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After hitting No. 1 Billboard‘s Latin Songwriters chart early on in his career, releasing back-to-back EPs and making his Coachella debut in April, DannyLux has built a confidence that’s allowed him to be limitless for his debut album. In a span of nine months, the música mexicana artist wrote DLux, an eclectic 17-track set that thrives on a collection of styles including bachata, EDM, pop and his signature guitar-driven sad sierreño sound.
The 19-year-old from Palm Springs winds through love and loss, singing ultra-melancholic songs with a glimmer of hope puncturing through. “I was going through a lot of things in relationships when I was writing this album,” he explains. “That’s why some of the songs are really sad and some are happy.” The heartbreak theme is what makes DLux so relatable, but it’s the sound — inspired by an array of genres — that DannyLux (real name Daniel Balderrama) hopes will strike a chord with his fans.
“I didn’t really put any limits on myself,” he explains. “I’ve always approached my music that way but I used to be kind of scared. Now, I want to show the world that I’m finding my style and the real Danny. That is why I called this album DLux because when you order a meal if you get the deluxe it usually means the better version. DLux is the better version of me. I started realizing the people just want to hear you and who you are authentically.”
And he didn’t shy away from featuring new collaborators. While he taps Eslabon Armado for their fourth collab together, “Me Cambiaste,” DannyLux also recruits emerging acts such as Argentine singer-songwriter Yami Safdie and Dominican-American Melvin War. There’s also Pablo Hurtado from the Mexican trio Camila (“Zafiro”) and indie star Cuco (“Decir Adiós: Oye Narrador),” two artists DannyLux has long admired.
“I put so many emotions into this album,” DannyLux says. “I hope fans will enjoy it. I love how they’ve always supported me even when I try out new styles or genres.” He’s already working on the deluxe version of DLux, which he teases will include five new songs.
In the meantime, DannyLux breaks down five tracks from DLux, out today (Aug. 18), in his own words:
“Decir Adios: Oye Narrador” (with Cuco)
We literally made that song the first time we met. It was two years ago when I had a session with Cuco and I was, like, peeing myself, because I’ve always looked up to him. He truly changed the Latin indie scene. He was one of those pioneers. I remember I showed up that day to the session, we were getting to know each other and we randomly started writing this song. We recorded the whole demo, we stayed in touch. He then told me he wanted to use a part I sing in the demo for his album.
That song on his project is called “Decir Adiós” — and in my head, I was like “D–n, I still really like that original idea of the one we recorded before, the demo.” So that’s why in my album, it’s that demo, but we made a few changes to it. Mine is called “Decir Adiós: Oye Narrador”, because it’s mostly talking like a narrator. It’s like in a movie, when an actor starts talking directly at a camera or to the audience. It’s basically like that but in a song.
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“Ferxxo100”
I’ve always admired Feid and the way he writes. This song is so good, and then it turns into a reggaetón — I was like, “D–n.” I started thinking about it, and thought if I try to slow it down using the same lyrics and melodies but just slower, it might sound sick. I learned how to play it on the guitar, and I remember one day we were in Texas for a show and I was in the hotel room alone and I started playing it on the guitar — it sounded so cool. My engineer and producer was in the same hotel and I called him saying, “Bro, come to my room right now and bring your mics and your computer.”
We recorded the first demo just to see how it would sound, and it was sick. Later, when we were back home, we re-recorded it and put some final touches on it — like an electric guitar and literally the drums you hear in there, I recorded that part. I didn’t even know I knew how to play the drums. I actually just looked on YouTube quickly how to play a certain drums style, and that’s how that song came to be. I really admire how Feid writes. I hope he likes my version.
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“Mi Hogar” with Maye
It’s crazy, because when I started making my own music, I’d listen to her songs, and I was such a huge fan, I still am. When we were in the studio together for a songwriting session, it was unreal. I felt the same way I did when I met Cuco. I love her voice, and I thought, “If she sings this part, it would be awesome.” She was so nice and so down to be part of it. It wasn’t even a bachata at first — it was kind of like a pop song — but I wanted to add more bachata to the album so it became a very tropical song.
When we were writing the lyrics we were kind of stuck at first, we didn’t know what to write. You know when your laptop kinda goes into your screensaver after not using it for a while? The engineer had his computer and it went to his screensaver, which was a bunch of houses on the beach. So, the opener became “una casa frente al mar (a house in front of the beach).” I’ve become a fan of bachata recently. I love that genre. So much goes into that style, and it just makes you want to dance.
“La Lluvia” (with Jordyn Shellheart)
I had a writing session with Jordyn in Tennessee — and, to be honest, I didn’t know what to expect, because it was country artists. I’m always open to anything, and I thought, what if a sick song comes out of this? I’ll just try my best. I met her and she’s such a nice person. I started with chords for that song, and I thought it would be a good interlude in the album — because it’s so soft and calm, just so people could take a break and relax after listening to the other songs. When I first heard her sing “La Lluvia,” it was a crazy thing. Her voice is sick. We finished it that same day and that song is probably one of my favorites on the album.
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“House of Lux“
I’ve always listened to EDM and house music and I’ve always made random beats with that style. When I was making an album I was like low key I want an outro for it, instead of having an intro. And so I started making that beat and I thought I should add my vocals here and there. I just wanted to make a song that I would hear at a club, and I want this one to be played at a club with people singing and dancing to it. That’s my dream for this song.
Calling all RBD fans! The Mexican pop group has unleashed their new single “Cerquita De Ti,” which comes just days before kicking off its highly anticipated reunion tour on Aug. 25 in El Paso, Texas. The track starts off with a melancholic piano note that then meets a subtle dembow beat for an explosive fusion […]
The National Football League, Neon16, and Ntertain Studios announce their partnership expansion for the 2023 season. Emerging Latin artists housed under Neon16 — the production powerhouse and music label led by Tainy and Lex Borrero — will join NFL Latino players in an upcoming content series. The deal also includes new music releases that will comprise of a new volume for the next Por La Cultura mixtape.
NFL’s season-long campaign Por La Cultura will continue to spotlight Latin players, coaches and staff members to celebrate Latin excellence while telling their own stories of the community.
Neon16 Dominican star RMAND, from Netflix’s reality music competition show La Firma, is confirmed to be one of the artists for the next volume.
“Music is a leading passion point for Latinos, and we feel this partnership is an ideal platform for celebrating our Latino players and connecting more deeply with our fans,” said Javier Farfan, cultural strategist at the NFL, in a press release. “This content series brings together the commonalities of artists and athletes and their inspirational stories from humble beginnings, as they reach the top of their careers and their goal of stardom. Working with Ntertain and Neon16 allows us to authentically tell these stories with the creative vision of tastemakers at the forefront of Latino culture, music and entertainment.”
By showcasing current NFL Latino players and emerging Neon 16 music artists, the series aims to highlight the diversity and inclusivity of the NFL while celebrating the shared passion for music and football.
“We loved the concept of having our artists collaborate with Latino NFL players to create something as unique as an original song,” added Lex Borrero, co-founder and CEO of Ntertain and Neon16. “While both share Latino heritage, we know that artists and athletes also share a common drive to succeed, the talent to shine and the work ethic to thrive in their respective careers. Unifying these traits and the mutual love and respect for music has led to some incredible art that we can’t wait to share with fans this season.”
This season, the team-up will create an original song and music video that reflects Latino NFL players and the artist’s shared passion for music, football, and community.
The first song “#0B,” an energetic electronic banger by RMAND, draws inspiration from his experience working with Miami Dolphins’ wide receiver Braxton Berrios, who is of Puerto Rican descent and wears the number zero. “0B” is slated to release on the third week of the NFL regular season, leading up to the Miami Dolphins Latino Heritage Month game and home opener on September 24th.
Another player and artist collaboration will drop later in the season, joining the RRMAND and Berrios song as this season’s Por La Cultura mixtape.
Furthermore, the NFL Shop commercial for this year will also feature RMAND as well as Neon16’s Alex Ponce and Nashy-Nashai; the commercial’s score will be done by the label. Neon16 will also produce four exclusive tracks for the NFL and its 32 clubs to use as part of their soundtrack for the upcoming season.
“With more than 31 million NFL fans in the United States, there is no doubt that Latinos continue to fall in love with the sport of football every day,” said Marissa Solis, NFL SVP global brand and consumer marketing. “We want to inspire Latinos with the lyrics and melodies created by these talented NEON16 artists in the same way they get excited for a perfectly executed pass and catch for a touchdown. This partnership unifies the heroes of stage and sport through their common bond as Latinos representing ‘por la cultura.’”
Last year, the NFL and Neon16 announced their 10-track debut Por La Cultura Mixtape: Vol. 1, featuring El Alfa, Will.I.Am., Yandel, Snow Tha Product, Anthony Ramos, Trueno and more, and beats by producers Albert Hype, Jodosky and Chael.
The NFL, Ntertain, and Neon16 partnership kicked off in 2021, when Latin artists Jodosky, Kris Floyd and Álvaro Díaz were invited guests of the NFL League.
This collaboration is one of the NFL’s ambitious plan to go all in on Latin music and its growing fanbase. Last year, J Balvin became the first Latin headliner to perform for the league’s yearly free Kickoff Concert. Last November, the NFL also recruited Tijuana superstars Grupo Firme to perform at the halftime show for its annual Mexico City game, featuring the Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers.
In the new “The Stars Behind the Stars” franchise, Billboard Latin and Billboard Español editors share stories that have yet to be told, directly from those who aren’t often in front of the spotlight. Think “todo lo que no se ve detrás de cámaras” or “everything that happens behind the scenes.” These unsung heroes are essential to an artist’s team and its foundation. Today, we highlight, Rob Trujillo, musical director of Karol G.
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Every night Karol G gets onstage for her Mañana Será Bonito stadium tour, she embarks on a two-hour (approximately) musical journey that takes fans on a rollercoaster of emotions, highlighted by arrangements and sounds that they can’t hear on her recorded songs. It’s part of the magic of a live performance. And in Karol G’s tour, the person in charge of executing her musical vision is her musical director, multi-instrumentalist Rob Trujillo.
A native of Chile with a family musical background (his grandfather is renowned pianist Valentin Trujillo), Trujillo’s duties as musical director include determining the show’s setlist, creating special moments, arranging the music and executing the flow of the show.
Trujillo began his career working 14 years with Myriam Hernández, one of the most beloved voices in Chile and Latin America.
Daniel Portes
In 2016, he moved to the U.S. and began working with Karol G in 2017, when she was invited as the opening act for Luis Fonsi’s Love and Dance US Tour, which marked the beginning of a new chapter in her musical career. Trujillo has played a vital role in numerous Karol G performances, including her appearances at the Grammys and Coachella. He also recently led Karol G’s performance on Good Morning America and was in charge of Karol’s historic headlining set at Lollapalooza, where she was the first Latin female to headline the fest in its more than 30-year history.
Within the world of live music performances, there are many pieces to the puzzle, and endless details are meticulously worked on behind each concert, tour and festival. Talking to Billboard in Miami, Trujillo took us through this fascinating musical creative process behind the scenes.
What are your job responsibilities as music director?
The musical director is the person who is in charge of everything related to the music of a show. In soccer terms — soccer fan that I am — he’s like the technical director.
I am responsible for everything creative in terms of music, the setlist, the versions, the arc of the show… How to manage to [put together] something more intimate that they remember. I call that arc a trip… [the point is to take a fan on] a trip, that when the person goes to that show, they feel something different from what is heard on the digital music platforms.
I watch the videos, the charts, the lyrics. Why? Because by looking at the chart, I can know where to put [the song] in the checklist. I watch the video because I want to know what the artists creatively envisioned, what they wanted at the time. That is what I have to deal with in my version of communicating to you.
Can you take us step-by-step through the preparation before starting a tour with Karol G?
It all starts with the tour’s purpose: if it’s for an album, if it’s for a celebration of something special, etc. It all has to do with the concept of the tour.
We put together a set list and after that, the creative process begins. This involves working on songwriting and live adaptations of said songs. For the new musical arrangements, I make the aesthetic [concept]. I make a demo for each song so that the artist can first listen and tell me if he likes it; let’s change this, I don’t like it.
Once I get the artist’s vision, I turn to creative inventing. In my studio or a hotel, I have two keyboards, a bass and several guitars, and another bass. And according to what they are asking me, I am building. I take the song — for example, I do the drums on the keyboard to show the musician what to play later.
And after that, I am very structured. So, with that mental structure, I know how everything sounds.
At this moment, I am being reflective and creative, both musically and visually. I am envisioning what will resonate with crowds of 25,000 or even 70,000 people.
How much is improvised, or can you improvise in a live show?
In my case, I’m not much for improvising. I am very organized, and like to keep [it that way], because it is also good for the team. In a show, it is not only the music; the music is the matrix of everything. If there are no songs, there is no show, basically. So, everything that emerges — the lights, the stage, the screens, the fireworks, everything — is related to the music, and everything around the music is to enhance that, so there has to be synchrony.
And what is the challenge of leading a tour of stadiums versus the arena?
It’s different starting with the number of people who can live the experience. The infrastructure of an arena differs from that of a stadium and allows for unique creative opportunities based on the specific concepts being developed. I believe the stadium format is the largest format you can get as an artist to work.
It’s different. I like both, but the stadium excites me a lot.
I am excited about the fans; I aim to ensure that every person, whether seated in the front row or the last chair above, enjoys the music equally. My goal is to provide an experience that is fair and accessible to all. For me, they both have to live the same experience, without any difference. That is what helps me. That is my mission.
How is the setlist order determined?
The setlist is defined based on various criteria. There are criteria first that are emotional, which also have to do with the new material coming out, how big the song is, and what we want to give to the people at each show. We can make a hit like “Bichota,” and then we want to transport it to something like “El Barco,” where, for example, we made a bossa nova arrangement with a little bit of bachata. Then comes this very Mexican spectacular; she takes the shots, and the people are with her.
We are putting together the setlist around how we want to move people, and where we want to take them… it is like the script of a movie.
For the third time in her career, Lana Del Rey performed in Mexico City on Tuesday (Aug. 15), where she offered an unforgettable show at the Foro Sol that gathered 65,000 attendees, according the promoter Ocesa. It was the first of two concerts in the Mexican capital as part of her international Did You Know […]
Three months after Grupo Frontera became the second regional Mexican act to break the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart with “Un X100to” with Bad Bunny, the sextet scores its first top 10 on any albums chart with El Comienzo as the album flies 39-4 on the Top Latin Albums chart Aug 19-dated ranking after its first full week of activity. The set also jumps 12-2 on Regional Mexcan Albums and debuts at No. 39 on the all-genre Billboard 200.
El Comienzo is the Texas-based band’s album debut following multiple hit singles. The cumbia-spiced set was self-released on an off-cycle Thursday, Aug. 3 (the final day of the July 28 tracking week), and debuted at No. 39 on Billboard 200 with only one day of activity (Aug. 12-dated list).
On its first full tracking week ending Aug. 10, El Comienzo earned 21,000 equivalent album units in the U.S., according to Luminate. Nearly all the 11-track set’s opening sum is fueled by streaming activity. That figure equals to 31.4 million on-demand official streams of the album’s songs, while a negligible amount of album sales and track-equivalent album units contributes to the remaining balance.
Grupo Frontera grabs its first top 10 on an albums chart after placing six top 10s on the multimetric Hot Latin Songs and eight entries on the all-genre Hot 100. On the former list, “Bebe Dame” with Fuerza Regida led for two weeks in January, while on the latter survey “Un X100to,” with Benito, reached a No. 5 high in May.
Beyond its Top Latin Albums new peak, El Comienzo also gifts Frontera its first top five on Regional Mexican Albums, climbing from No. 12. Plus, it opens at No. 39 on the all-genre Billboard 200.
El Comienzo was preceded by four tracks on Hot Latin Songs, including the No. 2-peaking “Uno X100to.” Those, plus “El Amor De Su Vida” with Grupo Firme, which debuts on the current chart, make for a total of five songs from the album that have secured a spot on the list. Here’s the recap:
Peak Position, Title, Artist (if other than Frontera), Peak Date
No. 3, “No Se Va,” Nov. 12, 2022
No. 3, “Que Vuelvas,” with Carín León, Jan. 28
No. 2, “Uno X100to” with Bad Bunny, May 6
No. 43, “Le Va Doler,” June 24
No. 12, “El Amor de Su Vida” with Grupo Firme, Aug. 19 (debut)
“El Amor De Su Vida” also bows at No. 82 on Hot 100, for a total of eight entries there.Further, Grupo Frontera holds the record for the most entries on the all-genre tally among regional Mexican groups. Only one other act continues to topple its run, Peso Pluma with 20 entries, the most overall.
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Billboard readers have voted and crowned RBD’s Anahí as the Latin artist they would like to see portray Barbie in a dream sequel. Our readers have also voted for their dream Latin Ken, picking Anahí’s very own group member Christopher von Uckermann. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and […]
Carin Leon’s former manager is suing distribution company Oplaai and two of its executives for copyright infringement over allegations of underpaid royalties.
In the lawsuit, Javier “El Tamarindo” González, CEO of Tamarindo Rekordsz, alleges that he has not been properly paid by Oplaai – his indie label’s distributor since 2018 – for revenues from Leon’s music. González owns all copyrights for songs recorded by Leon during the term of their recording deal that started in 2018 through last December.
According to the claim, Oplaai has “infringed, and continues to infringe” upon González’s copyrights in the sound recordings and compositions by “reproducing, distributing, selling, promoting, advertising, performing by means of digital audio transmission, and otherwise commercially exploiting without authority or consent.” Oplaai’s CEOs Marylu Ramos and Victor Zambrano are also named as defendants.
González and Oplaai’s partnership began in 2018 through an oral distribution agreement where he says he “granted” Oplaai a two-year license to distribute new Tamarindo Rekordsz recordings delivered to Oplaai during that period. According to the complaint, the deal would be renewed for subsequent one-year terms if both parties agreed.
Initially, the deal was that Oplaai would collect all revenue derived from Tamarindo Rekordsz’s catalog and retain 30% of the net revenue (as a distribution fee) and pay 70% of the net revenue to Tamarindo Rekordsz (as a royalty). Following Leon’s massive success during 2019 and 2020 – Oplaai “agreed” in 2021 to lower its distribution fee to 14% and to pay Tamarindo royalties in the amount of 86% of the net revenues collected by Oplaai from the catalog.
By the end of 2022, Leon and González announced they had mutually agreed to part ways after the five-year relationship, during which Leon earned his first Latin Grammy win, plus 11 entries on the Hot Latin Songs chart and 10 top-10 songs on the Regional Mexican Airplay chart.
After Leon and González negotiated a release agreement – ratifying González as the owner of all rights (including copyrights) pertaining to Leon’s recordings from February 2018 until the date of the release agreement – González formally notified Oplaai that he was terminating their pact effective April 11, according to the lawsuit. He also requested Oplaai provide him with a simple catalog delivery file so that Tamarindo Rekordsz could “commence alternative distribution.”
After the termination, “neither Oplaai, Ramos, or Zambrano had the right to copy, sell, distribute, license, or publicly perform any of the Sound Recordings. Nor did they have a license or right to exploit the Compositions.” Yet, according to the lawsuit, “even after confirming that the Distribution Agreement was terminated and representing that it had instructed its distributor to take down all Tamarindo-controlled content, Oplaai, at Ramos’ and Zambrano’s direction, has continued to distribute and exploit the Sound Recordings without license or authorization, in violation of Tamarindo’s exclusive rights.”
Furthermore, Oplaai has collected revenue from DSP’s including YouTube, Apple Music, Spotify and Amazon, among others, “as a result of its unauthorized distribution and exploitation of the Sound Recordings,” according to the claim. The lawsuit also states that Oplaai has “improperly” charged the indie label a 30% distribution fee for March and April 2023 and failed to pay Tamarindo royalties for that period. And that Oplaai has failed to provide Tamarindo with the requested migration files, thereby requiring González’s new distributor to “manually upload the data, codes, music, and other necessary information to the DSPs to migrate the catalog.”
González claims that he has suffered damages in a “specific, identifiable amount to be proven at trial” and is seeking “all gains, profits, and advantages derived by Defendants from their infringements of Tamarindo’s and Tons’ copyrights.”
Billboard reached out to Oplaai but did not hear back at press time.
Pedro Capó is currently on the road with his La Neta Tour — his first official trek since the pandemic — which kicked off in May in Spain and is en route to Latin America and the United States this fall.
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“I’m happy that we finally got here. They all sold out,” he tells Billboard. “La Neta is the little boat that could.”
The tour backs up Capó’s sixth studio album, La Neta, which was released in December 2022 via Sony Music Latin. The ultra-personal 10-track set finds the artist navigating emotions of honesty and vulnerability, and delving deeper into lyrics about love, happiness, loneliness, life and death. The title track, he says, is “a different sound.”
“It marks a road ahead for me because sonically I was coming out of the whole ‘Calma’ thing, which was beautiful, amazing. The pandemic came, I kinda got lost in my sound a little bit, which is kind of the process,” he explains.
Although “Calma” gave the Puerto Rican artist many first-time milestones in his career, including his first-ever Billboard No. 1 hit, a Latin Grammy for song of the year, and the opportunity to travel the world, Capó admits that all the success was new to him.
And suddenly, on the heels of his first big hit at 38 years old, the pandemic hit.
“That silence was necessary for me to come back to my roots,” he recalls. “What would have been of Pedro without that in the middle? Where would he go naturally as a creative? And that’s what ‘La Neta’ was for me.[…] The album is something I recorded, produced, and wrote in its entirety in my house. Very personal. It’s a pandemic album, a picture of everything that happened to me in my life.”
Capó’s North American leg of his tour kicks off October 21st in Orlando and will visit Miami, New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. He also promises more new music in the works.
“I spent about a month locked myself in Nashville and we put forth a great number of songs that would be coming out by the end of the year,” he notes. “There’s a little bit of country with what I bring to the table, and I couldn’t be happier. I think it’s going to be a special one.”
Watch Capó’s interview with Billboard News in the video above.
RBD‘s Maite Perroni, Christian Chávez and Christopher von Uckermann are confirmed for the 2023 Billboard Latin Music Week, set to take place Oct. 2-6 at the Faena Forum in Miami. Additionally, Chencho Corleone, Feid, Manuel Turizo and Myke Towers are also set to be part of the five-day legacy event.
Following their reunion tour announcement after a 14-year hiatus, the three RBD members will take center stage at Latin Music Week to share how their reunion tour came to fruition. This RBD marquee appearance follows another first as this month, all five members — Anahí, Dulce María, Perroni, Chávez and von Uckermann — will sit down with Billboard and Billboard Español for their first interview as a group.
Meanwhile, Colombian superstar Feid, will bring together his creative and management team for a blow-by-blow panel on how his passion translated to success. Hitmaker Myke Towers will participate in the “Deja tu Huella” panel presented by Cheetos. During the panel, the “LALA” singer will share the stage with fellow creatives from different fields who have also brought together success in conjunction with social responsibility. Puerto Rican singer-songwriter and producer Chencho Corleone will be part of a panel conversation with Vico C. And, Manuel Turizo will grace the stage for a one-on-one conversation, presented by Delta.
The aforementioned artists join a star-studded Billboard Latin Music Week that will feature exclusive panels and conversations with hitmakers throughout the week. Previously announced participants include Shakira, Arcángel, Edgar Barrera, Maria Becerra, Eladio Carrión, Fonseca, GALE, Grupo Frontera, Natanael Cano, Nathy Peluso, Nicki Nicole, Peso Pluma, Santa Fe Klan, Shakira, Sebastián Yatra, Vico C, Yng Lvcas, and Young Miko, with more to be revealed.
With 30 years of events, 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 star Q&As with Maluma, Ivy Queen, Chayanne, Romeo Santos and Christina Aguilera, 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 on Thursday, Oct. 5, at the Watsco Center in Miami, and will broadcast live on Telemundo. The awards show will broadcast simultaneously on Spanish entertainment cable network Universo, 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.