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Jimmy Humilde’s first foray into the music business was a party at his sister’s house in Venice, Calif., that he promoted with street flyers. The entrance fee was $5, and Humilde, then 13 years old, made $300. He was hooked.
It was the early 1990s, and the soundtrack of the streets was trance, techno and hip-hop. But Humilde (born Jaime Alejandro to immigrants from Michoacán, Mexico) soon started to include the music of his home in his flyer parties, adding Vicente Fernández and Mexican cumbias into the mix. Then a cousin introduced him to the music of Chalino Sánchez, the underground corrido singer from Culiacán, Mexico, who was kidnapped and murdered at 32 years old in 1992 in what presumably was a revenge killing.
“I didn’t know who Chalino Sánchez was. I didn’t know what a corrido was,” says Humilde, 43, of the songs that narrate the exploits of real and mythical heroes and antiheroes, from 19th century revolutionaries to current-day drug dealers. “But when I met his music, he became part of my soul. He wrote corridos not only for Mexican people but for people who lived in the U.S. that I could relate to.” Sánchez’s songs, combined with his swaggering attitude and combustible persona, planted a seed for Humilde: Why couldn’t there be more music like his, rooted in Mexican culture and appealing to a young, U.S.-born audience?
Nearly 20 years later, his label, Rancho Humilde, is at the forefront of a global explosion of regional Mexican music — the umbrella term for several subgenres that include brass-driven banda, accordion-inflected norteño, traditional mariachi and, increasingly, traditional music that incorporates hip-hop.
Since Rancho Humilde, which translates to “Humble Ranch,” began releasing music in 2017, the label has logged 18 titles on Billboard’s Top Latin Albums chart, including six top 10s, and 41 tracks on Hot Latin Songs. Out of those, seven reached the top 10, including the two-week champ “Bebe Dame.” The label has also placed six songs on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100. Five of them were on the May 6 chart that featured 14 regional Mexican songs, two of them in the top 10 — a breakthrough week for the genre. Fuerza Regida, Natanael Cano and Junior H are among the Rancho Humilde acts that charted.
A friend used canvas from Humilde’s Louis Vuitton travel bags to create this saddle and mount. “Just for decoration!” he says.
Michael Tyrone Delaney
Humilde and his partners, José Becerra and Rocky Venegas, built the label through unorthodox means, relying almost solely on social media over radio and TV to promote their acts and by working with multiple labels and distributors, which enabled their roster to collaborate with a wider array of artists from different genres at a time when Mexican acts were notoriously averse to the practice.
Almost six years after Rancho Humilde was founded, the label is opening new offices in Paramount, Calif., just outside Los Angeles. Not coincidentally, it’s the exact location where Sánchez once ran his own pager store.
“I’m in it for the future of our culture,” Humilde says. “From the beginning, I wanted to be the door-opener.”
What was it like growing up in Venice in the ’90s?
Hip-hop was my heart. I was a huge fan of LL Cool J, Kool Moe Dee, EPMD — old-school hip-hop. To this day, I still listen to hip-hop a lot. I grew up in a multiracial area. There were a lot of Mexicans, but also a lot of Asians and whites. Corridos and Mexican music were not it. They called me “Jimmy the Paisa,” which in our neighborhood meant “straight Mexican.” So while I did raves and hip-hop events for many years, I was the only one in Venice listening to Mexican music. I was the guy known for tejanas.
This Kobe Bryant bobblehead “is the only one in the world” in its size, says Humilde. “I love Dodgers, Lakers, Raiders and Rams memorabilia.”
Michael Tyrone Delaney
With that multicultural atmosphere, why did you enter the regional Mexican business?
I’ve been in the business since I was 14, when I started working as a gopher with another Mexican artist who sang corridos, Jessie Morales, El Original de la Sierra. I realized that we were losing our Mexican culture. The kids weren’t speaking Spanish. It wasn’t cool. I’ve always thought it’s so cool to be Mexican, to have immigrant parents and to speak both languages. I thought I could introduce others to this life. I had to find a way to mix my culture, my Chicano culture, with the Mexican culture. And I did.
What was Rancho Humilde’s breakthrough moment?
“De Periódico un Gallito,” a song by LEGADO 7 we released in 2017. [It peaked at No. 38 on the Regional Mexican Airplay chart.] That corrido talks about a guy who grew up on the streets of Los Angeles and was a drug dealer. That’s the corrido that opened the doors to our music. We basically did a hip-hop song in Spanish. Then we signed Arsenal Efectivo, El de la Guitarra, Fuerza Regida, then Natanael Cano.
Peso Pluma is dominating the charts. He sounds very similar to Cano, with whom he has collaborated.
Peso Pluma calls Natanael “The GOAT.” Natanael Cano opened the lane for everyone. If Nata, Junior H, Fuerza Regida hadn’t existed, this wouldn’t be where it’s at today. Natanael brought swag. He brought that kid that didn’t give a fuck. He brought that, “I’m going to do whatever the fuck I want, and I don’t care” attitude. When I first asked Nata what tumbao was, he said: “I am tumbao.” Before, corridos were listened to by fans with cowboy hats and boots. Today, you’ll see 13-, 14-year-old kids in Jordans listening to corridos tumbaos.
Humilde explains that the liquor store, which was built as a prop “for our music videos,” is a replica of a corner from his old Venice neighborhood.
Michael Tyrone Delaney
Your artists weren’t the first to blend Mexican and hip-hop sounds, but acts like Akwid in the 2000s didn’t reach the level of success that Rancho Humilde’s artists are having now. Is it simply a matter of timing?
It didn’t work before because the people behind it weren’t real. They weren’t from the streets. They were copying what other people were doing. Akwid is from the streets, but the people behind them weren’t.
What is your strategy for working with multiple distributors? Most labels usually strike a deal with just one. For example, Cano with Warner; Fuerza Regida with Sony.
I’m not committed to just one. Me, along with my attorneys — George Prajin and Anthony Lopez — structured our own contract and our own way of doing business. I don’t have exclusivity with anyone. I don’t think anyone should have exclusivity with anyone. I don’t believe in licenses because there’s only one person that owns our music, and it’s [us]. And I’m also business partners with our artists. We restructured our whole company, and we don’t sign artists to a royalty fee. We sign artists as business partners, we help them build their own labels and businesses, and we do a [joint venture] between labels.
You’re so indie-minded. Why distribute with Warner’s Alternative Distribution Alliance and Sony’s Orchard versus another indie?
My whole goal was to [go global]. And I finally realized that the only people I was going to be able to do it with was with a global company. That’s why I chose Warner at first, then Sony, then Universal; I did a one-off deal with Republic and Universal. I needed the reach. I needed people to learn about this and realize it was different. It wasn’t only about us being banda.
Medals given to the owners of Rancho Humilde when they visited the White House.
Michael Tyrone Delaney
How important is social media to Rancho Humilde’s success?
Social media is Rancho Humilde. We were born in social media. We started with Myspace all the way down to Facebook, all the way down to Instagram and TikTok. But our biggest [avenue] was YouTube. YouTube is huge for us revenuewise, bigger than the other platforms. Facebook, Instagram and TikTok are our main marketing channels. We were never on radio until the most recent hit by Fuerza Regida. The only work we outsource is with our publicist, Monica Escobar, who does everything we don’t do on marketing on our end.
One of the biggest challenges facing successful industries in Mexico are the drug cartels. In recent years, they’ve taken over the trade of limes, avocados and other produce. As music becomes an exponentially more valuable export, how do you protect your business from that influence?
I just feel that certain people got their help as they could. That’s one of the things that kept Rancho Humilde from becoming the most successful label [quickly], because we never had any investors. It was always JB, Rocky and myself. I don’t care who it is. I just don’t believe in investors. Have other companies used that? I don’t know. I’ve never asked. I know drug cartels exist, and my dad always told me the biggest cartel was the government and the church. I agree with that. I don’t fight it. I don’t criticize anyone for what they do. I don’t care what they do.
Rancho Humilde’s 2019 release of Cano’s “Soy el Diablo” remix with Bad Bunny was groundbreaking at the time. Now mainstream labels are signing Mexican acts. What do you think of that?
I don’t see why they wouldn’t, but it’s going to be hard for them to catch up to all the indies already performing at a high level.
What does it mean to you that this music is now popular in places far from Mexico?
I knew this was going to happen. Right before Peso Pluma came in, Nata was already a global artist. He was known in Spain, Chile, Argentina, but the music wasn’t charting as high as it is today. Peso Pluma won’t be the biggest artist. There’s a whole lot coming who will be huge. [But] Peso is like the Daddy Yankee of our genre. He went and opened the doors worldwide, but here come more monsters. If you’re not focused on Mexican music right now, I suggest you do.
Kevyn Cruz was 12 years old when he started writing songs. “My mom gave me my first guitar, and with the first three notes, I learned how to compose,” he recalls. “Little by little, I perfected that art.” Now 26, the Colombian songwriter, known as Keityn, is behind some of the most recent Latin hits by Shakira, Karol G, J Balvin, Maluma and Manuel Turizo, among others.
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His women’s empowerment anthems in particular have taken off, with Karol G and Nicki Minaj’s 2019 hit “Tusa” earning him his first No. 1 on the Hot Latin Songs chart and the fiery “Shakira: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53” by Bizarrap and Shakira spending five weeks at No. 1 on the same chart in 2023. “It’s what the moment allows me to create,” he says. “I don’t plan things or set expectations. I just let things flow.”
This year, Keityn was named songwriter of the year at the ASCAP Latin Music Awards, a recognition he describes as “something difficult to assimilate, but very happy and motivated with my feet on the ground to continue doing it.”
“Tusa,” Karol G & Nicki Minaj
Keityn did not plan on creating music the day this collaboration was born; in fact, he visited Karol G’s producer, Ovy on the Drums, to play video games and order chicken wings. Yet the hit-maker could not get a violin melody out of his head and asked Keityn to help him write lyrics. “I swear, in less than half an hour, we had ‘Tusa,’ from the pre-chorus to the chorus,” Keityn says. “It flowed too well. The muse was in the house that day. The song was kept in the studio for more than a year, but we knew it was a big hit.” Upon release, it made history as the first title by two women in a lead role to debut atop Hot Latin Songs since the chart’s inception in 1986.
“SHAKIRA: BZRP Music Sessions, Vol. 53,” Bizarrap & Shakira
Following his work with Shakira on “Te Felicito” and “Monotonía,” Keityn was invited to her former house in Barcelona to co-write this empowered dance-pop track, on which she cleverly disses her ex and throws a jab at his new girlfriend. Shakira had first teamed with superproducer Bizarrap, known for his ever-present cap and glasses and intimate studio sessions on YouTube. “The process of this song was a little more complex because Shakira is a woman who likes to give her full attention to each part of the song,” says Keityn. “It took many days changing and removing parts of the lyrics.” The personal, hard-hitting track debuted at No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Shakira’s highest placement since “Beautiful Liar” with Beyoncé hit No. 3 in 2007.
“TQG,” Karol G & Shakira
Karol G and Shakira’s sultry “TQG” was a part of Karol’s historic album, Mañana Será Bonito, which became the first No. 1 all-Spanish-language album by a woman on the Billboard 200. Written in Los Angeles in January 2022, Keityn recalls, “Karol invited me because she was doing something in L.A., and she asked me if I wanted to hang out and make music with her and Ovy on the Drums for a couple of days.” He admits he had the intro of the song in his head for days before connecting with Karol, but that it didn’t really flow until he hit the studio with Ovy. Following its February release, “TQG” reached No. 1 on Hot Latin Songs, where it remained for five weeks.
This story originally appeared in the June 3, 2023, issue of Billboard.
At the start of 2022, Yahritza y Su Esencia emerged as the buzzy regional Mexican music act every label wanted to sign. In a matter of months, the Washington state-based Martinez sibling trio went from a local band that sang at family parties to the future of regional Mexican with its sad, catchy sierreño songs, powered by Yahritza’s emotional vocals, Mando’s requinto and Jairo’s bajoloche.
By March 2022, after signing a deal with independent label Lumbre Music, Yahritza y Su Esencia released their official debut single, “Soy el Único.” It entered the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 20 and made Yahritza the youngest Latin performer to debut on the chart at just 15 years old. The act subsequently notched its first No. 1 on Regional Mexican Albums with its Obsessed EP, scored a Latin Grammy Award nod for best new artist and, by November, signed with Columbia Records in a partnership with Lumbre Music and Sony Music Latin. A worldwide deal with SESAC Latina soon followed.
All the while, Yahritza’s 25-year-old big brother, Mando — who had been living stateside as an undocumented person — and his team were working behind the scenes to sort out his immigration status in the United States. In need of an O-1 visa, Mando had to go to Mexico City and follow protocols to prove his eligibility. After spending most of his life living with his parents (who are originally from Michoacán, Mexico) and four siblings in Washington’s agricultural region of Yakima Valley, he was suddenly alone in an unfamiliar city, waiting for approval.
“It was a sacrifice, especially when I’m one of the main components of the band,” says Mando, who returned to the United States in April shortly after getting approved for a special visa reserved for individuals with extraordinary ability and achievement in their field. “We had to learn to record separately, something we had never done. It has always been all of us together in a studio.”
“I would write my music and wouldn’t know who to share it with,” says Yahritza, now 16. “He was a call away, but it wasn’t the same.” Adds 18-year-old Jairo: “We couldn’t do the things we used to do, which was practicing every day. That changed everything for us.”
The band members — managed by their oldest sister, Adriana Martinez — were influenced by their father and uncles’ own musical act, which Mando joined as a kid. Yahritza and Jairo later learned how to play instruments and would upload covers on TikTok, including their viral take on Ivan Cornejo’s “Está Dañada.” Yahritza then began writing her own songs — the first being the emotionally charged heartbreak track “Soy el Único,” which ultimately led to the formation of Yahritza y Su Esencia.
Ramón Ruiz, CEO of Lumbre Music, signed the trio soon after discovering the group last year on TikTok. He says his team’s top priority was to not let Mando’s visa application affect the band. “We were always working on what’s coming next,” he says. “It was hard because Mando is a big part of the production and Yahritza and Jairo depend a lot on Mando. I would try to help however I could, but they needed their big brother. He’s their role model; they look up to him so much.”
From left: Mando, Yahritza and Jario Martinez of Yahritza y Su Esencia
David Cabrera
Mando’s status remained uncertain for nearly seven months. “I would remind [my siblings] that we needed to take things one day at a time,” Adriana says. “We’ve always believed God’s timing is perfect, so it was important to never lose faith and remember nothing can break the bond we have as a family, not even being separated.”
Now, with the O-1 secured, Mando is able to record and promote music in the United States, which Yahritza y Su Esencia have remained consistent with — as Yahritza and Jairo often traveled to Mexico to record. In the past few months alone, the act released “Inseparables” (with Cornejo), “Cambiaste,” “Nuestra Canción,” “No Se Puede Decir Adiós” and “Frágil” — a norteña, cumbia-tinged collaboration with Grupo Frontera produced by hit-maker Edgar Barrera.
“Regardless of the situation, we had to be releasing music for our fans,” says Mando. “We’d jump on FaceTime a lot, and that’s how we would make the song’s arrangements.” Yahritza would write in her room and then send music to Mando for his feedback. But when it came to recording the harmonies, she had to call him directly. “I needed him to show me because I still don’t know how to do that,” she says. “He would help me when he was home.”
“Them being together is what makes this so special,” says Julian Swirsky, senior vp of A&R at Columbia Records. “It was always about getting Mando home first and foremost, but the group was fired up. We had a Zoom call on New Year’s Eve to talk about new music because they wanted to get set up for the new year.”
From left: Yahritza, Mando and Jario Martinez of Yahritza y Su Esencia
David Cabrera
The first thing Mando did once his visa was approved at the end of April was travel home to Washington, where he surprised his parents at a family gathering by popping up behind them as they were taking a photo. “My mom yelled when she saw me and started to touch my face to see if I was real,” Mando says. “That’s when it hit me.”
With a new album in the works and a long-awaited U.S. tour slated for the second half of the year, Yahritza y Su Esencia are finally poised to reach their full potential — just when Mexican music continues to grow exponentially, with the act helping usher in a new era for the legacy genre. In May, “Frágil” cracked the Hot 100. And on the Billboard Global 200, it is among a handful of regional Mexican songs that are surging, as the genre now makes up nearly 10% of the entire chart.
“What happened to us had to happen,” says Jairo, “and it changed us.” Adds Yahritza: “Before, we would fight and disagree on small things. We shouldn’t even be caring about that; all we should care about is that we’re back together.”
This story originally appeared in the June 3, 2023, issue of Billboard.
Legendary Argentine rockers Los Fabulosos Cadillacs accomplished something few imagined on Saturday (June 3); they drew a crowd of 300,000 to their free concert at Mexico City’s Zócalo, breaking the attendance record set by Grupo Firme last year, according to data supplied by the local government.
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Up until last night, Grupo Firme, the boisterous Mexican music group, had drawn the biggest crowd ever (280,000) to the historic Mexican site. But last night Los Cadillacs bested Grupo Firme and other seminal acts, including Rosalía, Sir Paul McCartney, Roger Waters, Shakira, the late ranchera icon Vicente Fernández, and even pop star Justin Bieber.
“¡Winds of liberty, blood of a fighter!” tweeted Mexico City mayor Claudia Sheinbaum, quoting the lyrics of Cadillac’s famous song “Matador.” “We’ve made history again, breaking attendance records with 300,000 people in the Zócalo of Mexico City, enjoying an epic concert from Los Fabulosos Cadillacs,” she added.
🎶 ¡Viento de libertad, sangre combativa!Volvimos a hacer historia, rompimos récord de asistencia con 300 mil personas en el Zócalo de la Ciudad de México disfrutando del épico concierto de Los Fabulosos Cadillacs con saldo blanco. Gracias a todo el público asistente por… pic.twitter.com/QRsYlHIDGl— Dra. Claudia Sheinbaum (@Claudiashein) June 4, 2023
The band — headed by singer Gabriel Fernández Capello, better known as Vicentico, bassist Flavio Cianciarulo and saxophonist Sergio Rotman — took over the second largest public square in the world (behind Tiananmen Square in Peking) with their blend of rock, ska, reggae and punk.
From early in the morning on Saturday, people from different parts of the city, and the country, lined up at el Zócalo in an effort to get access to the front rows of the stage. By the time the show started in the evening, the crowd was so large and tight, that some opted to move to the back to breath better.
The now-historic performance, which lasted around 90 minutes, is part of the group’s El León del Ritmo tour, which celebrates 30 years of one of its most celebrated albums, 1992’s El León, and three decades since the release of their fabled single “Matador.”
The fact that Cadillacs have been around for so long, and that they perform rock en español – a genre many say is fading — makes their accomplishment even more impressive. “They called them old, they made fun of them, and they answered with 300,000 people,” tweeted one fan.
300,000 attended Los Fabulosos Cadillacs’ show at Mexico City’s Zócalo. Photo Courtesy of Secretaría de Cultura de la Ciudad de México.
“What happiness! How enormous and indescribable to be playing for all you! Thank you, eternal thanks. We receive this with our hearts,” said a visibly moved Vicentico to an adoring audience that sang to every song in their repertoire.
Following their performance at Coachella in April, the Cadillacs will take their El León del Ritmo Tour to different countries, including Mexico, the Viña del Mar Festival in Chile, Spain and the U.S.
Here is the full setlist from Saturday Night:
1. “Demasiada Presión”
2. “El Muerto”
3. “Carmela”
4. “Estoy Harto De Verte Con Otros”
5. “El Genio del Dub”
6. “Calaveras y Diablitos”
7. “Los Condenaditos”
8. “El Aguijón”
9. “Nro. 2 En Tu Lista”
10. “Saco Azul”
11. “Siguiendo La Luna”
12. “V Centenario”
13. “Carnaval Toda La Vida”
14. “Mal Bicho”
15. “Matador”
16. “Mi Novia Se Cayó en un Pozo Ciego”
17. “Vasos Vacíos”
18. “El Satánico Dr. Cadillac”
19. “Yo No Me Sentaría en Tu Mesa”
From career milestones and new music releases to major announcements and more, Billboard editors highlight the latest news buzz in Latin music every week. Here’s what happened in the Latin music world this week.
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Karol G Meets Barbie
The upcoming Barbie movie — starring Margot Robbie as Barbie and Ryan Gosling as Ken — has unleashed its second single from the motion picture soundtrack called “Watati,” from Karol G featuring Aldo Ranks. A hard-hitting reggaeton with EDM tones produced by Ovy on the Drums, the uptempo track finds the Colombian singer and Panamanian veteran singing about having a good time at the club. “Watati” follows the soundtrack’s lead single “Dance the Night” by Dua Lipa. Other artists featured on the album include Nicki Minaj, Lizoo, Ice Spice, Tame Impala, and many more. Listen to Karol and Aldo’s number below:
Puerto Rico Celebrates Victor Manuelle
This week, the House of Representatives in Puerto Rico celebrated Victor Manuelle’s 30-year prolific music career with an intimate ceremony. “Honor to whom honor deserves […] Thank you Victor for always putting our island so high,” wrote a tourist Instagram account called “Enjoy Isabela Puerto Rico.” “Puerto Rico! this would not have been possible if it were not for the love you have given me during these 30 years of experience,” Manuelle shared on Instagram. “Thank you for watching me grow as a performer and loving me so much! I will always be grateful to you.” The salsa singer, known for hits such as “Tengo Ganas,” “He Tratado,” and “Si Tu Me Besas,” is set to perform two concerts on June 3rd and 4th at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico, as part of the commemoration.
She Said, Yes!
Chiquis is an engaged woman! Earlier this week, the Mexican-American singer revealed the exciting news via an Instagram reel, where she shared a getaway recap with her now-fiancé and photographer Emilio Sanchez. “Today really took a turn … for the better,” she said of what was meant to be her boyfriend’s birthday but turned into a wedding proposal. “Thank you for making me feel safe enough to believe in love again. Thank you for choosing to love me even on the ugliest of days. Simply, thank you for being you, and loving me the way you do,” she expressed in the sweet post.
Get Ready for Latin Music Week
Billboard announced this week the official launch of the 2023 Latin Music Week website. Now open, the online platform offers new and up-to-date information on all things Latin Music Week, which is set to return to Miami the week of Oct. 2nd to 6th. Tickets and confirmed lineup announcements are coming soon. Billboard‘s Latin Music Week is the longest-running and biggest Latin music-industry gathering for more than 30 years. The weeklong event brings together emerging and renowned artists, industry leaders, creators, and decision-makers in Latin music from around the world for showcases, networking, exclusive conversations, panels, workshops, activations, and concerts. The 2022 star-studded edition included Romeo Santos, Chayanne, Camilo, Bizarrap, Ivy Queen, Grupo Firme, Nicky Jam, Maluma, and many more.
Camilo, Eduin Caz and Edgar Barrera speak onstage during “Superstar Q+A with Camilo” panel at Billboard Latin Music Week 2022 held at Faena Forum on September 27, 2022 in Miami, Florida.
Gus Caballero for Billboard
Latin Recording Academy’s 2023 Person of the Year
Italian-born singer Laura Pausini, known for Spanish-language hits such as “En Cambio No,” “Vivemé,” and “Se Fué,” was named the Latin Recording Academy’s 2023 Person of the Year. With a 30-year trajectory, Pausini, “will be honored for her career as a multifaceted, multi-lingual performer as well as for her continued commitment to supporting social justice causes that are close to her heart, including equality for women and LGBTQ+ people and world hunger,” according to an official statement. Read more on the exciting news here.
Laura Pausini
Nima Benati
This week, our New Music Latin roundup — a compilation of the best new Latin songs and albums recommended by Billboard‘s Latin and Billboard Español editors — is powered by new music from Daddy Yankee, Young Miko and Gocho, to name a few.
To everyone’s surprise, Daddy Yankee came out of retirement to drop a new collaboration with newcomer Omar Courtz (who he discovered on Instagram) for a summer-ready track called “BEACHY.” Co-written by Yankee, Courtz, Justin Quiles, and BCA, the song — part of the upcoming LEGENDADDY Goat Edition album — narrates the story of a girl who’s getting tanned at the beach and enjoying the sun while she’s living her best single life. The single, produced by Yankee, Dimelo Flow, BK, and PM, fuses reggaetón with Afrobeats, backed by Yankee’s signature sugary vocals and Courtz’s raspier tones.
Another rising act, Young Miko, also teamed up with reggaeton veterans Jowell y Randy on “ID.” With flirty, NSFW lyrics, the collab meshes reggaeton, reggae, and hard-hitting perreo melodies.
A notable release this week is “Los Del Espacio,” an infectious cumbia-reggaeton track released by eight of Argentina’s hottest names right now: Lit Killah, Emilia, Duki, Maria Becerra, Rusherking, FMK, Tiago PZK, and Big One. “In slow motion/ You stuck with me and you didn’t realize/ That tonight I let you go’/ I know it tempts you,” says part of the chorus of the catchy song written by the octet of friends and produced and mastered by Big One.
Additional releases this week include Francisca Valenzuela’s heartfelt pop ballad “¿Dónde Se Llora Cuando Se Llora?;” Gocho’s first solo project in eight years, a six-track EP titled No Soy el Mismo (Lado A); Sky Rompiendo’s adventurous “Cielo” with Feid and Myke Towers; Nico Hernández and Pipe Bueno’s “Una Noche;” Los Aptos and Cuco’s whirling love-letter ballad “Miel;” and many more.
Last week, the new generation of Menudo and their single “Feelin’” won the poll with over 54 percent of the votes. What’s your favorite new Latin music release this week? Vote below!
New Music Latin is a compilation of the best new Latin songs and albums recommended by Billboard Latin and Billboard Español editors. Check out this week’s picks below.
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Young Miko and Jowell & Randy, “ID” (The Wave Music Group)
Puerto Rican rapper Young Miko recruits renowned reggaetón duo Jowell y Randy for her new single “ID.” Produced by Mauro and Caleb Calloway, the track is infectious reggaetón infused with smooth Jamaican reggae beats, which halfway through transitions to Jowell & Randy’s hard-hitting perreo sound. In “ID,” the newcomer and urban genre veterans not only exchange NSFW verses about admiring a girl’s behind and her sexy movements, but also deliver a new summer obsession for our playlist. — INGRID FAJARDO
LIT killah, Duki, Emilia, Tiago PZK, FMK, Rusherking, Maria Becerra & Big One, “Los Del Espacio” (Warner Music Latina)
Each one of them is a star in their own right; now, together, they intend to take you to another dimension with “Los del Espacio.” LIT Killah’s new single with Duki, Emilia, Tiago PZK, FMK, Rusherking, Maria Becerra and Big One brings together some of the most prominent artists on Argentina’s current music scene with an up-tempo reggaetón perfect for the summer (or to warm the souls in the southern hemisphere, where winter is kicking in.) “In slow motion/ You stuck with me and you didn’t realize/ That tonight I let you go’/ I know it tempts you,” says part of the chorus of the catchy song, which will undoubtedly make you dance, whether you’re at the beach or on the dancefloor. Written by the octet of friends and produced and mastered by Big One, “Los del Espacio” arrives with a cheerful music video directed by Facundo Ballve — released on June 1 to great hype at an event covered by Billboard Argentina — in which each of the stars has a chance to shine. — SIGAL RATNER-ARIAS
Daddy Yankee & Omar Courtz, “BEACHY” (El Cartel Records/Imperial)
An Instagram post is what drove Daddy Yankee to collaborate with newcomer Omar Courtz (featured in Billboard’s On The Radar Latin) on his latest single “BEACHY.” Just in time for the summer, the sultry track—produced by Yankee, Dimelo Flow, BK, and PM — fuses reggaetón with Afrobeats, backed by Yankee’s signature sugary vocals and Courtz’s raspier tones. Co-written by Yankee, Courtz, Justin Quiles, and BCA, “BEACHY” narrates the story of a girl who’s getting tanned at the beach and enjoying the sun while she’s living her best single life. The music video, filmed by Marlon P, brings the song’s breezy essence to life, showing both artists at the beach surrounded by inclusive models. “BEACHY” is part of Yankee’s upcoming LEGENDADDY Goat Edition album. — JESSICA ROIZ
Francisca Valenzuela, “¿Dónde se llora cuando se llora?” (Fantastic Records)
Where does one cry when one cries? It’s a question that Chilean singer-songwriter Francisca Valenzuela is trying to get an answer to in her new pop-ballad track “¿Dónde Se Llora Cuando Se Llora?” Penned and produced by Valenzuela and Francisco Victoria, the song puts the artist’s transformative journey at the forefront, giving the audience a sneak peek of her trek to self-discovery where she’s learned to embrace her vulnerability. “Where does one cry when one cries?/ At the bathroom in my party, in the middle of a reunion/ In the car, in the shower, drugged on an airplane,” she wonders. The raw and ultra-personal new single is the first single from her upcoming sixth studio album. — GRISELDA FLORES
Gocho, No Soy El Mismo (Lado A) (Forgiven Music)
Eight years since his last solo project, singer-songwriter and renowned producer Jose Angel Torres Castro, better known as Gocho, returns with the EP No Soy el Mismo (Lado A) (I am not the same, Side A). In the six-song urban EP, which also features pop and tropical fusions, the artist expresses himself freely about his spirituality and reflects on his life. “I definitely don’t see music the same way as before… I think we have to be aware of the impact we have when we write a song,” he states in a press statement. The album includes “Mi Mejor Cancion” (My best song), released with Farruko, a slow and very personal reggaetón collab written by Gocho and dedicated to his wife, in which he apologizes for his faults and expresses his desire to improve their relationship. “God gives me a new time, so we can build a love that, despite everything, nothing can destroy,” Farruko chants.
Gocho, who reached the top of Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart with “Si Te Digo la Verdad” and co-produced reggaetón hits like “Dale Don Dale” by Don Omar, is currently on the Billboard Tropical Airplay chart with the Funky-featuring “Solución,” the first single of the album. No Soy el Mismo (Side A) also includes other team-ups, such as “Hablaré” with Alex Zurdo, “Te enseñaré” with Onell Diaz and “Soledad” with Jay Kalyl. “Each one of them gave the album that unique touch to take it to the next level,” he says of his collaborators. The EP is a good introduction to this new facet of the artist, with an implied continuation to come with the eventual Side B. — LUISA CALLE
Los Aptos x Cuco, “Miel” (Warner Music Latina/VPS Music)
Propelled by sparkly synths and a steel-string guitar, Los Aptos and Cuco conjure up a whirling love-letter ballad that harkens back to the whimsical, romantic era of The Beatles’ Rubber Soul and the gruperas of Los Yonics — equipped with hooded eyes and their heart on their sleeve. “You’re as strong as a ray of sunshine/ To my world you’re so essential/ And those beautiful honey-colored eyes/ Like chocolates on Valentine’s Day and a sunset,” sings frontman Juan Ortega against a hazy sierreño backdrop. The charming quality is that “Miel” oozes with pure idealism and sweetness. It’s a perfect laid-back summer jam for your newfound crush. — ISABELA RAYGOZA
Puerto Rican rapper Pacho El Antifeka died on Thursday (June 1) after being fatally shot in Puerto Rico. He was 42 years old.
The artist born Neftalí Álvarez Núñez was found dead inside a black 2008 Infinity car near the Plaza Tropical shopping center in Bayamón, according to Telemundo Puerto Rico. Law enforcement responded to the location after receiving calls of shots being fired.
The rapper’s death was later confirmed on his official Instagram account with a post featuring a powerful drawing created by “Arte Cardé.” It shows the musician in the passenger seat of a car and God taking the wheel.
“A great one has left us, but the most important thing is that he will be eternal in our memories and hearts because of those huge marks that he left, nobody will erase them. Impossible to forget someone so special and someone as friendly as Pacho was. Your legacy is still here, and your family and work team will not let your music die because we all know that you made music from the heart for your fans…because that was what you loved to do music,” read part of the caption.
With a career that spanned nearly 20 years, Pacho El Antifeka was known for hits such as “Como Soy” with Daddy Yankee and Bad Bunny; “Pa Morir Se Nace” with Farruko; “Tu No Eras Asi” with Rauw Alejandro; “Triste” with Nicky Jam; and “No Te Veo” with Jay Wheeler and Wisin y Yandel, to name a few. Last year, Pacho went viral on social media for replying to Residente’s “Bzrp Music Session” aimed at J Balvin. Pacho was signed to the indie urban label Duars Entertainment.
Many of his reggaeton colleagues including — Daddy Yankee and Hector El Father — reacted to the news of his death on social media.
“I am not the one to judge anyone’s personal life but I can judge the way people treat me; based on that judgment, I can choose my friends. I am aware that you have always treated me with respect, appreciation, honesty, sincerity, and loyalty,” Daddy Yankee wrote in an Instagram post. “For me those qualities are worth a lot because they are not easily found in these times […] And I assure you brother that you were a real person with me from our beginnings at an early age, dreaming of this career. I am glad to know that I was able to contribute to you in life.”
“Only God knows how much your departure hurts me,” Hector El Father shared, also on Instagram. “You always called me to ask for prayer and to take my services to the caserios (barrios). You always let me know the desire you had to get closer to God and all your struggles. I only ask God that in that last second of life, you have remembered what I always told you: ‘Cry out to God and ask him for forgiveness.’”
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Christian Nodal’s “Un Cumbión Dolido” surges to No. 1 from No. 4 on Billboard’s Regional Mexican Airplay chart (dated June 3). With the new coronation, Nodal cements his record for the most champs among soloists (eighth overall), with 15 No. 1s since the chart launched in 1994. Plus, he’s the only solo act to lead the chart in 2023.
According to Luminate, “Un Cumbión Dolido” crowns Regional Mexican Airplay boosted by a 27% gain in audience impressions, to 7.7 million, logged during the May 19-25 tracking week. Released Feb. 20 via Producciones Ladrón/Sony Music Latin, the cumbia with mariachi norteño, takes the lead in its 10th week.
“Cumbión” is a single from Nodal’s third EP, Forajido EP2, released May 29. The six-song set is a follow-up to Forajido (EP), which joined three full-length LPs when it debuted and peaked at No. 6 in June 2022 to grant Nodal his fourth straight top 10 on Regional Mexican Albums.
As “Cumbión” cracks the No. 1 spot on Regional Mexican Airplay, it trades places with Eslabon Armado and Peso Pluma’s ‘Ella Baila Sola” after one week in charge. Now, with 15 champs to his name, Nodal strengthens his long-time rule as the soloist with the most No. 1s, a status he assumed April 24, 2021, when “Duele,” his team-up with Alejandro Fernández, landed at the summit.
Further, Nodal is the only act thus far to lead Regional Mexican Airplay on his own, unaccompanied by any other act in 2023, among the 15 acts who have reached the top. The last soloist to rule the ranking was Gerardo Ortiz with “Modo Crudo” last October (one week).
Outside of its Regional Mexican Airplay coronation, “Cumbión” makes progress on the overall Latin Airplay chart, pushing to No. 6 after breaking the top 10 barrier the week prior, at No. 9.
Grupo Firme & Gerardo Coronel Take the Lead
Elsewhere on the Latin charts, Gerardo Coronel nabs his first top 10 on Latin Airplay thanks to “Que Onda Perdida” with Grupo Firme, which rallies 21-8 in its sixth week.
“Que Onda,” originally released Feb. 17 via RB/Union Music, breaks new ground after the Grupo Firme collab released through Music VIP, had a robust 52% increase in audience impressions to 7.2 million, earned during the same period, becoming the Greatest Gainer of the week.
Coronel takes home a first champ after he reached No. 32 with “Te Felicito” in May. Grupo Firme, meanwhile, picks up its seventh top 10, after the Tijuana, Baja California-based band landed at No. 7 with “Alaska” in November.
As “Onda” surges 13 rankings on Latin Airplay, the track joins three other songs that have ascended as much — or more — in 2023, notably all regional Mexican titles: Pepe Aguilar and Intocable’s “No Me Hablen de Amor” (chart dated Jan. 28) and Yuridia and Angela Aguilar “Que Agonía” (Feb. 11-dated list) both soared 28-10, while Carin Leon and Grupo Frontera’s “Que Vuelvas” climbed 21-6 (Jan. 28).
Bad Bunny has switched gears from global superstar to pool lifeguard in his first-ever Pepsi commercial out today (June 1).
Directed by Dave Meyers and co-directed by Mia Barnes, with choreography from Sherrie Silver, the 90-second spot shows the Puerto Rican rapper overlooking a community pool where everyone is tired and drained from the summer heat. In an effort to get the vibes going, he discovers that his latest single “Where She Goes” easily turns up the party once a bottle of Pepsi is opened.
The summer-themed commercial is part of Pepsi’s latest “Press Play On Summer” campaign with Apple Music that offers new and qualified returning subscribers up to three months of free, unlimited listening on the music streaming platform. The campaign, available in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, also includes over 100,000 instant prizes and the opportunity to travel with the purchase of select limited-edition PepsiCo beverages.
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“Pepsi has a rich heritage of creating iconic music video style commercials with some of the world’s biggest artists – from Britney Spears to Ray Charles, Madonna to Dr. Dre, Beyonce to Chloe Bailey and so many more,” said Todd Kaplan, CMO of Pepsi, in a statement. “We couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome Bad Bunny to the Pepsi family with his very own spot, bringing in all the summer vibes with his newest track ‘Where She Goes.’ This song is already the soundtrack of the summer, so it is a perfect way to kick off our Press Play on Summer program that gives fans up to three free months of Apple Music with every 20oz ice-cold Pepsi.”
Bad Bunny’s Jersey Club-inspired track debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200, becoming his third leader on the chart, after “Un x100to,” with Grupo Frontera, two weeks earlier in May, and “Dakiti,” with Jhay Cortez (now Jhayco), for three weeks in November-December 2020. He also becomes the first soloist with three Global 200 No. 1s; overall, he’s second only to BTS, with six. Justin Bieber, BLACKPINK, Drake, Olivia Rodrigo, and Taylor Swift each boast two.
Watch the new Pepsi commercial in the video above.