Latin
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From career milestones to new music releases to major announcements, Billboard editors highlight uplifting moments in Latin music. Here’s what happened in the Latin music world this week.
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Best New Artist Showcase
The Latin Recording Academy hosted its first Best New Artist Showcase of the year at the Museo de Arte de San Juan in Puerto Rico. Former best new artist Latin Grammy winners, Kany García (2008) and Joaquina (2023), were the night’s special performers. “Taking the Best New Artist Showcase series to Puerto Rico for the first time, alongside Joaquina and Kany García, is an exciting opportunity to continue celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Latin GRAMMY Awards,” said Manuel Abud, CEO, The Latin Recording Academy in a statement. “The support of our Presenting Partner Mastercard, and Official Sponsor Rums of Puerto Rico, enables us to continue delivering on our mission to foster the next generation of Latin music makers.” The next showcase will be hosted later this year.
Joaquina and Kany Garcia performed at The Best New Artist Showcase, presented by Mastercard, on June 13, 2024 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The Latin Recording Academy
Marc Anthony’s Son Turns One
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Marc Anthony and Nadia Ferreira’s son, Marco, celebrated his first birthday party this week. “Today marks one year since you came into the world, to teach me so many things… one of them being the greatest love that exists… being your mother, my son,” the Paraguayan model expressed on her Instagram account, sharing a sweet photo of her and her son. “There’s no way to explain the infinite love I feel for you and the excitement of watching you grow and teaching you new things every day. Happy birthday to the greatest blessing of my life. My beloved Marco!”
The couple announced the arrival of their son In a joint Instagram post shared on Father’s Day last year via a black-and-white photo of Anthony carrying their newborn and holding Ferreira’s hand. “God’s timing is always perfect. Happy Father’s Day,” read the sweet and short caption. This is Ferreira’s first baby and the salsa singer’s seventh child, following his sons and daughters Arianna, Chase, Cristian, Ryan, and twins Emme and Maximilian; he shares his twins with ex-wife Jennifer Lopez.
Marc Anthony and Nadia Ferreira at the 35th Premio Lo Nuestro at Miami-Dade Arena on Feb. 23, 2023 in Miami.
Manny Hernandez/Wireimage
Jay Wheeler & Zhamira Are Expecting!
In other baby news, Jay Wheeler and Zhamira Zambrano are expecting their first child. The two-part announcement was made via an Instagram post with four images of the couple loving each other, and a new single by Zambrano called “Bienvenida.” “My life is about to change in a couple more months,” she croons sweetly against a slow pop ballad. Its accompanying music video follows the timeline of her pregnancy while she’s embraced by her husband.
Zambrano and the Puerto Rican artist met at the East Hotel in Miami, and made their relationship Instagram official in February 2022. They tied the knot later that year in December in a civil ceremony. The couple collaborated on “Dicelos” and “Extrañándote.” The latter earned Zambrano her first top 10 on the Latin Pop Airplay chart and Wheeler his third. They performed the song at the 2024 Latin American Music Awards in April.
Jay Wheeler & Zhamira Zambrano
Earl Rivers
Yordano’s Honorary Doctorate
Italian–born Venezuelan singer-songwriter Yordano di Marzo will receive an honorary doctorate in art from the University of the Andes in Colombia, in recognition of his prolific music career that spans more than five decades. “Di Marzo has been one of the most influential singer-songwriters of his generation, notable for his social sensitivity, the literary quality of his songs, and the high level developed in each of his albums,” reads the official press statement, also noting that the artist has been “raising the name of Venezuela, with his indisputable contribution to the development of the arts, particularly music, as a pioneer in the fusion of elements taken from Latin American and Caribbean heritage with rock, pop, and jazz.”
Yordano—who was previously honored with a Latin Grammy for Musical Excellence in 2022—will receive the ULA honorary doctorate during a ceremony on June 22nd at the university’s Mérida campus. He now joins past honorees such as fashion designer Giorgio Armani, tenor Luciano Pavarotti, and Catalan soprano Monserrat Caballé, among others.
Yordano
Francisco Fernández
This week, Billboard’s New Music Latin roundup and playlist — curated by Billboard Latin and Billboard Español editors — features fresh new music from artists such as Paulo Londra, Ángela Aguilar, and Mario Bautista, to name a few.
Ready for a throwback? Mexican boy band Magneto — consisting of original members Elías, Mauri, Alan, Tono, and Alex — made a long-awaited comeback after 25 years of not releasing new music. The 90s ensemble unleashed “Prender El Fuego Otra Vez,” which is a great way to describe this moment: lighting a fire again.
In his regional Mexican era, Mario Bautista marks a new beginning with Fénix. “It took me years to return to Mario Alberto [his real name], and give him the wheel,” the Mexican singer-songwriter told Billboard about the album. “Nowadays, that brings me joy and peace, and ‘Fénix’ represents this new stage, this rebirth.”
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Other new releases include Paulo Londra’s “Paracaídas,” Ángela Aguilar’s mariachi ballad “Gotitas Saladas,” Cimafunk’s “Pretty, Chino Pacas’ “Mami Chula,” among many others.
Last week, music fans voted for Feid’s “Sorry 4 That Much,” generating more than 65% of the votes and beating out other releases that dropped, including Natti Natasha’s “Quiéreme Menos,” Christian Nodal’s “Kbron y Medio,” Joaquina’s “Pesimista” and Fariana and Oro Solido’s “El Caballito,” plus a new joint EP by Maluma and Blessd, titled 1 of 1. Coming in second place on the poll was J Balvin and Chencho Corleone’s “Polvo de tu Vida” with 28% of the vote.
Who should win this week? Vote among new releases by ROBI, Magneto, and more, below:
New Music Latin is a compilation of the best new Latin songs and albums recommended by Billboard‘s Latin and Billboard Español editors. Check out this week’s picks below.
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Ángela Aguilar, “Gotitas Saladas” (Machín Records)
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A friendly competition with her brother, to see who would write the best song, led to the creation of Ángela Aguilar’s latest single. “Gotitas Saladas,” which translates to salted drops, is a gorgeous modern mariachi track where the Mexican-American artist sings about past loves: “You and I could have been so much more, but we said goodbye,” she laments, almost wailing at the realization.
Ángela, who was honored with the Musical Dynasty award at the 2024 Billboard Latin Women in Music, shared that she penned this song, along with her sister Aneliz Aguilar, after her brother Leonardo Aguilar didn’t invite her on a song he was writing along with Adriel Favela. “So I was like, ‘Let’s write a better song, in less time — and when I release it, it’ll be bigger than the one they are writing.’” Produced by the patriarch of the family, Pepe Aguilar, the song follows Ángela’s “Mis Amigas Las Flores.” — GRISELDA FLORES
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Mario Bautista, Fénix (Warner Music México)
After earning his first No. 1 on the Regional Mexican Airplay chart with “Brindo” in 2022, Mario Bautista felt motivated and inspired, and began working on his new studio album, Fénix. The feel-good mariachi song with positive lyrics really set the tone for Bautista’s new Música Mexicana era — one that’s stamped on 14 tracks that navigate from cumbia to ranchera to norteño. Lyrically, the album carries a lot of motivational messages, as heard in opening track “Cabrón Yo Puedo,” as well as heartfelt tributes for the family as heard in “Flores” and “Pa’l Viejo.” Even the heartbreak tunes, such as the Adriel Favela-assisted “Mejor Así,” are packed with optimism. With the creation of Fénix, Bautista also had a life-changing revelation.
“Eleven years have gone by in my career and it’s been a wild ride,” he told Billboard during an Instagram Live interview. “With ‘Baby Girl’ [the urban-pop song that put him on the map in 2018], I felt that it was my peak — but at the same time, it was the time that I was most confused and lost with my personality. It took me years to return to Mario Alberto [his real name], and give him the wheel. Nowadays, that brings me joy and peace, and ‘Fénix’ represents this new stage, this rebirth.” In addition to Favela, other collaborators on the album include Bobby Pulido, Karol Sevilla, El David, and Grupo Origen. — JESSICA ROIZ
ROBI, Young Miko, “sorry es que soy bipolarrr” (Interscope Records)
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From the get-go, ROBI and Young Miko’s “sorry es que soy bipolarrr” grabs attention with an opening drum beat that conjures nostalgia for Blink 182’s “I Miss You.” Produced by Joel Iglesias and Fred Vilchez, this track merges pop-rock charm with an unabashed, candid vibe that perfectly encapsulates the song’s message. Around the 2:50 mark, a jangling guitar strums in, adding a layer of wistful emotion that ties in beautifully with the lyrics: “If I flirted with you via IG/ Don’t read it/ Just leave it alone,” they sing. The Puerto Rican artists navigate through the complexities of a turbulent relationship, twirling between independence and longing. It’s a raw, honest piece that doesn’t shy away from the messiness of emotions, reflecting the modern-day dilemmas of digital-age relationships. — ISABELA RAYGOZA
Magneto, “Prender El Fuego Otra Vez” (BOBO Music/Altafonte)
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Flashback to the ’90s! Iconic Mexican boy band Magneto — consisting of original members Elías, Mauri, Alan, Tono, and Alex — has made a long-awaited comeback after 25 years of not releasing new music. Their latest single, “Prender El Fuego Otra Vez” (Light the Fire Again), marks the beginning of their soon-to-be-released EP and accompanying tour. “Prender El Fuego Otra Vez” is a tropical ballad that seamlessly blends urban sounds with the lively melodies of vallenato accordions. The song, penned by Puerto Rican singer-songwriter Pedro Capó alongside Frank Santofimio, Gabriel González-Perez, Héctor Montaner Jr, Rafael Regginalds (Reggi El Auténtico), carries a message of new beginnings and second chances. — INGRID FAJARDO
LIVING, “mejor que ayer”(CanZion)
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With the single “mejor que ayer”,the Colombian band LIVING presents a new preview of their next album, which marks a new stage in their musical career. The acoustic pop ballad is a new example of the evolution of their proposal for spiritual music, which presents an alternative to the worship style of their beginnings. Regarding their new sound, Lucas Consuegra, one of the band’s vocalist, tells Billboard Español that it closes the gap between commercial and spiritual music.
“With our (new) sound, melodies, and lyrics we want to reach people who seek a spirituality detached from any religious affiliation. We want to bring spirituality within reach of everyone with a language and sound that we can all identify with,” adds Sergio Martín, guitarist and producer. “mejor que ayer”, conveys confidence that with God each present day can be better than the previous one. “Our best moment has not yet arrived, it has not passed, but is being born every day” expresses the band. — LUISA CALLE
Listen to more editors’ Latin recommendations in the playlist below:
Hermanos Gutiérrez, the Ecuadorian-Swiss brothers whose instrumental guitar tracks have become essential listening for festival fans, dropped their new LP Sonido Cósmico (which translates to “cosmic sound”) Friday (June 14). Produced by Black Keys frontman Dan Auerbach for his Easy Eye Sound label, the spatial sounds of Sonido Cósmico are meant to lift the listener away from the desert landscapes of the band’s 2022’s breakout album, El Bueno Y El Malo, into the infinite expansive of the musical universe.
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Standout tracks on the record include the captivating cumbia and salsa inspired song “Cumbia Lunar” and “Low Sun,” their second single, with a video that provides a glimpse into life inside a late-state parapsychology research center circa 1960, where physicists, neuroscientists and philosophers study and analyze supernatural phenomena such as telepathy, ESP and the paranormal.
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Born eight years apart, Estavan Gutiérrez and his younger brother Alejandro Gutiérrez’s music career began when Estavan was 28 and left their home in Switzerland to spend a year with their mom’s family in Ecuador.
“I used to play the guitar in our house all the time and when I left, he missed hearing guitar songs,” Estavan recalls to Billboard. “When I came back, he just could play the guitar. And I was amazed. I asked him how do you do it, and told me he learned guitar by watching YouTube videos.”
“We never wanted to be a band and tour — we just wanted to record our songs for vinyl because we’re vinyl lovers,” Alejandro shares. “For our first LP, Ocho Cincos, we printed, maybe, 200 copies. We thought nobody would buy it. But then we started to sell through word of mouth and we ended up doing a repress.”
Today, Hermanos Gutiérrez’s unique sound, the brothers explain, comes in part from the heavy influence from their maternal grandfather, who introduced them to the music of Julio Jaramillo, an Ecuadorian singer from the 1940s and ’50s, and a guitar teacher who introduced Estevan to Argentinian Malango music.
“That’s first song that I had to learn,” he explains, “and the special finger picking needed that song always stuck with me. I really love the passion that you can feel, along with the nostalgia and the tragic sadness and love of these songs. Sad music is not something negative, it’s something beautiful. It’s honest, and it touches you heart.”
After releasing their second album, El Cama, Hermanos Gutiérrez started playing small gigs around Zurich, releasing five LPs on their own label before linking up with Auerbach and releasing El Bueno Y El Malo in 2022, earning the group an album of the year nomination at the 2023 Americana Music Honors & Awards.
“Dan is just such a mentor for us with his advice and his experience as a musician,” Alejandro says. “It’s just amazing to see how he works in the studio, and I think he’s really helped us in the last month to level up our sound.”
The band’s next gig is Sunday (June 16), at the Black Deer festival in Kent, U.K., before heading to Newport Folk Festival in Rhode Island on July 27. From there, they will launch a tour through the Southwest U.S. with stops in Santa Fe, N.M.; Phoenix; and an Aug. 2 show at the Troubadour in West Hollywood. In August, Hermanos Gutiérrez heads to Europe for a number of headline shows before returning to the states in October to play two weekends of Austin City Limits festival.
Listen to new album Sonido Cósmico and check out the video for “It’s All In Your Mind” below.
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A 58-year-old Arizona man who spent months plotting to stage a violent attack at a Bad Bunny show in Atlanta in May in order to spark a race war ahead of this November’s presidential election was indicted by a federal grand jury on Tuesday. According to NBC News, Mark Adams Prieto was indicted on charges of firearms trafficking, transfer of a firearm for use in a hate crime and possession of an unregistered firearm following a monthslong investigation by the FBI that resulted in his arrest last month.
The Justice Department said that Prieto is currently in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service awaiting transport from New Mexico to Arizona. NBC reported that according to an arrest affidavit, officials began investigating Prescott, Arizona native Prieto in October after a confidential source told a Phoenix FBI agent that a man — later identified as Prieto — had talked about wanting to incite a race war in the run-up to this November’s election.
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The source told authorities that they’d spoken to Prieto more than 15 times over the course of three years at gun shows, where their chats grew from small talk to political discussions. Last year, however, the source told authorities that Prieto started making concerning comments “advocating for a mass shooting” that the affidavit said would specifically target Black people, as well as Jews and Muslims.
Prieto — a vendor at gun shows who allegedly traded his personal guns in cash or swap deals in order to evade detection from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives — reportedly believed that “martial law will be implemented shortly after the 2024 election and that a mass shooting should occur prior” to it being invoked, asking the source in late 2023 if they were “ready to kill a bunch of people.”
The FBI surveilled Prieto from January to March of this year, with the affidavit claiming that on January 21 Prieto told the source and an undercover FBI agent acting as an associate of the source at a Phoenix gun show that he wanted them to help him carry out a mass shooting that targeted Black people at an undetermined rap show in Atlanta. In describing his reasoning for picking Atlanta, the affidavit said Prieto explained, “When I was a kid that [Georgia] was one of the most conservative states in the country. Why is it not now? Because as the crime got worse in L.A., St. Louis, and all these other cities, all the [N-words] moved out of those [places] and moved to Atlanta. That’s why it isn’t so great anymore.”
Prieto allegedly said he wanted to attack a hip-hop show because there would be a high concentration of African Americans there and he was planning to leave confederate flags behind afterwards to send the message that “we’re going to fight back now, and every whitey will be the enemy across the whole country,” adding “KKK all the way” and that he wanted to show “no mercy, no quarter.” Prieto is also alleged to have made plans to travel to Atlanta in advance to store weapons in the area, stressing that having a “high body count” was the most important aspect of the planned attack.
On March 23, Prieto attended another gun show in Arizona where he allegedly told an undercover agent that he was still planning the attack, fearing that if he waited until after the election, “they might have everything in place you can’t even drive, you’ll be stopped,” according to the affidavit. At that point Prieto appeared to hone in on a pair of Bad Bunny shows at State Farm Arena in Atlanta on May 14 and 15, telling the undercover agent that he wanted them to wear hoodies because he thought they wouldn’t raise any alarms dressed that way at a hip-hop show. The following day Prieto allegedly sold an AR-15 to the undercover agent for $1,000 and told him to use it during the attack and to bring along as many gun magazines as he could carry.
At a subsequent gun show in April in Prescott the affidavit said that when the undercover agent asked Prieto if his attack was still on target for May, he said he was planning to push the date back. Prieto was then arrested in New Mexico on May 14 and admitted to knowing the undercover agent and the source and discussing the potential attack on a public venue in Atlanta.
“However, he told agents that he did not intend to go forward with the attack,” the affidavit said, noting that Prieto also allegedly admitted to having sold the AR-15 to the agent and telling him that it would be a good weapon to use in the attack. According to the Justice Department, Prieto allegedly told agents he had seven firearms in his car before being taken into custody and when agents searched his home they found additional firearms as well as an unregistered short-barreled rifle.
Each conviction on Firearms Trafficking and Transfer of Firearm for Use in a Hate Crime carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, as well as a fine of $250,000, or both; a conviction for Possession of an Unregistered Firearm carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. a fine of $250,000, or both.
A spokesperson for Bad Bunny had not returned Billboard’s request for comment at press time.
J Balvin is among a group of Latin music artists who are raising toddlers while still continuing to yield global hits. Balancing out the time he spends in the studio is the time he spends with his son Río, who was born in 2021. “I love going to the park with him, playing ball with […]
Mario Bautista has unleashed his new studio album Fénix — one that he began working on almost two years ago and added its final touches just hours before its release on Thursday (June 13).
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Home to 14 tracks, the set showcases Bautista’s evolution from boy-next-door pop star to a mature young adult who’s embracing life to the fullest. It also marks his new Música Mexicana era.
“I created this album thanks to the success I had with ‘Brindo’ because it was like the light at the end of the tunnel,” he tells Billboard during an Instagram Live interview. “It was something very revealing to be able to transmit a message through regional [Mexican] music. I fell in love with that because I didn’t think it was possible. Up to that moment, I had only created music to party and have fun. When ‘Brindo’ was born, it felt like I was planting something positive in the listeners’ heads, and that’s my purpose in life.”
“Brindo”—a feel-good mariachi with positive lyrics about been grateful for everyone and everything around you—was released in the fall of 2021 but it was its Banda El Recodo de Cruz de Lizárrga-assisted remix that earned Bautista his first No. 1 on the Regional Mexican Airplay Chart in 2022.
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“That’s how Fénix was born — it’s fully Regional Mexican, and it carries messages that I feel are very important for humanity to listen to,” he adds.
In addition to empowered tunes, such as “Cábron Yo Puedo” and “Mejor Así,” in collaboration with Adriel Favela, Bautista dedicates heartfelt tunes to his loved ones (“Flores” and “Pa’l Viejo”) and even tracks for independent women (“15 de Septiembre” and “Mujer Maravilla”).
But Fénix goes far beyond just optimistic lyrics and a tribute to his Mexican roots. It represents an awakening.
“Eleven years have gone by in my career and it’s been a wild ride,” he explains. “With ‘Baby Girl’ (the urban-pop song that put him on the map in 2018), I felt that it was my peak but at the same time, it was the time that I was most confused and lost with my personality. It took me years to return to Mario Alberto (his real name) and give him the wheel. Nowadays, that brings me joy and peace, and ‘Fénix’ represents this new stage, this rebirth.”
Listen to Fénix below.
Congratulations are in order for Jay Wheeler and Zhamira Zambrano, who are expecting their first child together. Zambrano made the announcement Thursday (June 13) on her Instagram page. “Bienvenida,” reads the caption. The four images on the slide see the couple embracing each other very lovingly. To coincide with the news, the Venezuelan singer also released […]
Johnny Canales, the iconic television host who dedicated his career to promoting Norteño and Tejano music in the United States, has died at 77. The announcement was made on his Facebook page Thursday (June 13).
“He was more than just a beloved husband, father, TV host, musician, and entertainer; he was a beacon of hope and joy for countless people,” reads the message. “His infectious charisma and dedication to promoting Latino music and culture left a large mark on the world. Johnny’s spirit will continue to live on through the countless lives he touched and the legacy he built.”
The Johnny Canales Show was an important platform for regional Mexican music artists, including Los Tigres del Norte, Los Relámpagos del Norte and Intocable, and was the prime mover of Selena’s career. “You got it, take it away” was one of the most famous phrases Canales used in his broadcasts to encourage artists in their nascent careers.
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Born in Nuevo Leon, Mexico, he moved to the Corpus Christi, Texas, area at a very young age. From childhood, he showed his passion for music and became a singer. However, it was in television hosting where he found stardom.
From 1988 to 1996, his program was broadcast on the Univision network, which allowed him to reach thousands of Mexicans living in the United States and become a cultural standard bearer for migrants. In 1997 he joined Telemundo, where he remained for several years, and later, his own show would be broadcast would be through their networks.
However, Canales’ health began to deteriorate in 2008 after suffering a stroke that led to loss of mobility, and forced him to give up television broadcasting. At the beginning of 2024, he appeared in networks in delicate health, reporting himself stable from his home. However, he would become weaker and weaker until his last days.
Below, watch a clip of Johnny Canales in action.
With her instantly recognizable warble, signature dance moves and singular stage presence, it didn’t take long for Shakira to reach icon status after she first found global fame with 2001’s Laundry Service. More than two decades later, it’s now hard to imagine what the modern pop landscape would look like without the Colombian singer, especially […]