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Adele caught Shakira‘s live collab with Bizarrap on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and had some thoughts about it — which she shared with her own audience in Vegas this weekend.
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Shakira brought her latest global hit, her Bizarrap-produced, post-breakup diss track “Music Sessions Vol. 53,” to Fallon’s late-night show Friday night (March 10). The Colombian star delivered a fired-up live take of the personal track, closely surrounded by fans.
On Saturday night, Adele interacted with her own fans at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, one of whom happened to name Shakira as one of her favorite artists when Adele asked.
“Oh, I saw her performance last night on Jimmy Fallon … Oh, her ex-husband’s in trouble!” Adele said with a cackle. (Slight correction: Shakira and her ex partner Gerard Piqué were together for 11 years and have two children together, but they were not married.)
In her interview with Fallon on Friday, Shakira said that she knew the song — which throws jabs at Piqué and his new love interest, and has broken 14 Guinness World Records — would be a hit.
“I started to feel it in my body, you know,” Shak said. “I usually have this visceral sort of physical reaction to music.”
Hear Adele chatting about Shakira, and watch the performance of “Music Sessions Vol. 53,” below.
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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LALI makes history
Argentine singer-songwriter LALI made history on March 4 with a sold-out concert at the Velez Sarsfield Stadium in Buenos Aires in front of more than 45,000 people. She becomes the first singer to sell out a show at that soccer stadium. The show was part of her Disciplina Tour. “It’s impossible to express what I feel after this sold-out show,” she wrote on social media. “Thanks to all who vibed with me. I am so proud of my dream team that is always by my side and made this happen. I’m also proud of myself for working hard to give you the best of me. A dream, that was once just a dream, came true.”
Motomamis Unite
Women took the streets across the globe on March 8 to rally for reproductive rights, a key topic in the U.S. after the Roe v. Wade U.S. abortion ruling was overturned last year and, in Latin America, where women also demanded accountability and more action for the unsolved killings of women and girls. Armed with protest signs, Rosalía’s empowering Motomami concept was a clear inspiration for those who had something to say. The Spanish star shared a handful of signs that read “Una Motomami Cuida a Otra Motomami (One Motomami Takes Care of Another Motomami),” “Yo Soy Muy Mía Yo Me Transformo. (I Am My Own. I Transform)” and “Ya No Soy Ni Voy a Ser Tu Bizcochito (I Am Not Nor Will I Be Your Bizcochito).”
All about girl power
In honor of International Women’s Day, Billboard compiled 21 powerful collabs between Latin women artists. The list includes unapologetic bangers, such as iLe and Ivy Queen’s latest track “Algo Bonito” and Ptazeta and Villano Antillano’s “Mujerón,” as well as ultimate breakup songs, such as Becky G and Karol G’s “MAMIII,” and of course Karol’s Shakira-assisted “TQG.” There’s also a couple of joints that are all about reflection and finding your self-worth after a toxic relationship, such as Kany García and Mon Laferte’s “Se Portaba Mal” and India and Goyo’s “Nubes Negras.”
Check out the full list here.
Karol G is No. 1
Karol G scored her first No. 1 on Billboard’s Latin Songwriters chart (dated March 11), becoming just the second woman to rule the ranking. The only other woman to have hit No. 1 on Latin Songwriters is regional Mexican up-and-comer Yahritza Martinez, who tallied four weeks on top in April 2022 thanks to Yahritza y Su Esencia’s breakthrough single, “Soy El Unico.”
The Colombian star leads for the first time thanks to a whopping 16 songwriting credits on the latest Hot Latin Songs chart, all via songs on her new LP Mañana Será Bonito.
Anitta to make international actoral debut
The Brazilian superstar and Élite Netflix revealed on social media that she will be joining the Élite cast in its upcoming seventh season. “A girl from Rio you may already know… is about to make an entrance at Las Encinas. @Anitta is joining the #Élite7 cast,” read the post, referring to the Spanish series’ fictional elite high school.
The caption is accompanied by photos of the artist in her new role showing a pensive yet potent look in her eyes and wearing a cropped grey sweater, red bra, and braids.
Shakira and Bizarrap‘s “Music Sessions Vol. 53” is the gift that keeps on giving.
The Colombian star has officially broken 14 Guinness World Records (GWR) thanks to her Bizarrap-produced “Music Sessions Vol. 53,” which was released in January marking the first collaboration between the two hitmakers.
The dis track now makes them title holders for the most streamed Latin track on Spotify in 24 hours (14,393,324), most viewed Latin track on YouTube in 24 hours (63,000,000), fastest Latin track to reach 100 million views on YouTube (in two days and approximately 22 hours), among other titles, according to a press release. To date, Shakira is a 17-time Guinness World Records title holder.
Shakira and Bizarrap joined forces for “Vol. 53,” in which Shak slams her ex, Spanish soccer star Gerard Piqué, with slick bars about how a top-notch loba shouldn’t settle for any tipos like him, against an electrifying electo-pop backdrop. The track peaked at No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 and it landed at No. 2 on both the Billboard Global 200 and the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. It ruled the Hot Latin Songs chart, scoring Shakira her 12th leader on the tally.
Now, Shakira — whose Grammy Museum exhibit opened to the public March 4 — is making the rounds with “TQG,” her highly-anticipated collaboration with Karol G. The song, part of Karol’s history-making Mañana Será Bonito album — currently sits at No. 1 on the Hot Latin Songs chart (dated March 11).
Below, all other titles Shakira broke with “Music Sessions Vol. 53”:
-First female vocalist to debut in the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 with a Spanish-language track
-Most No. 1s on Billboard’s Latin Airplay chart by a female artist
-First female artist to replace herself at No.1 on Billboard’s Latin Airplay chart
-Most cumulative weeks at No.1 on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart by a female artist
-Most Top 10 hits on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart by a female artist
-Most Top 10 hits on Billboard’s Latin Airplay chart by a female artist
-Most No. 1s on Billboard’s Latin Pop Airplay chart by a female artist
-Most Top 10 hits on Billboard’s Latin Pop Airplay chart by a female artist
-Most No.1s on Billboard’s Latin Digital Song Sales chart
-Most Billboard charts topped by a Spanish-language track by a female artist
This week, our New Music Latin roundup — a compilation of the best new Latin songs, albums and videos recommended by the Billboard Latin and Billboard Español editors each week — is powered by new music from Nicki Nicole, Laura Pausini and Adriana Rios, to name a few.
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The list highlights six new singles by a female artist or featuring a female artist in honor of Women’s History Month including Nicole’s “NO voy a llorar :’),” a deeply personal and uncanny track about heartbreak and disappointment; Pausini’s “Un buen inicio,” an empowering pop ballad that’s a testament to the Italian artist’s resilience, as she talks about leaving behind the memories of the past that used to leave her scars and focusing on the future; and Mexican newcomer Rios “¿Dónde Están?” where she poured her heart out in a corrido-ranchera fusion that she penned in remembrance of the victims of femicide in Mexico and around the world.
Also featured is “Tú y Tú,” Los Angeles Azules latest track in collaboration with Argentina artist Cazzu and Mexican rapper Santa Fe Klan—the former delivers a truly mesmerizing take, where she melodiously demonstrates her capabilities to extend beyond the música urbana format with grace and galore.
In an extended playlist, Billboard included other new Latin noteworthy releases including Becky G’s “Arranca” with Dominican artist Omega, Dalex’s return to music with “Bora Bora,” and Mariah Angeliq’s “Ricota,” to name a few. What’s your favorite new Latin music release this week? Vote below!
Listen to the complete playlist here
Side projects are an exciting component in music, because they offer fans the chance to immerse themselves in disparate sounds from their favorite acts that can be just as captivating as (or fascinatingly contrasting with) their primary outfits. The results may be unpredictable, but they let certain members of a group dive into sounds that might’ve not fit in their original band. Or they may be an extension of the riveting experimentation that already took place in their initial project, but with more emphasis on other instruments or styles.
Enter the electo pop-rock enigma of Astronomía Interior (AI): an electrifying mix of digital configurations that seem to radiate somewhere in outer space. It’s the latest side project of two Zoé bandmates — but this time, Jesús Báez and Ángel Mosqueda joined forces to release songs that “at times seemed to come from another world or a distant future,” as they describe. The duo released their eponymous debut album in January through Universal Music Mexico, and will perform at Vive Latino on March 18.
This is not the first time that members of Zoé have explored on their own. Frontman León Larregui continues to navigate his solo side with great success since Solstis (2012) and Voluma (2016). On Friday (March 10) the singer-songwriter releases his second set of two singles: “Chromocismic Ave,” a multilingual track with psychedelic touches, and “Holidays,” a gentle coo with guitar arpeggios, both from his upcoming album Prismarama due out later this year. (The band’s former drummer, Siddhartha, has also enjoyed a fruitful career on his own.)
Other prominent bands such as Maná have seen their members Sergio Vallín and Alex González launch side projects, and Gustavo Santaolalla, one of Latin America’s most important Latin rock producers, created a fascinating electronic tango project with Bajofondo, while also composing for film and more recently for the world of video games.
Side projects are defined by their inclusion of one or more artists who are primarily known for their participation in another group, such as Jay de la Cueva or De La Tierra, for example. They can also be an artist or band that temporarily and/or radically changes style – like HopPo! or Terri Gender Bender. Sometimes, those initiatives become bigger than what the artist anticipated, as in the case of Kumbia Queers, a rowdy troupe of punks who came from separate independent music projects.
Without further ado, here are 10 outstanding Latin music side projects of the last decade (in alphabetical order).
Astronomía Interior
Members: Jesús Báez and Ángel Mosqueda of Zoé
Astronomía Interior (AI) is the latest musical project of Zoé keyboardist Jesús Báez and bassist Ángel Mosqueda. As an extension of their musical versatility beyond the Mexican troupe, the duo shoots for the stars to “gradually build a constellation full of musical magic” that will form a “musical galaxy based on emotion and visuals,” as they describe in a press release.
In January, AI released its debut album Astronomía Interior, which contains hypnotic pieces of electro-pop brilliance such as “California”, “Un Día Especial” and “Estrella Fugaz.” The duo will be touring the U.S. this year and are confirmed for Vive Latino (March 18) and Pa’l Norte (March 31) festivals in Mexico.
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At The Drive-In
Image Credit: Andrew Benge/Redferns
Members: Omar Rodriguez-Lopez and Cedric Bixler-Zavala of The Mars Volta; Paul Hinojos, Tony Hajjar, and Keeley Davis (their most recent line-up).
It’s arguable that At The Drive-In should’t be considered the side project of The Mars Volta members Omar Rodríguez-López and Cedric Bixler-Zavala, since At The Drive-In happened first, and also both musicians have a variety of side projects. But given the greater commercial success they had with TMV (a group with whom they have released seven studio albums versus four), we will assert, for the purpose of this list, that the post-hardcore group eventually became their side project.
Formed in the 1990s, At The Drive-In is one of Cedric and Omar’s most recognizable projects. In 2000, they released one of their most acclaimed albums, Relationship of Command, a year before forming TMV. Since then, the original group went on hiatus, until reuniting in 2016 for one more brief period.
Both Omar and Cedric have been incredibly active in diverse spaces, where they have exercised their creative muscles in unpredictable ways. Other side projects of theirs include bands such as De Facto, Omar Rodriguez Lopez Group, Bosnian Rainbows and Antemasque.
Dante Spinetta
Known for: Illya Kuryaki and the Valderramas
Whether solo or with a group, Dante Spinetta is a star in his own right. The rapper/singer formed the pioneering Kuryaki and the Valderramas in the ‘90s in Buenos Aires when he was 14 years old, alongside Emmanuel Horvilleur, to tremendous international success.
At the turn of the decade, Dante released solo material that saw him delving deeper, with the riveting mix of hip-hop, funk and R&B heard in albums like Elevado (2002) and El Apagón (2007). With 2010’s Pyramide, the Argentine artist moved old-school rap and música urbana to the forefront.
Last year, the eccentric artist dropped his fifth solo album, Mesa Dulce, where fans could hear him embracing his funky and soulful side, while also welcoming rising stars like Trueno and CA7RIEL into the mix for a few features.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Co3M8uXshJq
De La Tierra
Image Credit: Martin DarkSoul
Members: Andreas Kisser of Sepultura, Alex González of Maná, Andrés Giménez of A.N.I.M.A.L., Harold Hopkins Miranda of Yupa, and previously Flavio Cianciarulo of Los Fabulosos Cadillacs
One decade ago, four musicians of internationally successful bands united to usher in Latin metal’s reawakening. It started with Mexican drummer Alex González’s yearning to explore a more hardcore sound outside of Maná’s pop-driven rock ballads. Enlisting A.N.I.M.A.L. frontman Andrés Giménez, bassist Flavio Cianciarulo of Los Fabulosos Cadillacs from Argentina and guitarist Andreas Kisser of Sepultura from Brazil, De La Tierra was born.
The all-star troupe released their eponymous full-length debut in 2015 and second album II the following year, which straddles death metal and slashing hard rock. Adding Puerto Rican bassist Harold to the lineup, after Flavio’s departure, the band released their last rock ballad, “Distintos,” which features Andreas’ crystalline acoustic guitar pluckings against Andrés’ fervent vocals.
Gustavo Santaolalla
Image Credit: César Guekian
Known for: Bajofondo, record producer, composer.
Gustavo Santaolalla’s range as a musician, composer and producer is impressive, and his diverse musical talents make it a bit difficult to see where the main project begins and the side project ends.
As a musician, the multi-instrumentalist co-founded the Uruguayan-Argentinian ensemble Bajofondo, with their gripping formula of tango and electronic music. Santaolalla had already helped establish the pioneering rock nacional band Arco Iris in the hippie era.
As a producer, Gustavo Santaolalla established himself as the man behind many of rock en español’s greatest records of all time. He helped pave the way for the genre’s cross-continental explosion, producing hits for megastars like Café Tacvba, Ely Guerra, Julieta Venegas, Maldita Vecindad, Los Prisioneros, Juanes and many more Latin rock icons.
As a composer, his film scores have been featured in some of the most important Latin American cinema — including award-winning 21st century films like Amores Perros, 21 Grams, Motorcycle Diaries and Babel. His works have also appeared in TV shows and video games.
HopPo!
Members: Rubén Albarrán of Café Tacvba, Juan Pablo “Muñeco” Villanueva, Carlos Icaza, Rodrigo “Chino” Aros, Giancarlo Baldevenito.
While on a break from Café Tacvba, the eccentric frontman Rubén Albarrán took advantage of his creative wanderlust to help form HopPo!, which means “Let’s Go” in the Dakota language. He teamed up with three Chilean musicians to create music that honored the Chilean song movement, including beautiful covers from Chile’s ‘60s protest leader and musician Violeta Parra.
Equipped with a charango, sitar, pan flutes, guitar and drums, the rock-leaning folk combo was a charming homage to the protest music of Latin America in its fight for social and political justice, causes that Albarrán has been very vocal about.
Their last song as HopPo! to date is the Jorge González cover, “El Futuro Se Fue.” González is best known as the frontman of the political pop-rock band Los Prisioneros. Other releases by the side project include the EPs Te Vas al Sur (2014) and La Maga y el Sadhu (2018).
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bo2k2WulZT6
Kumbia Queers
Members: Juana Chang, Pilar Arrese and Inés Laurencena of She-Devils; Flor Linyera; formerly, Ali Gua Gua of Las Ultrasónicas.
Starting off as a side project, Kumbia Queers made a big splash in the late ‘00s with their quirky tropical punk covers of the Cure, Black Sabbath, the Ramones, and Madonna, where they wrote original lyrics catered to their punk and queer lifestyle. With their knack for clever wordplay, signature fusion, and outrageous stage theatrics, the Argentine-Mexican queercore troupe capitalized on this niche and their “side” gig became a huge hit.
Their 2011 release La Gran Estafa del Tropipunk EP was an underground sensation, and songs like “Celosa” and “Daniela” have endured in the Latin alternative music catalog with humorous songwriting and danceable rhythms. They later followed that up with Pecados Tropicales (2012) and La Oscuridad Bailable (2019), in which they continued to embrace cumbia villera, with infectious synthesizers and an irreverent attitude.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CmcgCZ-OzK1
Mexrrissey
Image Credit: Shirlaine Forrest/WireImage
Members: Camilo Lara of M.I.S.; Ceci Bastida of Tijuana No!; Chetes of Zurdok; Sergio Mendoza of Calexico and Sergio Mendoza y la Orkesta; Jay de la Cueva of Moderatto, Fobia and Titán; Adan Jorodowsky of Adanowsky; Alex González of Twin Tones; and Alejandro Flores of Café Tacvba.
Comprised by Morrissey lovers, the Mexican supergroup reimagines songs by The Smiths’ frontman, as evidenced by their only album, No Manchester (2016). Founded by Camilo Lara and Sergio Mendoza, the cast of charro-clad rockers take turns performing songs by Moz. Complemented by a brass section and a vihuela, the album documents Britain’s fascination with bleak humor and Mexico’s knack for melodramas — just seek no further than the telenovela.
Passion, rebellion and melancholy take center stage as listeners watch the journey of a sad loner wandering through a republic full of agony, as heard in the song “Mexico.” With Jay de la Cueva’s angelic coo, Chetes’ swaggering sneer and Adanowsky’s warm vocals, “Estuvo Bien” is a great remake of “Suedehead.” Meanwhile, Ceci Bastida channels Moz’s cool in her surfy remake of “The Last of the Famous International Playboys,” refashioned as “International Playgirl.”
Sergio Vallín
Image Credit: Elishia Perosa
Known for: Maná
In Sergio Vallín’s first solo project, Microsinfonías (2021), Maná’s guitarist ventures into classical music, accompanied by the Prague Symphony Orchestra. For the seven-track, self-produced instrumental album, the Mexican artist composed the intro and outro, and reworked hits by Alejandro Sanz (“Cuando nadie me ve”), Marco Antonio Solís (“Dónde está mi primavera”), Maná (“Vivir sin aire”), and Juan Luis Guerra (“Bachata rosa”), demonstrating his versatility in conducting beautiful arrangements with piano and shimmering strings.
Teri Gender Bender
Known for: Le Butcherettes
Mexican-born singer-songwriter and guitarist Teri Gender Bender, better known as the frontwoman of Le Butcherettes, is stepping out of her usual zone to forge an identity of her own. Last year she released a series of lo-fi bilingual singles and EPs, including Saturn Sex and State of Fear. Her solo work is a sample of avant-garde pop in which the tapatía explores facets of her life with an idiosyncratic and experimental approach, without ever abandoning the distorted sound of her electric guitar.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cl_8H85uec1
Led by CEO Jimmy Humilde, indie label Rancho Humilde executives traveled to Washington, D.C., on March 1 to meet with U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.).
Joined by the label’s co-founding partners José Becerra and Roque Venegas, the meeting, requested by Humilde, focused on discussing key issues that affect the Latin community in the U.S., such as a path to citizenship for the millions of undocumented immigrants living in the country. The last time the U.S. immigration system was meaningfully reformed was in 1986, when then President Ronald Reagan signed the Immigration Reform and Control Act.
Additionally, Humilde expressed his “desire for U.S. consulates and embassies to create panel discussions and educational programs that enable the discovery of hidden talents that can be developed in the U.S. market,” according to a press release. The label executives also met at the White House with President Joe Biden’s senior advisory team to “assess possible ways for the Latin community to participate more in important voting processes at the national level.”
While the discussions in Washington have yet to lead to any sort of reform or the introduction of any new policies, Humilde and his L.A.-based team have been active on a local level. Most recently, Rancho Humilde and its artist Fuerza Regida made a joint donation of $20,000 to the organization Inclusive Action for the City, whose work is promoting the legalization of street vending.
“Street vending should be recognized in the city as an honest trade,” Humilde said in a statement. “It is not only a source of job creation, but it’s also a sector that boosts consumption in the city. I understand their hardships and concern, because at one point it was there where I found my living and that of my family.”
In February, Humilde hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Latin Producers chart (dated Feb. 4) for the first time, thanks to nine production credits on the Hot Latin Songs survey. Rancho Humilde, whose roster includes artists such asIvonne Galáz, Junior H and Fuerza Regida, finished at No. 4 on Billboard’s 2022 year-end Hot Latin Songs Labels recap.
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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Nicki Nicole, “NO voy a llorar :’)” (DALE PLAY Records)
For her first release of 2023, Nicki Nicole presents “NO voy a llorar :’),” a deeply personal and uncanny track about heartbreak and disappointment. The song starts slow, with the 22-year-old Argentine artist belting a heart-wrenching verse over melancholic organ riffs: “I will not cry when you go/ I will not suffer if you leave me/ I’ve convinced myself that your love/ Can’t be for me,” she sings — with a chipmunk-like effect. The track quickly turns into a mid-tempo, pop-urban tune where she performs — now in full-voice and with confidence — lyrics like “Go on with your life/ I won’t think of you.” The music video, directed by Lucas Vignale, shows Nicki Nicole vulnerable in a bathtub crying — or rather un-crying (her tears are shown in reverse, rolling up her cheeks to meet her eyes) — before submerging fully in the water, only to reemerge on the street, ready to face any challenge life throws at her. — SIGAL RATNER-ARIAS
Laura Pausini, “Un buen inicio” (Atlantic/Warner Music Italy)
Laura Pausini celebrates 30 years in the music industry with the release of her latest single, “Un buen inicio.” The empowering pop ballad is a testament to the Italian’s resilience, as she talks about leaving behind the memories of the past that used to leave her scars and focusing on the future. As Pausini shares on her social networks: “I do not want to settle in the past, I want to prove to myself and to those who judge me that life has taught me to fight for the things I believe in. And I think this is really a good start.” In the video, we see Pausini rise from the floor as a symbol of revival and determination to overcome any obstacle that comes her way. The chorus expresses: “Rage no longer overcomes me/ And my growth is as big as a forest/ Now I change what I fear for what I feel/ It won’t be much/ But it’s a good start.” — LUISA CALLE
Los Ángeles Azules feat. Santa Fe Klan & Cazzu, “Tú y Tú” (Universal Music Group)
Los Ángeles Azules’ astute pursuit of the most riveting acts of Latin music to collaborate with is nearly unmatched — just look no further than their last few album releases. Aside from taking their Iztapalapa cumbia to el mundo, the ensemble continues to modernize the traditional regional style by delivering refreshing versatility with nearly each drop.
Enter their first single of 2023, “Tú y Tú,” an accordion- and güiro-driven dance cut that features Guanajuato rapper Santa Fe Klan and Argentine trap star Cazzu. Together, the provocative tatted pair lend their vocals to express the healing power of love. While SFK has already showcased his ability to genre-hop between Mexican-rooted art forms, it’s impressive that Cazzu, who emerged from the booming Argentinian trap scene, seamlessly adapts to cumbia sonidera’s sonorous approach. Buoyed by her charming Argentine accent (“For you I turn night into day, just for you,” she sweetly croons), the Córdoba native delivers a truly mesmerizing take, where she melodiously demonstrates her capabilities to extend beyond the música urbana format with grace and galore. — ISABELA RAYGOZA
Cuco & The Marías, “Si Me Voy” (Interscope Records)
“Si Me Voy” instantly hooks you thanks to the ethereal and velvety vocals of María Zardoya (The Marías’ frontwoman), laid over a groovy, nostalgic electric guitar melody. It’s the perfect intro to Cuco and Zardoya’s new collaboration, a dreamy ballad about navigating the solitude and moments of vulnerability that come after a relationship has ended. “If I leave, I want your love to stay with me/ If I leave, I’ll you give you whatever you want because it’s my destiny/ I am, because of you I am,” the pair evocatively sings in harmony over a woozy indie-pop groove. — GRISELDA FLORES
Paula Arenas, “A Ciegas” (Do Re Millions)
With honest lyrics, Colombian singer-songwriter Paula Arenas displays a new ballad, “A Ciegas,” which translates to “blindly.” A deep, powerful track of self-love awareness, it’s also a reminder to put ourselves first and not let be in second place — with tambora chords, Venezuelan cuatro, and a profound lyrical delivery, all produced by Manuel Ramos. “This Chapter ‘BLINDLY’ is an invitation for you to find yourself again, remember who you are, and be loyal to yourself and your love. An invitation to honor your word and honor yourself because it can be started as many times as necessary, as long as you return to your essence, without masks,” Arenas adds in a press release. — INGRID FAJARDO
Adriana Rios, “¿Dónde Están?” (AfinArte Music)
For Women’s History Month, Mexican newcomer Adriana Rios poured her heart out in “¿Dónde Están?” (Where Are They?), a corrido-ranchera fusion that she penned in remembrance of the victims of femicide in Mexico and around the world. Accompanied by a simple yet powerful music video, where she’s belting her strong, crisp vocals in front of newspapers with different suspects on the cover, Rios chants: “Where are you? They’re looking for you in the streets/ Where are you? They’re looking for you in hospitals/ Where are you? They’re looking for you in schools, in bars, and they can’t find you.” On Instagram, the artist explained the reason behind her notable protest song: “Corridos of many things are written but this is a corrido of femicide. Many of you know why I wrote it […] May their names endure.” — JESSICA ROIZ
Below, stream Billboard’s New Music Latin playlist featuring other releases in Latin.
Polito Vega, the larger-than-life radio personality and longtime programming director of New York City’s WSKQ (Mega 97.9 FM) — the top-rated Spanish-language station in the country — who for decades reigned as the most powerful man in that corner of radio, has died, the station confirmed on Thursday. He was 84.
Vega spent more than 50 years on the air in NYC, earning the moniker “El Rey de la radio” (The King of Radio). He was known as much for his deep booming bass, which anchored numerous popular shows through the years, as for his trademark starched white outfits and baseball cap.
Vega was so well-known in the city that there was an oft-told joke that went like this: Two friends are standing on Fifth Avenue in New York as Polito Vega and the Pope stroll by, talking together. One of them asks, “Who’s that?” The other replies, “I don’t know who the old guy with the white robe is, but he must be important if he’s that friendly with Polito!”
Vega’s importance to Latin music cannot be overstated. He was the most influential tastemaker in the country’s top market dating back to when tropical music first became popular in the city in the 1960s and 1970s and stretching all the way to the 21st century.
“The architect of Hispanic radio at a global level,” wrote DJ Alex Sensation on his Instagram feed.
In 2009, Vega celebrated 50 years on the air with two shows at Madison Square Garden featuring performances by a group of A-list talents – Enrique Iglesias, Laura Pausini and Luis Fonsi, among many others. The shows were meant to signal his imminent retirement.
Three years later, in 2012, he celebrated 53 years on the air with “El Megatón Mundial de Polito Vega” (The Polito Vega World Megathon), a show at Citi Field in Queens featuring performances by Gloria Estefan, Don Omar, Alejandro Sanz, Juanes, Ricardo Arjona, Daddy Yankee, Paulina Rubio and Tito “El Bambino,” among others.
“I’ve only done radio in New York; I belong to the city,” he told Billboard at the time. “I go out on the street and people go crazy saying ‘Polito, Polito, Polito.’ I still have the same enthusiasm I had at the beginning; the same positive attitude in front of a microphone.”
Born in Hipólito Vega Torres, Puerto Rico, Vega came to the Big Apple harboring more artistic ambitions. He wanted to become a singer, but instead found his calling behind the microphone inside a radio booth rather than on stage. It was the early 1960s, and in NYC and around the country, Spanish-language radio was a fledgling business where broadcasts mostly lived part-time on AM stations. Vega’s first job was as a DJ on a half-hour show called “Fiesta Time,” which aired on the now-defunct WEVD-AM.
“The radio station was part time, but they decided to program 24 hours and they gave me a shift that went from midnight to 6 a.m. I felt I was in heaven,” he said. “The show was so successful and I felt that liberty to express myself that I’ve maintained to this day.”
Vega eventually landed at WBNX, where he met the senior program director Raúl Alarcón. It was the beginning of what would be a life-changing relationship. Alarcón, who’d had radio stations in Cuba before fleeing after the revolution and had big ambitions of his own, would soon acquire his first station in the U.S., launching what would become SBS. Forty years ago, he hired Vega, who never left.
As for Vega, he developed his signature voice and a reputation for defending the music he was passionate about. Vega was the first to play a record by a Fania artist on the radio, the first to play bachata, the first to play reggaetón.
“I grew up listening to Polito,” Prince Royce told Billboard a decade ago. “He was one of the first to support my music, and the first time I heard one of my songs on the air it was on his show.”
“He has that rare and unique combination of personal assets and experiences that make him a veritable expert where Latin music is concerned,” remarked SBS president and CEO Raúl Alarcón, who took over the business his father founded. “He has seen – and heard – it all, and he retains an uncanny ability to judge what’s good and what’s lacking, despite the constant change in musical trends and the whims of an extremely fickle public. He has a golden ear that can’t be fooled and he is as unfailingly relevant today as he was 50 years ago.”
Anitta is one to wear many hats: she’s a trilingual singer, a great performer, a savvy businesswoman and, now, an aspiring actress.
On Thursday (March 9), a collaborative Instagram post between the Brazilian artist and Élite Netflix revealed that she will be joining the Élite cast in its upcoming seventh season. “A girl from Rio you may already know… is about to make an entrance at Las Encinas. @Anitta is joining the #Élite7 cast,” read the post, referring to the Spanish series’ fictional elite high school.
The caption is accompanied by photos of the artist in her new role showing a pensive yet potent look in her eyes and wearing a cropped grey sweater, red bra, and braids.
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On October 25, 2022, Netflix confirmed the renewal of Élite, created by Carlos Montero and Darío Madrona, for a seventh season, with the return of original star Omar Ayuso.
The news comes shortly after the pop star — who had a breakout in 2022 with the success of her tri-lingual album Versions of Me, a No. 1 track on the Billboard Global Ex. U.S. chart with “Envolver” and performances at Coachella and the Latin Grammy Awards — lashed out at Warner Music on Twitter, saying she regrets signing with the label and wants to be let out of her contract.
When one fan said he wished she could be free of her contract, she responded that “if there was a fine to pay, I would have already auctioned off my organs, no matter how expensive it was to get out. But unfortunately, there isn’t. When you’re young and still don’t know a lot, you need to pay close attention to the things you sign… if you don’t, you could spend a lifetime paying for the mistake.”
In response, fans have organized a #FreeAnitta movement on Twitter.
Before Feid was called Feid, he was known locally in Colombia as Rayo — his first artistic name.
Meaning thunderbolt, the artist born Salomón Villada Hoyos was eager to start his music career with this name when he was just a teenager; in fact, the first few singles he released independently were under Rayo. But it wasn’t until people began confusing him and his music for the already-established San Andres-based Colombian duo Rayo y Toby that he decided to look for a second option.
“All my school friends thought they heard my song on the radio and one day while listening to the radio I realized that it was [Rayo y Toby’s] song and not mine. That’s when I thought ‘music isn’t for me and this is going to be a problem,’” he told Billboard during the interview for his new cover story. “My parents were the ones to tell me that this wasn’t going to be the first obstacle I was going to face, and that’s when I changed my name to Feid.”
But even then, the Medellin-born artist changed it to “Faith” before ultimately landing on the play-on-word Feid (whose moniker sounds like “faith” when spoken in Spanish).
“It was because the first interview I ever had in my life the reporter who was interviewing me kept calling me ‘fa-heed’ and I didn’t want to keep having that problem because it was very uncomfortable to tell people how to pronounce my name,” he explains.
In 2010, he officially launched his career as Feid and it wasn’t until 2020 — around the time he finally found his artistic identity — that he introduced his new alter ego El Ferxxo (pronounced Fercho).
“I decided to take an arepa with cheese in my hand and say that I was paisa,” he proudly states, referring to the local word for someone from Medellín. “I began to be more faithful to who I am and my Colombian roots. At that moment, I opened the coolest door that I’ve ever opened, which was finding my identity and introducing El Ferxxo. It took me a long time to realize that this was what I had to do to really, really connect with people.”
Putting his new alter ego to the test, Ferxxo began incorporating local Medallo slang into his lyrics, like mor (love), que chimba (how cool) and parchar (hanging out) and replacing letters in his titles with X’s to pique curiosity. It worked. The Latin Grammys nominated 2020’s Ferxxo (Vol. 1: M.O.R.) and its Justin Quiles-featuring single “Porfa” for best urban music album and best reggaetón performance, respectively.
Below, the “Porfa” singer explains the meaning behind some of the slang words heard in his songs.
NEA: “It’s a word that can mean many things. It can be a friend, a person that dresses a certain way, a nea is someone from the barrio. Period.”
CHORRO: “It’s the drink. It can be whiskey, tequila or anything. Chorro is alcohol.”
CHIMBITA: “Is a beautiful woman.”
CHIMBIAR: “Is someone who’s annoying or can also mean to mess around with someone.”
CHIMBO: “Is the man’s private part.”
PARCHE: “It’s like an invitation. It can be a moment, a situation, or describe someone who’s a cool person.”
FARREAR: “Going out to party and giving it all at the club”
LA PINTA: “It’s the outfit. We don’t use the word outfit in Medellin.”
Read the full Billboard cover story here