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Jenni Rivera‘s posthumous album Misión Cumplida is here, and producer Pavel Ocampo breaks down some of its most prominent songs.
Released on Friday (June 30) under Sony Music Latin, Misión Cumplida includes 16 tracks with the distinctive sound of La Gran Señora of regional Mexican music. Songs such as “Q.T.M.L. (El Corrido de la Diva)” show the temperament that made her unique, while “El Que Hoy Está En Tu Lugar” shows off her unrivaled boldness and “Pedacito De Mí”, dedicated to her children, reveals her tenderness. There are also new versions of “Engañémoslo” and “Aparentemente Bien.”
Ocampo, lead producer of Banda MS, was chosen to bring to fruition the recordings that Rivera left incomplete, and to give the right sound to others, with the help of Sergio Lizárraga and the children of the late Diva de la Banda.
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“We worked together with Sony Music, Jenicka, Johnny, Jacqie and Chiquis. This led to very good results,” Ocampo tells Billboard Español, explaining that they had to “clean up” noises of people talking and other sounds to rescue the iconic singer’s voice. “The challenge was to keep Jenni sounding like Jenni.”
Misión Cumplida arrives on time to celebrate Rivera’s birthday — she who would have turned 54 this Saturday (July 1). The chart-topping singer of No. 1 Billboard hits such as “De Contrabando” and “Dos Botellas de Mezcal” died in a plane crash on December 9, 2012 at the age of 43.
Below, Ocampo breaks down five essential songs from Jenni Rivera’s Misión Cumplida.
“Misión Cumplida”
“‘Misión Cumplida’ (Mission Accomplished) is my favorite because of what it represents and the way they discovered it. It was a 30-minute audio that showed the creative process. It wasn’t a studio recording, it was about how she was creating it. The feeling of hearing Jenni singing after 10 years was amazing. The title also says a lot of things. For this one, [her son Johnny] suggested we include a piano part and that gave it a special touch.”
“Q.T.M.L. (El Corrido de la Diva)”
“‘Quisieran Tener Mi Lugar’ (They Would Like to Have my Place) is a song that represents her, her style, her way of thinking and her way of being: a woman of strong convictions. In this song we respected her way of composing and musicalizing. It is very much her, starting with the title.”
“Pedacito De Mí”
“Pedacito De Mí’ (Little Piece of Me) was also written by Jenni and is one of the audios that were in storage and were not designed to be part of an album. In fact, the song was not finished. It is a very special song because it is the connection between Jenni and her children, it is pure love. On the musical side, we wanted to respect the idea she had; in those audios they sent us, we could appreciate the creative process and her ideas and that is what we worked on.”
“Aparentemente Bien”
“In the case of ‘Aparentemente Bien’ (Apparently OK), it’s a song that the Rivera family had already released [in 2019] and they asked us to do a new version. I think this one has more of Jenni’s essence. The previous one sounds very good, but I think this one was particularly challenging because there was something [before]. We wanted the song to sound more like Jenni and achieving that was very satisfying.”
“Engañémoslo”
“I really like ‘Engañémoslo’ (Let’s Fool Him) for the melody, for what it says, for the way she sings it. This one does have vocals designed for recording because in reality, it had already been recorded. The challenge was similar to that of ‘Aparentemente Bien’: to make a new concept of something that had already been released. Sergio and I were given the opportunity to be part of this production and we did it with great pleasure, and hopefully it won’t be the only time we work with them. We feel very fortunate that they have taken us into account to create the album of an icon of Mexican and Latin music.”
Listen to all the songs from Misión Cumplida here:
Colombian urban artist Ryan Castro has sued King Records, the indie label belonging to fellow Colombian artist Kevin Roldán for breach of contract of his management and label agreements in two separate complaints. The lawsuits — filed in Medellín, Colombia, in April and May, respectively — both name King Records, which is Roldán’s label.
A third suit, arguing breach of contract in terms of publishing agreements, is expected to be filed in the coming weeks, according to Castro’s attorney and manager, Leo Arango.
The lawsuits come as Castro is hitting new career highs. On July 7, he’s slated to release a new single, “Chimba de reggaetón” with Mexican star Peso Pluma (to be distributed by Sony Latin), while earlier this year he released both the “Corazón Roto” remix with Brray and Jhayco and “Ojitos Rojos” with Blessd. Additionally, he was named a Billboard “Latin Artist on the Rise” in June 2022.
The complaints mark the latest developments in the short relationship between Castro and Roldán, which started off on a positive note back in July 2020, when Castro signed management, recording and publishing contracts with Roldán’s company, King Records.
However, by 2021, the suit claims that Castro was requesting, and not receiving, financial statements from the label. In November 2021, in an effort to mend things between the two artists, says the suit, the two signed a separate agreement to create a new company, Awoo King Records. Under that agreement, the lawsuit alleges, Castro would have a 50% interest in the company and a majority share in revenue. However, Roldán would still control the finances of the company for the first year.
Castro’s career flourished thanks to hit singles like “Mujeriego,” which was distributed by Sony Music Latin. However, the suit alleges that Awoo King Records was still not providing proper accounting to Castro, who says he was still owed monies from King Records. The complaint further alleges that in August 2022, Castro’s attorneys realized that funds from Awoo King Records had been taken out of the company without Castro’s knowledge or authorization, draining some of the money needed to support his career.
After Roldán allegedly refused to give Castro the reins of the company, Castro sued. In his complaint, he claims he is owed money from digital distribution agreements and royalties and that the alleged financial improprieties have hurt his career.
A tribunal in Medellín is expected to hear the first of the two filed complaints in the coming weeks.
Arango says the legal issues aren’t impeding Castro’s ability to work or record, however. Aside from preparing the release of his single with Peso Pluma, he says Castro is also working on an album, likely due at the end of the year.
Roldán’s attorney, Pold Alexander, declined to comment for the story.
Natanael Cano is living one of the best moments in his career. Earlier this year, he made his acting debut on HBO Max’s series VGLY, he’s been on tour in Mexico selling out multiple shows, and now, he’s dropped his new, corridos-powered album Nata Montana.
“I’ve loved all the moments I’ve been through, but right now, I’m really enjoying everything I do,” the 22-year-old Mexican singer-songwriter tells Billboard. “I’m enjoying every second I spend in the studio, every song that is born from the passion of making music. I especially love this album,” he adds. “It’s a reflection of how well I feel on a personal and professional level. I’ve put so much effort into all these songs.”
Featuring collaborations with fellow Mexican music hitmakers Peso Pluma (“Pancakes”) and Junior H (“Eres”), the 15-track set is a testament to his craftsmanship, intricate requinto solos and his knack for storytelling is as clear as ever in Nata Montana. The pioneer of corridos tumbados, Cano delivers hard-hitting, hip-hop infused tracks about the every-day hustle out on the streets and the challenges that come with fame — all while flaunting a lavish lifestyle.
“Corridos are a lifestyle. I love them because you really have to get into that mindset,” explains Cano, who broke out in 2019 following his unprecedented collaboration with Bad Bunny on “Soy El Diablo” remix. “Corridos are my life, it’s the style that keeps pushing me forward. When I first heard a corrido when I was a kid, it was love at first sight. Even as a kid I really enjoyed them. My cousins and I would listen to them and back then, you were considered ‘different’ for listening to corridos. And that’s what we liked, being different.”
Cano’s corridos tumbados album comes at a time when regional Mexican music has only grown in popularity on a global level. The rise is being led by artists such as Cano, Peso, Eslabon Armado and Junior H, who have evolved the legacy genre, modernizing its lyrics for a Gen Z audience. Regional Mexican music consumption in the United States jumped 42.1% year to date through May 25, according to Luminate. This week, 13 of the 17 Spanish-language tracks on the Billboard Hot 100 (dated July 1) are regional Mexican tracks, including Cano’s “PRC” with Peso.
“It’s really cool to see what’s happening with our music,” the Sonora-born artist says proudly. “People are recognizing good music, and are now understanding that feeling that only corridos can transmit. It also helps that we have great regional Mexican exponents right now. I’m one of them, and I feel part of the growth. If one of us grows, we all grow.”
Can also acknowledges the strength that comes from collaborations, which in return been key to growing the genre in Mexico, the United States and beyond. “These guys are all my compas (friends),” he says. “We really do love each other. We’re very united despite what everyone else thinks or says. They want to separate us, and sometimes we believe what we hear, but we can’t let that get to our head. We’re showing everyone what happens when we unite. Let’s continue to make good music, and money.”
Nata Montana follows Cano’s 2022 NataKong, which peaked at No. 12 on the Top Latin Albums chart. On the Regional Mexican Albums chart, he’s placed a total of four top 10 albums, two of which hit No. 1: Corridos Tumbados (2019) and A Mis 20 (2020).
Stream Cano’s new album below:
Shakira and Manuel Turizo have joined forces for the first time for “Copa Vacía” (empty glass), an infectious pop-reggaeton song that will have you perreando on the dance floor while reflecting on unrequited love with its heartfelt lyrics.
In “Copa Vacía,” the two Colombian artists have a back-and-forth discussion about not giving enough love and affection to the other person.
“You’re always busy with so many businesses/ […] Drop your phone, use your hands with me/I know you’re hot but I’m hotter,” Shak sings in her verse. “As if you don’t feel anything/ Now you see me differently/ I’m swimming against the current/ I’m looking in the streets who can fill this emptiness I feel,” Turizo chants back.
In the chorus, they unite to sing: “I’ve been thirsty for you for a while, I don’t know why/I’m left wanting more, wanting to drink from an empty cup.”
Just 10 days ahead of the release (on June 19), Shak and Turizo assured fans, “We made a movie,” sharing a poster of Shakira taking the role of a mermaid and Turizo as the prince. Evidently, they did.
The music video, co-directed by Shakira and Jaume de Laiguana, features Shak as a pink-haired mermaid who’s abandoned and forgotten on the rocks as Turizo comes to the rescue.
“Copa Vacía” follows Shakira’s sweet song “Acróstico,” which is a love letter to her children. The “Acróstico” music video, which dropped in May, features her two sons — Milan and Sasha — who sing and play the piano alongside her.
In May, Shakira was also honored at the inaugural Billboard Latin Women in Music gala as Woman of the Year, during which she gave an emotional speech in which she acknowledged the hard times she’s been through, and thanked her mother, her friends, and women in general.
Watch the music video for “Copa Vacía” below:
Ozuna has signed with Scooter Braun‘s SB Projects, Billboard has learned. The management deal is a partnership with Edgar Andino, founder and CEO of Andino Marketing Group. The Puerto Rican star joins a SB Projects roster that includes Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande and Demi Lovato, among others. The company also previously managed Colombian powerhouse J Balvin, who parted ways with SB in June 2022 and is now signed to Roc Nation.
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“We’ve been following Ozuna’s career for years and we’re excited to be bringing him into the family to work with him and Edgar,” Jennifer McDaniels, president of management at SB Projects, said in a statement. “Ozuna’s music is unmatched. His ability to work across genres including reggaeton, Latin pop, and more, is phenomenal. With unique songs offering fresh perspective and beautiful sounds, we’re thrilled to amplify his artistry with this partnership.”
“Working with Ozuna over these past years, one thing is for certain, we always go big,” added Andino. “For us, Scooter and SB Projects align with our vision. They are the perfect partners to help in our continued approach and take Ozuna to the next level of his career. We cannot be more thrilled and cannot wait for everyone to see what we have coming next.”
A key figure in Ozuna’s team, Andino has helped the singer-songwriter land global deals that range from NFT collaborations to releasing a song for the Call of Duty video game. Most recently, he led negotiations for Ozuna’s inclusion in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Official Soundtrack, performing “Arhbo” with rapper GIMS. The uplifting song, which they performed at the World Cup’s closing ceremony, peaked at No. 1 Billboard‘s Latin Airplay chart.
In May, he released Afro, a seven-track EP where he experiments with Afrobeats. It followed his 2022 studio album, Ozutochi, which landed at No. 5 on the Top Latin Albums chart. Ozuna is set to embark on his Afro Tour across Europe this summer, which has 16 confirmed dates, including stops in France, Spain, Italy, Israel and Holland. The monthlong trek kicks off July 7 in France and wraps Aug. 6 in Spain.
Gerardo Coronel picks-up his first No. 1 on a Billboard chart as “Que Onda Perdida,” with Grupo Firme, rises from No. 2 to lead the Regional Mexican Airplay chart (dated July 1). “Que Onda Perdida” lands at the summit with 9 million in audience impressions — a 14% gain from the week prior — earned […]
Peso Pluma is making the rounds with his new album Génesis, home to 14 tracks that include collaborations with Natanael Cano and Luis R. Conriquez, to name a few, and the previously released bangers “Rosa Pastel” with Jasiel Nuñez, the Eladio Carrión-assisted “77,” and “Bye.”
From the set, one of the most popular tracks among fans is “Lady Gaga,” his collaboration with Junior H and newcomer Gabito Ballesteros. The song tells the story of a luxurious lifestyle with lots of money, beautiful women and private yachts, but that’s kept under the radar.
With less than one day of activity, following its off-cycle release late on Thursday, June 22 (the final day of the chart’s tracking week), Génesis scored Peso his first top 10 entry on the Regional Mexican Albums chart.
Below, check out the translated lyrics and the Spanish lyrics to “Lady Gaga”:
Don Perignon Lady Gaga, Glasses on the faceDrugged and washed Tripled washed, and a bandit who calls me, she wants my moneyAnd it’s not bad because she seduces me like an animalNo one uploads anything to Instagram, they just enjoy, they just enjoy
A bunch of flashy influencers, the ones we sail and flyOn private islands on a yacht, we flip the dollar bills, and without YolandaI’m going to party, little pink powder, little wax featherThat waist is worth 30k, you can’t pay it, you can’t afford itLiving in the San Andreas, but for realCars and moneyThose stars got my code, they challenged meDrugs and cocaine, I like the Lambo but I use the MercedesShe is very beautiful and she lets herself be loved, she likes hundreds and wants my Cartier
Eleven, lucky number seven Well alert and we’re going strongBuzzing in the RZR, masks, dust, and vibeMy teeth shineI’m not preppyBut in Egypt, I smoke shishasFor fresh seafood, JapanTira jodido, lira jodidónMakabelico playing, the blonds dancing with a delinquent beatA bunch of hooded bellicose chicksNothing happens, no one stops themWho are they? I ask myself the same questionEach salute carries big moneyAll in Louis Vuitton with a heck of a flow
Don Perignon Lady Gaga, Glasses on the faceDrugged and washed Tripled washed, and a bandit who calls me, she wants my moneyAnd it’s not bad because she seduces me like an animalNo one uploads anything to Instagram, they just enjoy, they just enjoy
Original Spanish lyrics to “Lady Gaga”:
Dom Pérignon, Lady Gaga, lentes en la cara, tussi y lavadaTriple lavada, y una bandida que me llama, quieren mi lanaY no está mal, porque me seduce como animalNinguna sube nada al InstagramSolo disfrutan, solo disfrutan
Pura influencer bien placosa, las que navegamos y las volamosIslas privadas en yate, tronamos las pacas y sin YolandaMe vo’a enfiestar, polvito rosa, plumita de waxEsa cintura vale 30k, no puedes pagar, no te va a alcanzar
Viviendo en el San Andrés, pero de a deberas, carros y feriaTres estrellas me atoraron la clave en caliente, desafanaronTussi y cocaineMe gusta el Lambo, pero es el MercedEsa es muy bella y se deja quererLe gustaría si alguien quiere mi Cartier
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, ahAh-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah, ah
Y así nomás, compa Peso, compa JuniorCompa Gabito, Doble P, uh, cha-chauPura Doble P, viejilloQue siga la mata dando, compa JuniorCompa Gabito
Once, número de suerteSiete bien pendientes y andamos fuertesZumbando en el Razer, máscaras, polvo y ambienteBrillan mis dientesNo soy fresón, pero en Egipto shishas fumo yoPara mariscos frescos en JapónMira jodido, ‘ira, jodidón
Makabelico sonando, las güeras bailando con beat malandroPura encapuchada bélica, no pasa nada, nadie las paga¿Que quiénes son? Eso mismito me pregunto yoCada saludo lleva un billetónPura Louis Vuitton, trae un flow cabrón
Dom Pérignon, Lady Gaga, lentes en la cara, tussi y lavadaTriple lavada, y una bandida que me llama, quiere mi lanaY no está mal, porque me seduce como animalNinguna sube nada al InstagramSolo disfrutan, solo disfrutan
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, ahAh-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah, ah
Lyrics licensed & provided by LyricFind
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: Antonio Herrera Perez, Hassan Emilio Kabande Laija, Gabriel Ballesteros
Ovy on the Drums and Blessd exclusively premiere their new collaboration, “Billboard,” on Billboard today (June 28)—nine months after they first created it at the 2022 Billboard Latin Music Week.
The three-minute and 54-second song is backed by Ovy’s innovative reggaeton beats (where violins and hard-hitting drums meet) and Blessd’s sultry, raspy vocals. “Billboard,” named after the place it was born — during our “Making the Hit, Live!” panel at last year’s LMW conference — tells the story of a man who can’t forget about the girl he likes and how everything is so insignificant without her.
Though the lyrics are about an infatuated love, the Colombian urban singer born Stiven Mesa Londoño does reference Billboard, chanting toward the end of the track: “Se me fue la musa pa’l Billboard,” which loosely translates to “my inspiration went to Billboard.”
The simple-yet-aesthetic music video also pays homage to music’s leading magazine, showing the two Medellin-born artists performing the song in the recording studio as they take breaks to read the 2021 “Greatest Hit” issue with The Weeknd on the cover.
Watch the exclusive video premiere below:
Making The Hit, Live!
“Billboard” was created in only 30 minutes during the “Making the Hit, Live!” panel held on Sept. 28, 2022, at Billboard Latin Music Week.
With a laptop, microphone and headphones in hand, both Ovy on the Drums (real name: Daniel Echavarria Oviedo) and Blessd got to work while a sold-out venue observed how they create music in real-time. “It’s the first time I produce a song this way, so much pressure,” said Ovy after taking the stage at the Faena Forum in Miami Beach.
Blessd, on the other hand, felt comfortable as he improvised the lyrics about heartbreak. “I come battling on the streets so my thing is to improvise. I never sit down to write lyrics. Improvising allows me to feel the music,” he said.
Almost nine months after creating the track, Ovy and Blessd released the song — which was mainly finished after reading all the positive feedback on the panel and fans encouraging them to unleash the track. A couple of weeks leading up to the release on June 28, both artists shared snippets of the “Making the Hit, Live!” panel, and shared a preview of the head-bopping reggaeton tune.
“Billboard” is the pair’s fifth collaborative effort, following “Mi Niña,” “Te Extraño,” “Tendencia Global” and “Medallo,” which hit No. 1 on Billboard‘s Latin Airplay chart in 2022.
“Our chemistry is great,” Ovy said during the panel. “We have a lot of things in common, which was really important when it came to creating music together.”
Revisit the discussion below:
The video for Maluma‘s 2020 smash hit, “Hawái,” has just hit a new milestone on YouTube.
The visualizer has surpassed the one billion views, according to the video streaming platform. It’s his 10th video as a lead, featured artist or collaborator to achieve this feat after videos such as “Chantaje” with Shakira, the Ricky Martin-assisted “Vente Pa’ Ca,” and “Felices los 4.” Currently, the Colombian star comes in at #59 on Global Top Artists.
“I thank God and the universe every single day for giving me a song that has taken me around the world,” Maluma tells Billboard. “It’s allowed me to achieve new dreams. Now, with more than one billion views, we’re thinking what comes next and what can take my career to the next level. This is just the beginning.”
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The drama-filled music video finds the chart-topping singer-songwriter heartbroken and plotting his next move to get his girl back — even if that means crashing her wedding. Produced by Rude Boyz, the melodious pop song was penned by Maluma, Keityn, Edgar Barrera and Bulle Nene with lyrics set in present day that tell the story of a toxic relationship and the aftermath of a breakup in the Instagram era. “Stop lying to yourself, the photo you put up with him saying he was your everything, I know you only posted it to make me jealous,” Maluma sings.
After releasing “Hawái” in August 2020, Maluma recorded the blockbuster bilingual remix with Canadian star The Weeknd two months later, which spent nine weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart. It also scored him his highest ranking Billboard Hot 100 hit, where it peaked at No. 12.
“I was in Miami catching up with my close friend Yovanna Ventura [the model in the music video] and she played me the song and I absolutely loved it,” The Weekend previously told Billboard. “I was inspired so I reached out and it was an easy answer from me when I was asked to get on the track. “Big shout out to Maluma for allowing me to try out my Spanish on the song!” he added.
Revisit the video for “Hawái” above.
After an unquestionably fruitful performance across Billboard’s charts, Peso Pluma scores his first top 10 on an album chart as Génesis, his third studio set, debuts at No. 10 on the Regional Mexican Albums ranking (dated July 1). The debut comes after less than one day of activity, following its off-cycle release late on Thursday, June 22 — the final day of the chart’s tracking week.
The set is bound to move up the tally on the July 8-dated list, once it has its first full chart tracking week captured. (Albums are typically released on a Friday.)
Génesis was released via Double P, and according to Luminate, the set starts with a little over 3,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. in the week ending June 22. Streaming accounts for the majority of the 14-track album’s first-week results, which equates to 4.3 million official on-demand streams of the album’s songs.
Génesis follows Sembrando (EP), Pluma’s first appearance on an albums chart, which took him to No. 13 on Regional Mexican Albums (May 13-dated tally) and No. 48 on Top Latin Albums (May 6). Génesis concurrently debuts at No. 35 on Top Latin Albums, a ranking that will likely change next week after the album’s first official tracking week.
Pluma’s first top 10 album arrives following a strong performance across the Billboard charts, placing 20 songs throughout in just over a year, an impressive achievement for a regional Mexican artist.
Further, the 24-year-old changed the regional Mexican music conversation as he took over Hot Latin Songs with 16 simultaneous songs on the May 20-dated list, the most ever for a regional Mexican artist in the chart’s 37-year-old history. Plus, he logged a historic top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 thanks to Eslabon Armado’s “Ella Baila Sola,” as the collab became the first regional Mexican top 10 in the chart’s 64-year history.
“Ella” has also paid additional dividends for both Eslabon and Pluma, becoming the first regional Mexican tune to hit No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200 chart (April 29). The song has since, remained atop the tally for six weeks, and counting.
Génesis was preceded by three songs on the multi-metric Hot Latin Songs list: “Rosa Pastel,” with Jasiel Nuñez, peaked at No. 24 (May 6), “77,” with Eladio Carrión, reached No. 34 (May 20), while “Bye” holds at its No. 7 high for a third week.
Peso Pluma’s first top 10 album foray on the Billboard charts comes on the heels of his first U.S. tour, Double P Summer tour, which kicked-off July 20 in Inglewood, Calif., and will wrap on Oct. 20 in Anaheim, Calif.