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Fabio Gutiérrez — father of rising star Xavi and co-writer of several of his biggest hits — has signed a global administration deal with Warner Chappell Music, the company announced Wednesday (June 11).
WCM will administer future output and select tracks in Xavi’s repertoire, including “La Diabla,” “Corazón de Piedra,” “Sin Pagar Renta” and “En Privado” with Manuel Turizo — all co-written by Gutiérrez.
“It means a lot, it’s a dream for any songwriter,” Gutiérrez says over Zoom about his first-ever admin deal. Father to música mexicana star Xavi and emerging singer-songwriter Fabio Capri, Gutiérrez began writing as a teen but never fully developed his own career as an artist.
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“I became a father at 16 and I had to work for the family so I went into construction and had since worked as an electrician. I emigrated from Sonora to Phoenix and lived the whole American dream,” he says. “I didn’t make it as an artist because I didn’t have the maturity or the support, but I learned to do everything that Xavi would need when his time came.”
While being an electrician was his main source of income, Gutiérrez had always been passionate about music. As a young teen, he was part of a dance group and continued writing and producing songs on his own in his home studio. “My kids didn’t know I was doing [music] after work,” he says. But that all changed during the pandemic, when Gutiérrez decided he would teach Xavi how to write songs.
“That’s really how it all started,” he remembers with a smile on his face. “I was just being a dad, teaching him something new in life, just like you teach them how to walk, it’s been a lot of work and it’s all happened very fast.”
Signed to Interscope, Xavi — known for his style of corridos tumbados — topped the 2024 Year-End Top Latin Artist – New chart. His single “La Diabla” not only earned him his first No. 1 on a Billboard chart, but it also became the first champ of the year — crowing Hot Latin Songs for 14 consecutive weeks. Xavi’s success on the charts also made him the new artist of the year winner at the 2024 Billboard Latin Music Awards.
“Besides being my dad, he’s played a huge role in everything I do musically,” Xavi said in a statement. “He’s my partner in crime! We write together, come up with crazy ideas, and there’s this cool chemistry between us. Honestly, it feels like we can read each other’s minds. We’re connected by blood and music.”
Gutiérrez remembers that when “La Diabla” went viral, he got a call from Xavi. “He was like, ‘Hey, what are you doing?’ And I was really busy at work, carrying things around. Then he said, ‘How do you feel with everything going on with the song?’ And I remember I told him, ‘I feel normal. You?’ He answered, ‘Yeah, I feel normal too.’ I told him that’s the way it always has to be, regardless of what happens. We are human beings and we simply dedicate ourselves to doing something with a lot of love and it feels nice to write music that connects with an audience.”
“Signing Fabio Gutiérrez is incredibly special for our team,” Delia Orjuela, head of creative Mexican music/música mexicana, Warner Chappell Music. “His creative partnership with both his sons Fabio Capri and Xavi, has helped shape one of the most exciting new voices in Latin music today. Their journey is a testament to the magic that happens when family, culture, and artistry come together.”
Besides songwriting, Gutiérrez also co-manages the careers of Xavi and Fabio Capri. “Everything is possible if you work hard, no matter where you come from. I didn’t have my dad but if I had my dad, I would have achieved more things,” Gutiérrez adds. “The job of being a parent is to discover the talent of your children and do anything you can to support whatever that talent is.”
Karol G and Universal Music Group (UMG) are firing back at a copyright lawsuit over a track from her chart-topping Mañana Será Bonito – including arguing that a producer’s Instagram comment about the alleged similarities was posted “sarcastically” and wasn’t an admission of guilt.
The case, filed earlier this year, claims that the singer (Carolina Giraldo Navarro) and her co-writers stole key elements of her 2022 song “Gatúbela” from an earlier track called “Punto G,” released by producers Ocean Vibes (Jack Hernandez) and Alfr3d Beats (Dick Alfredo Caballero Rodriguez).
But in their first response to the case on Tuesday, Karol G and Universal Music Group flatly denied all of the lawsuit’s allegations. They said a musicologist report cited by the accusers, which claimed the songs were “extremely similar,” was “biased” and “patently improper.”
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“Defendants deny that they have interpolated, sampled, used, or copied plaintiffs’ work,” the Colombian star’s lawyers write. They also say they’ll be able to prove that “Gatúbela” was “independently created,” which could mean they have evidence that Karol G’s song was actually created first.
Released in February 2023, Mañana Será Bonito was a critical and commercial success, winning album of the year at the Latin Grammy Awards and reaching No. 1 on the Billboard 200 — the first all-Spanish language album by a woman to do so. “Gatúbela” was a hit in its own right, reaching No. 37 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 4 on the Hot Latin Songs chart.
Hernandez and Rodriguez sued in March, claiming they “immediately recognized” the song’s similarities to “Punto G,” which they say was released two months earlier: “By every method of analysis, ‘Gatúbela’ is a forgery.”
In one passage, the lawsuit cited an Instagram exchange in which Alfr3d confronted one of Karol’s producers (DJ Maff) over the alleged similarities. In screenshots in the complaint, Maff responded by commenting “don’t tell anybody,” followed by a laughing emoji. The accusers claimed this meant he had “shockingly admitted” to stealing their song.But in Tuesday’s response, attorneys for Karol G and the other defendants said the Instagram exchange had been taken out of context – and that a joking social media post was hardly an admission of copyright infringement.
“Defendants admit that DJ Maff promoted ‘Gatúbela’ in an Instagram post dated August 26, 2022 and that DJ Maff sarcastically posted the comment appearing in the screen shot,” write Karol’s defense attorneys. “Defendants otherwise deny the allegations contained in paragraph 4 of the Complaint, including Plaintiff’s characterization of DJ Maff’s Instagram comment.”
The case over “Gatúbela” is still in the earliest stages. Karol G and UMG will likely soon file a motion to dismiss the case entirely, after which Hernandez and Rodriguez will respond. The judge will then decide if the case can move forward toward an eventual trial.
In a statement to Billboard, an attorney for the accusers said the complaint filed in March “speaks for itself” and reiterated its allegations: “At the end of the day, we believe that artists and producers should be properly credited with and compensated for the works that they create,” said Chester R. Ostrowski. “That is all plaintiffs are looking for in this case, and they eagerly await their day in court.”
Manuel Turizo officially hits the road on Wednesday (June 11), taking his 201 World Tour to Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico.
The CMN and La Industria Inc-produced stint is in support of his latest studio album 201, which is an homage to the apartment number where he grew up in Montería, and “represents all those dreams I had since I was a child, all those young desires,” he previously told Billboard.
In bringing the ultra-personal and intimate album to life, Turizo assures us that “the story [of my album] will be finished telling on the tour.”
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“I was thinking about how to connect Manuel Turizo as a performer with where he comes from and where all these inspirations or all these stories a person lives originate,” he tells Billboard in an exclusive interview at his Miami home. “All of that happens in my house. In [apartment] 201 there were heartbreaks, there were loves, drunken parties with friends, with family—all the stories are there. All the songs are born there, all the ideas are born there. I wanted to tell it in the same way and bring that 201 to the 70 cities where I’m touring.”
He reveals that the stage is inspired by his childhood living room back in Colombia: “201 tour is basically Manuel Turizo’s apartment that we’re going to fill with people and create chaos,” he elaborates.
While on tour, the Colombian artist will visit other Latin American countries like Chile, Costa Rica and Argentina, before launching the North American leg of the trek on Aug. 21 in Chicago. After visiting major markets like New York, Miami and Los Angeles along the way, he will return to Latin America to wrap up, with the last date on Dec. 6 in Guatemala.
Above, check out our exclusive “En Conversación,” where Turizo also opens up about his friendship with Shakira, his No. 1 Billboard hit “En Privado” with Xavi, releasing new music and 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?
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Over the past week, Pitbull has embarked on a run of arena shows in the U.K. and Ireland, but he may be experiencing a sense of déjà vu. Fans have thrown themselves into a viral fancy dress trend for his shows, donning black suits, bald caps and sunglasses and meeting up for flash mobs outside of the venues.
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Pitbull, real name Armando Christian Pérez, has now responded to the long-running trend in an interview with the BBC, calling it “priceless” to see fans replicate his look at his shows.
“Every time I’m at a show, I let them know that when you put on a bald cap, I hope you’re ready to have the time of your lives – it feels deeper than just music,” he said. “It’s the ultimate trophy to be able to go on stage and see all the hard work that you put into the music. I’ve been in the game for 25 years and to see every demographic, everybody [dressing up] at the shows is priceless.”
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On recent tours, fans, male and female, have adopted the Pitbull attire for the evening and meeting up outside the venue. The rapper and singer toured the U.K. and Ireland earlier this year in February, and has returned for an extended European run with two shows at London’s O2 Arena (June 9, 10) and concluding in Stockholm, Sweden on June 29.
Speaking to the BBC, Pitbull expanded on his continued popularity on a global scale. “There’s an irony as I’m kind of an anomaly in the music business,” he said. “In the Latin world they said I was too English, and in the English world I was too Latin, so to bring it together now, when it all really started around 2010, feels really good.”
Pitbull, who performs in both English and Spanish, has had a number of hits both in the U.K. and U.S. throughout his career, including two No. 1s on the Billboard Hot 100 (2011’s “Give Me Everything” and 2013’s “Timber”). He released his most recent LP, Trackhouse, in 2023 and over his career has collected nine Billboard Latin Music Awards.
Música mexicana singer-songwriter Codiciado has filed a lawsuit against his old record label, Rancho Humilde, and former bandmates in the ensemble Grupo Codiciado, claiming they stole his intellectual property by getting the band back together under the name Los Codicia2 after he went solo.
Codiciado (Erick de Jesús Aragón Alcantar) made the accusations in a federal lawsuit filed Tuesday (June 10) against Rancho Humilde; the label’s trio of co-founders, Jaime Humilde, Jose “JB” Becerra and Roque “Rocky” Venegas; and former Grupo Codiciado members Alexis Aguirre, Ivan Ramirez and Giovanni Rodriguez Meza.
Grupo Codiciado formed in Tijuana in 2015 and later signed with Rancho Humilde; it reached No. 8 on the Regional Mexican Albums chart with Miro Lo Que Otros No Miran in 2018. The group disbanded in 2021, after which its lead singer, Codiciado, went solo, returning to the Billboard charts with his song “Vamos Aclarando Muchas Cosas” in 2023 and launching a successful tour the following year.
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The trouble started when Aguirre, Ramirez and Rodriguez Meza debuted a new group called Los Codicia2, pronounced “Los Codiciados,” under Rancho Humilde at the beginning of 2025. Codiciado claims the group’s name infringes his own trademarked moniker.
“The infringing mark adopted and used by defendants is practically identical to plaintiff’s marks,” wrote Codiciado’s lawyers. “This mark differs from plaintiff’s ‘CODICIADO’ mark only in that the final letter is ‘S’ and in the preceding term ‘LOS.’”
Codiciado says Rancho Humilde and his former bandmates are purposefully trying to mislead fans into thinking he’s affiliated with or endorses the new group, stating in the lawsuit that they’re attempting to “trade on the goodwill of plaintiff’s marks, cause confusion and deception in the marketplace and divert potential sales of plaintiff’s products to defendants.”
According to Codiciado, this alleged wrongdoing has persisted despite his sending multiple cease-and-desist letters to the label and band. He’s now seeking a court injunction to make them stop, plus monetary damages for trademark infringement, trademark dilution and unfair competition.
“Defendants’ acts are causing and, unless restrained, will continue to cause incalculable damage and immediate irreparable harm to plaintiff and to his valuable reputation and goodwill with the consuming public for which plaintiff has no adequate remedy at law,” the lawsuit reads.
Representatives for Codiciado declined to comment on the claims. Rancho Humilde did not immediately return requests for comment.
The 2025 Argentina Music Report from the Argentine Chamber of Phonogram and Videogram Producers (CAPIF) shows that streaming is still dominating the country’s music industry, making up 79% of total recorded music revenue in 2024.
Within the digital segment, subscription-based streaming leads with 65% of the revenue, solidifying itself as the main source of music monetization in Argentina. Meanwhile, ad-supported streaming accounted for 35% of the total.
“For the first time since emerging from the post-pandemic crisis, the numbers in our industry show a decline in 2024 compared to the previous year,” says CAPIF president Diego Zapico in the annual report shared with Billboard Español. “The causes are varied: they range from the macroeconomic reality of our country to specific factors within our sector that had been accumulating imbalances and were exposed over the past year.”
“The market decline is explained by the fact that the value of service tariffs does not keep pace with the evolution of the economy and therefore, at constant values, service prices are relatively lower today,” a representative of CAPIF tells Billboard Español. “In addition, the drop in revenues from communication to the public attributable to decree 765/24, published in the Official Gazette on August 28, 2024, which modified the intellectual property regime in Argentina, particularly with respect to the public performance of musical works, has also had an impact.”
Additionally, physical sales — though declining — still made up 7% of the market, with vinyl records solidifying their spot as collectors’ favorite format, accounting for 69% of physical sales compared to 31% for CDs.
“Our country is an endless source of talent, with an incredible diversity of styles, genres, and music,” adds Zapico. “It’s a place where creativity flows freely, where artists collaborate across boundaries, and where languages and sounds constantly mix, fuse, invent and reinvent themselves.”
The report also highlights the impact of Latin artists in the top 10 of the 2024 General Ranking. Among the most popular tracks are “Hola Perdida” by Luck Ra and KHEA, “Piel” by Tiago PZK and Ke Personajes, and “Que Me Falte Todo” by Luck Ra and Abel Pintos. Other hits, like “Una Foto” by Mesita, Nicki Nicole, Tiago PZK and Emilia, as well as “La_Original.mp3” by Emilia and Tini, showcase the reach of Argentine music in both the local and regional markets.
“This is our unique national identity when it comes to art and music, and it’s what drives the success of many of our artists around the world,” says Zapico. “From the legends and established stars to the newcomers who emerge year after year, their strong presence at the top of global and regional charts and scenes stems from this.”
Check out the full top 10 of the 2024 General Ranking below:
Luck Ra y KHEA, “Hola Perdida”
Tiago PZK y Ke Personajes, “Piel”
Luck Ra y Abel Pintos, “Que Me Falte Todo”
Feid y ATL Jacob, “Luna”
Mesita, Nicki Nicole, Tiago PZK y Emilia, “Una Foto”
Los Ángeles Azules y Emilia, “Perdonarte, ¿Para Qué?”
Emilia y Tini, “La_Original.mp3″
Floyymenor y Cris MJ, “Gata Only”
Luck Ra y BM, “La Morocha”
Salastkbron y Diego París, “Un Besito Más”
On the other hand, “Luna” by Feid and ATL Jacob leads the top 10 of the Spanish-Language Foreign Artists Repertoire; while Benson Boone leads the top 10 of the Foreign Artists Repertoire in Other Languages ranking.
To see the full annual charts, click here.
“Long live carranga!” shouted Sara Lu. The Carranga Kids were celebrating their big win on the reality show La Voz Kids Colombia 2024, and in the heat of the moment, that was the first thing the teenager could think to say. The other kids joined in, jumping with excitement — they all seemed to agree. After all, it was carranga that got them there.
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Almost a year and a half later, the young group — who had already released an album before joining the competition — dropped their album A Bailar Carranga (or Dance Carranga) in May and are now gearing up for a new one in the coming months, along with a collaboration with their former La Voz Kids coach and Latin Grammy winner Andrés Cepeda.
But what exactly is carranga, and how did it win over this young quartet? Born in the Cundiboyacense and Boyacá of Colombia, this musical genre blends Indigenous, African and European elements while celebrating love for the countryside, ecology, good humor and social critique, with Jorge Velosa as one of its greatest pioneers.
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Sara Lucía, who plays the requinto guitar and sings backup vocals, listens to reggaetón, vallenato, merengue, and salsa — a mix of trendy music and the sounds she picks up from her parents. But it was her grandfather who introduced her to carranga. “It’s a genre that’s purely Colombian, and we feel the need for young people to learn more about it,” says the 14-year-old.
The origins of Carranga Kids trace back to a musical tribute Contreras wanted to dedicate to his late grandfather. The group already existed, having formed during school breaks, but this would be their first big live performance.
Jerónimo Arias Villamizar (guacharaca and backup vocals) recalls that, at first, carranga wasn’t even one of his favorite types of music. But the experience of playing with the other musicians was so special that the 14-year-old decided to stay. At the time, Carranga Kids also included a set of twins who eventually left the group. They were replaced by Juan José González and Esteban de Jesús Suárez, who are 10 and 12 years old, respectively.
“I was invited during a school break, and I’ve been singing since I was three years old — thanks to my dad, who’s a mariachi,” says Arias Villamizar, highlighting that the success of Carranga Kids isn’t just rooted in their deep knowledge of the Cundiboyacense musical genre, but also in their ability to learn from other styles. For example, Jero, as he’s called, shares his deep admiration for the late Mexican legend, Ariel Camacho, leader of the popular group Los Plebes del Rancho.
With their original lineup, they recorded their first EP, Huellas Coloridas, in 2021. However, one of the prizes from the reality show was the chance to record an album with Universal Music Colombia (the other prize was 150 million Colombian pesos, roughly $35,000, which can only be used for their college education). This led to the release of their first studio album, A Bailar Carranga, in May of this year. The most popular song from the album was “Coquetica y Juguetona” (meaning “coquettish and playful”) a response to the hit “Coqueta” by Heredero, which went viral on TikTok.
The song came from a reflection by Contreras that is as simple as it is brilliant: “‘Coqueta’ is a song that men relate to, so we wanted to create a response that offered a female perspective.”
“A Bailar Carranga” and “Al Campo Me Fui” (meaning “to the country I went”) were also songs that were well-received on streaming platforms.
They haven’t even finished promoting this album, and they’re already working on their second record with Universal, which will feature Andrés Cepeda as a collaborator on a version of “Los Sabanales,” a song they performed during the final stage of the popular competition.
One of the reasons behind Carranga Kids’ success is that, as children, they can captivate both the traditional audience of the genre and younger listeners who might not typically engage with this type of music. Sara Lu also recognizes that blending genres has helped them reach new audiences, emphasizing that while carranga is their foundation, rock and urban music can also be part of their fusions.
She also hints that now that they’ve conquered Colombia — or at least a large part of the country — it’s time to expand across the continent. “There are many Latin American rhythms that are very similar, like what’s happening in Peru with its sound, which is highly globalized.” She brings up “Coqueta” again, but this time not to talk about their response song, but to emphasize how Heredero’s hit reached unimaginable places, even in Europe.
She concludes, “Now, taking carranga to the international stage is much easier.”
This story was originally published by Billboard Colombia.
Singer, songwriter, and now producer Ángela Aguilar continues to carve her own path in música mexicana as the youngest of the Aguilar dynasty. In an interview with Billboard, the 21-year-old star spoke candidly about producing her own music for the very first time and launching her producer era with Nadie Se Va Como Llegó, her latest album released May 28.
“It made me really appreciative of my father and everything he’s done for me,” Aguilar says, speaking of her legendary dad Pepe Aguilar, who had produced the her music prior to her new LP. “Have you heard of when someone pushes you into the pool so you learn how to swim? That’s what my dad did. He really said, ‘I have to focus on my album, I have a bunch of things to do, I don’t have time, why don’t you start looking for songs?’ And I was like, ok.”
The new album includes a song with Marc Anthony, the only collaboration on the 12-track set. Aguilar shares the “honest” version of how that collab came about.
“We were at a party, and when I say party, my husband [Christian Nodal] and I don’t have friends so it was just Nadia [Ferreira], Marc, me and my husband, and we were just having fun and drinking and showing each other’s projects,” she says. “Two weeks later, I received a message from tío Marc and it said, ‘Comadrita, is it ok if I bring it down two tones?’ I had not only sent him the arrangement, but the lyrics, everything. I was like, ‘At what [part] of my party did I think Marc Anthony was going to sing with me? At what part of my party did he actually sing with me?’ It was amazing.”
For the album, Aguilar — the granddaughter of the legendary Antonio Aguilar and Flor Silvestre — recruited a handful of Mexican women to help write songs, which was intentional. It’s what she’s committed to do after being “the only woman in the studio” in the making of her previous albums, and other projects she’s been a part of.
“I was recently part of my husband’s songwriting sessions and it was just me and my friend Amanda Coronel. We thought, this is strange. It’s very important to have this platform and give women a voice,” she says.
The new album comes just months after Aguilar was honored at Billboard Women in Music with the Breakthrough Award, where she gave a passionate speech about immigrant rights. “It’s very taboo to talk about things like that in awards and just anywhere,” she says. “And people tell you not to do it but again, I have a responsibility as a Mexican American to speak about injustices that are going on because it directly affects my people, people that go to my concerts and consume my music. There’s nothing worse than to not have a voice and to have people speak for you.”
Watch the interview above where Ángela also talks about an upcoming new tour and her ever-growing family that includes five new pugsitos. “The are the most precious little babies. We now have 20 dogs in total, 40 horses and I’m working on [adding] a few miniature cows, too.”
Ángela Aguilar just released her newest album, ‘Nadie Se Va Como Llego,’ and she shares her experience producing her music for the first time, collaborating with Marc Anthony, why she decided to produce, her opinion on speaking up about immigrant rights, working with her husband, Christian Nodal, and more!
What’s your favorite song from Ángela Aguilar’s new album? Let us know in the comments!
Griselda Flores: Hi, I’m Billboard’s Griselda Flores, and I’m joined by singer, songwriter and producer Ángela Aguilar. Ángela, how are you?
Ángela Aguilar: I’m good, good to see you again. That sounds interesting. That’s new for me.
“Producer” is new for you.
“Producer” is new for me.
Yes, and we’re definitely going to talk about that. How are you doing today?
I’m excited. I’m hungry. I am ready to eat.
Yes, so we’re at El Paseo Inn restaurant in La Placita Olvera in LA. Do you have any memories of La Placita Olvera? Because I know you lived between Mexico and the US, but you were born in LA.
Yeah, I was born here. You know, I grew up here, and for me, this was a very important place that I would only take like very special people to go with me because there’s a statue of my grandfather here, and it’s right where he used to sleep on the bench when he was homeless.
No!
Yeah. So it’s very, very important to me to see how much we’ve grown and how much you know our love for Mexican music has continued to nurture different people.
And what about LA? What’s your relationship to LA now?
I was born and raised Angeleno. This is where I studied. This is where I went to school. This is, you know, the city that saw me grow up. But at the same time, it was like 50/50, so I was in Mexico 50% of the time, here 50% of the time.
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