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Latin

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Coachella 2024’s lineup is stacked with Latin and/or Spanish-language acts set to perform in the desert this year. Peso Pluma, who in 2023 was a surprise guest during Becky G’s set, returns to Coachella, and this time he’ll be performing his own set on April 12 and 19. The two Fridays will also feature performances […]

The first time Don Omar went on tour in Spain, nearly 25 years ago, he had to sing his breakout hits two and three times every time he got onstage.
“I had no repertoire!” he admits to Billboard News with a laugh. Back then, Don Omar, real name William Omar Landrón, was a 22-year-old who was hustling. “I came from such a Puerto Rican genre, such a street genre, and then, those songs started to play everywhere.”

What a difference a quarter-century makes. On March 7, Don Omar kicks off his Back to Reggaetón Tour at the Santander Arena in Reading, Pennsylvania, and will go on to play 25 major U.S. cities, ending April 21 at the Kaseya Center in Miami, before heading to Europe and Central America.

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This time, there will be no need for repeat performances.

“I’ve never had the opportunity to sing my entire repertoire because I never have enough time onstage. But this tour demands two full hours of music,” Don Omar told Billboard‘s Leila Cobo during an exclusive interview prior to his tour. Back to Reggaetón, incredibly, is Don Omar’s first major headlining tour in a decade and his first since the Kingdom Tour with Daddy Yankee in 2015.

This time around, there’s also friends knocking at the door.

“Many are demanding, ‘Don’t leave me out of this!’” he says. “And I’m treating that like a privilege. If, after 25 years of career, your colleagues still feel love, happiness and the desire to share with you, you’ve done something right.”

While the specifics still need to be ironed out, expect to see the likes of Tito El Bambino, Zion y Lennox and Wisin and Yandel somewhere on the tour.

For Don Omar, it’s not a comeback; he’s been releasing a steady supply of music for the past two years. But, he says, it’s gratifying to see so many artists who he literally saw grow up to his music as established and still close.

The first one to believe fully in him, he recalls, was Ñengo Flow, who early in his career asked him to “present” him on his debut album. “It was the first time I realized, ‘They’re looking up at me.’ Ñengo was just getting started. But I was just getting started too.”

All these years later, “I have songs Jhay Cortez wrote for me 10 years ago. And those things make me see, I do have a responsibility. To see people like Jhay and Farruko, and everyone I have great respect and admiration for, say they wanted to be like me back in the day […] it’s one of the things I love most.”

Don Omar is also testing new ground. His new EP, Back to Reggaetón, is out on his own label, and he plans to print CD copies to sell as merch on tour, as part of a broader effort to bring his music and himself even closer to fans.

“Independence allows you to put your own ideas into practice,” he says. “I’m the product of a bunch of bad experiences that made me take action and learn the business. Today, I can be independent. Today I have the economic and intellectual capacity to do so.”

Watch the full interview above.

Alvaro Rizo has been named Gaira Música Local’s new MD, the company tells Billboard. Rizo will be based in the record label’s headquarters in Bogotá, Colombia. The label, which was founded in 1993 by Carlos Vives, is rooted in highlighting Colombia’s musical heritage with a roster that includes artists such as Gusi, Estereo Beat and […]

Don Omar connects with Wisin & Yandel for their first top 10 team-up on Billboard’s Latin Airplay chart as “Sandunga” rallies 12-4 on the Jan. 20-dated list. It’s the 21st top 10 for Don Omar and the 29th for Wisin & Yandel. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news […]

La Fiera de Ojinaga scores its second career No. 1 hit on Billboard’s Regional Mexican Airplay chart (dated Jan. 20) as its latest single, “Neta Que No,” rises from No. 2 to No. 1. The group previously topped the chart with “La Luna de Miel” in 2022. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news […]

The 2024 Governors Ball music festival announced this summer’s lineup on Tuesday morning (Jan. 16), revealing that Post Malone, SZA and the Killers will headline the event slated to take place at Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens from June 7-9.

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In addition to the headliners, Gov Ball will welcome dozens of other pop, rock, Latin and hip-hop stars, including: Peso Pluma, Rauw Alejandro and Farruko, 21 Savage, Dominic Fike, Carly Rae Jepsen, Mean Girls star Reneé Rapp, Labrinth, Sabrina Carpenter and Don Toliver, as well as debut GB performances from Victoria Monét, Sexyy Red, TV Girl, Goth Babe, Alex G, Jessie Murph, Teezo Touchdown, Tyla and Kevin Abstract.

“I’m thrilled to welcome everyone back to Flushing Meadows Corona Park for this year’s Governors Ball, featuring headliners SZA, Post Malone and The Killers,” Queens Borough president Donovan Richards Jr. said in a statement announcing the lineup for the 14th edition of the event. “We’re deeply grateful for the economic activity the festival will generate for Queens, and we’re even more grateful that the festival is partnering with some of our local nonprofits, including Chhaya, Elmhurst/Corona Recovery Collective and the Alliance for Flushing Meadows Corona Park, to work with our local food vendors and other community groups doing important empowerment work.”

Other acts slated to perform: Yung Gravy, Blondshell, Doechii, Hippo Campus, d4vd, BAkar, Skizzy Mars, Cannons, Chappell Roan, Stephen Sanchez, Beach Fossils, Saint Levant, Geese, G Flip and Husbands

This summer’s Ball will feature more than 60 bands on three stages setting up at Corona Park for the second year. You can sign up now for the SMS presale, which will happen on Thursday (Jan. 18) from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. ET, which organizers says is the only way to get tickets at the lowest price; ticket prices will go up on Thursday at 1 p.m. ET when the public onsale begins.

This year’s Ball will include two new ticket tiers, 2-day bundles and Ultimate tickets, with the former allowing fans to customize their festival experience by picking any two days of their choosing at any ticket time and the latter ultra-premium pass including access to a shared Ultimate guest cabana with all-day snacks, dinner buffet, all-inclusive bar, dedicated restroom and prime views of the main stage and front-of-stage viewing at all the stages, festival concierge, complimentary beer and seltzer and golf cart transportation between stages. Click here for more ticketing information.

Check out the full festival poster below.

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From career milestones to new music releases to major announcements and those little important moments, Billboard editors highlight uplifting moments in Latin music. Here’s what happened in the Latin music world this week.

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J Balvin & Maluma Join Forces (Again)

Four years after dropping their first collaborative effort, “Qué Pena,” J Balvin and Maluma are joining forces for a second track. “Gafas Negras” (Black Sunglasses), expected to come out on Jan. 25, will seemingly find both artists in their new era as Don Juan (Maluma) and Don Jose (Balvin). This week, the two Colombianos shared a preview of the upcoming track while they discussed parenthood by the beach: “Rio (Balvin’s son) is going to steal Paris (Maluma’s soon-to-be-born daughter),” Balvin jokes in the clip. “By that time I’ll wear my black sunglasses so people can’t see my reaction,” Malum replies. Check out the silly clip below:   

Karol G & Elena Rose Create Magic

Elena Rose kicked off 2024 with a new career move: Announcing that she and Karol G were creating music together. “Thank you warrior for the light that we shared and this beautiful moment. I love and admire you,” the Venezuelan songwriter expressed on Instagram with a set of photos alongside the Colombian singer. “Women who read me, let’s take care of ourselves, protect ourselves, love ourselves and encourage ourselves to continue being Bichotas forever. This year is ours!!!!” Rose has written songs for artists such as Selena Gomez, Becky G, Christian Nodal, Sebastian Yatra, Rauw Alejandro, and many more. 

Ivan Cornejo’s First Stadium Date

Mexican American artist Ivan Cornejo is set to perform his first stadium show on March 3, as part of the Houston Rodeo lineup. The 19-year-old singer-songwriter, who is featured in the Genre Now issue as the future of regional Mexican music, announced he’s part of the event on Thursday (Jan. 11) with the caption: “HOUSTON BUCKLE UP !!! the first stadium I’m performing! see you at the rodeo.” The announcement comes just months after Cornejo wrapped up his most ambitious tour yet, Terapia Tour, which he closed out with a record-breaking concert at Toyota Arena in Ontario, Calif., becoming what the venue says is the highest-selling single Latin music show in its history.

Kali Uchis Is Expecting

On the eve of releasing her debut Spanish-language album, Orquideas, Kali Uchis revealed that she and rapper boyfriend Don Toliver were expecting their first baby together. “Starting our family. Don’t take too long to get here little pooks, mom & dad can’t wait to share our life with you,” said the sweet announcement video on Instagram. The heartfelt clip is backed by Uchis’ album track “Tu Corazón Es Mío” (your heart is mine) and shows raw footage of the couple together as well as videos of them as little kids.    

J.Lo’s Touching Golden Globes Moment

Earlier this week, Jennifer Lopez and actress Brie Larson had a wholesome moment at the 2024 Golden Globes carpet. Larson, who was nominated for best performance by a female actor in a limited series, anthology series, or a motion picture made for television for Lessons in Chemistry, did not hold back from fangirling when meeting Lopez for the first time in mid-interview with Entertainment Tonight. “You mean so much to me. I’m such a huge fan,” she said to Lopez, who also began to shed a tear. “I saw ‘Selena’ and it made me want to be an actor. You’ve always meant so much to me. It’s been a dream of mine so thank you so much. Your work ethic is so important.” 

Also in tears, Lopez then told ET reporter Kevin Frazier that she once was in Larson’s shoes. “I remember being a little girl and watching ‘West Side Story’ and Rita Moreno changing my life,” she recalled. “So to have someone say to me, ‘I watched ‘Selena’ and it made me want to be an actress’ it’s so moving. It’s like your dreams came true and it’s such a beautiful thing.” Relive the adorable encounter below: 

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When Kali Uchis picked the orchid as the title and theme of her new album Orquídeas, which arrived on Friday (Jan. 12), she didn’t know it was the flower of fertility. And then, later in her rollout, she found out she was pregnant with her first child, telling Billboard News, “It all came together perfectly.”
“The flower, for me, it always symbolized timelessness, femininity, luxury,” says the Colombian artist. “It has an eerie, mystical quality about it as well. It’s also the national flower of Colombia, so for me it all tied in.”

Orquídeas is Uchis’ fourth album and second Spanish-language full-length (she typically switches between English and Spanish on each project). Features include her friend Karol G (“Labios Mordidos”), plus Peso Pluma (“Igual Que Un Ángel”), Rauw Alejandro (“No Hay Ley Parte 2”) and the “unpredictable” pairing of City Girls’ JT alongside El Alfa (“Muñekita).

The Grammy winner debuted in 2018 with Isolation, followed by Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios) in 2020 and last year’s Red Moon In Venus. She believes that Orquídeas, defined by its uptempo, high-energy productions, perfectly compliments those prior albums.

“I’m not a new artist anymore, I’m looking at my discography as a whole,” she says. “My next album that I’ve been working on that is also going to come out this year is all downtempo music. So being able to have to contrast, there’s so much within me that needs to be expressed and I never want to confine myself to anything.”

She confirms that forthcoming fifth album was written and recorded while pregnant, which is perhaps where the inspiration for a more soothing, lower energy release came from. And while she says “there’s so much to be excited for” about motherhood (she will soon welcome her first born with longtime partner Don Toliver), she also admits how hard it was to keep her pregnancy private, saying she still had a few shows and a red carpet appearance on her calendar — both of which made it harder to hide her growing baby bump.

Balancing her professional life with her private one has always been a priority to Uchis, who says she most looks up to Sade for how she walks that line. “It is such a fine line between trying to understand how much of ourselves are we really meant to share, or do we really feel comfortable sharing. And at the end of the day, I really thought it was strange that there is such an expectation on an artist to share their personal life,” says Uchis. “I try to remember that my music is supposed to be in the forefront, my private life and personal matters, I really don’t want that to be something that’s consuming or overshadowing my work.”

And as someone who puts their art first — and who has always embraced her bicultural upbringing along the way, having been born and raised in Virginia — Uchis has become a safe space for others who hope to do the same. “There’s a lot of artists who sing in Spanish who are English speakers primarily and they’ve come to me like, ‘You really make me want to make music in English too. I’ve always wanted to but my label doesn’t want me to do that because this or that is what sells for me,’” she says. “I think as an artist, what’s most important always is the thought of no limitations…I feel like everyone should be as free and creative as possible.”

Watch the full interview above.

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Not your average shades! Maluma is seeing things differently thanks to Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses.  

The “Según Quién” singer, who stars in the campaign for the latest iteration of Meta‘s smart glasses, likes wearing them because they allow him to share his “unique point of view” with fans.

“They’re super simple to use and feel like the average pair of sunglasses, except now I am more present,” the 29-year-old singer explained in an email interview with Billboard before heading back home to Colombia for the holidays.

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“My favorite thing about the glasses is that I can share my unique point of view while living my life, enjoying moments with family and friends and even while on stage.”

Ray-Ban and Meta tapped Maluma, Erykah Badu, Coi Leray and Coco Gauff to launch the newest installment of smart sunglasses. The Meta Wayfarer and Meta Headliner smart glasses are available in seven different colors, including shiny rebel black with amber lenses, shiny black with clear lenses, matte black with clear/green lenses, shiny caramel with brown lenses, matte jeans with dusty blue lenses, matte black with graphite lenses and shiny black with green lenses.

“I wear glasses all the time, so I like to match the glasses with my outfit but also the vibes of the day,” he explained of his favorite style of glasses. “Sometimes I wear a classic Wayfarer and other moments I go bold and bright. I even wore the Ray-Ban Meta Wayfarer during my Latin Grammys performance [last November].”

Offering a hands-free way to capture, share, and livestream, the second-generation Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses lets you take 12MP photos, 1040p videos, answer phone calls and engage with AI. You can snap photos, record video and livestream on Facebook and Instagram with the glasses, which offer up to four hours of battery life (they come in a chargeable case) and are available on Ray-Ban.com starting from $299.

Shop the smart glasses below.

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Performing at Carnegie Hall is only a dream for most artists in the world. Soon Andrés Cepeda will be able to say that he has done it not once but twice — and in less than two years — when he returns to the iconic New York City venue on May 1.

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“I would have really liked it if my parents, who are no longer with me, had seen me get there,” the Colombian singer-songwriter tells Billboard Español. “They also dreamed of stages like that.”

The show is part of his upcoming Tengo Ganas Tour, a 19-date engagement in the U.S. that starts in Nashville on April 9 and includes cities like Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami and Washington, D.C., before concluding on May 4 in Charlotte, NC. Countryman singer Alejandro Santamaría is coming along with him. (For more information and tickets, visit andrescepeda.com.co)

Tengo Ganas follows his tour La Ruta Púrpura, which began in October 2022 precisely with that dreamy sold-out concert at the Carnegie Hall.

Cepeda, who won his fourth Latin Grammy in November (best traditional pop album, for Décimo Cuarto) and returned this week as a judge on La Voz Kids “Colombia,” began his career with Poligamia, a Latin rock-pop band which he founded with some friends during his teenage years, releasing several albums in the ’90s.

Since debuting as a solo artist with the set Sé Morir in 1999, he has recorded a dozen albums and released hits including “Tengo Ganas,” “Día Tras Día” and “Beso Usados.” And he’s been the only artist to fill the Movistar Arena in Bogotá, the largest stage in Colombia, for five consecutive days. On the Billboard charts, he has had two Latin Pop Airplay entries: “El Mensaje” in 2013 (No. 38), and “Magia” with Sebastián Yatra in 2018 (No. 37).

In an interview from Miami on Thursday morning (Jan. 11,) Cepeda spoke with Billboard Español about his upcoming tour, his creative process and his first album under Warner Music Mexico, which he will begin recording next month.

1. Most artists prefer to give interviews in the afternoon. It’s 9:30 am. Can we assume that you are a morning person, or was this circumstantial?

I’m used to starting early when we’re on promo, because we also do a lot of things in the afternoon. So to make the most out of our working day, we start early.

2. How do you usually wake up? Biological clock or alarm?

I set the alarm, but my biological clock usually wakes me up a few minutes early. You know, you kind of program yourself and wake up but, just in case, it’s better to set the alarm. And that alarm is music. For a couple of years now I have had a song that I love by The Beatles that has a beautiful personal meaning for me, “Here Comes the Sun.” Of course it doesn’t reflect much of today’s [rainy] weather [laughs]. But I like that song.

3. On April 9, you start your Tengo Ganas Tour in the U.S. How do you prepare for that?

Well, there is a stage of a lot of rehearsal, of a very strict curation of the songs, the arrangements, what is going to be presented, the staging, the narrative that accompanies the songs — because it is not just getting up and singing them, but being able to tell people a little about them and how one comes to make all this music and all these songs. So there is a part, let’s say, of writing and narrating that narrative — and then along the way, for me it is vital to have a good few hours of sleep and a good diet. It gives you the possibility of facing a series of consecutive dates that are still demanding.

4. What can you tell us about the show itself compared to the previous one?

The previous show was focused on the acoustic aspect of my career, with boleros and other Latin rhythms even flirting a little with jazz, in a format that was composed of acoustic piano, double bass, winds and guitar. This time I present the other side of the coin, so to speak, which has to do with my influence, which is pop and rock. Although they have in common the romantic nature of my stories and my music, they are two different sounds that have accompanied me throughout my career.

5. What will be Alejandro Santamaría’s role on the tour? Will you be sharing the stage or will he serve as an opening act?

Both. He is going to be the opening act at the shows, and he is also going to be invited in the section that I sing because we have recorded music together, so we will be singing a couple of the songs that we have done and he will be accompanying me throughout the journey of this tour.

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6. For many, the Carnegie Hall is just an unattainable dream. You already performed there in October 2022 with a sold-out show and you are returning on May 1. How did you get to play on this venue and what does it represent for you?

We were very fortunate to present our proposal to the Carnegie Hall curatorial committee two years ago. We explained what we wanted to do, we presented our resume, and they thought it was interesting and that it was worth having us there. And it went so well last year — it was sold-out and they liked it a lot — so they told us that if we wanted to come back the doors were open. For us it is a great honor. It is an iconic venue, a dream, a goal. I would have really liked it if my parents, who are no longer with me, had seen me get there, because they also dreamed of stages like that.

7. Last November, you won your fourth Latin Grammy. Do these types of recognitions continue to surprise or excite you?

It’s not something you get used to. I thought at some point that it could be like that, but no. It is becoming more and more exciting because it is the sum of several prizes, so you receive them with great joy, great emotion, great expectation. I have to confess that the days before an award ceremony, and on the day of the award ceremony, my hands sweat, the anxiety is incredible. In some way you suffer a lot waiting to see what happens … and when you receive it you celebrate with great joy. Especially when it’s an award for an album, which honors the entire team.

8. Let’s talk a little about your songwriting process. Each song has its own story, but in general, what is the common denominator?

Perhaps the common denominator is that I always look for a space of disconnection, a lot of peace, a lot of silence, where I can isolate myself from the everyday life and the rest of the world. But it is always different in the sense that sometimes I write with others, sometimes the lyrics emerge first or sometimes the musical idea emerges first. Normally in my case, when I work alone, the musical idea comes first, and then I find the path to what I want to say.

9. What was the song that came out the fastest, the one that sort of wrote itself?

[Laughs.] Some of them write themselves and it is surprising, because you feel like they are moving your hand, yes. There is one song in particular that I love very much that I wrote in one pass, and when that happens it is something exceptional. It’s a song called “Ciertas Cosas.” Another one that came in a single pass, like an instant song, was “Sé Morir.” But there are others that you have to work on for a full day or several days, or you even start writing and let some days or weeks pass before returning to it to complete it.

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10. The most difficult or the one that took the longest to complete?

A song from my last album [Décimo Cuarto] that I sang and wrote with a Colombian artist that I love very much, Greeicy Rendón,  [“Le Viene Bien”]. The entire process of writing, producing and making the video took two years. When we went into the studio to record it we were still making corrections and things.

When you write with someone else and you have the possibility of debating and somehow negotiating each of the verses, one would think that it’s a tedious process, but on the contrary, it is very pleasant to sit down and bid for what each one wants the song to say. Those discussions are fantastic.

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11. And does it happen to you in cases like those that you hear the published song later and still go, “Ugh, I should have used this other word”?

That happens and you have to learn to let go, because if you focus so much on making it perfect… And not just with the lyrics! With the music, it happens a lot that you are in the studio and you don’t get over that process and you want to fix it and re-record the piano and voice again because you want this part to be better. You start to go crazy. Sometimes you have to understand that the song is ready and let it go.

12. What achievement, song or album would you say marked a turning point in your career?

There’s a song [from 2014] that did that in my career, and put me in a different place mentally, in the creative process. It’s a song called “Día tras día.”

13. I am going to tell you a series of words and I want you to answer the first thing that comes to your mind. Poligamia.

The cradle! The hatchery, so to speak. The beginning of a career.

14. Bogota’s Movistar Arena.

Five absolutely unforgettable nights in my career and in my life. A week on a honeymoon with my own city.

15. Colombia.

The love of my life, with whom I have great romances but also strong arguments at times.

16. As an artist and as a judge for La Voz Kids, any message or advice for young people who aspire to have a career in music?

First, that it is very much worth it. And second, that it is worth it as long as you commit to it, take it very seriously, study and understand that it is a career. The more prepared you are, the more competitive and deeper you can become. Talent and vocation are just a small part of what is needed to achieve something in this profession; I think dedication, persistency, perseverance and preparation are an even bigger part than the other.

17. You’re going back to the studio to work on a new album in February. How many songs have you already written?

This album should have 10 songs and there are 14 written, so we’ll go into a selection process in which I plan to allow myself to have 12. But the initial project is 10.

18. How do you expect this album to be different from the previous ones?

On the artistic side, I think that each album has to reflect a different moment in life and also a maturity, because there has to be an evolution. And on the show business side, I think that working with a new team, which in this case is Warner Music, is going to bring very nice things and is going to project me even more. I have a lot of faith in the team that is helping me make this album and promote it.

19. Speaking of maturity, last summer you turned 50. What have you learned about yourself in this half century?

[Laughs.] That although I have acquired some maturity, one of the most beautiful things about that maturity is understanding that I am still a child facing my job and facing many aspects of the world, which, thank God, continue to amaze me. And I think maintaining that wonder, ironically, is a sign of maturity.

20. What is Andrés Cepeda still looking forward to?

To live. And to make music.