department has canceled the work and tourist visas of the members of Mexican corrido group Los Alegres del Barranco after they displayed images of the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, also known as “El Mencho,” during a concert on Saturday (March 29) at an auditorium at the University of Guadalajara.
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The news was confirmed on Tuesday (April 1) by Christopher Landau, the Deputy Secretary of State, in a post on X.
I’m a firm believer in freedom of expression, but that doesn’t mean that expression should be free of consequences. A Mexican band, “Los Alegres del Barranco,” portrayed images glorifying drug kingpin “El Mencho” — head of the grotesquely violent CJNG cartel — at a recent concert… pic.twitter.com/neSIib7EC4— Deputy Secretary Christopher Landau (@DeputySecState) April 2, 2025
“I’m a firm believer in freedom of expression, but that doesn’t mean that expression should be free of consequences,” wrote Landau in his post. “A Mexican band, Los Alegres del Barranco, portrayed images glorifying drug kingpin “El Mencho” — head of the grotesquely violent CJNG cartel — at a recent concert in Mexico. I’m pleased to announce that the State Department has revoked the band members’ work and tourism visas. In the Trump Administration, we take seriously our responsibility over foreigners’ access to our country. The last thing we need is a welcome mat for people who extol criminals and terrorists.”
The State Department, through Secretary of State Marco Rubio, announced on Feb. 20 the designation of eight cartels and transnational organizations — including the Jalisco New Generation Cartel — as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGT).
Prior to Landau’s announcement, the concert had caused significant controversy and outrage in Mexico, which has long tried to curb the glorification of drug lords in popular Mexican music and narcocorridos.
The concert was condemned on Monday (March 31) by Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum. It prompted the Jalisco State Prosecutor’s Office to launch an investigation for “glorification of crime.”
📢 Tras la proyección de imágenes en un concierto en Zapopan, que presuntamente hacían alusión a un personaje vinculado a un grupo criminal, la Fiscalía del Estado inició una carpeta de investigación. (1-3) pic.twitter.com/OU4R8EYr6q— Fiscalía del Estado de Jalisco (@FiscaliaJal) March 31, 2025
On Tuesday (April 1), the governor of Jalisco, Pablo Lemus, wrote in a post on X that his government supports the measures adopted by the University of Guadalajara to prevent criminal acts from being glorified at concerts, as occurred over the weekend at the Telmex Auditorium. The local leader said he signed an executive order to ensure that no singer or group with a history of endorsing criminal activity will perform at events linked to his government.
“Next week, I will introduce an initiative to ensure that, in any legally sanctioned public event, producers and performers are held accountable for what happens during their shows, and no one can wash their hands of responsibility,” Lemus announced.
Los Alegres del Barranco were scheduled to play shows in several U.S. cities, where the band was announced as part of the lineup for the Bésame Mucho festival April 5 in Austin, Texas. In a TikTok livestream on Tuesday, Pavel Morales, a member of the Sinaloan group, stated that the majority of their audience supports them and referred to their critics as “confused.”
Billboard Español reached out for comment to the band’s reps, but hasn’t received a reply by press time. Meanwhile, authorities from the municipality of Pedro Escobedo, in the Mexican state of Querétaro, confirmed on Tuesday that the group’s scheduled performance for April 19 was canceled because “it does not meet the necessary municipal permits for its realization,” the local government said in a statement on Tuesday.
The projection of the controversial images took place during a concert titled “Los Señores del Corrido” at the Telmex Auditorium, where Los Alegres del Barranco performed the song “El Dueño del Palenque” (The Owner of the Palenque) and displayed on screen photos of the cartel leader, as well as other images created by AI.
The images appeared on multiple videos on social media. They include the moments in which fans burst into cheers when the images of the cartel leader were shown, adding to the controversy.
In a statement, Auditorio Telmex Adistanced itself from the events, arguing that the venue “has no influence on the selection of the repertoire, speeches, or audiovisual material that artists decide to share with their audiences.” However, it acknowledged that the images of the kingpin could be considered an “exultation of crime.”
The controversy over the alleged tribute to the drug trafficker arises after information has surfaced over how the cartel uses clandestine ranches to recruit people through deceptive job offers, according to federal authorities and media reports. This followed the recent discovery of Izaguirre Ranch in early March in the municipality of Teuchitlán, where acts of torture and murder were allegedly committed, according to the Guerreros Buscadores collective.
🚨#AlertaADN¡Se cancela! El municipio de Pedro Escobedo, Querétaro, suspendió la presentación de “Los Alegres del Barranco”, prevista para el 19 de abril, tras la controversia por un homenaje a “El Mencho” en un concierto en Jalisco pic.twitter.com/ChxD61VNps— adn40 (@adn40) April 2, 2025
Billboard Women in Music 2025
Olga Tañón, Anitta, and Chiquis will be honored at the third annual Billboard Latin Women in Music event, Billboard and Telemundo announced on Wednesday (April 2). The program will air live exclusively on Telemundo on April 24 at 9 p.m. ET.
Hosted by Ana Bárbara, the two-hour music special will celebrate the “groundbreaking women shaping the future of Latin music,” says the press release. It will also stream on the Telemundo app, Universo and Peacock.
According to the initial list of honorees, la Mujer del Fuego (the Women of Fire) Olga Tañón, as she is widely known, will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award for her nearly four decades of unparalleled influence in merengue and Latin pop. Throughout her career, which dates back to the mid-1980s, the Puerto Rican legend has not only stolen hearts, but has also shaped the tropical style, earning a special place in the history of Latin music, earning the No. 8 spot on Billboard‘s Best 50 Female Latin Pop Artists of All Time.
Twenty of her albums have charted on Billboard’s Top Latin Albums, including two No. 1s, Llévame Contigo (1997) and Te Acordarás de Mí (1998). Meanwhile, on Tropical Airplay, the merengue powerhouse holds the record as the female artist with the most Top 10 entries (29 in total). “Her musical versatility, passion, and ability to connect with diverse audiences have made her an enduring icon,” reads the statement.
Meanwhile, trilingual superstar Anitta will be honored the Vanguard Award for her groundbreaking contributions to Latin pop, becoming one of the few Brazilian artists to successfully break into the Spanish-speaking market.
Anitta’s breakthrough came in 2017 with the J Balvin collaboration “Downtown,” which peaked at No. 14 on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart. Since then, through impactful collaborations and solo hits like “Envolver” — which reached No. 2 on Billboard’s Global 200 — she has established herself as an essential force in breaking “barriers, challenge norms, and inspire future generations,” the statement said.
Rounding out the honorees on this first announcement, Chiquis will be recognized with the Impact Award for her “extraordinary contributions to the music industry and society.” A three-time Latin Grammy winner, the Mexican-American artist carries forward the rich banda legacy of her renowned family.
Chiquis holds 12 entries on Regional Mexican Airplay, and two No. 1 albums on Regional Mexican Albums for Ahora (2015) and Entre Botellas (2018). As the founder of Busy Bee Productions, she launched two hit TV series, while her podcast Chiquis and Chill has ran for four successful seasons.
Billboard and Telemundo will announce additional Latin Women in Music honorees in 2025.
Billboard Women in Music 2025
Selena Gomez is back in the top 10 on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart (dated April 5) as “Ojos Tristes,” with Benny Blanco and The Marias, debuts at No. 4. Thanks to the reimagination of Jeanette’s 1981 classic ballad “El Muchacho De Los Ojos Tristes,” Blanco and The Marias secure their first top 10 on their second visit to the chart.
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“Ojos Tristes” opens at No. 4 on Hot Latin Songs –which blends airplay, digital sales and streaming data into its formula– thanks to gains mainly through streaming activity. The song registered 8.2 million official streams in the U.S. in the tracking week ending March 27, according to Luminate. The sum yields a No. 3 start on Latin Streaming Songs, the fifth top 10 for Gomez and an equal first top 10 for Blanco and The Marias.
Gomez’s “Ojos Tristes” samples “El Muchacho De Los Ojos Tristes” by Spanish-British Jeanette, who rose to the spotlight in the 1970s. While the song, composed by Manuel Alejandro, did not enter the charts, the singer-songwriter’s global hit, “Porque Te Vas,” reached No. 25 high on Latin Pop Airplay in 2008.
The bilingual “Ojos Tristes” intertwines nostalgic melodies with a modern sound, where Gomez sings in English and Maria Zardoya, of The Marias, lends her soft vocals to mirror Jeanette’s style for a modern audience.
The collaboration has propelled Blanco and The Marias to secure their first top 10 on Hot Latin Songs, after each scored an entry. Blanco reached No. 22 high last December as a featured artist on Myke Towers’ “Degenere.” The Marias, meanwhile, scored a No. 17 peak through their Bad Bunny collab “Otro Atardecer” in 2022.
For Gomez, “Ojos Tristes” gives her a fifth top 10 and first since “Selfish Love,” with DJ Snake, debuted and peaked at No. 6 in 2021.
“Ojos Tristes” also makes inroads across other Billboard charts. It debuts at No. 59 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100. Plus, it starts at No. 63 on the Billboard Global 200 with 19.5 million streams, and at No. 118 on Global Excl. U.S. with 11.3 million clicks outside the U.S.
Sales too assist on the song’s top 10 debut on Hot Latin Songs, as “Ojos Tristes” registers 1,000 downloads in the U.S. which translates into a No. 1 debut on Latin Digital Song Sales.
Billboard Women in Music 2025
Fuerza Regida and Grupo Frontera achieve their second collaborative No. 1 as “Me Jalo” tops both Billboard’s Latin Airplay and Regional Mexican Airplay charts (dated April 5). The groups previously scored a No. 1 together when they teamed-up with “Bebe Dame” (one week on top of both lists in March 2023).
“Me Jalo” flies 9-1 on the overall Latin Airplay chart after a 62% improvement in audience impressions, to 10 million, earned in the U.S. during the 21-27 tracking week, according to Luminate. Thanks to the swell, the song leads with the Greatest Gainer honors, awarded weekly to the track with the biggest airplay gain.
“Creating this song was an incredible experience,” Alberto ‘Beto,’ Frontera’s guitarist tells Billboard. “Being in the studio with our friends from Fuerza Regida is the best—they’re part of our family! Now, to see us at No. 1 on the charts with them is such an honor. We keep hitting milestones and raising the flag of Mexico high.”
“Me Jalo” is one of five songs from Fuerza Regida and Grupo Frontera’s collaborative EP, Mala Mía, which added to the acts’ career top 10s on Top Latin Albums and Regional Mexican Albums charts, where it debuted and peaked at Nos. 10 and No. 6, respectively.
“Me Jalo” marks the fourth time both Fuerza Regida and Grupo Frontera have claimed the top spot on the overall Latin Airplay chart. Remarkably, the two groups have achieved an identical number of chart-topping hits since their debut in 2023: two No. 1 singles in 2023, one in 2024, and now their first in 2025. While Fuerza Regida’s No. 1 hits each held the top spot for a single week, Grupo Frontera enjoyed a longer reign with “Un X100to,” with Bad Bunny, which commanded the chart for six weeks in 2023.
“When we make music, we always aim to spread joy and fun,” Payo, vocalist of Grupo Frontera, adds. “Our mission is to create pure vibes, and for those who listen to find something positive that helps brighten their day. Seeing people enjoy and make videos is our biggest achievement. Every time that happens, good news rolls in, and we feel even happier…”
In addition to its strong performance on radio, “Me Jalo” has seen significant traction on TikTok. The song has inspired over 756,000 user-generated videos, with fans dancing as if being pulled by an invisible rope—a playful nod to the word “jalo,” derived from the verb “jalar,” which means “to pull” in Spanish.
The song holds at its No. 3 high on the multi-metric Hot Latin Songs chart for a third week, after generating 8.5 million official U.S. streams, up 3%, in the tracking week.
“We want everyone to have as much fun with our music as we do creating it,” Juan Cantú, accordionist of Grupo Frontera, adds. “When the trend started going viral on TikTok and celebrities joined in, we got super excited! That’s why we make music.”
Elsewhere, both Fuerza Regida and Grupo Frontera each add a new No. 1 on Regional Mexican Airplay where “Me Jalo” jumps 5-1 with 48% gain audience impressions, to 8 million.
Legendary regional Mexican group Banda El Recodo is gearing up for the release of their new album, En Vivo Desde Japón (Live from Japan). Recorded last year during their performance at the De Camino a Latinoamérica festival in Tokyo at Odaiba Pier, the album will be rolled out in five weekly installments starting this Thursday (April 3).
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“We decided to release it this way to offer something different,” says Alfonso “Poncho” Lizárraga, leader of the group that was founded in Mazatlán nearly 87 years ago, in an exclusive interview with Billboard Español. “Each installment will feature a collection of songs grouped under a specific theme.”
The first part, titled Orgullo por México (Pride for Mexico), will include tracks like “Puño de Tierra,” “El Sinaloense/El Corrido de Mazatlán,” and “El Rey/Cielito Lindo/Viva México.” This will be followed by Amor Como Lenguaje Universal (Love as a Universal Language) on April 10, featuring a medley of “Te Presumo/Me Gusta Todo de Ti/La Mejor de Todas,” “Y Llegaste Tú,” and the spotlight track “No Me Aprovechaste,” an unreleased song written by Luciano Luna.
On April 17, the third installment, Separación, Distancia, Desamor (Separation, Distance, Heartbreak), will be released, featuring songs such as “Que te Ruegue Quien te Quiera,” “Yo Sé que te Acordarás/Vas a Llorar por Mí/Acá Entre Nos,” and “Triste Recuerdo/Te Ofrezco un Corazón.” A week later, on April 24, Viva La Fiesta (Long Live the Party) will debut, showcasing the tracks “La Crazy Loca,” “La Culebra,” and “La Quebradora/Vámonos de Fiesta.” Finally, on May 8, En Vivo Desde Japón will be completed with a second unreleased track, “El Malo Soy Yo,” along with “Qué Bonita/El Farol.”
This marks the second time Banda El Recodo has recorded a live album outside of Mexico. Back in 1995, they released Desde París, Francia, La Gira Europa ’95 (En Vivo) (From Paris, France, The Europe Tour ’95 Live). It is also their second time performing in Japan, where they first visited in 2002 to support the Mexican National Soccer Team during the World Cup, playing in five different cities.
“This time, we were part of an event where we were invited to share a piece of our culture with an audience of 5,000 people. It was an incredible experience and a great source of pride,” says Lizárraga. “Nowadays, there’s a growing openness to discovering Mexican music — and we find it very important that mariachi and banda are represented worldwide.”
“It’s important to honor and dignify traditional Mexican music,” Lizárraga continues. “We want the history of Mexican music to be respected and preserved. This doesn’t mean we don’t support new talents or younger generations, but it’s crucial to keep our traditions alive.”
Banda El Recodo will kick off the U.S. leg of their ’90s Banda Tour on May 25 in Newburgh, N.Y., joined by Banda Machos, Banda Los Recoditos, and Banda Maguey. The tour will blend traditional banda hits with technobanda and la quebradita, a music and dance explosion that took the scene by storm during the 1990s.
In Mexico, the tour is called Las Más Perronas (Mexican slang roughly meaning the Baddest) and includes only Banda El Recodo and Banda Machos, with three dates announced: July 11 at the Auditorio Telmex in Guadalajara, August 9 at the Arena Ciudad de Mexico, and Sept. 5 at the Arena Monterrey.
Banda El Recodo
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