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April 12 will remain etched in the memory of El Malilla, the reggaetón mexa star who brought the Sonora stage at Coachella to a thrilling close on Saturday night.
Representing urban music, Fernando Hernández Flores (real name) — currently one of Mexico’s most influential artists in the genre with 8.7 million monthly Spotify listeners — turned the stage into a vibrant party with dancers, choreography and infectious energy.
“It’s very exciting, it’s crazy, I can’t believe it,” he tells Billboard Español from his backstage dressing room at the festival after a successful night performing hits like “Beiby,” “Mami Tú,” and “Vaquero,” which the crowd sang along to from start to finish. “Where I grew up, my neighbors were mechanics and construction workers, anything but artists. It’s a point of pride for me to come from there and have made it.
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“For this first performance, I wanted to showcase my music and what I know how to do. It was a night for my fans, but also for people to discover what I’m all about. For next Saturday, April 19, I’ll have two surprise guests,” adds the 25-year-old star, who will also perform two days prior at the legendary Roxy Theater in West Hollywood.
Born in Valle de Chalco, a neighborhood notorious for its high crime rates in the metropolitan area of Mexico City, El Malilla always dreamed of being a singer. But not even in his wildest dreams did he imagine making it to Coachella, let alone closing out a stage like Sonora.
His career began 10 years ago when, inspired by Puerto Rican urbano stars Arcángel and Farruko, he decided to write his own songs. By 2023, having earned a reputation in the underground scene, he started being invited to major festivals in Mexico City, such as La Santa Fiesta at Foro Sol, Axe Ceremonia and Flow Fest, as part of the mexa movement (Mexican reggaetón). Since then, he’s collaborated with stars like Yeri Mua, Dani Flow, El Bogueto, Uzielito Mix, Bellakath, and Blessd, as well as J Balvin, who, drawn to the booming urban scene in Mexico, worked with all of them on “Glow Kitty Remix” in 2024.
Also knows as El Chamako de Valle (The Kid from Valley), El Malilla is preparing for a new phase in his career. “I, Fernando, am a big fan of romantic salsa from legends like Willie Colón and Maelo Ruiz, so I’m already working on creating beautiful reggaetón, more commercial stuff, and later on, I’d love to make cumbias,” he explains. “The genre doesn’t matter as long as the music comes from the heart.”
Just a few days ago, the Mexican singer who now basks in his success at Coachella experienced a disappointing moment at Lollapalooza Chile, where his performance saw very low attendance.
“I take it as a learning experience… Rome wasn’t built in a day,” he says. “Just like I started in Mexico singing for ten people, then came a hundred, then thousands, I want the same to happen in Chile in two or three years. That’s how the best stories are told.”
Celia Cruz will be honored with a tribute performance at the 2025 Billboard Latin Women in Music awards, Billboard and Telemundo announced on Tuesday (April 15). In honor of her centennial this year, the memorable Queen of Salsa — who was born in 1925 and died in 2003 due to a brain tumor — will […]
Yeisy Rojas’ “Inmigrante y Qué?” has topped Billboard’s latest Latin music poll published on Friday, April 11. In support of the weekly New Music Latin roundup and playlist, curated by Billboard Latin and Billboard Español editors, readers voted for the emerging artist’s new track as their favorite music release of that week. The Cuban singer’s poignant single — a fusion of rumba […]
Ozuna and Kapo‘s debut collaboration is making waves, as “Más Que Tú” claims the No. 1 spot on Billboard‘s Latin Airplay chart (dated April 19). Colombian artist Kapo achieves a career milestone as he celebrates his first-ever chart-topping hit on the overall Latin radio ranking. Meanwhile, Ozuna continues as one of the chart’s top performers, adding a 35th No. 1 to his ledger.
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“Más Que Tú,” released Feb. 12 on Nibiru/Sony Music Latin, jumps 3-1 after earning 8.3 million audience impressions in the U.S. in the tracking week ending April 10, according to Luminate. That is a 14% gain in impressions from the week prior. The song ejects another Puerto Rican-Colombian pair-up from the lead: Yandel and Feid’s “Habláme Claro,” falls 1-13 with a 43% decline in audience (to 5.2 million), after one week in charge.
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Thanks to “Más Que Tú,” Ozuna reaches a new milestone, securing his 35th chart-topping hit on Latin Airplay since the chart’s inception in 1994. He ranks just behind J Balvin, who holds the record with 37 No. 1 hits. The latest chart-topping track comes a year after Ozuna last claimed the peak with “Baccarat,” which spent one week at No. 1 in March 2024.
Kapo, meanwhile, scores his first No. 1 on his sixth chart visit. The Colombian has earned four top 10s, including two No. 2-peaking songs, “Ohnana” last November and “Imagínate,” with Danny Ocean, on the April 5-dated list. The song drops 4-7 on the current ranking.
Notably, in 2025 so far, 11 songs have reached the top on the Latin Airplay chart. While Shakira (“Soltera”) and Karol G “(Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido”) mark the only female presence among those winners, five of those emerge from collaborations between male soloists; all one-week rulers. Here’s the recap of the male collabs:
Title, Artist, Peak Position“Doblexxo,” J Balvin & Feid, March 15“Khe?,” Rauw Alejandro & Romeo Santos, March 29“Háblame Claro,” Yandel & Feid, April 12“Más Que Tú,” Ozuna & Kapo, April 19
Elsewhere, “Más Que Tú” also improves on the Latin Rhythm Airplay chart, where it jumps 2-1 for its first week atop.
All charts (dated April 19, 2025) will update on Billboard.com tomorrow, April 15. For all chart news, you can follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram.
This is partner content. Latin super-star, Greeicy, shares her cleaning beats. From Salsa to Afrobeats, listening to different genres for each room of the house makes cleaning up more fun and less tedious. Greeicy: Look, I love cleaning the house, but sometimes it gets just a little bit tedious. That’s why having a good playlist […]
The late Dominican Rubby Pérez singer-songwriter returns to the Billboard charts as his 2021 album, Rubby Pérez ¡Grandes Éxitos! debuts at No. 7 on the Tropical Albums chart (dated April 19). The 30-song set launches with 2,000 units equivalent album units earned in the U.S. during the April 4-10 tracking week, according to Luminate. Pérez died on April 8 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, after the roof of the Jet Set nightclub collapsed during one of his performances. He was 69.
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It’s the merengue artist’s first appearance on any Billboard albums chart in over three decades. He was last on an albums chart when his self-titled set peaked at No. 15 on the Top Tropical Albums chart in 1987.
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“It’s been 25 years, a lifetime together, filled with beautiful memories,” Enrique Paulino, Pérez’s international manager tells Billboard. “The most important thing for me was his humility and his outpouring of affection for his audiences.”
Out of Rubby Pérez ¡Grandes Éxitos! album’s unit sum earned in the week ending April 10,1,000 units were attributed to streaming activity. That translates to 1.6 million official on-demand streams for the set’s songs; a resurgence that comes two days after Pérez’s passing. The remaining negligible amount come from traditional album sales and track-equivalent units.
“Rubby quietly did thousands of deeds, such as buying medicine for people with cancer and various other illnesses,” Paulino adds. “He bought pets and schoolbooks for children. He was greatly loved in his country, Dominican Republic, and Venezuela. I want you to always remember him with his beautiful smile and his love for everyone.”
Pérez also achieved success on the Tropical Airplay chart, landing four entries over the years. Among them, “Tu Vas a Volar” reached a career-high at No. 9 in 2001. Most recently, Pérez collaborated with Romeo Santos, Toño Rosario and Fernandito Villalona on “15,500 Noches,” featuring Ramón Orlando, which peaked at No. 15 in 2022.
All charts (dated April 19, 2025) will update on Billboard.com tomorrow, April 15. For all chart news, you can follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram.
Puerto Rican superstar Rauw Alejandro announced on Monday (April 14) that he’s taking his 2025 Cosa Nuestra world tour to Latin America, revealing that his visit will make stops in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Mexico. The Latin American tour — produced by Live Nation — will kick off on Oct. 14, in Chile and will travel […]
The first weekend of Coachella unfolded with a variety of Latin artists spanning genres as diverse as regional Mexican music, “trippy pop,” indie pop, EDM, and even classical music… with a twist. The lineup kicked off on Friday (April 11) with the eccentric Argentine duo Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso, the Peruvian Amazonian cumbia band Los […]
Shakira’s Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour has been making waves across the globe, selling out stadiums, smashing records, and solidifying the Colombian superstar’s legacy as one of the most powerful voices in music and culture. But behind the eye-popping performances, emotional highs and dazzling fashion, French photographer Nicolas Gerardin has been translating the energy, intimacy and humanity of it all into images that speak louder than words.Known for his work with celebrities across industries — including Lisa of BLACKPINK, Nick Jonas, Jeff Bezos, Leo Messi, and Cristiano Ronaldo — the fashion and celebrity photographer brings a unique mix of precision and emotional storytelling to his photography. His collaboration with Shakira began two years ago, right around the time of her groundbreaking Bizarrap release that marked a new milestone in her career. Since then, Gerardin has become an integral part of her creative team, joining her on her current world tour, which kicked off in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Feb. 11.
“When photographing Shakira, I focus on capturing what makes her a legend — her presence, energy, and the essence that has made her an icon for decades,” Gerardin tells Billboard Español, who also shot her on recent magazine covers for GQ, Elle, and Marie Claire. “It’s about telling her story in every shot. I always aim to showcase her true essence, her artistry, and the depth of her impact.”
“She’s aware of everything, from production to lighting. She knows everything about cameras. She knows what’s best for her,” he explains, noting how her hands-on approach ensures every moving piece of her tour aligns with her meticulously curated vision.
Despite her global fame, Gerardin credits her sensitivity and emotional connection with her art as the driving force behind her appeal. “She’s very involved emotionally in everything. She always wants the best for her fans. She’s a woman full of emotion, very sensitive. She’s caring for everyone… She wants to give the best for the fans,” he shares.
His dedication to capturing Shakira’s tour goes beyond the stage or performance photography. Gerardin’s work often focuses on backstage moments, the quieter fragments of her life away from the spotlight that tell their own story. “My vision is to create an iconic image that’s going to stay forever,” he says. “It can be her putting her makeup on or her after finishing the last song exhausted.” These fragments come together to create a portrait of a woman in motion — a legend embracing transformation in real-time.
Among his favorite images he took is a high-concept promotional shoot for her latest album, Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran. In one particularly striking shot, Shakira is captured arm wrestling a man. “It was an exciting challenge because I wanted to capture both her strength and the bold energy of the album while keeping the visual storytelling dynamic and impactful,” recalls the photographer.
For this shoot, Shakira granted him full creative freedom, an example of the trust and respect their working relationship has cultivated.
Despite touring with Shakira, Gerardin emphasizes that he does not define himself as a concert photographer. His background in fashion photography shapes the unique angle he brings to his work — whether backstage or during live shows. “Most global artists that work in the music industry, when they take me on tour, they don’t expect me to shoot the live show. I’m here to capture the fashion side of the tour,” he explains. With Shakira, he adds, “We just want to create history at this point.”
Check out the gallery below for an exclusive look at Gerardin’s stunning photography.
Luis R. Conriquez, one of the most popular singers of corridos bélicos — songs often associated with glorifying drug cartels and violence — is making changes to his music after a chaotic concert in Mexico.
On Friday (April 11), Conriquez performed at the Feria del Caballo in Texcoco, State of Mexico, but things didn’t go as planned. Due to new government rules banning songs that promote violence in certain areas, Conriquez decided to leave narcocorridos out of his setlist. The result? Angry fans, booing, fights, and even destroyed property at the venue.
In a statement shared on his social media accounts the next day, Conriquez expressed regret over what happened and announced that he’ll be making significant changes to his lyrics moving forward.
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“My fans are the most important thing to me — I owe them everything. But as an artist, I must follow the new rules the government has set regarding corridos,” he said.
He also asked his audience to understand his decision, saying he’ll continue focusing on his passion for music despite these challenges.
Conriquez’s show took a turn for the worse during his performance at the palenque — a smaller, intimate venue typically seen at fairs. When Conriquez told the crowd there wouldn’t be any narcocorridos that night, people started booing and shouting. Videos posted on social media show fans growing more upset as he tried to explain the decision. Eventually, Conriquez decided to leave the stage, which led to chairs and objects being thrown in frustration.
The ban on songs that glorify violence was introduced on April 9 in Texcoco and two other municipalities in the State of Mexico — Metepec and Tejupilco. The new rule applies to fairs and mass events, with penalties of up to six months in jail for violations. The State of Mexico’s Security Department doubled down on this policy in a statement released Saturday, urging local authorities to enforce the prohibition of such songs at public events.
This crackdown on narcocorridos isn’t limited to the State of Mexico. Other parts of the country are implementing similar measures, especially after a major controversy in March when the University of Guadalajara hosted a concert where images of a well-known drug lord were projected on stage. That incident led to the U.S. revoking the visas of the band involved, Los Alegres del Barranco. On April 11, the government of Jalisco proposed a new law allowing municipalities to regulate or ban songs that glorify violence at public or private events.
Meanwhile, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has been pushing for a cultural shift in music. This week, the government’s Culture Department announced a binational contest called “México Canta,” which aims to encourage young artists — especially those making corridos tumbados, a trendy subgenre — to create songs without promoting violence or drug-related themes. The initiative comes as Mexico grapples with rising violence in certain areas.
For Conriquez, this new reality means adapting his music to comply with these rules, even if it upsets some of his fans. As he put it in his statement: “The unfortunate events last night put at risk not only the safety and lives of the audience, but also the integrity of my team and myself.” Despite the backlash, he says he’s determined to keep making music — just with a different approach.