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Sabrina Carpenter made her Eras Tour debut Thursday night (Aug. 24) in Mexico City, an opening performance for Taylor Swift she christened with a cover of one of the most famous Mexican-American artists of all time: Selena Quintanilla. Performing in front of thousands of fans at Foro Sol, the first of four stops Swift has […]
While J Balvin still hasn’t shared the name of his upcoming album, he notes that he had decided on the title before he recorded a note. “My albums have always started with their names,” the Colombian star says. “That way, we let ourselves be guided by the vibe.” In the past, he has mostly used one-word titles: Jose (2021), Colores (2020), Oasis (2019), Vibras (2018) and Energía (2017).
He says that the mood of his latest, arriving this fall, was sheer joy. Recorded at RAK Studios and Abbey Road during a monthlong stay in London, Balvin’s first full-length album in nearly two years features a variety of producers, including Tainy, Mura Masa, Michaël Brun, Hear This Music/DJ Luian, Mambo Kingz and Súbelo NEO. The project also boasts “precisely” curated collaborations, including tracks with Stormzy and Anuel AA.
“I like to explore other cultures and genres,” he says. “But as far as my DNA and my essence, I represent Medellín, Colombia.”
London Nightlife
Coming out of the pandemic, Balvin and his team looked around at a world mired in negativity. “The vibe wasn’t right for inspiration,” Balvin says. “We decided, from within ourselves, to focus on giving happiness to our listeners and change the vibe from negative to positive.” A key element was London’s vibrant club scene, which became a living, breathing experiment to discover and test beats. Balvin and his team hit two or three clubs every weekend to take inspiration from dancefloors and observe what fans were connecting with. And, on occasion, he would even play demos. “We wanted to see fan reaction,” he says, “and it was amazing.”
Usher
Though Balvin has known the veteran hit-maker for years, their first collaboration was the result of a chance encounter during Paris Fashion Week in July. “When I saw him, I had that flashback to the songs that defined my childhood,” recalls Balvin, who, on the spot, asked Usher if he could sample his 2004 smash “Yeah!” in a new track that wasn’t even done yet — and whose title he hasn’t yet divulged. “He said of course, but then I thought, ‘It’d be great to actually do something with him.’ Recording the track and filming the video with someone so legendary fills me with nostalgia and gratitude. I think this song will have huge global impact.”
Work-Life Balance
Balvin and girlfriend Valentina Ferrer welcomed son Río in June 2021. “Having my son has changed my perspective, but my competitive spirit, that drive to improve as an artist and a person, is part of my day to day,” says Balvin, who often takes Río on his global travels. Daily workouts, he says, are also key — as is maintaining mental health, a topic he has been outspoken about. In that regard, his new album is a way to actively put positivity to work: “It’s not just talking about mental health, but actually applying the concept,” he says. “This album is a mood that will make people happy just by listening to it. I’m contributing by raising serotonin levels.”
This story will appear in the Aug. 26, 2023, issue of Billboard.
Bebel Gilberto embodies the essence of bossa nova’s modern evolution. Last Wednesday (Aug. 16), the singer-songwriter showcased this on stage at a sold-out show at Poisson Rouge, nestled in the heart of New York’s storied bohemian neighborhood Greenwich Village, where she gave audiences an early preview of her latest album João (out Friday, Aug. 25), a heartfelt tribute to her late Brazilian father, João Gilberto.
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As the daughter of the bossa nova legend — and also of Brazilian music icon Miúcha — Bebel’s art is deeply rooted in her musical heritage. Yet the singer has carved a distinct path of her own, fusing traditional Brazilian rhythms with electronic flourishes and global influences. On João, she brings it all back home. With her ethereal voice and innovative production, Bebel effortlessly transcends the classic genre, reimagining the sonic boundaries of Brazilian music with a New York state of mind, and a thrust for cultural exploration.
Last week on stage, the Brazilian chanteuse — who wore a vintage-style black Prada dress and her carefully messy hair pinned up — was a musical force: spunky yet elegant with a dashing sense of humor. “Sorry, but for some reason I’m feeling Beyoncé,” she said as she gave the sound engineers feedback to take out some reverb. Applying red lipstick, she declared, “I’m not just bossa nova, I’m punk. I lived in New York City for 29 years.” She then proceeded to invite a cute shih tzu dog on stage while crooning, “I love you.” For the encore, she came out sipping on a Corona, while her mellifluous melodies weaved an intricate tapestry of emotions.
New York City was just one stop of her international João Tour, where she’ll make her way to major cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, Quebec City, Stockholm and London. Recorded at Reservoir Studios in New York, João was created alongside producer Thomas Bartlett, with Bebel gathering a collective of musicians such as her nephew drummer Chico Brown, as well as guitarist Guilherme Monteiro and music arranger and trombone player, Clark Gayton.
Billboard Español caught up with the artist to discuss five essential songs from João.
“Adeus América”
I would start with the opening song, “Adeus América.” It’s a song that I discovered through my father’s voice. He had done a live presentation [of it] at the [19th] Montreux Jazz Festival, the legendary Montreux Jazz Festival [in Switzerland]. He was coming back to Brazil after being in the United States, and touring around the world for the last 20 years. The fact that he sang that song [to me] inspired me to open the album with it. It was the first song I recorded.
The guitar is from Guilherme Monteiro, who’s been touring with me. He did incredible work, researching my father’s chord changes, dissecting the way that daddy played, and the right vibe. I love the production by Thomas Bartlett — who was super open, opinionated, as he’s not Brazilian, you know? It was like a trip into my dad’s music. I have deep love for “Adeus América” in particular, and I love the result. It is catchy and I hold it in my heart. It’s one of my favorites.
Editor’s note: the original song was recorded in 1985, and released two years later on the album Live in Montreux.
“Eu Vim Da Bahia”
My second selection is “Eu Vim Da Bahia,” a song that’s on another album from my dad’s, which is known as the White Album [Ed. Note: It’s João Gilberto’s 1973 self-titled album]. “Eu vim da bahia” in English means “I came from Bahia.” The original song is from Gilberto Gil, who actually shares the same name as my father, and people kept confusing them. Gil’s recording has a totally different vibe.
When daddy did it, it was so intense — and it tells the story of Bahia, the background, why he came from Bahia and why he wants to come back. It’s also a nostalgic song, and I believe that is one of my best interpretations. I was a big fan for a long time, but I never thought I was going to one day record it. It was one of the songs that I easily did. I’m very happy with my vocals. It took me two or three takes; it wasn’t a big effort. I really took a trip on it and it was really beautiful. I love the results.
“É Preciso Perdoar”
“É Preciso Perdoar” is one of the most beautiful songs of the album, and maybe my favorite song ever. My father also recorded it on that same White Album and it’s been recorded by Cesária Évora, [Ryuichi Sakamoto and Caetano Veloso] on the Red Hot & Rio album that got so famous, [where] David Byrne also participated. But the words reflect the state of mind that I am currently in.
There is also an electronic effect that Thomas did. It’s really beautiful, and I think it captures the mantra that the song has. I’m very courageous to take the chance to re-record such a classic. I have beautiful drummers playing on it. One of them is my nephew, Chico Brown, Carlinhos Brown’s son. He did incredible work and programming. I also really love Guilherme Monteiro’s guitar.
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The video is really beautiful. When I created the vibe, I wanted to do a little bit of acting on it. [The song has] very deep words. I decided to do something inspired by Sinéad O’Connor’s “Nothing Compares 2 U” [music video]. Later, she left us. I wish she knew. She inspired so many people around the world, and probably she didn’t even know that.
“Undiú”
That one is my father’s composition. It’s an instrumental song my father created on his guitar. My father loved yoga and he loved mantras. He really practiced yoga as [much as] the guitar. His obsession with religion was also the way of playing the guitar. That song sounds like a mantra, it’s beautiful. Thomas Bartlett also plays accordion on that song. It’s quite psychedelic in a way. I’m very happy to take that step away from the classics and do an untouched song from my dad.
“O Pato”
The fifth one is called “the duck.” It’s a song that my father got very famous for at the beginning of his career. It’s very funny; it sounds like a song from a cartoon. I was involved in all the arrangements and invited this great, incredible trombone player, Clark Gayton, who developed all the arrangements with me. It sounds a little playful — [to have] the horns, which are adorable, playing against the guitar and the drums. I love it. It sounds a little funky and childish at the same time. It’s very fun and I’m very happy that I recreated such a classic in a totally different approach.
Full stream of João below:
Sibling trio Yahritza Y Su Esencia are the latest to perform for NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert. Composed of Yahritza, Mando and Jairo, the band serenaded fans with their ultra-emotional songs on love and heartbreak. Singing with such pathos, as ever, 16-year-old Yahritza first belts out the melancholic “Soy El Único,” their debut single released last […]
Zabdiel de Jesús is a force to be reckoned with: He sings, he dances, he plays the guitar, he composes, and he produces. After forming part of Latin boy band CNCO for the past eight years, the Puerto Rican artist is officially launching his solo career.
“There are many mixed emotions because obviously I have spent many years in the comfort of being in a group,” he tells Billboard. “Now, it’s a totally different reality. On one hand I am nervous and anxious but on the other hand I am very happy and excited. It’s going to be something really cool and I’m ready to move on.”
De Jesús, whose artistic name will only be Zabdiel, is kicking off his new era with a debut single called “Aventura” via WK Records. On the track—a new sugary pop rendition of Toby Love’s 2006 bachata hit “Tengo un Amor—Zabdiel is joined by Spanish pop star Ana Mena.
“I have loved this song since I was a very young child. In Puerto Rico, they played it all the time,” he explains. “It was pretty random because I met one of the guys who worked on the original song and he encouraged me to do a new version. We also wanted to add a female voice to the track and we came up with Ana Mena, who I had already worked with when I was in CNCO. She loved it and she jumped on. The tone of her voice was the icing on the cake.”
Zabdiel de Jesus and Ana Mena
WK Records
As part of CNCO, Zabdiel has placed many titles in the Billboard charts, including No. 1’s in Top Latin Albums, Latin Airplay, Latin Pop Albums, and Latin Pop Airplay. Now, he’s starting with a clean slate.
His short-term goals include releasing more music, connecting with other artists, performing solo concerts, and networking with more producers to excel his craft behind the scenes. He’s pumped to kick off his solo career but with the support of a powerful work team.
“I learned a lot of things in CNCO. That was our school and how we discovered the music industry,” he shares. “Really, I could give you a long list [of life lessons] but one that comes to mind is that you can’t do everything by yourself. You have to know how to work as a team. Knowing how to listen to others, knowing how to negotiate, that’s all very important. I take that with me and it is something that I am grateful to have learned in the process.”
Purchase tickets to the 2023 Billboard Latin Music Week here.
The Latin Grammy Cultural Foundation awards the Nicky Jam Scholarship to 19-year-old Dominican Pianist Leomar Cordero. The award was granted during a special presentation with the reggaetón Puerto Rican hitmaker on Thursday (Aug. 24) in Miami, Florida.
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“When I received the news, I could not believe this was happening to me!,” Cordero tells Billboard Español. “I feel very fortunate to have been selected for the Nicky Jam Scholarship and very happy at the same time to see that all my hard work is yielding results.”
The four-year scholarship holds a maximum value of $200,000 and it will allow Cordero to pursue a bachelor’s degree at Berklee College of Music in Boston starting this fall. Also known as the Prodigy Scholarship, the grant was created in 2014 to support music education in the field of Latin music.
“My goals are to take my music around the world — and I plan to maximize this scholarship, [which] is more than a scholarship, it is a wonderful opportunity to expand my horizons and grow each day as a musician and person,” adds Cordero.
“[Cordero] is a hell of a piano player. I think he’s a music phenomenon, and the humility that he has doesn’t go with the talent, or the super ego when he plays the piano,” Jam tells Billboard Español. “There’s nothing that feels better than helping out and doing your bit, and making a young person achieve their dreams. I was a dreamer too, so fulfilling a dreamer’s dream — for me, there’s nothing more rewarding than that.”
Back when the Nicky Jam Scholarship was announced in December, the Puerto Rican juggernaut told Billboard, “Maybe the next Nicky Jam, Bad Bunny or Beethoven comes out of this. You never know!” This scholarship follows the Latin hitmaker’s performance at the 23rd Annual Latin Grammy Awards, alongside Foundation scholarship winners, where he pledged to support aspiring musicians.
The Latin Grammy winner is a pioneer in the música urbana landscape. He has been at the forefront of reggaetón since the early 2000s, helping the genre kick off to global acclaim. “It’s a blessing to be one of the guys that knocked on doors for [reggaetón] to exist, and to see where it’s at today,” the Puerto Rican hitmaker told Billboard Español in May. “I just feel like a proud dad — like if I had a little baby and I was trying to make my baby be somebody, and my baby finally is somebody.”
“Nicky is a special human being characterized by his humility and big heart. He is truly committed to sharing his passion for music and giving back to the next generation of Latin music makers on their journey to achieving their dreams,” Raquel “Rocky” Egusquiza, executive director of the Latin Grammy Cultural Foundation, tells Billboard Español.
She continues, “Since our inception nearly 10 years ago, our mission has been to support and cultivate the next generation of Latin music creators. With the extraordinary generosity of successful artists such as Nicky Jam, we have the unique privilege of fostering the education of future generations of Latin music makers, paving the way for their dreams to flourish and carry forward the rich legacy of Latin music.”
The Cultural Foundation was established by the Latin Recording Academy nine years ago to continue enhancing international awareness and appreciation of Latin music and its significant contributions, as well as fostering the next Latin music star. Previous artists that have been a part of this scholarship include Sofia Carson (2022), Juanes (2021), Julio Iglesias (2020), Emilio and Gloria Estefan (2019), Carlos Vives (2018), Miguel Bosé (2017), Juan Luis Guerra (2016) and Enrique Iglesias (2015).
“We are excited to see artists from different genres give back, especially this year, with Nicky Jam being an urban artist,” Egusquiza mentions. Nicky Jam is the first música urbana artist to form part of the Foundation. “Our vision is to be a global champion of music education and empower communities through Latin music and culture. We provide educational opportunities through scholarships, education programs and grants that advance Latin music and celebrate its rich cultural heritage.”
To date, the Cultural Foundation has donated more than $9.3 million with the support of the Latin Recording Academy’s members, artists, corporate sponsors and other donors.
For more info, visit latingrammyculturalfoundation.org.
Myke Towers claims a third week atop the Billboard Argentina Hot 100 chart as “Lala” crowns the Aug. 26-dated ranking. The song matches his three week-champ “La Jeepeta,” with Nio García, Anuel AA, Brray and Juanka, while “Bandido,” with Juhn, remains his longest-charting title to date, with seven weeks at the summit in 2021. Maria […]
Peso Pluma will enter the 2023 Billboard Latin Music Awards as the top finalist, earning a staggering 21 nods across 15 categories, including artist of the year and artist of the year, new.
The Mexican hitmaker, who has had an impressive year on the Billboard charts, is also up for Hot Latin Songs of the year, male, Top Latin Album of the year, Streaming Song of the year (with three nominations), songwriter of the year and more.
His feature with Eslabon Armado on “Ella Baila Sola” scores a total of six mentions in categories that include, Global 200 Latin song of the year, Sales song of the year, regional Mexican song of the year, and others. Both acts made history on the charts with their viral hit, including the Hot 100. It’s an insatiable combination of sad sierreño with corridos tumbados, a style that continues to gain momentum this year across many all-genre Billboard charts.
“La Bebe” also comes in with full force, a reggaetón track by Yng Lvcas featuring Peso Pluma.
“One day, someone reached out and said, ‘Peso Pluma is in Mexico, he wants to record, and he wants to start doing reggaetón’,” Yng Lvcas told Billboard Español in April. “Once we got to the studio, he said, ‘I’m interested in doing the remix of ‘La Bebé’ because I really like that song.’”
Peso Pluma’s third studio album Génesis enters the Top Latin Album of the year and regional Mexican album of the year categories. The album made history with a No. 3 debut on the Billboard 200, the highest ranking for a regional Mexican album on the chart.
The 30th annual Billboard Latin Music Awards — set to take place Oct. 5 at the Watsco Center in Coral Gables, Fla. — will broadcast live on Telemundo, and simultaneously on the Spanish entertainment cable network Universo, on Peacock and the Telemundo App. Throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, it will be available on Telemundo Internacional.
The Latin Billboard Music Awards are the only ones that recognize the most popular albums, songs and performers in Latin music, according to Billboard‘s weekly charts. Produced by Telemundo and MBS Special Events, they coincide with Billboard Latin Music Week, which returns to Miami Oct. 2-6 at the Faena Forum. The roster of star speakers include Shakira, Peso Pluma, Arcángel, Vico C and many more. Get your ticket today for the Billboard Latin Music Week 2023 here.
Below, all the categories in which Peso Pluma is in the running for.
Artist of the Year
Billboard and Telemundo announced Thursday (Aug. 24) the list of finalists for the 2023 Billboard Latin Music Awards. Leading the pack with 21 entries is 24-year-old Peso Pluma, who is up for artist of the year competing against Karol G, Bad Bunny, Grupo Frontera and Fuerza Regida. Regional Mexican music has significant representation not only […]
The finalists for the 2023 Billboard Latin Music Awards have been announced. Today (Aug. 24), Billboard and Telemundo unveiled the artists who are up for categories such as artist of the year, tour of the year, Global 200 Latin artist of the year and artist of the year, new.
Mexican star Peso Pluma is this year’s big finalist with 21 nods, including artist of the year and artist of the year, new. Three out of the latter category’s five finalists — Peso, Grupo Frontera and Chino Pacas — are Mexican music acts, a reflection of the scene’s current hold on the charts. Just this year, a total of 27 regional Mexican tracks have entered the Billboard Hot 100. (On his own, Peso has debuted 21 tracks on the tally in 2023.)
Non-regional Mexican music artist Bizarrap is also a finalist in that category. Earlier this year, his “Music Session” session with Shakira broke all sorts of records. The diss track peaked at No. 9 on the Hot 100, and it spent nine weeks at No. 1 on the Hot Latin Songs chart. Mexican reggaetón artist Yng Lvcas also landed a nomination in the category, following the success of his “La Bebe” remix with Peso.
The 2023 Billboard Latin Music Awards will broadcast live on Telemundo from the Watsco Center in Coral Gables, Fla., on Thursday, Oct. 5, starting at 7pm ET. The show will also air simultaneously on Universo, Peacock, the Telemundo App and throughout Latin America and the Caribbean on Telemundo Internacional.
Finalists and the eventual winners are based on key fan interactions with music, including audio and video streaming, album and song sales, radio airplay and touring, tracked by Billboard and its data partner, Luminate. This year’s awards are based on the chart period of August 13, 2022, through August 12, 2023.
Below, meet the finalists up for artist of the year, new at the 2023 Billboard Latin Music Awards.
Purchase tickets to the 2023 Billboard Latin Music Week here.
Peso Pluma