Latin

Mexico’s Love for the 90s Expands Via Bobo Producciones’ New Label, Management and A&R Branches

Bobo Producciones, the production and promotion company that for the past few years has produced the successful “90’s Pop Tour” in Mexico and the United States, this week expanded and launched new management, A&R and marketing departments in addition to a record label: Bobo Music.

“We are very excited about everything that is coming this year for our company. We continue to look for opportunities and expand strategically, especially in the Latin market in the United States,” Ari Borovoy tells Bilboard Español. The former member of pop group OV7 — which had its heyday in the 1990s — heads Bobo along with his brother, Jack Borovoy and Sonia Salvador.

For its expansion, the company brought in veteran music industry executives, including Humberto Calderón, who has headed marketing and A&R at BMG and Universal Music; Sabo Romo, the renowned musician, producer and founder of legendary rock band Caifanes; and Eliseo Reyna, who has been a key player in conceiving successful concept albums such as Rock En Tu Idioma and Rock En Tu Idioma Sinfónico.

Trending on Billboard

“Bobo’s strength and growth in Mexico, the United States, Spain and Latin America will be materialized with our offer of development and consolidation of artists,” says Calderón.

The team aims to develop new projects and expand marketing and production to strengthen the company’s work. Bobo has more than 15 years of experience in musical events and managing Mexican stars including Pedro Fernández, Lupita D’alessio and Sentidos Opuestos, among others.

The company’s most recent success is the 90’s Pop Tour, which last year toured 10 cities in the United States and Mexico, including a stop at Madison Square Garden. The tour has begun its sixth season, featuring Paulina Rubio on four dates, including a May 3 stop in Querétaro and another on May 18 in Mérida. The tour includes a cast of stars from the 90s, such as Caló, The Sacados, Magneto, Kabah, JNS, Ana Torroja, Mercurio and Sentidos Opuestos. In addition to performing their beloved hits that made history in Spanish language music, they also collaborate on new versions with their colleagues.

Premios Heat Latin Music Awards Celebrates 10th Anniversary

The Heat Latin Music Awards will take place July 11 at Cap Cana in The Dominican Republic, Billboard can announce.

The 2024 Heat Latin Music Awards will include 10 new categories this year: producer of the year; music video director of the year; album of the year; best viral song; composer of the year; best song for video games, series, movies; best tropical artist; best salsa artist, fan club of the year; and best religious song. 

This year’s full nominees will be announced on May 9.

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

Founded 10 years ago by Colombian music executive Diana Montes, the awards show (popularly known as Premio Heat), recognizes renowned and up-and-coming artists who are making a buzz in the Caribbean and Latin American regions.

Every year, the awards show—which officially launched in 2015 via the HTV and TBS networks and counted on the support of artists such as Juanes, Juan Luis Guerra, Nicky Jam and a then-rising J Balvin—is celebrated on the beach, offering the ultimate “summer experience” to artists, media, and attendees.   

Trending on Billboard

“It’s the musical platform where you can make a real connection—the beach gives us that feeling of closeness,” Montes, a 2023 Billboard Latin Power Player, previously told Billboard. “What was clear to me when we did the treatment of the awards is that I did not want to do them in the United States for various reasons, beginning with that we did not have the resources to compete with the larger awards show. Initially, we spoke with Cartagena de Indias but for some reason, we arrived in Cap Cana, and we’ve been hosting the awards here for nine years now. That’s the difference from a traditional award, here you see everyone working and networking but in a bathing suit and with a beer in hand.” 

In celebration of the award’s 10-year anniversary, Billboard will celebrate with a special edition of Premios Heat and the Dominican Republic in the April-May print issue of Billboard.

Here Are All the Surprise Guests at Bad Bunny’s Most Wanted Tour So Far

Bad Bunny‘s Most Wanted Tour is in high gear, bringing his latest album, Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana, to life across various U.S. cities. Meanwhile, he has invited multiple surprise guests along the way.

The Puerto Rican superstar kicked off his 2024 tour in Salt Lake City, Utah on February 21, promoted by Live Nation. According to Billboard Boxscore, the tour has already grossed $84.2M and sold 282K tickets across its first 18 shows, selling out venues everywhere it’s been.

The Most Wanted Tour features a 37-song setlist that spans El Conejo Malo’s diverse discography, with a focus on his latest album. In addition to the new songs, Bunny pays homage to his earlier work and his Latin trap roots. To see the complete setlist, click here.

In a handful of cities, Bad Bunny has been joined by some surprise guest artists, so far those include Young Miko, Feid, Bryant Myers, and Mora.

The Most Wanted Tour follows on the heels of Bunny’s record-breaking World’s Hottest Tour stadium run, and prior to that, El Último Tour del Mundo, which together closed in 2022 with a staggering $435 million in tour grosses. The current tour continues to build on this success, with sold-out shows and stops including several nights in Los Angeles, Chicago, New York and Miami.

As his U.S. trek carries on, fans can anticipate the surprises that await. Here are Bad Bunny’s surprise guests on his current Most Wanted Tour so far, in alphabetical order:

The Dictionary of Latin Urban Music: Decoding Slang in Reggaetón & Trap Lyrics

We listen to it full blast, we sing the lyrics at the top of our lungs, and even relate to the song, but perhaps there are times we are unsure of what we’re actually singing — and that’s OK, because Billboard has curated the ultimate Latin urban dictionary of reggaetón and trap music. 

In this edition, we specifically focus on Puerto Rican slang, decoding the meaning of words such as “puñeta,” “chavos,” and “la movie,” to name a few, found in the most popular lyrics. 

“Puerto Rico is the epicenter of everything that happens with urban music in the entire world,” Siggy Vázquez, Puerto Rican hitmaker who’s worked with Myke Towers, Shakira, and more, tells Billboard. “There are many countries that have contributed to our music, we owe a lot to Panama, Jamaica, and the United States, but Puerto Rico maintained that essence and knew how to globalize the movement. I think that the slang that we Boricuas use is unique. It dates back to the neighborhood, from the experiences we go through every day, and I think that connection is marked and reflected with the slang that we use in reggaetón lyrics. Currently, it’s one of the important characteristics by which our music is influencing and reaching larger markets.” 

Evidently, Puerto Rican slang has transcended the Caribbean island and expanded into other countries. Colombian star Karol G released the empowering “Bichota” deriving from the Puerto Rican term “bichote” that describes someone who’s powerful; Dominican artist Natti Natasha dropped the provocative “Algarete”; and “Bellakeo” finds Brazilian sensation Anitta and Mexican phenomenon Peso Pluma singing about being turned on. 

“I think it’s great that other countries use our vocabulary,” reggaetón and trap artist Brytiago says to Billboard. “In this way we maintain our culture and vocabulary, and it’s a way to represent our flag and roots to other diverse cultures in music. Music is a universal language, it belongs to all of us. If our vocabulary inspires others, that’s a great thing because it helps us continue to represent the beginnings of our movement.”

“I think that was the main goal: to let the world know about our slang and have other countries be nurtured and help us diversify,” adds Vázquez. “I think the most important thing about this is that when you listen to the music and there’s a word that you don’t understand, you search its meaning and its origin. At the same time, we are talking about education and we are doing proactive things so that people can be oriented about our movement and culture.” 

From “al garete” to “corillo” to “tiraera,” check out the list below.

Don Omar Announces Additional Back to Reggaetón Tour Dates

Currently making his way across the United States with his Back To Reggaetón tour, Don Omar is extending his trek by announcing a second leg of the tour. The Puerto Rican hitmaker has added 18 more dates to the CMN-produced stint, which kicked off in March — marking his grand return to the stage in celebration of his decades-spanning career.

The second leg of the Back to Reggaetón tour will launch Aug. 7 in Oakland, Calif., (four months after wrapping the first leg) and will stop in new cities including San Diego; Portland; Tampa, Fla.; and Ontario, Calif. Don Omar’s Back to Reggaetón Tour has grossed $17.8 million and sold 146,000 tickets over its first 14 shows (through April 7), according to Billboard Boxscore numbers.

Back to Reggaetón is Don Omar’s first major headlining tour in a decade and his first since the Kingdom Tour with Daddy Yankee in 2015. “I’ve never had the opportunity to sing my entire repertoire because I never have enough time onstage,” Don Omar told Billboard prior to kicking off his tour. “But this tour demands two full hours of music.” And it indeed is a riveting two-hour show where he sings back-to-back hits, including “Salió El Sol,” “Hasta Abajo,” “Pobre Diabla,” “Ella y Yo” and “Dile.” 

Trending on Billboard

Tickets for the second leg of Back To Reggaetón are set to go on sale Wednesday, April 17. See the new dates below:

Aug. 7 – Oakland, Calif. – Oakland Arena
Aug. 8 – Sacramento, Calif. – Golden 1 Center
Aug. 10 – Seattle – Wamu Theater
Aug. 11 – Portland – Moda Center
Aug. 15 – Hidalgo, Texas – Payne Arena
Aug. 16 – Austin – HEB Center
Aug. 18 – El Paso, Texas – UTEP Don Haskins
Aug. 20 – Los Angeles – Crypto.com Arena
Aug. 21 – Ontario, Calif. – Toyota Arena
Aug. 23 – San Diego – Pechanga Arena
Aug. 28 – Denver – Bellco Theater
Aug. 30– Milwaukee, Wis. – Fiserv Forum
Sept. 1 – Greensboro, N.C. – Greensboro Coliseum
Sept. 6 – Tampa, FL – Amelie Arena
Sept. 8 – Washington, D.C. – Capital One Arena
Sept. 12 – Boston, MA – Agganis Arena
Sept. 14 – Newark, NJ – Prudential Center
Sept. 15 – Elmont, NY –UBS Arena

Christian Nodal Wipes Away All His Face Tattoos: See the Photos

Christian Nodal has caused a whirlwind on social media after sharing new photos of himself without his face tattoos on Tuesday (April 9).

On his Instagram account, the Mexican superstar is flaunting a brand-new look: mushroom haircut, black suit and, shockingly, a tat-free face. The heart, the number 11, the spiderweb and other tats — all gone. “If someone tells you that I became a jerk… tell them a jerk and a half,” he captioned the post in Spanish.

Meanwhile, on his Instagram broadcast channel, he also announced that he would be filming a new music video today and updated fans on his upcoming album. “I’ve been dedicating all my time to the album and the tour, planning everything […] and it’s coming out beautifully: the documentary, the music, the show. I’m doing everything possible so that next month we have new music […] this album is my work of art,” he said in a video message on the group chat.

Nodal — who hasn’t confirmed if he’s only wearing makeup for his new video or in reality wiped away his face ink — previously opened up to Billboard about his relationship with tattoos. “I have invested a lot of time in my life into tattooing, either getting a tattoo or thinking about opening a tattoo shop. My goal is to learn to be a good tattoo artist,” he said. “And right now I’m removing some of them from my face and it’s a painful but satisfying process.”

Trending on Billboard

“I remember when I started with tattoos or that I started to wear a different style of clothing, that my [music] videos were not the typical soap opera style, when I changed all that, doors opened for new talents and that’s pretty awesome,” he expressed.

See the photos of Nodal without his face tattoos below:

Spanish Rapper Morad Begins 6-Month Prison Sentence for Traffic Offenses

Catalan rapper Morad began a six-month jail sentence Monday (April 9) for reckless driving offenses committed in 2022. According to multiple Spanish news outlets, the artist known for viral tracks such as “Se Grita” (2023), “Sigue” (2022) and “Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 47” (2021) voluntarily entered the Brians 2 penitentiary center near Barcelona.

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

Billboard Español has sent a request for a statement to Morad’s management team.

Trending on Billboard

Morad’s sentence is due to his repeated failure to respond to court summons for traffic violations and driving without a license, according to the Spanish press. This is not the first time the 25-year-old artist (real name: Morad El Khattouti El Horami) has had run-ins with the law; he also has a case pending in which he is accused of inciting public disorder and aggravated assault.

In this open case, the prosecutor’s office requested a six-year prison sentence for Morad. The charges stemmed from an incident in July 2021, during the pandemic, in which Morad allegedly attacked and intimidated several Catalan police officers (Mossos d’Esquadra) with a Taser after violating a nighttime lockdown in L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, near Barcelona.

In February, Morad and his legal team negotiated a two-year sentence on these charges. As part of the agreement, Morad offered to compensate the Mosso d’Esquadra agent with 10,000 euros (more than $10,850).

The conditions for the reduced sentence included Morad not appealing the conviction and covering the costs associated with the damage caused to six police cars, a total of 2,400 euros (about $2,600), caused during the 2021 incident. Under the agreement, Morad will face additional penalties if he commits any offenses within two years.

In December 2021, his Bizarrap collaboration with “Vol. 47” topped the PROMUSICAE singles chart for two weeks.

Fuerza Regida Announces Pero No Te Enamores Tour: Here Are the Dates

Música mexicana superstars Fuerza Regida are hitting the road with a 37-date arena tour called Pero No Te Enamores (meaning But Don’t Fall In Love) across the U.S. and Mexico, which follows their successful Otra Peda tour of last year.

The five-piece band from San Bernardino, Calif., will kick off its summer stint on June 6, starting in Austin, Texas, at the Moody Center. Fuerza Regida will also make stops in Oklahoma City, Okla.; Kansas City, Mo.; San Diego; Phoenix; Portland, Ore., Dallas; Atlanta; Salt Lake City; Anaheim, Calif., and more. They will also hit up Mexico and perform in Monterrey, Mexico City and Oaxaca, and will wrap up in Inglewood, Calif., at the Intuit Dome on Nov. 16.

The tour announcement comes on the heels of the group’s latest EP, Dolido Pero No Arrepentido, which dropped on Feb. 9, followed by the single “Money Edition” with Edén Muñoz. The EP debuted in the top 10 of the Top Latin Albums and Regional Mexican Albums charts; plus, every song on the album premiered on Hot Latin Songs.

Trending on Billboard

In the 2023 year-end charts, Fuerza Regida made Billboard history by becoming the first Latin band to be No. 1 on the Top Artists – Duo/Group list, followed by Grupo Frontera and Fleetwood Mac. (Previous No. 1 artists on the list have included Destiny’s Child, Green Day, The Black Eyed Peas, One Direction, Jonas Brothers and BTS.) The group also won at the 2023 Billboard Music Awards for Top Duo/Group and Top Latin Duo/Group.

“I’m speechless, really. Coming from where we come from, not many people get out [of the hood], whether they get out alive, are dead, or go to jail,” frontman Jesús Ortiz Paz told Billboard Español in December. “I just have to say that I am grateful to God, and to all my family, my mom, my dad, and all my friends. If it wasn’t for everyone’s help, and also the fans, we wouldn’t be here. Fuerza Regida and I are in charge of continuing to give [fans] great music and, God willing, I will continue to give until the last straw.”

The U.S. dates are produced by Live Nation. General on sale tickets will be available beginning on Friday, April 12, at 10 a.m. local time at livenation.com.

See the complete dates for the No Te Enamores Tour below:

Jun 06             Austin, TX                   Moody Center
Jun 09             Edinburg, TX               Bert Ogden Arena
Jun 14             Oklahoma City, OK     Paycom Center
Jun 15             Ridgedale, MO            Thunder Ridge Nature Arena
Jun 16             Kansas City, MO          T-Mobile Center
Jun 21             San Diego, CA             Viejas Arena
Jun 22             Phoenix, AZ                 Footprint Center
Jun 29             Portland, OR               Moda Center
Jun 30             Seattle, WA                 Climate Pledge Arena
Jul 06              San Jose, CA               SAP Center
Jul 07              Fresno, CA                  Save Mart Center at Fresno State
Jul 13              Houston, TX                Toyota Center
Jul 20              Dallas, TX                    Dos Equis Pavilion
Jul 26              Atlanta, GA                  State Farm Arena
Jul 27              Tampa, FL                   Amalie Arena
Jul 28              Sunrise, FL                  Amerant Bank Arena
Aug 02             Greensboro, NC          Greensboro Coliseum Complex
Aug 04             Belmont Park, NY        UBS Arena
Aug 16             Milwaukee, WI            Fiserv Forum
Aug 17             Indianapolis, IN          Gainbridge Fieldhouse
Sep 01             Tinley Park, IL             Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre
Sep 06             Salt Lake City, UT       Delta Center
Sep 08             Denver, CO                 Ball Arena
Sep 15             Las Vegas, NV             T-Mobile Arena
Sep 20             San Antonio, TX          Frost Bank Center
Sep 21             El Paso, TX                  UTEP Don Haskins Center
Sep 28             Anaheim, CA               Honda Center
Sep 29             Palm Desert, CA          Acrisure Arena
Oct 05             Sacramento, CA          Golden 1 Center
Oct 11             Leon, MX                     Mega Velaria*
Oct 12             Mexico City, MX          Plaza De Toros*
Oct 31             Monterrey, MX            Arena Monterrey*
Nov 1               Monterrey, MX            Arena Monterrey*
Nov 2              Torreon, MX                Coliseo Centenario*
Nov 7              Oaxaca, MX                 Auditorio GNP*
Nov 9              San Luis Potosi, MX    El Domo
Nov 16            Inglewood, CA            Intuit Dome

*Not a Live Nation date

Eladio Carrión Crosses Off No. 1 Achievement on Latin Airplay Chart With ‘TQMQA’

Two years after his first entry on Billboard’s Latin Airplay chart, Eladio Carrión captures his first No. 1 as “TQMQA” climbs 4-1 to lead the April 13-dated list.

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

Carrión crosses off a new achievement with the dembow-pop tune — whose title stands for “Te Quiero Más Que Ayer” (which translates to “I love you more than yesterday”) — as it tops the overall Latin radio ranking. “TQMQA” lands at the summit seven weeks after it earned the Latin rapper his maiden champ on any Billboard chart (hit No. 1 on Latin Pop Airplay in March).

“The intention behind ‘TQMQA’ was to give my parents the recognition that they deserve,” Carrión tells Billboard. “It’s an honor for me that the track landed at No. 1, but when I make music, I’m never thinking about what numbers or awards I’m gonna get. My main intention is always to be authentic to myself and share that with my fans. Everything else that comes after that is just a bonus that I’m extremely grateful for. It never gets old.”

Trending on Billboard

“TQMQA” advances to the lead with a 26% gain in audience impressions, to 9.5 million, earned in the U.S. during the March 29-April 4-tracking week, according to Luminate.

“TQMQA” is the first cut from Carrión’s fifth studio album, Sol María (released via Rimas Entertainment). The 17-track set, an ode to his mother, debuted at Nos. 6 and 3, respectively, on Top Latin Albums and Latin Rhythm Albums (Feb. 3-dated rankings).

“When I first told my parents about the concept for ‘TQMQA,’ they were taken aback by how personal the song and video were,” Carrión shares. “But it was special to us because we pieced together all these old clips from our home movies to make this time capsule of my upbringing. It’s emotional to see how far we’ve come and how they’ve been there for me every step of the way. But none of us were prepared for how many people the song would resonate with.”



Carrión breaks the No. 1 barrier on Latin Airplay as a soloist and on his fourth try. Plus, he bests his first and only top 10: “Nunca y Pico” with Yandel and Maluma, which took the Puerto Rican-American to No. 6 in November 2022.

Carrión has charted two other times on Latin Airplay: “Alejarme De Ti” with Jay Wheeler (No. 22 in March 2022) and “Coco Chanel” with Bad Bunny (No. 42 in June 2023).

Of the 15 songs that have been No. 1 on Latin Airplay in 2024, a third of them were credited to a singular artist with no accompanied acts, including Carrion’s new No. 1. Here they are:

Peak Date, Title, Artist, Weeks at No. 1

  • Jan. 27, 2024, “Monaco,” Bad Bunny, one
  • Feb. 10, 2024, “La Diabla,” Xavi, two
  • Feb. 24, 2024, “La Falda,” Myke Towers, one
  • March 30, 2024, “Baccarat,” Ozuna, one
  • April 13, 2024, “TQMQA,” Eladio Carrión

Elsewhere, “TQMQA” rebounds to its No. 1 high on Latin Pop Airplay for its third week in charge (rising 2-1). Further, thanks to its radio gain, it re-enters at No. 44 on the multimetric Hot Latin Songs chart, which blends airplay, digital sales, and streaming data.

BIME Bogotá 2024 Unveils Lineup Featuring 60-Plus International Artists

BIME — an international music industry gathering held in Bilbao, Spain, since 2013 and in Bogota, Colombia, since 2022 — returns for its third edition in the Colombian capital. The event will take place May 8-11 in various venues of the Creative District of Calle 85, including EAN University, Sánchez Cervecería, La Patrona, Egua, Mad Radio and 440 Music Hall. It will feature more than 60 international artists as well as key voices in the music industry.

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

The live showcases will be “a unique opportunity to get to know the artistic proposals of the talents of the future with the greatest international projection,” according to a press release.

This year’s BIME Pro will feature Spanish rock legend Enrique Bunbury, Spanish singer Lola Índigo, Mexican-American musician DannyLux and Billboard’s own chief content officer, Latin Music & Espanol, Leila Cobo, among other professionals.

Trending on Billboard

Gathering artists hailing from all over Latin America and Spain, BIME Live includes Anakena and Vera Delacruz from Venezuela; Austin TV from Mexico; Milena Wharton from Peru; and Cromo X and Letón Pé from the Dominican Republic. Also joining the roster are Cuban singer Daymé Arozena; Cali Flow Latino, Diana Burco and La Pardo from Colombia; and Spanish acts such as Baiuca, Barry B, Ben Yart, Ginebras, Navarre, and Izaro as well as producer Gorka Urbizu.

BIME Pro Speakers

BIME PRO

BIME has built a reputation for celebrating emerging talent and prominent music artist, while placing itself at the epicenter of creativity and leisure.

Participating organizations have included Sounds from Spain, Ministry of Culture in Colombia, the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), the Instituto Distrital de las Artes of Bogotá (IDARTES), Acción Cultural Española (AC/E), Instituto Nacional de la Música de Uruguay (INMUS), Navarra Music Commission, TuneCore, and more. 

For a full schedule and information, visit the official BIME site here.