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Virgin Music Group has acquired Saban Music Latin, it was announced on Thursday (Jan. 4). The deal comes five years after entertainment mogul Haim Saban invested $500 million to launch Saban Music Group, and two years after the music company launched its Latino division.
Under the terms of the transaction, Virgin Music — a division of Universal Music Group — will acquire Saban Music Latin’s catalog, which includes such artists as Jon Z, Reykon and German Montero. It will also release future albums by Saban Music Latin artists.
Saban Music Latin’s roster includes emerging L.A.-based pop artist Loyal Lobos, Puerto Rican singer-songwriter Chesca — who has scored two No. 1 songs on Billboard‘s Latin Airplay chart (“Súbelo” and “Te Quiero Baby”) — and rapper-producer YoGambii.
Saban Music Group launched in 2019 as a music company with a Latin focus and with veteran music executive Gustavo Lopez as CEO. Lopez was the longtime GM and executive vp Universal Music Latin, where he launched Latin urban label Machete Music, home to artists like Wisin & Yandel and Don Omar, and also ran Universal Music Latin Entertainment’s regional Mexican labels, Fonovisa and Disa. After leaving UMLE in 2017, he launched indie music company Talento Uno, which was acquired by Saban.
In 2020, Saban Music Group entered into an exclusive global administration agreement with Universal Music Publishing Group — and in February 2022, it announced it was launching a Latin division with Alejandro Reglero in the role of executive vp/GM, reporting to Lopez.
The acquisition follows Virgin Music Group’s recent partnerships with other Latin labels, including DEL Records, the West Coast-based independent label home to Latin music’s biggest song of 2023, “Ella Baila Sola” by Eslabon Armado and Peso Pluma. In November, Virgin Music also announced a worldwide agreement with Pepe Aguilar‘s two regional Mexican labels, Machin and Equinoccio Records.
The Virgin Music Group roster already includes such Latin stars as Espinoza Paz, Sech, Grupo Firme, Tainy and Angela Aguilar.
You know what they say: new year, new music! In celebration of 2024’s arrival, the Billboard Latin and Billboard Español teams have predicted some of the Latin music trends that we believe will take off this year based on their momentum from 2023.
Last year, we reached out to various hitmakers such as Edgar Barrera, MAG and Ovy on the Drums, who all shared their predictions for 2023.
MAG, known for producing bangers for Bad Bunny, said it best: “I love that we’re seeing the global expansion of several Latin music subgenres other than just reggaetón. It’s exciting to see bachata and regional Mexican music growing outside of their rooted territories.”
With the massive success of artists like Peso Pluma, Fuerza Regida, Carin León and Grupo Frontera, to name a few, it’s evident that Música Mexicana dominated 2023, over any other Latin genre.
For Barrera, this is due to “being raw and authentic, being true to their sound and not trying to chase whatever is working for someone else,” he previously told Billboard about Mexican music expanding to new markets outside of Latin America.
Like the growth of Regional Mexican music, Emiliano Vasquez, A&R at Sony Music Latin, predicted a growth in bachata music for 2023—and he was right. “Bachata is becoming more popular as it merges with different musical genres, such as R&B, pop, electronica, hip-hop and trap. It is very common to see pop and urban artists recording bachata in their promotional singles and achieving great acceptance, even without originally being bachateros,” he said.
That same year, many urban and pop acts unleashed bachata tunes including Maria Becerra & Enrique Iglesias, Sofia Reyes & Beele, and Chayanne.
Which Latin music trends should we be looking out for this year? Check out our predictions below.
Cumbia
Image Credit: Mary Beth Koeth
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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Bad Bunny Gives Back
Bad Bunny is spending the holidays in his native Puerto Rico and part of the celebration included his annual “Bonita Tradición” gift giveaway hosted by the artist and his Good Bunny Foundation. Held at the Puerto Rico Convention Center in San Juan, the free event featured traditional food and attractions, as well as 25,000 gifts that were handed out to children and teenagers. Bad Bunny was in attendance to hand out sports gear, music instruments, art sets and more gifts aimed at promoting the love of music, art and sports. Other artists who joined the cause included Miky Woodz, Young Miko and Dei V.
@cheeryviruet
Taking Over Times Square on New Year’s Eve
New York City’s Times Square is gearing up to host its annual New Year’s Eve celebration, which includes the televised ball lowering during the countdown to the new year. The tradition, which has been celebrated for 120 years now, will boast two Latin artists as part of this year’s festivities. Argentine star Maria Becerra and Mexican reggaeton artist Yng Lvcas will perform a medley of their biggest hits at the Planet Fitness Center Stage. The former is scheduled to perform at 10:04 p.m. and the latter at 11:02 p.m. ET. Both performances will air live on Univision and the Times Square New Year’s Eve webcast.
Shakira Honored in Her Hometown
This week, Shakira was honored with a 20-foot-tall bronze statue in her hometown of Barranquilla, Colombia. Dressed in one of her famous belly-dancing outfits, with her hips swaying and her arms raised, the monument features a plaque that reads: “On Feb. 2, 1977, the town of Barranquilla and the world witnessed the birth of a heart that composes, hips that don’t lie, a voice that moves masses and a pair of bare feet that walk for the good of children and humanity.” The Colombian star was not present at the grand reveal, but her parents were. “I am very excited about this tribute to Colombian women and Barranquilleras inside and outside my land!” the singer expressed on Instagram.
Myriam Hernández is Celebrated in Chile
This week, Chilean singer-songwriter Myriam Hernández was recognized as a “Fundamental Figure of Chilean Music” by the Society of Authors. “I am happy and grateful for the news,” the artist known for hits such as “El Hombre que yo Amo,” “Huele a Peligro” and “Te pareces tanto a él’” said in a statement. “I feel proud of this recognition that the Society of Authors of my country gives me, an entity that is so necessary and important for artists, creators, composers and performers. I am excited to be part of this distinction alongside other music greats. Additionally, being recognized by your peers is something very special and significant. I receive it with immense joy because this is a race that belongs to the public,” she said.
Billboard is wrapping up 2023 by highlighting the five most-viewed episodes of our “Live with Billboard Latin” social media franchise. After the pandemic quarantine lifted, the Billboard team continued its tradition of hosting interviews via Instagram Live, which resulted in the Billboard Latin and Billboard Español team inviting some of today’s hottest music acts for […]
Mexican pop star Gloria Trevi has filed a lawsuit against her former manager and music producer Sergio Andrade, claiming he was a “true predator” who subjected Trevi and other girls to “total control and sadistic abuse” in the late 1980s and 1990s.
The filing also serves as a counter-lawsuit to the complaint filed Dec. 30, 2022, by two Jane Does who sued Trevi and Andrade for “grooming” and “exploiting” them when they were between the ages of 13 and 15 in the early 1990s.
Now, Trevi — who has for many years categorically denied such claims — alleges in the lawsuit, filed Dec. 27 in Los Angeles, that she is also one of Andrade’s victims. According to Trevi’s suit, Andrade took advantage of his position as a successful music executive often called “Mr. Midas” for being able to recognize and promote young, female artists promising them to turn them into stars.
“That position allowed him to draw many young girls into his sphere of influence, who gathered around him in the hopes that he would guide, mentor, and launch their careers in entertainment, as he had previously done for others,” the lawsuit reads. “But once these young girls and women had been drawn into his sphere by dreams of stardom, he subjected them to total control and sadistic abuse – mental, financial, physical, and sexual. Ms. Trevi was one of those young women.”
According to Trevi’s lawsuit, the “Todos Me Miran” singer met Andrade as a child just as she was gaining recognition in Mexico as a singer, and soon he took over her career. “But Andrade also recognized Ms. Trevi as an isolated and vulnerable girl who was easy prey to his manipulation, control, and abuse,” Trevi’s lawsuit claims. “He took full advantage, subjecting the rising child superstar that he had taken on to grotesque abuse calculated to break her spirit.”
The filing includes graphic allegations, such as Trevi being “brutally beaten” by Andrade, at times to the point of unconsciousness, that she was sexually assaulted by him and raped repeatedly. The abuse inflicted by Andrade “eventually drove Ms. Trevi to attempt suicide,” the suit states.
Trevi, who is being represented by Johnny Depp’s former attorney Camille M. Vásquez, explained in a statement to Billboard that she chose to take legal action to fight for justice. “No one should have to go through what I experienced and I am determined to hold the perpetrators accountable for their actions,” she expressed.
Vásquez added, “Our client, Gloria Trevi, has shown great strength and courage in stepping forward and filing this counterclaim. We are fully prepared to present our case and seek justice on her behalf.”
Trevi’s legal woes resurface more than 20 years after Trevi, Andrade and backup singer María Raquenel Portillo, also known as Mary Boquitas, were arrested in January 2000 in Rio de Janeiro for allegedly luring young girls into a cult-like pornographic ring. Former vocalist Karina Yapor, who filed criminal charges against the so-called “Trevi-Andrade clan,” alleged that backup recruits wanting to join the band were forced to have sexual relations with Andrade.
In 2004, Trevi was acquitted by a judge and found not guilty on charges of rape, kidnapping and corruption of minors. This resulted in Trevi’s immediate release from prison in Chihuahua, Mexico.
Trevi’s new lawsuit comes six days after a judge dismissed Portillo’s defamation claims against the two Jane Does after she was sued alongside Trevi and Andrade.
Read Gloria Trevi’s counterclaim below:
BOGOTA, Colombia — Shakira was immortalized in her Colombian hometown of Barranquilla, where officials unveiled a giant bronze statue of the music diva known around the world for her catchy tunes and exhilarating moves.
The 20-foot-tall monument depicts the multiple Grammy and Latin Grammy winner in one of her famous belly-dancing outfits, with her hips swaying to her right and her arms raised gracefully toward the sky.
A plaque under the statue says that on Feb. 2, 1977, the town of “Barranquilla and the world witnessed the birth of a heart that composes, hips that don’t lie, a voice that moves masses and a pair of bare feet that walk for the good of children and humanity.”
The statue, located on a recently built promenade along the Magdalena River that runs along the edge of the town, was unveiled in a small ceremony on Tuesday attended by Shakira’s parents and the mayor, Jaime Pumarejo.
However, the bronze giant is not the Caribbean town’s first Shakira statue. In 2006, Barranquilla unveiled a Shakira monument that depicts the pop star in her early days, playing an acoustic guitar and wearing jeans and boots. That statues stands near the entrance of the local soccer stadium.
In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Shakira thanked sculptor Yino Marquez and his students at Barranquilla’s public art academy for the latest statue, which she described as proof of the “enormous talent” of Barranquilla’s citizens.
Gracias al escultor Yino Márquez y a los estudiantes de la escuela distrital de artes por esta muestra del enorme talento artístico de la gente de mi tierra. pic.twitter.com/lR7ZQSO4Mx
— Shakira (@shakira) December 26, 2023
The Colombian pop star won three Latin Grammys earlier this year, and also made headlines in January, when she and Bizarrap collaborated on “Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53,” a fiery rap song about Shakira’s ex-partner Gerard Pique that broke YouTube records.
She also settled a tax-fraud case in Spain with a $7.5 million dollar payment this year, and recently moved to Miami with her two children.
A sculpture has been unveiled in her native city of Barranquilla in honor of Colombian pop singer Shakira.
dpa/picture alliance via Getty Images
Peruvian rock icon Pedro Suárez-Vértiz died at his residence in the Miraflores district of Lima, Peru, on Thursday (Dec. 28), according to the municipality of Miraflores and local news sources. He was 54 years old.
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The singer-songwriter behind hits like “Los globos del cielo” and “Me estoy enamorando” died of a heart attack, according to local Peruvian radio station RPP, which cited police sources. The artist had suffered from dysarthria due to bulbar neuromuscular syndrome, a disease that makes it difficult to speak and breathe, which kept him off the stage for the last 10 years.
The artist’s death was confirmed by the municipality of Miraflores in an official statement posted on X.
“From the municipality of Miraflores we regret the death of Pedro Martín José María Suárez-Vértiz Alva, a prominent resident of our district, musician, singer, composer, producer and writer. Our deepest condolences go out to his relatives, family and friends,” the statement said.
Both colleagues and fans have expressed their condolences through social media.
Fellow Peruvian singer-songwriter Gian Marco published a photo of the two artists sharing the stage accompanied by some heartfelt words: “The last time we talked was on November 13. I stay with everything you told me, with your very particular way of saying things. That’s just how you were. There were no half measures with you… witty, creative… an absolute lover of guitars […] Of all your songs I prefer ‘Me Elevé’… it accompanied me in hard times and now it will stay forever in me,” he expressed.
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Pedro Martín José María Suárez-Vértiz Alva (his real name) was born in the city of Callao, Peru, on Feb. 13, 1969. The musician, writer, singer-songwriter and producer was part of the band Arena Hash in the ’80s, and made his solo debut in 1993 with his album No existen (Técnicas para olvidar). His discography includes the albums Póntelo en la lengua (1996), Degeneración actual (1999), Play (2004), Talk show (2006) and Amazonas (2009).
His impact on the Latin American music scene was reflected in hits such as “Los globos del cielo,” recognized by Billboard as a timeless masterpiece of Spanish rock. Other popular songs by Suárez-Vértiz include “Cuando pienses en volver,” “Cuéntame,” and “Un vino, una cerveza.”
He is survived by his wife, Cynthia Martínez, and his three children.
In 2023, Billboard‘s Latin Artist on the Rise series featured a select group of artists who had a breakthrough inside or outside of their genre, scored a significant chart feat and/or created a buzz that was impossible to ignore. A wide-ranging group of 10 up-and-coming Latin artists were spotlit — including Mexican superstar Peso Pluma, who […]
Every month, Billboard Latin and Billboard Español editors spotlight a group of rising artists whose music we love. Think “diamantes en bruto,” or “diamonds in the rough.” These are newcomers who have yet to impact the mainstream — but whose music excites us, and who we believe our readers should make a point to discover.
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Our latest edition of On the Radar Latin includes five emerging artists, who we might’ve found anywhere from a Spotify playlist to a music showcase. See our recommendations below.
Artist: I AM
Country: Chile
Why They Should Be On Your Radar: In her introspective debut album, ECDYSIS, an homage to her Chilean roots and ancestral heritage, I AM delves into the soul of Spanish-language rock while championing whale conservation. Weaving together experimental rock with the evocative sounds of the Mapuche tribe and their Mapudugun chants — alongside over 1,000 pitches of whale vocalization — ECDYSIS unveils itself as a captivating and meditative odyssey. The Chilean artist suggests that immersing oneself in whale songs has the potential to evoke transformative experiences, akin to those encountered through the consumption of plant medicines like psilocybin mushrooms or ayahuasca.
Highlighted by tracks like “Riley,” “Raven, and “Lara,” which channel the electrifying spirit of rock’s golden age, the 11-track album uniquely features six single letters as titles, spelling out “Sophia” — a symbolic reference to “The Mother and womb of creation that keeps us going throughout it all,” she tells Billboard Español. “The [album title] itself represents the process of shedding the skin that no longer serves us, and the choice of letting it go in order to return to our hearts.” As a songwriter and producer, I AM has worked with Selena Gómez, Maria Becerra, Sofia Reyes and DJ Snake as K Sotomayor. — ISABELA RAYGOZA
Song For Your Playlist: “Raven”
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Artist: Adrián Bello
Country: Peru
Why They Should Be on Your Radar: Adrián Bello is a 32-year-old indie-pop artist who has been paving his way in his native country and beyond with a style that’s as versatile as it is colorful. Having started writing music at the age of 10, he debuted in 2018 with a soul album in English, Apprentice, which showed influences from Ray Charles and Nina Simone to Adele, Sam Smith and Amy Winehouse. In 2022 he followed that effort with the 16-track album Bailemos en la Sala, fusing pop with Latin American genres like bolero, samba and andino, and collaborating with colleagues like Ximena Sariñana, Esteman and Josean Log.
“I would describe my music like an embrace — of the good and the bad,” Bello tells Billboard Español. “I like to sing to the emotions and try to share common stories and generate connection. I am a faithful believer that we are all actually very similar and have similar experiences.” His latest output is “Otros Ritmos,” a sweet, upbeat song released in November, inspired “by those who one day are the most important thing in our lives and the next one are strangers dancing to ‘other rhythms,’” he explains. It is the first single from his upcoming album, which he plans to release in the first half of 2024. — SIGAL RATNER-ARIAS
Song for Your Playlist: “Otros Ritmos”
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Name: Flor Alvarez
Country: Argentina
Why They Should Be On Your Radar: Scrolling through TikTok, as per usual, I came across the captivating vocals of Flor Alvarez. In the viral clip, the short-haired, pierced young lady is wearing a purple tank top and holding a speaker on her left arm: she’s covering Los Ángeles Azules’ and Maria Becerra’s “El Amor de Mi Vida.” Boasting over 31 million views since the video was posted on Dec. 2, it’s evident that Flor has enraptured people on social media with her distinct, sugary-raspy voice, as well as with her humility and charismatic personality. A local street performer from Argentina, who can often be found singing in a train, Flor has already released the EP Etapas and is currently making the rounds with her single “Sin Querer,” in collaboration with Fer Vazquez — a heartfelt cumbia song about unrequited love. Since her viral clip, Flor has garnered nearly two million followers on TikTok. — JESSICA ROIZ
Song For Your Playlist: “Sin Querer” (with Fer Vazquez)
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Artist: Juanpalitoschinos
Country: Mexico
Why They Should Be On Your Radar: Taking cues from ‘80s city pop with Latin alternative sensibilities, the Mexico City duo Juanpalitoschinos, consisting of Friné Alejo and Joan Page, adds to the blossoming scene of Latin stars claiming influences from Japan. Melding retro sounds with polished production, the pair’s floor-filling tracks — epitomized by the recent, lovelorn release “Cuando Me Amabas” — seamlessly blend disco influences with heartfelt vocals over vintage synth melodies.
Debuting in 2020 with “Bellavista 130,” a mellow track that set the tone for their distinctive sound, Juanpalitoschinos (translating to “Juan chopsticks”) has been steadily gaining recognition as an innovative group that draws inspiration from East Asian art. Its July release, “¿Por Qué No Contestas?” with Gusstav, serves as a teaser for their upcoming album — showcasing the duo’s ability to craft hits that evoke both dancefloor energy and J-pop nostalgia. — I.R.
Song For Your Playlist: “Cuando Me Amabas”
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Earlier this month, Billboard Latin and Billboard Español published a list of the 25 best Latin albums of 2023, which encompasses the sets that impressed us the most, including León Larregui’s Technicolor electro-rock odyssey PRISMARAMA, DannyLux’s eclectic set DLux and Tainy’s neon-hued experimental outing DATA. Also on the list are history-making albums such as Karol G‘s Mañana Será Bonito, the […]