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Latin

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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: Ingrid Jasmin

Country: Norway

Why They Should Be On Your Radar: Possessing a bewitching melisma that harkens back to bygone bulerías, Ingrid Jasmin’s music dives into the depths of Spanish folklore with a grip on música urbana sensibilities. Although this uncanny fusion brings to mind the likes of Rosalía, the Norway-bred singer of Costa Rican descent brings a refreshing proposal that draws from Nordic folk, Latin and R&B in three languages: Norwegian, English and Spanish. She studied in Cuba and Spain and immersed herself in traditional music, yet carefully mixes her work with elegant electronic flourishes and supreme production, as heard on Luna, her 2022 debut album which earned her a Spellemannprisen (a Norwegian Grammy) award. This year, she’s released a string of singles — including her latest, “Safir,” a song about the “value of the human being, which violence against women can never take away,” she tells Billboard Español. — ISABELA RAYGOZA

Song For Your Playlist: “M.U.E.R.T.O.”

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Artist: NUNNE

Country: Mexico

Why They Should Be On Your Radar: With a vocal maturity that goes beyond her 21 years and a complex musical mix of traditional genres such as Cuban son, bolero, bossa nova and merengue with contemporary urban elements, NUNNE debuted last month with the nine-track EP La Selenita. The set — which includes the singles “Ojos de Plata,” about pursuing your dreams relentlessly despite detractors, and “Náufragos,” described as “a window into her fears and uncertainties” — is an introspective journey that delves into topics like longing, forgiveness and healing. The Mexican artist (real name: Yosune Yáñez), who moved to Montreal three years ago, is a singer, songwriter, producer and sound engineer, and that skill set is evident in the quality of her proposal. — SIGAL RATNER-ARIAS

Song For Your Playlist: “Ojos de Plata”

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Artist: ElArturo

Country: Mexico

Why They Should Be On Your Radar: Arturo Venegas, a.k.a. ElArturo, caught my attention while scrolling on TikTok. The clip I stumbled upon was a few seconds long, but that was enough to display his hooky melodies and an earworm chorus for “Retroenculado.” “‘Toy turbo retroenculado, uh uh uh, me siento como embrujado, y yo no soy de esos vatos no sé ni qué está pasando pero ya me está gustando uh uh uh,” he sings, wondering if he’s fallen under a spell. With an accordion and a bajo quinto, the cumbia-norteña song is modernized with his witty and fast-paced lyrics about a girl that’s got him falling in love. The singer-songwriter released a nine-song album earlier this year, Raro, via Warner Music México. — GRISELDA FLORES

Song For Your Playlist: “Retroenculado”

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Artist: Musiko

Country: Puerto Rico

Why They Should Be On Your Radar: Born in Puerto Rico, Billy Perez, better known as Musiko, is a Christian urban music singer-songwriter. Although he has been making music for several years now, his career has been reaching new heights as of late. From reggaeton and hip-hop, to a fusion of Latin rhythms, Musiko has many styles in his repertoire, and collaborations with well-known artists of the genre such as Funky and Alex Zurdo, as well as emerging artists. Although I had known his music for years, my admiration deepened when I had the opportunity to watch him perform live a few months ago; seeing his charismatic personality both on and offstage, and the audience connecting and chanting each of his songs, was a pleasant surprise. “Todo empezó” with Funky, “A Ciegas” with Indiomar, “Ya No Soy Igual” and “Contigo,” to mention a few, feature melodies that effortlessly infuse the listener with motivation and, without a doubt, a surge of faith. Musiko is touring in Latin America, the United States and Spain while preparing to release his upcoming album. — LUISA CALLE

Song For Your Playlist: “Enamora” ft. Kim Richards

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Artist: Jalil Lopez

Country: U.S.

Why They Should Be on Your Radar: I first met Jalil in Miami years ago, around 2011, when he was promoting his single, “Princesa Mía.” I was impressed by his vocal skills and the freshness of his sound. Recently, I stumbled upon his latest release and instantly recognized that signature sound: “Yo Quiero El Amor” is the title of his new single, and it’s clear that Jalil is making a solid comeback. His unique blend of raspy yet smooth vocals and sugary bachata sounds sets him apart. This New Jersey native, born to a Puerto Rican mother and Honduran father, is determined to continue blessing his fans with the bachata genre they have identified him with. — INGRID FAJARDO

Song For Your Playlist: “Yo Quiero El Amor”

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Purchase tickets to the 2023 Billboard Latin Music Week here.

Festival producer Disco Donnie Presents has teamed up with Puerto Rico-based promoter Visionary Ally for the return of the Motherland Festival in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Presale begins Thursday (Aug. 31) for the one-day festival, taking place Nov. 18.
After a successful debut in 2022, with more than 20,000 fans and performances by Tego Calderón, Nicky Jam, Chencho Corleoner, and Zion & Lennox, Motherland Festival is poised to return even bigger with a multi-stage experience that showcases the biggest names in Reggaeton and House music.

Leading the lineup at Motherland Festival is the Reggaeton sensation, Myke Towers. New York Times has recognized him as an artist who is “seizing his moment” after his great success with ‘La La’ which debuted at the #1 of Spotify’s Global Top 50. He also has massive collaborations with Becky G, Bad Bunny, and others. Another hot artist on the mainstage roster is Young Miko who has created a global buzz thanks to her incredible talent and success with hits like Wiggy, Lisa, and Riri and her latest collaboration with Marshmello, Tempo.

Meanwhile, house music aficionados will be treated to a special headlining performance by the internationally acclaimed duo, The Martinez Brothers. Famous for their extended DJ marathon sets at Club Space in Miami and in Ibiza and Latin influenced sound, they have performed around the world regularly selling out some of the largest venues and hosting stages at the biggest international music festivals, making this performance all the more special.

Also included in today’s announcement are some of the most thriving and prominent artists on the scene: Rising star Bad Gyal has been making waves in the Reggaeton world, recently highlighted in Billboard as part of the “Rising Women in Reggaetón” movement at the 2023 Latin AMAs. Her collaborations and chart-topping tracks are a testament to her rising prominence in the genre.

Other acts include rappers Vico C and Dei V, plus DJ Luian and DJ Blass.

“After being in the festival scene here in Puerto Rico for 24 years, I believe that Motherland is going to be THE destination festival in the Caribbean,” Victor Mercado with Visionary Ally tells Billboard. “It’s a proud moment for me to lead this incredible project with Donnie, who’s a longtime friend. We’re doing this one for the culture and I’m thrilled that we get to shine a spotlight on some incredible Reggaeton as well as House artists along the way.”

Building on a successful 15-year partnership, Visionary Ally and Disco Donnie Presents have a proven history of producing extraordinary music and cultural experience, including multiple editions of the iconic EDC Puerto Rico. The pair have even promised to bring this festival into stateside markets, spreading the authenticity of the Puerto Rican culture and rhythms to cities all over the country.

“Our success with destination festivals in Cancun (Ember Shores, Paradise Blue) has really shown us something special,” says James “Disco Donnie” Estopinal, who encourages fans visiting San Juan for Motherland to immerse themselves in the diverse range of landscapes in the city.

“People are eager to jet off to new places, places they’ve never experienced before to share experiences with like minded people they’ve never met. It’s like this instant connection they all have, even in a brand-new setting. And that’s exactly what we’re doing with Motherland. It’s not just about going somewhere new; it’s about creating these bonds and moments together in a whole new destination, right in my home city of San Juan.”

Karol G’s “Qlona,” her first collaboration with Peso Pluma, conquers Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart as the song ascends 2-1 and ousts her own “Mi Ex Tenía Razón” from the lead, sending it to No. 2 on the Sept. 2-dated list. Both songs are part of her No. 1 album Mañana Será Bonito (Bichota Season).
“Qlona” leads the multimetric ranking powered by streaming activity. During the tracking week ending Aug. 24, it logged 12.6 million on-demand official streams in the U.S., a 7% rise from the previous week, according to Luminate. The sum yields the song to No. 1 on Latin Streaming Songs as the Greatest Gainer of the week and an 18-16 lift on the overall Streaming Songs chart; the only song by a Latin artist in the top 20 there.

With “Qlona,” Karol G captures her eighth No. 1 on Hot Latin Songs. She first led with “Dame Tu Cosita” with Pitbull and El Chombo, featuring Cutty Ranks, for two weeks in 2018. Her second and longest coronation to date arrived a year later as “China” — with Anuel AA, Daddy Yankee, Ozuna and J Balvin — crowned the list for 12 weeks in 2019.

Peso Pluma, meanwhile, secures his second champ after the 19-week ruler “Ella Baila Sola” with Eslabon Armado, the longest leading song on Hot Latin Songs in 2023 thus far.

As “Qlona” exchanges places with “Mi Ex Tenía Razón,” Karol G replaces herself at No. 1 again. She is the last woman with direct successors at the summit, as “Mamiii” with Becky G ceded the throne to her own “Provenza” on the May 14, 2022-dated chart. Among all acts, Bad Bunny did it last, when “Me Porto Bonito” ejected his own “Titi Me Preguntó” from the lead (list dated May 28, 2022).

“Qlona” is the second ruler from Karol G’s Bichota Season to lead Hot Latin Songs. Thanks to nine new debuts from the set on last’s week chart (Aug. 22 dated chart), the Colombian made history, breaking the record for the most songs among female artists on the list’s history, which dates to 1986.

Elsewhere, “Qlona” rallies 29-12 on Billboard Global 200 and flies 55-15 on Global Excl. U.S., to new peaks on both rankings.

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Billboard unveils today (Aug. 30) the schedule of live shows taking place during Latin Music Week 2023, which returns to the Faena Forum in Miami Oct. 2-6.
The En Vivo concert series will feature performances by Fonseca, Greeicy, Mike Bahía, Myke Towers, Nathy Peluso and Young Miko.

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Colombian power couple Greeicy and Mike Bahía will take the stage on Monday, Oct. 2 for an intimate performance at the Faena Theater presented by Michelob ULTRA. It will be a private show, available only to Billboard Latin Music Week pass holders (21+).

That same day, Venesti, Maffio, Nacho, Bernier, Gonza, and Alejo will help turn on the Official Billboard Latin Music Week Kickoff Party, hosted by DJ Alex Sensation and presented by AP Global Music. This event is open to the public and free to all Latin Music Week pass holders (21+).

On Wednesday, Oct. 3, Argentine-Spanish singer and songwriter Nathy Peluso will grace the stage at Oasis Wynwood with special guest Young Miko. Latin Music Week pass holders will receive free access, but the show is open to the general public with tickets starting at $35 (already available here.)

Two big stars will be taking the stage on Friday, Oct. 6. During the day, Puerto Rican rapper, singer and songwriter Myke Towers will give a special performance at Wynwood Marketplace, as part of the Billboard Latin Music Week Block Party presented by Cheetos. The event is free and open to the public on a first come, first served basis.

And for a grand finale, there will be Friday Night with Fonseca. Sponsored by Michelob ULTRA, the Colombian singer will close the week of En Vivo performances at Oasis Wynwood — with tickets also starting at $35 and Latin Music Week pass holders (21+) receiving free access.

Celebrated for over 30 years, Billboard Latin Music Week is the longest-running and biggest Latin music industry gathering in the world. After a sold-out 2022 edition that featured live performances by Maluma, Camilo and GALE, to name a few, the event returns, coinciding with Hispanic Heritage Month.

Billboard Latin Music Week will also coincide with the 2023 Billboard Latin Music Awards, which will be broadcast live on Telemundo on Thursday, Oct. 5 from the Watsco Center in Miami. The show will be available simultaneously on Spanish entertainment cable network Universo, Peacock, Telemundo’s App, and throughout Latin America and the Caribbean on Telemundo Internacional.

This year’s Latin Music Week partners include Cheetos, Delta Air Lines, Michelob ULTRA and more.

Registration for the 2023 Billboard Latin Music Week is now open at BillboardLatinMusicWeek.com.

Mexican cumbia group Los Ángeles Azules will be honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2023 Billboard Latin Music Awards, Billboard and Telemundo announced Tuesday (Aug. 29).
The band, known for songs such as “El Listón de Tu Pelo,” “Cómo Te Voy a Olvidar” and “Mi Niña Mujer,” among many other cumbia anthems, will be recognized for their enduring, exceptional career that has expanded the reach of Latin music worldwide. The award will be presented at the 2023 Billboard Latin Music Awards, where they will also hit the stage with a special performance. The ceremony will be held Thursday, Oct. 5, and will be broadcast live on Telemundo from the Watsco Center in Coral Gables, Fla.

“We are very honored to receive this award,” the group — led by the Mejía-Avante brothers — said in a statement. “It is a recognition to our music, which we have shared with our audiences throughout all these years.”

With a 40-year musical career, Los Ángeles Azules have achieved great success, including 14 entries on Billboard‘s Hot Latin Songs chart, with three songs in the top 10. They also have 16 entries on Latin Airplay, of which six reached the top 10, including “Nunca es Suficiente,” with Natalia Lafourcade, which peaked at No. 3 in 2019. Their 2020 album De Buenos Aires Para El Mundo debuted at No. 8 on the Regional Mexican Albums chart, making it the band’s 12th album to reach the top 10 on the tally.

Past recipients of the Billboard Lifetime Achievement Award include Raphael, Paquita la del Barrio, Armando Manzanero, Miguel Bosé, Los Temerarios, Intocable, José José, Marco Antonio Solís, Ricardo Arjona and Maná, among others.

Besides airing live on Telemundo, the Billboard Latin Music Awards will air simultaneously on the Hispanic entertainment cable channel, Universo, Peacock, the Telemundo App, and throughout Latin America and the Caribbean on Telemundo Internacional. Peso Pluma leads the list of finalists with 21 nods across 15 categories including artist of the year, songwriter of the year, Global 200 Latin artist of the year, and Top Latin Album of the year.

As has been the case for more than 20 years, the Billboard Latin Music Awards coincide with Billboard’s annual Latin Music Week, the single largest and most important gathering of the Latin music industry, taking place Oct. 2-6. The event will feature panels, conversations and workshops at the Faena Forum and exclusive performances and fan experiences throughout the week in Miami. Artists Shakira, Myke Towers, Vico C, Grupo Frontera, Peso Pluma, Nicki Nicole, RBD, and many more, are confirmed to participate. Purchase tickets to the 2023 Billboard Latin Music Week here.

The inspiration for “Johnny Dang” came to That Mexican OT (Outta Texas) in an unexpectedly casual manner — while listening to Slick Rick’s flow in “Children’s Story,” the hip-hop legend’s 1989 top 5 hit on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. For the cowboy hat-donning Texas rapper, creative outbursts arrive with no notice. “Louis Vuitton umbrella when I walk through the rain,” he raps with a familiar lilt while on the phone with Billboard.

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“Johnny Dang” is also an ode to the highly sought after Texas jeweler of the same name who appears in the music video. Johnny Dang is arguably hip-hop’s go-to jeweler, designing extravagant chains and grills for artists like Beyoncé, Migos, Nicki Minaj, Travis Scott, Ye and many more.

Another surreal experience for the Bay City, Texas rapper came through enlisting Houston hip-hop legend Paul Wall and rap newcomer DRODi, who is OT’s close friend. “It was cool, it really was. But it’s mostly crazy,” OT says about pulling Wall to the track. “It’s cool to bring it back [home] because my uncles grew up jamming [to his music], you know?… And DRODi is one of my best friends. It’s beautiful watching him grow.”

The results have paid off. The rustic single with a slow-burning trap beat is quickly climbing the Billboard charts, making it That Mexican OT (real name Virgil René Gazca) and DRODI’s first time on the Hot 100. The song — which was released May 26 via Manifest/GoodTalk/Good Money Global — debuted at No. 97 and reached a new high at No. 65 on the Hot 100 dated Sep. 1. It currently boasts 20 million YouTube views, and over 36 million Spotify streams.

He is effortlessly putting Tejano (a Mexican person from Texas) rap on the map by creating a style that’s captivating and truly authentic. Billboard caught up with the artist to talk about making the Hot 100, how lucha libre culture inspired his latest album Lonestar Luchador and why he’s a proud “country boy before anything.”

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What went through your head when you found out that you made the Hot 100. 

Nothing. I don’t really focus on that. I feel that when I focus on my accomplishments, I get big-headed, and I don’t ever want to have to humble myself, nor do I want to ever get comfortable. I stay in total vision to my music. When they hit Billboard, it’s like, all right, cool. But No. [65] is not good enough. I want to be at No. 1.

How did “Johnny Dang” come together? Talk to me about the inspiration.

We were at my apartment, and I was knocking a beat. I didn’t know that they was recording me. [Producer TobiAli] played the “Johnny Dang” beat [and] I was like, “Bet, I need that one. I don’t even need you to show me no more. I only want that one.” He sent it [and] I thought of a word. You know Slick Rick? You know that tun nun nun nun nu nu nu nu nu nu… It’s also from Inspector Gadget, and the “Children’s Story” [song]: “Once upon a time not long ago…” That flow right there, that’s all Slick Rick’s flow. That was the whole inspiration for that [lyric], “Louis Vuitton umbrella when I walk through the rain…” I got the inspiration from Slick Rick.

You have Paul Wall and DRODi on the tracks. How was it working with a Houston rap legend like Paul Wall?

It’s cool to show off in front of my people about it. It really was an accomplishment for me. I’m very grateful for it, and I’m excited about it. I see bigger things for me; I want to do better. That’s all it is. DRODi is one of my best friends, so it’s always beautiful having him in my music.

You got Johnny Dang in the video. What was it like having him there? Did he design your grills? 

No, he actually didn’t design my grill. I already had my grill. I had diamonds when I was just plain old Virgil. It was cool watching him be in the video. You could tell he’ll do a good job of making you feel loved and wanted, but you could tell it was strictly about business.

You fuse your Mexican heritage with Texas rap culture. The tattoos, the grill, but also the cowboy hat and boots. Tell me about your style. 

I’m a country boy before anything. English was my first [language]. I’m a Texan before anything. I definitely have my Mexican culture — I love my Mexican culture — but I’m a country boy. I’m a Texas Mexican. There’s no Mexican like a Tejano.

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What would you like an outsider that is not from Texas to know about Texas? What is one of the things that you have the most pride in showcasing about Texas?

Just our whole culture, our steelo, our swagger, the cars we drive, how we talk, the things that we choose to do. You know what I’m saying? Everything about Texas is beautiful.

You draw a lot of inspiration from the luchador culture in your album, Lonestar Luchador. How did the luchador become the star in your album?

It just made sense. I don’t put much thinking into it. God put it in my head without me even knowing, and it just came out naturally.

Did you grow up watching a lot of lucha libre?

Yeah, of course. I watched a lot of WWE. I watched lucha libre for sure. [When I went with] my nanny and my tío in the [Mexican] border towns of Matamoros and Nuevo Laredo, where people pass and all that, every time, I had to go get new masks [from the store stands of the border crossing point] and bring them back over here [to the U.S.]. I was surrounded by it, fasho.

Tell me what else you have underway.  

I’m continuing to work on this project. Now that I dropped [Lonestar Luchador], every single song on it has a video to it, so I’m going to be continuing to drop videos for the project. And while I’m doing that, I got a tour coming up. My first show on tour is going to be on September 5th and I’m opening up in Denver — Denver always goes crazy for me. I’m touring my music, really, that’s all I can say. I can’t tell you too much. I wouldn’t want to ruin the surprises.

OT, thanks for taking the time to have this chat.

People like you are making my dreams come true. I love this. I don’t know what else I’d be doing. I got zero patience. I got a horrible temper. I already don’t like dealing with people, so this music had to wait for me. I had no choice [and] I thank God. That’s why I go so hard.

A version of this story originally appeared in the Aug. 26, 2023, issue of Billboard.

Saturday night (Aug. 26) will go down in Grupo Firme‘s history as the group set a new record at the Feria Nacional Potosina with 300,000 fans in attendance at their concert, according to figures provided by the Coordinación Estatal de Protección Civil in San Luis Potosi, Mexico. The numbers also represent a new record for the group, which in 2022 gathered around 250,000 people in Mexico City’s Zócalo.

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However, what will remain etched in the memory of fans aside from the music is that frontman Eduin Caz shocked followers with a revelation about his health. In the last year, Caz underwent cancer surgery after suffering from Barrett’s esophagus, a condition associated with an increased risk of developing esophageal cancer.

“I gathered the best doctors, God bless, and I had the surgery,” Caz said. “I never revealed it because I don’t like to be looked at like, ‘Oh, poor thing.’ But I just had a study done and I’m doing great.”

“He had a tumor and they removed it, a sign that we beat the cancer,” Vicente Zambrano, Grupo Firme’s publicist, clarified to Billboard Español on Monday (Aug. 28).

On July 30, Caz announced on social media as he celebrated his 30th birthday while touring in Costa Rica that once the trip was over he would take a break from his career but the group would remain intact. He did not specify the reason or how long he would take but said it was a personal matter.

“I lost many things that are not coming back. The truth is that I balance out everything I have lived through, and honestly, that was how things had to happen,” he said at the time. “But I think I need to go back to putting myself first, and to feel good about myself.”

Grupo Firme’s temporary hiatus comes at the conclusion of its Hay Que Conectarla stadium tour, which began April 15 in Washington, D.C., and traveled through 13 cities across the U.S. The stint continued through Central America on July 14 in Guatemala through El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica.

On Aug. 5, they performed at the Estadio Atanasio Girardot in Medellín, Colombia, for their only show in that country, where they had Maluma as their guest to perform the song “Cada Quien,” one of the many successful collaborations with which Grupo Firme helped put the regional Mexican genre on the global map.

On the Billboard charts, Grupo Firme reached No. 3 on Latin Airplay with “Que Onda Perdida” with Gerardo Coronel, which also topped the Regional Mexican Airplay chart for three weeks in July. Most recently, “El Amor De Su Vida” landed on the Billboard Global 200, where it debuted and peaked at No. 60 on the Aug. 19 chart.

On Oct. 5, Grupo Firme will compete for the Billboard Latin Music Award for tour of the year. To see the full list of 2023 finalists, click here.

Although Carlos Vives is best known for popularizing Colombian music worldwide, his activities include multiple ventures in his homeland that collectively employ some 250 people.
The singer and his wife, Claudia Elena Vásquez, call their overall enterprise Universo Vives. “We have interplanetary meetings,” jokes Vásquez, who has worked alongside her husband since 2012 and is CEO of the entity.

While Vásquez, a former chemical engineer and entrepreneur, readily admits she “didn’t know much about the music business” before, she has come to effectively oversee this particular universe. The ventures include:

Gaira Música Local Although Vives founded his own record label (named after an area near his hometown of Santa Marta) over 30 years ago, he relaunched it in 2019 with local artists like Gusi and Estereobeats. Gaira, distributed by The Orchard, also releases one-off projects, like Vives’ 2008 album, Pombo Musical, and helps curate artist performances at Cumbia House.

Cumbia HouseFormerly known as Gaira, this successful bar, restaurant and live music club launched in 1998 and has become a must-visit in Bogotá that also houses Vives’ recording studios. A business with 170 employees, it also has franchises at airports in Bogotá and Medellín.

Río Grande Music SchoolLaunched in 2016, the Bogotá school educates children ages 6 to 18 “with the purpose of teaching them how to be original in music without biases,” according to Vásquez. The school has 200 students, with plans to expand its size and provide scholarships for needy children.

Tras La Perla Vives has long supported myriad causes. But his Tras la Perla foundation, created in 2015 and based in Santa Marta, is focused on giving back to the neighborhoods his father introduced him to as a child, particularly El Pescaíto. The low-income historic area is the birthplace of some of Colombia’s top soccer players, “and we think it has great tourism potential,” Vásquez says. “Our goal is to improve Pescaíto and provide infrastructure. We wanted to bring together people who love this city and build projects around it.” With funding support from the private and public sectors, as well as Vives himself, Tras la Perla has finished projects including a House for Dance, a “spectacular” toy library, reading clubs and multiple initiatives in association with Magdalena University, Vásquez says. The venture has also worked to improve infrastructure in Santa Marta’s palafitte townships, where homes are built on stilts over water.

This story originally appeared in the Aug. 26, 2023, issue of Billboard.

Several highlights mark Carlos Vives’ year-long celebration of his three-decade musical career.
In April, the Colombian superstar released Escalona Nunca Se Había Grabado Así, an album that unites the members of his original band — La Provincia — and his longtime accordionist, Egidio Cuadrado, to revisit some of legendary vallenato artist Rafael Escalona’s biggest hits.

In May, Vives launched El Tour de Los 30 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of his breakout album, Clásicos de la Provincia. The outing appropriately kicked off at Colombia’s Vallenato Festival in Valledupar (the Colombian city known as the birthplace of the music that defines Vives’ style), then went through South America. A nine-city U.S. run began Aug. 19 in New York and ends Nov. 5 in Los Angeles.

“He’s undeniably one of the most beloved artists and influential Latin music figures of our time,” says Nelson Albareda, CEO of Vives’ U.S. tour promoter, Loud and Live. “This tour is particularly special because it pays homage to his incredibly innovative 30-year journey of his unique blend of traditional Colombian rhythms with contemporary sounds, which made him a global ambassador of Colombian music.”

During his U.S. tour, Vives will also play a landmark free show on Oct. 14 at Madrid’s Puerta de Alcalá, where tens of thousands are expected. Vives is inviting some of his many Spanish artist friends to perform with him.

The full-circle moment extends to recordings as well. Later this year, Vives will release an album with remastered versions of hits from 1993’s Clásicos de la Provincia and 2009’s Clásicos de la Provincia II. Singles with Juanes and Ryan Castro will precede the set.

And, ever in love with audiovisual content, Vives can be found on Disney+ starring in the musical comedy series The Low Tone Club, for which he plays, aptly, a music teacher with unconventional methods. He also is taping a docu-film about his life that includes archive and touring material, as well as scripted scenes.

This story originally appeared in the Aug. 26, 2023, issue of Billboard.

Little more than a decade ago, Carlos Vives’ career was on the verge of oblivion.
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, he had been one of Latin music’s biggest global stars, with hit albums, sold-out arena tours and a thriving TV presence, thanks to his telegenic looks.

But by 2012, he hadn’t had a recording contract for eight years, had no touring plans or publicist and had split with his management after years of inactivity. Vives remembers picking up the phone and dialing the president of one of the labels where negotiations had stalled.

“He told me, ‘There is nothing we can do for you,’” Vives recalls.

Then, at age 51, Vives staged one of the most remarkable comebacks in Latin music history. He signed a new recording deal with Sony, landed his first No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart in nearly a decade — the aptly titled “Volví a Nacer” (I Was Born Again) — and, six months later, earned a No. 1 on Top Latin Albums, his first in nearly a decade, with Corazón Profundo.

Vives has flourished since — as a recording artist, as a touring performer, and, perhaps most importantly, as the de facto keeper of Colombia’s most beloved musical traditions. Widely recognized as the person who took authentic Colombian rhythms like cumbia and vallenato to a global stage, Vives also opened the door to the internationalization of Colombian music, leading to the success of fellow Colombian artists like Maluma, Shakira, Juanes, Fonseca and Feid.

“The most beautiful and magical thing about Carlos is that he behaves as if he started his career today,” says Sony Music Latin Iberia chairman/CEO Afo Verde, who signed Vives after his fallow period. “He respects everyone at every level in the industry. He’s the kind of icon who’s eternal.”

And this icon isn’t slowing down. Vives’ 2023 has included a 30-date tour, a starring role in the Disney+ series The Low Tone Club and the release of new album Escalona Nunca Se Había Grabado Así. He’s also prepping for massive concerts at Madrid’s Puerta de Alcalá in October and in Colombia in December, a testament to his cross-continental appeal.

“Carlos influenced my music in every way,” Maluma says. “My parents were huge fans. Thanks to him, Colombian folklore is known worldwide. He has been a very big inspiration for us and will continue to be so. We owe our roots to Carlos.”

Vives started his career as a singer/TV actor, and he might have ended up doing run-of-the-mill pop had he not been cast in 1991 as the lead role in Escalona, a Colombian series based on the life of fabled vallenato singer-composer Rafael Escalona, who rose in the 1960s to become perhaps the most revered composer in the genre and whose songs remain classics today. On the soundtrack, Vives covered Escalona’s greatest hits in their traditional arrangements — and became an overnight sensation in Colombia and its neighboring countries.

Beyond stardom, the role sparked a quest. Born in Santa Marta, the second-oldest Spanish city in South America, Vives had grown up surrounded by the strains of vallenato, the Colombian coastal music built on accordion riffs and troubadour-style storytelling. At his childhood home, top vallenato artists regularly engaged in jam sessions with his father, a music-loving physician who had attended school with Escalona. In that music, often forgotten and undermined by the pop-loving elite, Vives found his calling.

In 1993, after moving to Bogotá following his parents’ divorce, he released Clásicos de la Provincia, a collection of vallenato standards recorded with a pop and rock sensibility that reflected Vives’ musical DNA as a son of Santa Marta with touches of Bogotá modernism and rock n’ roll. The album made him a major international star and inspired a new generation of Colombian artists who, for the first time, saw their music on a global stage.

“It was only until I heard Clásicos de la Provincia that I felt my music could have the influence and sound of Colombia,” Fonseca says. “Before that, I dreamed of being like Guns N’ Roses, Nirvana, George Michael. Carlos’ music opened my mind.”

In the United States, Clásicos de la Provincia, distributed by PolyGram Latino, debuted at No. 46 on Top Latin Albums and peaked at No. 2 seven months later. It remained on the chart for 86 weeks.

Juanes (left) and Carlos Vives on set for the “Las Mujeres” music video in Bogotá in 2023.

Frankie Jazz

Over the next decade, Vives amassed four No. 1s and nine top 10s on Hot Latin Songs and five top 10s on Top Latin Albums, including one No. 1 (2001’s Déjame Entrar). Recording from the outset with his Colombian band, La Provincia, Vives’ music became progressively more adventuresome but remained linked to his roots. “My commitment is with my locality,” he told Billboard in 2004. “It’s the sound I dreamed for our music but influenced by the world.”

“Carlos bet on Colombia’s identity and making it global,” says his wife, Claudia Elena Vásquez. “He took our roots and our folklore and modernized it. It was the match that sparked the flame.”

That “flame” is what Vives calls el Universo Vives (the Vives Universe), which includes his own label, Gaira Música Local; the Río Grande Music School for children and the venue-restaurant Cumbia House, both in Bogotá; and his nonprofit, Tras la Perla, in Santa Marta.

It all amounts to a beehive of activity that seemed implausible a decade ago. Back in 2004, his second marriage had just dissolved, his touring had ground to a halt, and after his contract with longtime label EMI had expired, he failed to secure another record deal to continue his international career. He didn’t release a single album of original material from 2002 to 2012, save for the 2008 children’s album Pombo Musical.

The flame could have been extinguished were it not for Vásquez — who has lived with Vives since 2007 and is now CEO of Universo Vives — and executive Walter Kolm, who in 2012 was starting his management career after years as a major-label executive.

“I knew I was signing a superstar,” says Kolm, who flew to Colombia to meet with Vives and offer a detailed proposal. “There weren’t that many Latin artists then who could fill arenas like he could, even after being absent. And beyond his music, Carlos was a point of reference for Colombian culture.”

Since his comeback, Vives has placed 12 No. 1s on the Latin Airplay chart, including his 2016 Latin Grammy-winning duet with Shakira, “La Bicicleta,” and two No. 1s on Top Latin Albums. Last year alone, he played 15 U.S. shows that grossed $6.1 million total, according to Billboard Boxscore. On top of that, he has won 17 Latin Grammys and two Grammys.

The artist’s resurrection has been “more than a revival; it has been a rebirth,” Kolm says with a laugh. “That’s why we’ve released so much music. He’s making up for lost time.”

“Carlos opened the door of Colombian folklore to the world and brought the music of the world to our folklore,” Juanes says. “Rock, vallenato, cumbia, caribe, funk, electric guitar, accordion, poetry and charisma. Everything fits in his name.”

To mark the 30th anniversary of his breakthrough album, Vives reflected on the past, present and future of his influential career.

Gusi (left) and Carlos Vives celebrated Gusi’s signing with Gaira Música Local at Cumbia House in Bogotá in 2020.

Daniel Amézquita

On Clásicos de la Provincia in 1993, you gave classic vallenatos a shot of steroids, incorporating electric bass, guitar and drums. Did you ever think it would go as far as it did?

I never thought doing the music we did would lead to success. Plus, back then, we were told doing vallenatos, or doing them this way, was not the right music for me. At the time, it was about finding an authentic path and breaking the industry paradigms about what was folk, pop or rock.

How did you do that?

We opened a different mindset. We took Colombian instruments and electrified them using rock instruments; like taking the caja vallenata to an electric guitar or bass, or playing the cumbia beat on a Stratocaster. We were “happy illegals,” as Gabriel García Márquez used to say. We thought we’d last forever, and we were happy doing that and playing in bars and on TV. Maybe that’s why we dared do it in the first place.

You had nothing to lose…

Exactly. And when it started to work, it caught us with our pants down because we really weren’t expecting it. But I loved being connected with my dad, my essence, with that lost world of my childhood.

Clásicos de la Provincia made you a star. But what followed next, 1995’s La Tierra del Olvido, really consolidated your success. Can you explain why?

Clásicos de la Provincia triggered pride in vallenato, but it was also a new sound for our songs. But on my next album, I couldn’t continue to just record classic vallenatos. I had to write my own songs.

The first thing I had learned about vallenato was that it was the son of cumbia, and it opened up to a much bigger universe that touched our entire Colombian culture. It was a broader musical DNA that I called la tierra del olvido [the forgotten land]. I came from recording ballads and I was searching for my identity. I was forgetting where I came from, and that’s why I called the album [and its hit title track] La Tierra del Olvido. I saw myself reflected in that album cover, where I’m standing in front of the Caribbean and at the foot of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, the Colombian Tibet and home to our indigenous cultures.

Carlos Vives on set for the “La Tierra del Olvido” music video in Santa Marta.

Socorro Arango

This tour celebrates Clásicos de la Provincia. How do you summarize 30 years in a single evening?

It’s an opportunity to go on a trip. We began on a TV series singing vallenato old-school, the way tradition dictated they needed to be performed. So you see me singing with a conjunto vallenato, “La Casa en el Aire,” in the way it was done 30 years ago. I tell the story from the beginning, going through “La Tierra del Olvido,” “El Amor de Mi Tierra.” You witness how the sound grows to what I call “the rock of my town,” growing the instrumentation and showing how we changed the way we “tropicalized” with more rock-leaning patterns. It shows how very traditional fare can give way to very edgy stuff. We play 22 to 23 songs [in] two-and-a-half hours.

You had that eight-year hiatus between 2005 and 2012 before you came roaring back. Do you realize today how rare it is to have these second chances?

I think we planted something in our people that they valued and took as their own. And I think that lived on, despite bad management and my not having taken advantage of certain things. When Walter [Kolm] came along, I got a team. I haven’t met a manager that believes more in me than Walter or anyone who believes more in me than Claudia, my wife. But my marketing team were the Colombians who took my songs with them everywhere they went. Then the Venezuelans and Puerto Ricans came along, and we recognized ourselves in that diversity that’s our Hispanic America. That also allowed this comeback.

Carlos Vives celebrated his birthday (Aug. 7) with manager Kolm (right) at Cumbia House in 2021.

Frankie Jazz

You mentioned your wife. How important is it to sleep next to your biggest fan?

An artist needs someone close who loves him. And I don’t mean just the love of your life, but someone who understands your work and who has a vision to grow and dignify it. What Walter and Claudia have done is incredible. They came to my life to love and value my work. It’s something I needed.

Many people don’t know that aside from learning music in your home, you also played in Bogotá bars for years, you did theater, you produced TV shows. How important was it to put in those 10,000 hours?

It was vital to work as part of a team in a theater group, in a TV cast — getting up early, having responsibilities with a group and with a project.

There has always been a craft. I learned a lot at a bar called Ramón Antigua where I was a waiter. We had a singing contest every night. My friends from college would come and make me sing. And eventually, the owner would travel and leave me in charge. I’d put together the band, book groups like Guayacán and Niche [in their beginnings]. Can you imagine? We were always making something up.

You tour constantly. What does live performance mean to you?

It’s my comfort zone, the place where I feel safest. Being onstage means going back to all the things I cherish from my childhood and growing up with music. It’s connecting with my true roots, and I feel that’s what allows me to connect with fans. They feel the same way I do, and that’s why they’re there.

Carlos Vives (kneeling, fourth from left) and musical collaborators onstage during the VIVES Tour in Orlando, Fla., in 2021.

Sergio Rodriguez

You spent your early years in Santa Marta, the backbone of your music. But then you moved to Bogotá after your parents’ divorce. How did these very different cities shape your music?

I like to sing everything. That’s how we were raised. Even music in English, although I can’t sing in English. My challenge was, “How can I do it in my own style? How can I be modern without copying anyone?” I didn’t want to be a copy of a copy of a copy. That’s the Bogotá factor, being raised in a city full of culture. I loved what I did, but I was missing an element of authenticity and of understanding the musical processes around the world. I wanted to understand where Elvis and the British [artists] got their inspiration. I wanted to understand where the music came from.

You are a true authority in Colombian music and its roots, and the author of several books on the subject, which is remarkable for a pop star. Why is this important to you?

Understanding who you are is vital. For example, discovering through music that Spain is a key ingredient, even if people denigrate being Spanish. We don’t stop being Spaniards simply because we gained our independence. Independence is a political state, but blood, last names and the cultural footprints that come from being a mix of Spaniards and those born in our countries is something that doesn’t go away, and it’s part of our music. The same thing happens with our African and indigenous roots. That is who we are. It was so important to get on this little boat called vallenato, which is tiny but has taken me to all these other worlds. This has been a 30-year journey. A journey where we found a world far richer and far more connected through music. We live in a world of separation, distrusting others if they speak Spanish or English, and music shows us a much more united, far more beautiful world.

Let’s put a debate to rest: Was cumbia born in Colombia?

Cumbia was born in the towns of the Río Grande [in Colombia]. The cumbia rhythmic pattern is a pre-Hispanic native American pattern that is unique to cumbia; it’s not in any other indigenous or African place in the world. That’s why it’s so endemic and so unique. The shores of the Magdalena River are the capital of cumbia, and that’s where we celebrate the cumbia festival. But the Spaniards brought a writing style, metrics, décimas, the red handkerchiefs, the white dress.

Carlos Vives at the Río Grande Music School in Bogotá in 2022.

Edgar Ibarra

You’ve never sung in English. Do you see more non-Spanish speakers reacting to your music now than before?

Totally. If you play Royal Albert Hall, Colombians and Latins come to see you, but they don’t come alone. They bring their British friends with them. It’s the same on the other end; we paid to see British bands in Bogotá and didn’t understand a damn thing they were singing, but we loved it. Today, musicians connect with each other in many languages, and that’s so much more beautiful. That has been very important to me. That they take me here and there, that our flags are out there, that there’s so much more connection between artists who sing in Spanish and English. We’re part of the same industry. You’re popular, I’m popular; we all connect.

Aside from your music school in Bogotá, you also have Tras la Perla, a foundation in Santa Marta that works to improve many different aspects of the city, even though you no longer live there. Why is it located there?

Maybe because of my ties to my father and his work as a doctor. We inherited the love people felt for him. That’s one factor, and the other is the tragedy of seeing a magical place that has been forgotten. It’s unfair. I work in a neighborhood called Pescadito, where great athletes like El Pibe and [Radamel] Falcao were born and raised, and we want to improve it and attract people and tourism. And I also work in Ciénaga Grande, the delta of the Magdalena River, which is an important musical capital.

Colombia is very politicized now, with extreme views on each side. And you are such a visible Colombian icon. How do you handle that?

The world is politicized. Colombia is merely a reflection. Nowadays, being a rebel means being on the opposite side of someone else, on the left or the right. No. No. I’m the rebel. I’m a rebel because I’m Colombian. I took on that responsibility and I decided to make music based on our roots that incorporated the music of the world. Being Colombian is understanding who we are and recognizing all that we are. I don’t take sides [for politics]. I take sides for my country.

Carlos Vives performed at Cumbia House last December 2022.

Santiago Romero

Carlos Vives: Five Vital Releases

Clásicos de la Provincia, 1993 PolyGram Latino/Sonolux

The album that introduced the Vives sound covered classic vallenatos with a mix of traditional and rock instrumentation, a revolutionary approach that rocked fans and fellow musicians. Choice track: “La Gota Fría”

La Tierra del Olvido, 1995PolyGram Latino/Sonolux

Vives’ stylistic fusion solidified on this glorious nostalgic set that also established him as a songwriter and took his sound and that of his band, La Provincia, further into the pop and rock realms. Choice track: “La Tierra del Olvido”

Courtesy Gaira Musica Local

Déjame Entrar, 2001Capitol Latin

While Vives established himself on a global scale with 1999’s El Amor de Mi Tierra, Déjame Entrar unified his international appeal thanks to original global hits that had vallenato roots and broad-appeal pop melodies. “Carito,” which talks about a boy’s crush on his American English teacher, presciently united cultures and languages. Choice track: “Carito”

Corazón Profundo, 2013Sony Music Latin

Vives’ comeback after an eight-year halt on recording originals is chock-full of joyous, irresistible hits, including the first major collaboration, with Brazilian star Michel Teló. It marked a new stage in Vives’ career and sound. Choice track: “Volví a Nacer”

Cumbiana, 2020Sony Music Latin

Vives’ exploration of the roots of cumbia and vallenato, the two rhythms that define Colombian music and his style, continued on this adventuresome release. It features collaborations with artists from around the world, including Panama’s Rubén Blades, Spain’s Alejandro Sanz, Jamaica’s Ziggy Marley and Colombian-Canadian Jessie Reyez. Choice track: “For Sale”

This story originally appeared in the Aug. 26, 2023, issue of Billboard.


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