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On Nov. 22, Kendrick surprised fans when, after winning what many consider the best rap battle ever, he released his sixth album GNX. However, after the shock of the surprise drop, fans were more taken aback by how the album sounded. Aside from a handful of songs like “Man at the Garden” and “Luther”, the project showcased a heavy and deeply rooted West Coast influence. The first voice you hear when you press play on “Wacced Out Murals,” the album’s intro, is not even Kendrick’s — it’s mariachi singer Deyra Barrera’s, “a genre of music that, thanks to L.A.’s heavy Mexican population, many in Kendrick’s generation grew up hearing while grabbing some tacos or visiting a neighbor’s house.
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He featured relatively unknown and underground Cali rappers throughout the album, giving artists like Lefty Gunplay, Dody6, AzChike, Hitta J3, YoungThreat and Peysoh their first charting hits. Songs like “Squabble Up”, “Hey Now”, “TV Off”, “Peekaboo”, “Dodger Blue” and “GNX” all have distinct West Coast production and put L.A. street lingo front and center. For example, “Squabble Up” uses a sample of Debbie Deb’s hook to freestyle classic “When I Hear Music,” which is popular in lowrider culture and has a Bay Area bounce to it. The video also features hyphy culture prominently, along with other easter-egg nods to life in California from a hip-hop perspective.
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But Kendrick Lamar wouldn’t be the only superstar to tap his home soil for inspiration in the past few months. Similar to the way Lamar used an unorthodox approach in setting off GNX with Barrera’s soulful vocals, Bad Bunny starts off his latest album Debí Tirar Más Fotos with the sounds of salsa, in the form of an interpolation of El Gran Combo’s “Un Verano en Nueva York” on the album’s intro “NuevaYol“. The listener immediately knows the direction in which Bunny’s planning to take them. This particular brand of salsa music exploded Stateside during the ‘70s, as more Puerto Ricans and Cubans moved to New York City and Miami, respectively. The Latino diaspora was thirsty for a new sound that helped speak to their new urban environment; sort of like reggaetón has become for younger generations.
The record’s third track, “Baile Inolvidable,” is essentially a salsa song, again wasting no time in telling the listener that this is a Puerto Rican album made by a Puerto Rican for Puerto Ricans. Bunny’s vocals over that style of production is reminiscent of artists like Ghostface Killah rapping over a loosely looped R&B beat on songs like “The Watch” and “Holla”. Kendrick’s “Heart Pt. 6” does something similar, as he raps about his early days over a sample of SWV’s mid-’90s R&B hit “Use Your Heart”.
Bunny, similar to Kendrick on past albums, is using his influence as one of the world’s biggest stars to bring attention to what’s happening in his homeland. Puerto Rico has been stuck in limbo as a United States territory since 1898, with its citizens being split between statehood, independence and free association. Bunny’s been a vocal supporter of the growing independence movement, recently endorsing third party candidate Juan Dalmau for governor of Puerto Rico. The song “Lo Que Le Pasó a Hawaii” warns against statehood and the gentrification he believes it will inevitably bring as he doesn’t want his homeland to suffer the same fate as Hawaii since it became the 51st state in 1959. The 2023 Maui wildfires have amplified the archipelago’s gentrification problem, as many natives are being priced out of neighborhoods they’ve lived in for generations.
The Puerto Rican superstar’s sixth album isn’t all political, though. Tracks like “Café con Ron” and “Pitorro de Coco” are homages to Bori culture, with both being named after popular drinks like coffee with rum and coconut moonshine. He even released the album the day before Three Kings Day, a secondary Christmas holiday celebrated on the island. And he includes a few records for the ladies to whine to for good measure.
Lamar isn’t nearly as political on GNX as Bunny is on Debí Tirar Más Fotos, but he too wanted to remind fans and critics alike that his home has its own culture with its own slang, rhythms and dances. He did decide to wade into some political waters during his Super Bowl 59 Halftime performance, however, by enlisting Samuel L. Jackson to narrate the show as Uncle Sam, seemingly in reference to Jackson’s Dolmedes character in Spike Lee’s 2015 film Chi-Raq. “The feel of it is Black America,” Dot’s right hand man Dave Free told the Wall Street Journal of pgLang’s production. “What does Black America look like, and how to control that narrative of what it means to be Black in America, versus what the world’s perspective of that is.”
Two superstars whose genres have risen from the streets of their respective homelands to becoming a global force, dropping super-regional albums, and both going No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart shows that chasing trends and worrying about what everybody else is doing or wants to hear from you doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. “My purpose was what I said: Bring an album with the essence of Puerto Rico that would unite generations, awaken love for the country and the culture, and that people would enjoy,” the Puerto Rican superstar told Billboard. “That was it.”
When WWE Superstar Damian Priest learned that one of the biggest matches of his career would be held in Puerto Rico, he was overjoyed. For Priest, who was raised in Vega Baja, a small town just 26 miles from San Juan, it was more than a match — it was a long-awaited homecoming. But for this no-holds-barred San Juan Street Fight, the former World Heavyweight Champion would be lacing up his boots to face an unusual opponent: one of music’s brightest stars and arguably Puerto Rico’s favorite son, Bad Bunny.
“Here he is doing all these moves and being able to take them,” Priest recalls of the May 6, 2023, barn burner, where he lost by pinfall. “The fact that he could take all these hits and get back up — and I know he was in a lot of pain — that drive to succeed and entertain, he has it, like we all do.”
Bad Bunny actually made his WWE debut in January 2021, at the Royal Rumble in St. Petersburg, Fla., where he faced off against former WWE and UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar. That April, he showcased more daredevil moves and aerial tactics — and turned skeptics into believers — at WrestleMania. And since then, he has continued to solidify his heavyweight status in the wrestling world with his unwavering passion for the craft.
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“Music and WWE have always run parallel,” Priest says. “When I describe how to make it in this business through the grind and the struggle, it’s always easier to explain it to musicians because they get it. It’s the same grind. You start performing in front of little to nobody in these greasy clubs, try to get noticed and then build up a reputation and a bit of a following. Hopefully, you get noticed by a record label or an artist who puts you on a tour, [and] it’s the same thing here.”
Bad Bunny and Damian Priest wrestle during the WWE Backlash at Coliseo de Puerto Rico José Miguel Agrelot on May 6, 2023 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
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Though the WWE has been around for 70 years, the wrestling conglomerate is enjoying a renaissance — and the music industry has played a significant role in its post-pandemic resurgence. WWE president Nick Khan, who joined the company in 2020, has been at the forefront, connecting the dots between music and the WWE by bringing artists like Bad Bunny, Travis Scott, Metro Boomin, Cardi B, Meek Mill, Jelly Roll and Sexyy Red to collaborate with the company. Whether through actual matches, live TV segments or commercials for future premium live events, the strategic pairing has brought a fresh and diverse audience to WWE while elevating these artists’ status in the wrestling world.
In early January, WWE officially partnered with Netflix to present Monday Night Raw, its 34-year-old flagship show and the longest-running weekly episodic program without reruns in TV history. (The show most recently aired on USA Network from 2005 through the end of 2024.) The three-hour star-packed extravaganza featured wrestling immortals The Rock, John Cena and Hulk Hogan, and celebrities from Vanessa Hudgens and Tiffany Haddish to Travis Scott, Wale and Blxst attended. But unlike his peers, Scott wasn’t just a spectator — he escorted WWE Superstar Jey Uso ahead of his match. Scott — whom WWE chief content officer Paul Levesque (aka wrestler Triple H) gifted a Hardcore Championship belt during the rapper’s ComplexCon performance last November — wore the title draped around his shoulders and fed off the crowd’s electric energy as his own “Fein” reverberated throughout Los Angeles’ Intuit Dome. Sunglasses on and joint in hand, Scott sauntered out alongside Uso with the aura of a ’90s wrestler — a picture-perfect moment for both stars.
“The energy out there was crazy,” Scott tells Billboard. “I was talking to Triple H and was like, ‘Yo. This s–t is wild.’ In my shows, I try to create that maximum energy level and have the people feel they can reach the highest level of ecstasy as far as being happy and free. And in those environments — things like wrestling, and even in sports where the characters can be so free and create this livelihood for kids, adults and families — it’s dope.”
“When I found out I was coming out with Travis, I asked him, ‘Are you ready? Because this s–t is about to pop off,’ ” Uso adds. “I just didn’t expect that the brother was about to light one up before we walked out. He can do what he wants to do.”
This wasn’t the first time Uso had rubbed shoulders with a hip-hop superstar. Last April, at WrestleMania 40, he and Lil Wayne walked down the entranceway together at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field before a roaring crowd as the rapper’s “A Milli” and Uso’s entrance theme, “Main Event Ish,” played. It was a surreal moment for Uso: Before his WWE debut in 2007, he’d wrestled on the independent circuit alongside his twin brother, Jimmy, and they’d chosen Wayne’s 2004 hit “Go DJ” as their entrance music.
“We all grew up on Wayne in the late ’90s and early 2000s,” Uso says. “I’m talking about when he was with Hot Boyz and all that. It’s crazy how life comes full circle.” Before they walked out, Uso even cajoled Wayne into wearing some Uso merchandise: “He was real dope and cool with everything. He asked if I needed anything from him, and I said, ‘S–t, brother. Can you wear these “YEET” glasses for me? Here, put these on.’ ”
As artists rush to step inside the squared circle, wrestlers are moving with similar intention toward recording studios. Compelling entrance songs are vital in developing their characters, and since the ’90s, revered WWE Superstars like “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, The Rock and The Undertaker have placed fans in a choke hold with not only their iconic visual presentation but also their magnetic theme music. At the heart of those entrance songs is former WWE composer Jim Johnston, who used popular ’90s genres like hip-hop and rock to create songs based on the wrestlers’ characters.
For Austin, famously known as “The Texas Rattlesnake,” his hard-rocking entrance song, “I Won’t Do What You Tell Me,” became known for its glass-shattering sound effects. Austin didn’t record vocals for it, but Cena, whose earlier wrestling persona was a punchline-driven rapper, stepped inside the booth and rapped his “The Time Is Now.” That bold move paved the way for future superstars like Uso and Priest to infuse their entrances with their own personalities, adding a fun new element for fans to enjoy.
“It helps to have someone like [Slayer’s] Kerry King play guitar on my track,” says Priest, whose character has a darker, goth-like personality. “It’s pretty cool. While doing my own vocals on my song is pretty simple, it’s cool because it comes from me and what I wanted to say and feel during certain moments. People can bop their heads to it, and it adds to that aura.”
Bad Bunny, representing Latino World Order, takes the ring as he prepares to wrestle Dominik Mysterio during the WWE SmackDown at Coliseo de Puerto Rico José Miguel Agrelot on May 5, 2023 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
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Uso’s hip-hop-influenced “Main Event Ish” is arguably the WWE’s most popular entrance song, with a simple but fiery hook (“It’s just me, Uce”), his unbridled energy and sharp ad-libs. His signature wave — now a staple at all WWE shows where he’s competing, in which he climbs the top rope and waves his hands up and down, controlling the crowd like a hip-hop maestro — accompanies the song.
“I flew to New York one day, sat [down with the writing team], put it together, knocked it out and it was on TV the next week,” Uso says of the track. “I knew I wanted to get on there and bring the energy. We always been musical, my whole family. We got hidden talents the world don’t know about.”
And as WWE enters WrestleMania season — with arguably its deepest roster since the ’90s — more musicians are looking to walk down the entrance ramp and pose a challenge, just like Bad Bunny first did four years ago. Fortunately for Bad Bunny, he had a great teacher in Priest, who, prior to their one-on-one showdown in Puerto Rico, served as his in-ring mentor and tag-team partner at WrestleMania 37, where they were victorious.
“A good match with another good wrestler is expected,” Priest says. “What I did with Bad Bunny was magic because nobody expected it. That’s not something you get to do all the time. I don’t know if I’ll ever get that chance again.”
This story appears in the Feb. 8, 2025, issue of Billboard.
Billboard Women In Music 2025 officially announces some of their honorees including Ángela Aguilar, Muni Long, aespa and more! Keep watching to get a peak of the honorees list. Who do you think should be honored? Let us know in the comments below! Click here to learn all the details: https://www.billboard.com/women-in-music-2025/ Narrator: This year, get […]
Growing up in the projects of Río Piedras in San Juan, Ozuna had hoop dreams, playing on neighborhood courts until he finally accepted he would never be tall enough to go pro. His younger brother José Ginés, on the other hand, grew right past him and was eventually drafted in 2020 to play in the territory’s premier basketball division: the BSN, or Baloncesto Superior Nacional.
By then, Ozuna had left the projects far behind and become one of the world’s top reggaetón stars. And in 2022, he became the sole owner of BSN’s Los Brujos de Guayama, an underfunded team located far from San Juan. Ozuna moved it to the bigger city of Manatí and renamed it Osos de Manatí (the Manatí Bears, in a nod to his fondness for the animal). Within a year, it rose from last in the league to second place in the 2024 BSN championship.
“Those players needed a push from someone who was listening to them so they’d know there are bigger opportunities,” says Ozuna, who also hired his brother away from a previous team to play for Los Osos. “And I’m teaching them how to set goals and grow, and yes, maybe one day get to the NBA.”
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Ozuna is one of three huge reggaetón artists who in the past few years have acquired ownership in local BSN teams in Puerto Rico. In 2021, Bad Bunny joined manager Noah Assad and Rimas executive Jonathan Miranda in acquiring Los Cangrejeros de Santurce, and the same year, Anuel and his then-manager, Frabian Eli, purchased Los Capitanes de Arecibo. Though Anuel and Eli have since split up and ceded their team ownership, the three artists’ combined star power has reinvigorated a languishing Puerto Rican basketball scene.
While Ozuna put Los Osos on the map, Assad, Miranda and Bad Bunny literally revived Los Cangrejeros, who had been on hiatus since 2016. “We were approached by J.J. Barea, who said he wanted to play his last seasons in front of his home fans in Puerto Rico,” Assad explains. Owning the team, he says, is another way for him, Miranda and Bad Bunny to bring people together. “Puerto Rico is all about family. Just having the team has a positive impact.”
Ozuna has now also bought a minor league team, and he has a development team where kids train from 6 years old until the juniors level. “It’s like a basketball farm,” he says. “We have about 160 kids playing on 10 teams. We pay their transport, their snacks. The vision is for them to realize they have to work in steps to make it big. There’s a lot of talent here, but it wasn’t on display until we came along.”
Other artists outside Puerto Rico are apparently following his example. In January, Colombian rapper Ryan Castro announced he was acquiring a significant stake in Paisas Basketball Club, a professional team in his hometown of Medellín. “It’s another facet for us as entrepreneurs — supporting sports — because the kids in the barrios have the same dreams as us, the artists,” Castro tells Billboard. The same month, Colombian reggaetón star Blessd acquired a stake in Vendsyssel FF, a European second division soccer team.
Castro says his impetus for investing in a team came from his own love of the sport, much like Ozuna, who admits he didn’t have the tools to make it big himself. “Now I can do it for someone else. But it’s not about making money. It’s about love for basketball.”
This story appears in the Feb. 8, 2025, issue of Billboard.
Maná has become the first ever Spanish-language rock band to be nominated for Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inclusion – a historic and long overdue recognition for not only Maná but Spanish-language music in general.
With this nomination, Maná becomes the first Latin nominee for Rock Hall induction in nearly 10 years (since Los Lobos were nominated in 2016). Three Latin artists – who record primarily in English – have been inducted into the Rock Hall since its first edition in 1986, including Santana (1998), Ritchie Valens (2001) and Linda Ronstadt (2014).
“We’re four guys who grew up in Mexico listening to rock and roll — The Beatles, The [Rolling] Stones, Queen, Led Zeppelin, The Eagles, Santana,” lead singer Fher Olvera tells Billboard, speaking on behalf of Maná. “We dreamed of sharing our lyrics and music with the world. We wanted to share the sounds and spirit of Mexico and Latin America. To be nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is almost impossible to imagine. We’re honored and grateful.”
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Rock & Roll Hall of Fame announced on Wednesday (Feb. 12) this year’s nominees, unveiling 14 artists who are in contention to join the Rock Hall’s Class of 2025. Besides Maná, the list includes Bad Company, The Black Crowes, Mariah Carey, Chubby Checker, Joe Cocker, Billy Idol, Joy Division/New Order, Cyndi Lauper, Oasis, Outkast, Phish, Soundgarden and The White Stripes.
Revolutionizing the rock en español scene, Maná – composed of Olvera, drummer Alex González, guitarist Sergio Vallín and bassist Juan Calleros – formed more than 30 years ago in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, and have since become one of the most revered and successful rock bands out of Latin America.
Their debut on the Billboard charts came in January 1994 with Dónde Jugarán los Niños, peaking at No. 2 on the Top Latin Albums chart. But it was their 1997 set, Sueños Líquidos, that became Maná’s first album to hit No. 1 on Latin Albums, and seven more No. 1s came after that, making Maná the Latin rock group with the most leaders on that chart to date.
Furthermore, Maná holds the title for the Latin rock band with the most entries on Hot Latin Songs and Latin Airplay – with 33 and 36 total entries, respectively.
On the touring front, Maná remains active and relevant. While they’ve toured around the world through decades, in 2023, Maná accomplished an extraordinary feat playing more than 55 concerts, including 16 as part of a residency at Los Angeles’ Kia Forum, where it sold over 220,000 tickets, according to Live Nation.
“Maná is one of my favorite bands,” says Bob Roux, Live Nation president U.S. concerts. “They’re a global touring powerhouse. They sell out everywhere they go from Los Angeles to Mexico City, Buenos Aires to Bogota, Madrid and even London. What I love most about them is every tour has a social cause. They’re always giving back to their community. They have worked tirelessly their entire career, making great records, performing live, and standing up for what they believe in. I can’t think of a more deserving artist to get this prestigious nomination.”
With anthemic songs like “Oye Mi Amor,” “Clavado En Un Bar,” “El Reloj Cucú” and “Rayando El Sol,” just to name a few, Maná has for decades been a fixture in multigenerational homes in Latin America and beyond. Its music has not only stood the test of time, but the band has also become a fierce advocate of environmental justice – launching Selva Negra Foundation in 1996 – and a protector of immigrant rights, most recently speaking out against President Trump’s mass deportation efforts.
“We want to share this recognition with all Latinos everywhere, especially the immigrants who are suffering right now,” adds Olvera. “Don’t lose faith. Our people always find a way. Maná loves you. We’ll always be here standing with you.”
Nominees for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame are voted on by an international panel of more than 1,200 artists, historians and music industry players. Plus, a fan-voted element that impacts the final tally. The Class of 2025 will be revealed in late April, and the 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place in Los Angeles this fall.
Alejandro Sanz is back in the top 10 on a Billboard U.S. chart thanks to “Hoy No Me Siento Bien,” his first team-up with Grupo Frontera. The song, which climbs 12-7 on the Latin Pop Airplay chart (dated Feb. 15), becomes the Spaniard’s first visit to the upper region since 2020.
“Hoy No Me Siento Bien,” released Jan. 24 on Sony Music Latin, climbs to No. 7 after a robust 51% gain in plays for the tracking week ending Feb. 6, according to Luminate. That increase translates to 2.7 million audience impressions in the U.S. in its second week on the chart.
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“This is not a song, this is a statement,” shared Sanz on his Instagram account, as he announced the Frontera collab on Jan. 24. The song, produced by Grammy and Latin Grammy winner Edgar Barrera, fuses Sanz’s characteristic pop and Frontera’s cumbia folk.
Sanz last scored a top 10 on Latin Pop Airplay through “For Sale,” with Carlos Vives in 2020, reaching a No. 5 high then. In between, he’s placed three other songs, among those, “Muero,” with Kany García, nearly missed the upper region, landing at No. 11 in 2022.
Frontera grabs its first top 10 on its first try. The group joined the Latin pop radio ranking last week, when “Hoy No Me Siento Bien” debuted at No. 12 on the chart dated Feb. 8.
Sanz, one of Latin pop’s earliest hitmakers, adds a 25th career top 10. The Spaniard first reached the upper region the with the No. 9-peaking “La Fuerza del Corazón” in 1995. He has since placed at least one top 10 on Latin Pop Airplay in every decade. Six out of those landed at the summit, including his featured role in Shakira’s “La Tortura,” which dominated for 10 weeks, tying with Juane’s “La Camisa Negra” for the longest-leading song in 2005.
Continued reception across Latin pop radio stations, takes “Hoy No Me Siento Bien” to a No. 43 debut on the overall Latin Airplay chart, Sanz’s first visit since “Muero,” with Kany García, in 2022.
“Hoy No Me Siento Bien” will appear on Sanz’s 15th studio project. It follows first single, “Palmeras En El Jardín,” a No. 13 high on Latin Pop Airplay (Dec. 2024).
It’s been a busy start of 2025 for Billboard’s Regional Mexican Airplay chart, with five acts occupying the No. 1 spot at least for one week across the year’s seven chart weeks thus far. The latest leader is Gerardo Coronel “El Jerry,” who slides to the top of the list with “CHSM El Hígado,” as […]
The 2025 Premio Lo Nuestro unveiled a new wave of performers on Tuesday (Feb. 11) that includes Alejandra Guzmán, Belinda, Edgar Barrera, El Alfa, Manuel Turizo, Reik, Shakira, Tito Double P, and Xavi.
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Billboard can confirm that Shakira will have an exclusive and unique performance straight from her “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran” world tour that kicks off tonight in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Additionally, Belinda and Tito will perform their bonafide corrido “La Cuadrada,” and Xavi and Manuel Turizo will join on stage for their recent bachata-tumbado “En Privado.”
The artists join previously confirmed performers Ángela Aguilar, Arthur Hanlon, Camilo, Carín León, Danny Ocean, Darell, Kapo, Natti Natasha, Yami Safdie and Yotuel.
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This year, Becky G and Carín León lead the nominations with 10 each. They are followed by Shakira and Myke Towers with nine nominations, and the eight-time nominees Ángela Aguilar, Emilia, Grupo Frontera and Leonardo Aguilar. Nominations for the fan-voted awards “are based on airplay on Uforia stations and take into account airtime on Univision Radio, streaming data and evaluation by a Television Committee composed of music and entertainment industry experts,” according to a press statement.
Meanwhile, La India, Alejandro Fernández and Manuel Alejandro will receive special awards: Premio Lo Nuestro a La Trayectoria (Lifetime Achievement Award), Premio Lo Nuestro a la Excelencia (Excellence Award), and the Visionario Lo Nuestro, respectively.
Co-hosted by Laura Pausini, Thalia and Alejandra Espinoza, this year’s theme is “Uniendo Generaciones” (Uniting Generations), honoring the artists, songs and albums that connect the past, present and future of Latin music.
Premio Lo Nuestro 2025 will air live at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, Feb. 20, via Univision, UNIMÁS and Vix.
Los Tigres del Norte has always been known for addressing political issues and social justice in its songs, with strong and direct lyrics, and for giving a voice to immigrants who have come to the U.S. in search of a better life. Amid recent immigration raids by President Donald Trump’s administration, the band’s latest single, “La Lotería,” is no exception.
“It always breaks your heart to leave your land because the tree no longer provides good shade … It’s not that they want to change their flag; although far away, they always long for their roots,” goes the song released on Feb. 6 under Fonovisa.
“I think it comes at a time when we were already seeing what was coming,” Jorge Hernández, lead vocalist and leader of Los Tigres del Norte, tells Billboard Español. “The song is narrated according to how life has led us.”
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Last year, during presidential candidate Kamala Harris’ campaign, Los Tigres performed at her rally in Phoenix. The appearance aligned with the Mexican band’s continued support for Democratic candidates during U.S. presidential elections. In the past, it has endorsed Hillary Clinton (2016) and Joe Biden (2020), and has used its platform to get Latinos to go out and vote.
“We had the opportunity to work on this Kamala Harris campaign, hoping that we would have the pleasure of having another type of government, but well, such is life. Now we have to adapt and do what we have to do,” Hernández says. “I think this moment is very important for all of us Latinos, it’s a crucial moment for everyone.”
“We also have to see what the Mexican government will grant to those people who for some reason have not been able to settle in the United States,” he adds about the fate of the people deported.
The norteño music band known for classics such as “De Paisano a Paisano,” “La Carta,” “Jefes de Jefes” and “Somos Más Americanos” left its native Sinaloa, Mexico, in 1970 — two years after the group’s foundation — and has established itself in San Jose, Calif., since then.
When asked if he fears any kind of retaliation from President Trump for being the voice of many immigrants in the U.S. and for having supported the Harris campaign, the musician stays focused.
“I don’t think negatively,” he says. “We have always participated when we are called not only in the U.S., in different countries and for different organizations. It’s part of our job. We have been identified with Latinos since the ’70s, so it’s nothing new for us. If there were to be something against us, well, we would have to see what process we would follow. For now, we are calm.”
“We did what we had to do as human beings and as citizens of this country and as citizens of our Mexican Republic,” Hernández concludes. “We will continue to move forward fighting for those people who have no voice.”
The 64th annual Viña del Mar International Song Festival, taking place Feb. 23-28, has announced a panel of nine distinguished judges across music, journalism and entertainment. This eclectic group, renowned in their respective fields, is set to evaluate the international and folk competition entries, determining the winners of the coveted Gaviota de Plata awards.
Leading the panel is Megamedia journalist Rodrigo Sepúlveda, known for his presence on Meganoticias Alerta and the daily radio program Alerta en Romántica. Joining him will be the Grammy-winning duo Bacilos, comprised of Jorge Villamizar from Colombia and André López from Brazil, who are also scheduled to take the stage on Feb. 23. They are known for their hits such as “Pasos De Gigante” and “Caraluna” which charted on Hot Latin Songs at No. 8 and 16, respectively.
Emilia Dides, a singer and Miss Chile 2024 who made significant strides at the Miss Universe pageant last year, brings her musicality to the jury. The jury also includes Catalina Edwards, a journalist, TV and radio host from Megamedia and Radio Infinita. Chilean artist and member of the group 4F (Los Cuatro Fantásticos de la Música) Kidd Voodoo joins as judge and will also take the mic on Friday, Feb. 28. The panel will also feature Chilean actor Jorge López, known for his roles in telenovelas such as Soy Luna and Élite.
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Claudio Narea, an iconic figure in Latin American rock music and a co-founder of the legendary Chilean band Los Prisioneros, brings a wealth of musical history and influence. His deep roots in rock music, and timeless hits such as “Tren Al Sur” and “Estrechez de Corazón” will make him a key judge. Adding a classical touch to the jury is Paolo Bortolameolli, an acclaimed conductor linked with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and a prominent figure in Chile’s and global classical music scenes.
Finally, Nicolás Oyarzún, an actor from Megamedia known for his roles in Chilean series, will bring the drama and emotive power of acting to the jury.
Superstars including Carlos Vives, Marc Anthony, Duki, Carín León and more will be gracing the stage at the 2025 Viña del Mar Festiva.