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The Latin Recording Academy has announced several major updates to its eligibility guidelines on Wednesday (March 19) for the 26th annual Latin Grammy Awards.
Among the updates is the addition of a new field for visual media and the introduction of two new categories: best music for visual media and best roots song — singles or tracks only, with the latter falling under the traditional field.
These changes aim to reflect the Latin Academy’s “commitment to evolve with the ever-changing musical landscape, and to best serve its membership body of music creators and professionals,” as noted in the press release. These updates take effect immediately for the awards scheduled for November.
The category of music for visual media will recognize “original music created to accompany and enrich the storyline of movies, television series, video games and other visual media.” To qualify for this category, a project must either incorporate Latin rhythms that are recognized as eligible genres for the annual Latin Grammy Awards, or be composed by an individual of Ibero-American heritage.
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Meanwhile, the best roots song award will be given to the songwriters of “new, unpublished recordings, both vocal and instrumental, that reflect the traditions and roots of various communities, cultures, or social groups, especially those of Hispanic American origin, whether in Spanish, Portuguese or in indigenous languages or dialects,” notes the release. It will highlight works in genres like tango, folk, flamenco, and other traditional subgenres.
Other amendments include category renaming. In the pop field, “best pop vocal album” will now be called “best contemporary pop album”; in the children’s field, “best Latin children’s album” is being renamed to “best children’s album”; and in the urban field, “best urban fusion/performance” will be named “best urban/urban fusion performance.” The later category will now require 60% urban elements for eligibility, rather than 51%. “Remixes are eligible only if the original version of the song was released within the same eligibility year,” states the official announcement regarding the urban field.
Additionally, the songwriter of the year category reduced its minimum song threshold from six to four, while producer of the year will now undergo screening “by a specialized committee in addition to the membership screening and voting process.”
For more information, visit LatinGRAMMY.com.
Shakira will have her own museum in Mexico and sooner than you think. The pop-up “Shakira Estoy Aquí Experience Mexico City” will open its doors this Friday (March 21) in the Mexican capital.
Located in Roma Norte, on Frontera 88 Street, Shakira’s museum — which celebrates her career through different experiences — will remain open for 10 days (until March 30) with free admission. It coincides with the Mexican leg of the Colombian superstar’s Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran tour, which kicked off on March 12 in Monterrey, Nuevo León and arrives Wednesday (March 19) at the GNP Seguros Stadium for a historic series of seven concerts at the capital’s venue (formerly known as Foro Sol). It is Shakira’s first visit to the country in almost seven years.
Exclusively for Billboard Español, Juan Martín Salazar, CEO and creative director of 9F, the company in charge of setting up this experience, tells us in detail what fans will be able to find in each room of the exhibition, from costumes to photographs and instruments, and more.
“There’s something very particular about Shakira,” says Salazar, who was featured this month in our “Stars Behind the Stars” franchise for planning creative campaigns for artists that also include Bad Bunny, Karol G and Beyoncé. “There is a difference or in comparison with other artists. It’s that she is very fond of knowing how to play the instruments, so we wanted to elevate that part.”
Shakira’s Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran world tour — in support of her album of the same name — kicked off on Feb. 11 in Brazil and has passed through Peru, Colombia, Chile and Argentina. Following her engagements in Mexico, the artist will begin the North American leg of the stadium tour on May 13 in Charlotte, North Carolina, and will make stops in Montreal, Toronto, Miami, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and other cities, concluding on June 30 in San Francisco. (To see all dates in the U.S. and Canada, click here.)
Below, Salazar describes the new “Shakira Estoy Aquí Experience Mexico City” museum room-by-room:
First Room
Natti Natasha isn’t taking for granted working alongside Romeo Santos for her latest album, Natti Natasha en Amargue, entirely produced and penned by the Aventura frontman. “It’s a balance of hard work, giving the best of me and good luck,” the Dominican artist tells Billboard‘s Leila Cobo about how the opportunity came about. Released in […]
Bad Bunny is proving once again why he’s one of the hottest stars in the world, both on and off the stage. The global Puerto Rican sensation has teamed up with Calvin Klein for a sizzling new campaign published by both parties on Instagram, Monday (March 17), that’s already turning heads. Explore Explore See latest […]
On Sunday (March 16) the Vive Latino festival closed its 25th anniversary edition with an explosion of sounds, ranging from rock to alternative dance and metal, passing through ’80s pop ballads, regional Mexican music and electronic cumbia — all in a grand eclectic and multigenerational party that brought together 80,000 people on its second day, according to promoter Ocesa.
Zoé, Rüfüs du Sol, Sepultura, Mon Laferte, Keane, Aterciopelados, Edén Muñoz, Astropical, Draco Rosa, Porter, La Lupita and Los K’comxtles, along with a segment titled “Música para mandar a volar” (Music to let go) featuring Belinda and María José singing in tribute to the late Dulce and Paquita la del Barrio, headlined the event’s second day at the GNP Seguros Stadium in Mexico City.
The Mexican band Zoé made a triumphant return to the festival after a five-year absence, marking its only show of the year. Meanwhile, Mon Laferte led the charge for women as one of the star performers of the marathon day, making thousands sing along to hits like “Mi Buen Amor” and “Tu Falta de Querer.” Keane delivered one of the standout and most-anticipated performances of the day, underscoring the British band’s long-standing connection with its Mexican fans.
The Colombian duo Aterciopelados invited Café Tacvba’s lead singer Rubén Albarrán for “Adiós Que Te Vaya Bien” and paid homage to late rock en español icon Gustavo Cerati by performing Soda Stereo’s classic “La Ciudad de la Furia,” which vocalist Andrea Echeverri had previously sung on the band’s MTV Unplugged in 1996.
In an unusual turn of events, Kany García fell victim to a power outage on the Telcel stage, which interrupted her debut at the famous Mexican festival. The Puerto Rican singer-songwriter made the best of the situation by performing without a microphone, accompanied by her guitar and the audience singing along to “Confieso.”
On a day where women took center stage, ASTROPICAL — the new supergroup created by Bomba Estéreo and Rawayana — also stood out with its performance. La Lupita, a pioneer of the musical festival, welcomed back singer Rosa Adame to perform the band’s most iconic songs and pay tribute to guitarist Lino Nava, who passed away in 2024.
For the second year in a row, and thanks to a partnership with Amazon Music, concerts could be streamed for free through the digital platform. The 25th edition of Vive Latino also set a record for the festival, bringing together 160,000 people in total according to Ocesa.
Below are some of our favorite acts from the second day of the Vive Latino festival, as it celebrated its first quarter-century. For our recap of Day 1, click here.
Zoé Comes Out From Hiatus to Shine
Yandel is set to take his sinfónico concept on the road.
The reggaetón hitmaker unveiled a four-date U.S. stint that will launch on May 30 in Miami and make stops in Orlando, New York and Chicago. The trek will be preceded by his special Sinfónico show in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on May 10, where he will be joined by the Orquesta Filarmónica de Puerto Rico, directed by Maestro Angel “Cuco” Peña.
The U.S. Sinfónico Tour, produced by Live Nation, is billed as an “innovative live experience” with a live philharmonic orchestra powering Yandel’s reggaetón hits, including “Encantadora,” “Nunca Me Olvides,” and “Noche de Entierro,” to name a few. The songs are also part of his upcoming Sinfónico En Vivo album, scheduled for release on April 3.
For the U.S. shows — directed by Javier Mendoza, professor of the FIU Symphonic Orchestra — Yandel will perform alongside local symphony orchestras. Music arrangements will be done by Rodner Padilla. The Puerto Rican artist’s band and dancers will join with each orchestra in all cities, traveling with a team of around 40 people.
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The U.S. trek follows Yandel’s concert in Miami in October, where he performed for the first time a few of his hits in a classical format, a different approach to música urbana in general fusing reggaetón and symphony.
Yandel launched his solo career in 2013 after countless hits as part of reggaetón pioneering duo Wisin & Yandel. He’s released a total of 11 solo albums, including his latest, ELYTE, which peaked at No. 15 on Billboard‘s Latin Rhythm Albums chart.
Tickets to Yandel’s U.S. Sinfónico Tour will go on sale Thursday, March 20 at 12 p.m. local time at Yandel.com. Check out the dates below.
May 10: San Juan, Puerto Rico (Coliseo José Miguel Agrelot)*May 30: Miami (Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts)June 1: Orlando, Fla. (Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts)June 7: New York (SummerStage in Central Park)June 8: Chicago (The Auditorium)
*Not a Live Nation date
The celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Vive Latino festival turned into a big party on Saturday (March 15), with rhythms like rock and cumbia taking center stage through the voices of some of their greatest exponents, including Mexican bands Caifanes, Los Ángeles Azules, and El Gran Silencio.
On its first day of activities, the musical gathering, which returned after a year to its original venue at Estadio GNP Seguros (formerly Foro Sol), brought together 80,000 people, according to promoter Ocesa.
One of the most anticipated and applauded performances was by the legendary group Los Ángeles Azules, who made a triumphant return to the popular music festival 12 years after their memorable debut. Meanwhile, Caifanes added a social touch by addressing themes such as the crisis of femicides in Mexico and migration during their main stage performance.
There were big surprises, like the highly-awaited debut of emerging artist Macario Martínez at Vive Latino. In addition to his solo act at the Carpa Intolerante stage, he was invited to perform alongside the band Little Jesus. Emotional highlights of the marathon of a day included the appearance of Molotov‘s guitarist and vocalist, Tito Fuentes, who joined his bandmates near the end of their set to celebrate the band’s 30th anniversary, after previously announcing he was taking a health-related hiatus.
Emmanuel “Meme” del Real, keyboardist of the popular band Café Tacvba, also delivered one of the most special performances, showcasing new songs from his solo repertoire. Another standout moment came from the German band Scorpions, who fulfilled a promise to their Mexican fans after canceling their performance at the festival last year.
Day one of the festival also saw appearances from Spanish and English-speaking acts, including Nortec: Bostich + Fussible, Él Mató a Un Policía Motorizado, Foster the People, The Guapos, Caloncho and Jesse Baez.
On Sunday (March 16), the festival continues with performances by Zoé, Mon Laferte, Aterciopelados, Sepultura, Keane, Draco Rosa, Los K’comxtles, Eden Muñoz, Kany García, Porter, Rüfüs Du Sol and Cuarteto De Nos, among others. For the second year in a row, and thanks to a partnership with Amazon Music, concerts can be streamed for free through the digital platform.
Below are some of our favorite moments from the first day of the 2025 Vive Latino festival, as it celebrates its first quarter-century.
Caifanes for Women & Immigrants
The legendary Estadio Azteca will be renamed and will now bear the name of a Mexican bank sponsor in preparation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This was announced on Friday (March 14) by Banorte and Grupo Ollamani, the company that owns the venue, through a joint statement. They also revealed a “long-term alliance” encompassing advertising and sponsorship elements.
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“Starting today, the Cathedral of World Football will carry the name Estadio Banorte,” the companies stated in the document, shared on social media.
With Grupo Banorte’s investment, this iconic stadium located in Mexico City is expected to become one of the most modern in the world in terms of technology, sustainability, and connectivity.
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The agreement with Ollamani includes a loan of 2.1 billion pesos ($106 million) from Grupo Financiero Banorte to fund the stadium’s renovation for the 2026 World Cup. The financing terms are set for 12 years, according to the release.
“For Ollamani and the new Estadio Banorte, it is an honor to join forces with the most important Mexican financial institution in the country,” said Emilio Azcárraga Jean, president of Grupo Ollamani and owner of Club América, in the document. “With them, we will modernize this iconic stadium, respecting its essence and architectural designs recognized for decades. It will be the most important venue to showcase Mexico to the world.”
This is the second time the renowned venue, currently undergoing renovations, has changed its name since it was inaugurated as Estadio Azteca in 1966. In 1997, it was renamed Estadio Guillermo Cañedo in honor of one of the key figures behind its construction, but fans did not embrace the new name and continued referring to it by its original one.
El Azteca, witness to legendary football moments featuring icons like Pelé and Diego Maradona, has a capacity of approximately 81,000 spectators. The Mexico City venue will host the opening match and two additional games of the world’s biggest football tournament, set to take place next year across Mexico, the United States, and Canada.
Its majestic stage has hosted iconic international music figures such as Paul McCartney, Madonna, U2, and the late King of Pop, Michael Jackson. In recent years, Latin music superstars like Shakira, Bad Bunny, and Karol G have joined the list of artists who have performed at this legendary venue. It was also the site of the farewell concert of one of Mexico’s greatest music stars, Vicente Fernández, in April 2016.
Among its most memorable moments are massive gatherings like Pope John Paul II’s visit in 1999 and the boxing matches of Mexican icon Julio César Chávez in 1993.
This week, Billboard’s New Music Latin roundup and playlist — curated by Billboard Latin and Billboard Español editors — features fresh new music, including new albums by Eslabon Armado (Vibras de Noche II), Ovy on the Drums (Cassette 02 Chile), and newcomer Joyce Santana (Nada Persona).
Staying true to its sad sierreño roots, Eslabon Armado delivered a 15-songs moody set that navigates different emotions from love, loss, nostalgia, and moving on. The only collaboration on the album is “Esa Noche” with Macario Martinez, the viral folk singer from Mexico who went from street cleaner to hitmaker earlier this year. Vibras de Noche II, is the follow-up to the group’s Vibras de Noche LP from five years ago, which spent 11 weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s Regional Mexican Albums chart.
Meanwhile, Anitta dropped an interesting blend of British electronic music with punk and reggaetón melodies in “Larissa,” a song from her recently released documentary Larissa: The Other Side of Anitta. “My music has always been about strength, right? Mainly feminine strength. But, talking about this track and also the film, I feel like I discovered a new type of strength by allowing myself to be fragile, to fail and to make mistakes,” the Brazilian superstar expressed in a press statement.
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FloyyMenor and J Balvin, on the other hand, unleashed “BANSHEE,” a song named after one of the popular sports cars in Grand Theft Auto, and which has the similar catchy synth melodies that made Floyy’s No. 1 Billboard hit “Gata Only” a contagious track. Lyrically, the full-fledged reggaetón song is about flirting and desiring a girl. The Chilean breakthrough star first teased a team-up with Balvin at the 2024 Billboard Latin Music Awards, where he won Global 200 Latin song of the year for “Gata Only,” his collaboration with Cris MJ.
Other new releases this week include Aitana and Myke Tower’s “Sentimiento Natural,” Majo Aguilar’s “Piel Azteca,” and Peso Pluma’s “RARI,” among others. Who should win this week? Give these new releases a spin and vote for your favorite new Latin music release below.
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New Music Latin is a compilation of the best new Latin songs and albums recommended by Billboard Latin and Billboard Español editors. Check out this week’s picks below.
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Eslabon Armado, Vibras de Noche II (Armado Records/Interscope Capital)
Eslabon Armado is so back. Staying true to its sad sierreño roots, the moody tracks that put the group at the forefront of música mexicana, Vibras de Noche II further solidifies its mainstay. As is tradition, since having a major breakthrough in 2020, Eslabon — led by frontman and songwriter Pedro Tovar — released its yearly album, and this one is extra special. It’s a follow up to the Vibras de Noche LP from five years ago, which spent 11 weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s Regional Mexican Albums chart. Part two is just as emotional, as Tovar navigates love, heartbreak and solitude — themes that have powered most of his songs.
The 15-song set (plus an intro and outro) opens with “Sad Intro,” setting the mood for what’s to come. “How’s your situation now, Pedro?” a woman’s voice asks. “Honestly, it hasn’t gotten better/ I still think about her and I don’t know what to do,” Tovar responds. The 22-year-old then wounds through songs — powered by prickly guitars — like “Te Odio,” unleashing stirring emotions about love and loss, and “Otras 24 Horas,” where he gets nostalgic about the past. “Why don’t you look at me like before?/ At the beginning you wanted my kisses and laid on my chest,” he wails. In “El Alegre,” Tovar changes the tune, going from complete heartbreak to realizing it’s time to move on. Surprisingly, the only collaboration on this album is with Macario Martinez (“Esa Noche”), the viral folk singer from Mexico who went from street cleaner to hitmaker earlier this year. — GRISELDA FLORES
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Anitta, “Larissa” (Republic Records/Universal Music Latino)
Throughout her career, Anitta has distinguished herself in the music world as a strong, determined woman. But in “Larissa” – a song from her recently released documentary Larissa: The Other Side of Anitta – the Brazilian superstar allows herself to show a more vulnerable side while singing about a relationship between two people who aren’t afraid to be themselves in front of each other. “We’re polar opposites, but I’m betting on this between us/ That we’re both here, that’s no coincidence,” the trilingual artist sings in Spanish.
“My music has always been about strength, right? Mainly feminine strength. But, talking about this track and also the film, I feel like I discovered a new type of strength by allowing myself to be fragile, to fail and to make mistakes,” Anitta says in a press release. Written by the artist herself alongside Essa Gante, Daniel Sobrino, and producer Caleb Calloway, “Larissa” incorporates elements of drum and bass and reggaetón. The music video, featuring footage of Anitta au naturel in various settings and stages of her life, creates a refreshing and lively collage. — SIGAL RATNER-ARIAS
FloyyMenor feat. J Balvin, “BANSHEE” (FloyyMenor/United Masters)
At the Billboard Latin Music Awards last October, where he won Global 200 Latin song of the year for “Gata Only,” FloyyMenor revealed that a collaboration with J Balvin was in the works. Five months later, the pair drop “BANSHEE” — named after one of the popular sports cars in Grand Theft Auto. Produced by the Chilean breakthrough star and co-written with the Colombian global sensation, the full-fledged reggaetón song is backed by similar catchy synth melodies that made “Gata Only” such a contagious track. Lyrically, and also following the same formula of Floyy’s No. 1 Billboard hit with Cris MJ, “BANSHEE” is about flirting and desiring a girl. “Everything she uploads, I give it a like/ You’re beautiful,” sings Balvin in the opening verse. Meanwhile Floyy chants in the chorus: “Call me at night to show up where you are / Tell your boyfriend, bye.” — JESSICA ROIZ
Joyce Santana, Nada Personal (Rimas Entertainment)
A masterclass in defiance and vulnerability, Nada Personal sees Joyce Santana turning wounds into weaponry and introspection into potential anthems. The album opens with “El Gigante de Carolina” and trembles with ancestral echoes. Produced by Nostra, it feels stripped to its emotional core, evoking Puerto Rico’s tribal essence while he raps unflinching personal truths — painting himself as a mythic figure, borrowing from the giant Felipe Birriel. “Esto es hecho en Puerto Rico pero pa’l mundo entero,” he spits. “Omertá” follows, a Tainy-produced composition that thrives on reggaetón’s pulse and shifts into an eerily whimsical synth melody.
Collaborations abound throughout the record — Feid brings seduction to the reggaetón-steeped “Ferxxoko,” while Yandel joins for “Crisis,” a guitar-laden lament of emotional wreckage, wrapped in tropical warmth. Yet Joyce’s poetic grit always takes center stage, especially on “De la Casa,” where he lunges confidently into rap reggaetón, unearthing his hometown ethos, or the menacing trap song “MJM,” alongside Álvaro Díaz. It’s the self-produced outro track “Nada Personal,” though, that feels like the peak: “Yo no rapeo, yo lo que hago es manifestar,” he declares, as the production morphs mid-beat, mirroring his unpredictable essence. With 17 tracks, the album burns with fire, ambition and a refusal to look away from life’s darker corners. — ISABELA RAYGOZA
Majo Aguilar, “Piel Azteca” (Fonovisa/Universal Music México)
Singer-songwriter Majo Aguilar delivers an anthem of Mexican pride for all her paisanos, offering a message of resilience at a time when the immigrant community in the U.S. has been directly impacted by the Trump administration’s callous policies. In the joyous norteña, rooted in the traditional sounds of mariachi, Aguilar sings about a community and culture that, while it has endured hardships, remains unbreakable. She honors the beauty of her heritage, standing against those who aim to diminish its value. The music video includes a poignant contribution by the Ballet de Monterrey. — G.F.
Caifanes, “Y Caíste” (Caifanes)
Marking the legendary Mexican rock band’s fourth single since returning to the stage in 2011 after a 16-year hiatus, “Y Caíste” is a powerful, dark, and timeless track that tells the story of a character who has seen better days, and must now find a way back on track. With electrifying guitars, the rock track becomes a very personal dialogue about the passage of time and graciously accepting life’s consequences. Written by singer-songwriter Saúl Hernández, the song was recorded in January at London Bridge Studios in Seattle and produced by Howard Willing. The single’s artwork was created by renowned Mexican designer Alejandro Magallanes. — NATALIA CANO
Check out more Latin recommendations this week below: