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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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Residente is writing his first film
Puerto Rican artist Residente is teaming up with Academy Award-winning screenwriter Alexander Dinelaris (Birdman & The Revenant) to co-write his new film Porto Rico. The film, a historical drama set in the 19th century, will be based on the life of Puerto Rican revolutionary, José Maldonado Román, known as Águila Blanca (White Eagle). Maldonado Román fought against colonialism by leading a gang of 17 ex-convicts to vindicate Puerto Rico as it sought its identity as a country.
Porto Rico will become the first film released by 1868 Studios, a joint venture between Residente and Sony Music Entertainment’s premium content division.
NEON16 teams up with University of Michigan
Music company NEON16 has collaborated with The Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, for a marketing course. According to a press release, the partnership will give students the opportunity to “experience marketing in a real work setting.” They’ve been assigned to develop a full marketing plan for the upcoming release of Tainy’s debut album, DATA. The plans will be reviewed by both professor Dr. Michael Metzger and NEON16 creatives and one strategy/plan will be chosen to execute the actual album release marketing strategy.
“It’s a privilege to be able to share our views on business, culture and creativity at such a prestigious university like MICHIGAN / ROSS. This course allows students to expand their views on the importance of culture in business allowing them to develop marketing plans that are relevant and effective in today’s consumer market,” Lex Borrero, founder and CEO of NEON16, said.
NEON16’s Founder and CEO, Lex Borrero, NEON16 Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer, Ivan Rodriguez, and NEON16 Head of Electronic Music, Jack Miller at the “Culture Change Makers” Panel at University of Michigan Ross School of Business.
Imagine It Media
The first ever Latin Women in Music is happening
Telemundo and Billboard announced the expansion of their partnership for 2023. Under the new agreement, the companies will collaborate to present the first-ever Latin Women in Music, a two-hour musical special, set to air on Telemundo in May, is a celebration of Latin female artists, executives and creatives who are proactively working for positive change, inclusion and gender parity in the music industry. Additionally, the annual Billboard Latin Music Awards, will take place Oct. 5.
Viña del Mar
The complete lineup for the 2023 Viña del Mar has been unveiled. After Maná announced they were canceling their performance due to the band’s Fher Olvera’s knee injury, the Chilean festival announced three additional artists to join the event: TINI, Emilia and Rels B. The 62nd edition of Viña will take place Feb. 19-24. Over the course of five days, the event features a mix of superstars, emerging singers and local artists competing for the Silver, Gold and Platinum “Gaviotas,” the name of its awards.
Celia Cruz’s face on a U.S. quarter
The face of the legendary Celia Cruz will be depicted on a U.S. quarter, according to the United States Mint. Widely known as the Queen of Salsa, the late Cuban singer was chosen along with four other exemplary women from history to be featured on the U.S. quarter as part of the American Women Quarters Program in 2024. She will also make history as the first Afro-Latina to appear on the coin.
The other honorees include Patsy Takemoto Mink, the first women of color to serve in Congress; Dr. Mary Edwards Walker, women’s rights advocate and Civil War era surgeon; poet, activist, and lawyer Pauli Murray; and Native American writer, composer, educator Zitkala-Ša. The four-year program “celebrates the accomplishments and contributions made by women of the United States,” states the official website.
This week, our First Stream Latin roundup — which is a compilation of the best new Latin songs, albums, and videos recommended by the Billboard Latin editors each week — is powered by new music from Carlos Vives, Lenny Tavárez, Yendry, and more.
The list starts off with Vives’ nostalgic track “La Historia,” the first single from his upcoming album Escalona: nunca se había grabado así. A tribute to the famous composer Rafael Escalona, Vives’ modern pop version of the classic melancholic vallenato will transport you to the warm Colombian Caribbean coast. Then we have Italian-based artist Yendry paying tribute to her Dominican roots in a hypnotizing bachata track that subtly fuses electronic sounds called “Herrera.” Lasso’s ballad “Los Hombres Son Todos Iguales” (All Men Are The Same) is also on the list, with potent lyrics reflecting two worlds: when a woman has been hurt in the past by empty promises, and when a man is trying to demonstrate that not all men are the same.
On the reggaetón side, we included two great selections: Alvaro Diaz and San Senra’s “1000CANCIONES” and Tavárez’s “Felicidades.” The former marks the pair’s first collaborative effort powered by a fast-forward perreo beat. The latter has the Puerto Rican act singing an empowering lady’s anthem about living life after a breakup.
Other tunes this week include Adriel Favela’s ranchera “En Este Amor,” Hector Perez and Felipe Santos’ collab, and more. Which release is your favorite? Cast your vote — or enter your favorite selection — in the poll below.
First Stream Latin is a compilation of the best new Latin songs, albums, and videos recommended by Billboard Latin editors. Check out this week’s picks below.
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Carlos Vives, “La Historia” (WK Records/Gaira Musica Local)
Carlos Vives opens the nostalgic trunk of memories with “La Historia,” the first single from his upcoming album Escalona: nunca se había grabado así, a celebration of his 30 years in music and a tribute to maestro Rafael Escalona who helped lay the groundwork for his artistic career. Vives manages to honor the legacy of the famous composer, with a modern pop version of this melancholic vallenato that immediately transports you to the warm Colombian Caribbean coast — while he sings to that unrequited love that he cannot forget, accompanied by a sentimental wail from the accordion. “All my heart I gave it to her, and she was pleased to treat it badly / I can never forget that love that left my heart bleeding.” Both for those who listen to this song for the first time and for those who recognize this classic, popularized by Vives in the Escalona series in the 90s, this version will become a fan favorite. — LUISA CALLE
Yendry, “Herrera” (RCA Records/Sony Music)
Yendry’s “Herrera” is the bachata song we didn’t know we needed. Paying homage to her Dominican Republican roots, the multilingual singer-songwriter unleashes a hypnotizing bachata track that subtly fuses electronic sounds. This new bachata track is a testament to the artist’s experimental nature and her vocals’ chameleonic ability to adapt to any musical style she’s recorded in (afrobeats, reggaetón, R&B). Born in the DR and raised in Italy, Yendry’s “Herrera” puts her Caribbean influences at the forefront. — GRISELDA FLORES
Lasso, “Los Hombres Son Todos Iguales” (Universal Music México)
“Los Hombres Todos Son Iguales” (all men are the same) is a captivating story that seeks to be told from the perspective of a man and a woman. The Venezuelan singer-songwriter nails a beautiful way to narrate the early beginnings of a love story in this new powerful ballad. The lyrics reflect both worlds when a woman has been hurt in the past by empty promises, and a man is trying to demonstrate that not all men are the same. Lasso’s deep, raspy voice stands out among the violin strings and his acoustic guitar as he repeats the perfect ending, “We are not the same, we are not the same/ That deep down, men are not the same.” — INGRID FAJARDO
Alvaro Diaz & San Senra, “1000CANCIONES” (UMG Recordings)
For his latest single, Alvaro reeled in the rising alternative Spanish act San Senra for a fashion-forward reggaetón cut dubbed “1000CANCIONES” (1,000 Songs). Produced by Haze, the edgy urban track tells the story of a man who is aware that he’s a flirtatious ladies’ man, but he only has eyes for one special lady. Notably, Díaz’s signature vocals blend with Senra’s high-pitched tones to remind the girl that even though they are not together, the “1,000 songs” played at the club will always remind him of her. “I can honestly say this was one of the best experiences,” Diaz says in a press statement. “It’s rare for either of us to do a reggaetón record, and that’s why this song is so special.” — JESSICA ROIZ
Conexión Divina, “Cambio de Canción” (Sony Music Latin)
Equipped with a heady, steely 12-string guitar and a lovelorn vocal delivery, Conexión Divina pays homage to the wistful songs that narrated their lives on their single, “Cambio de Canción.” Inspired by Christian Nodal’s “Adiós Amor” and “A Través del Vaso” by Los Sebastianes, the sierreño ballad is about finding ways to wound a broken heart while basking in sadness. “‘Cambio de Canción’ is one of our favorite songs because it makes you connect with songs by other artists and the emotions they cause,” the group says in a press release. “Everyone who has had their heart broken will identify with this song.” The sierreño outfit — composed of Liz Trujillo, Ashlee Valenzuela, and Sandra Calixto — is the next promising Mexican American band from a growing number in the regional youth-led scene. They will become the first female sierreño group to perform at Coachella in April; their Sony debut Anestesia will be released on April 14. — ISABELA RAYGOZA
Lenny Tavárez, “Felicidades” (Warner Music Latina/Kristoman)
Steering away from his sultry, at-times NSFW lyrics, Lenny Tavárez presents “Felicidades,” a sweet perreo (yes, sweet!) fused with synth piano melodies. Produced by King Swift, the Puerto Rican artist congratulates all those ladies who have finally left their ex, but also assures them that the perfect man is out there. In Lenny’s own words, the track is “for all women going through a heartbreak and a dark moment,” but who need to “understand that sometimes you have to celebrate that you are now single.” The conceptual video shows the artist flaunting his martial arts skills alongside 13-time Tae Kwon Do world champion Rayna Vallandingham. — J.R.
Humbe, “sanvalentín:(“ (Humbe/Sony Music México)
Not all is love and roses on Valentine’s Day, and Humbe knows this all too well after having recently gone through a breakup himself. The Mexican singer-songwriter has delivered the perfect anti-love anthem for the occasion. “Tell me when all the pain that was left will be gone/ We burned and ashes remained,” he sings in the chorus of the R&B-tinged song. “It’s a song I wrote because I was in a relationship where I gave more than I received,” he explains. “It was a relationship based on love but it wasn’t reciprocated.” The music video accompanying the song is a family affair, as it finds Humbe and his two brothers involved in a heist (or at least what’s supposed to be a heist). — G.F.
Adriel Favela, “En Este Amor” (UMG Recordings)
Adriel Favela surprises fans with his new single “En Este Amor,” where he trades his signature sierreño sound for mariachi. In the heartfelt ranchera, penned by Gussy Lau and Tamayo Aguilera, Favela opens up about a love that could no longer be, because the other person showed no effort and interest. His power vocals belt out passionate lyrics about having the strength to forget his ex. “Everything has been a happy accident because this song was aimed at another person, but at the end of the day, God has a purpose for us all and the song conveyed a lot,” he says in a statement. “I loved it! It has a beautiful essence which I think will differentiate itself from everything we’ve done before, and we’ve obviously put a lot of heart into it and we hope the audience receives it the same way.” — J.R.
Hector Perez feat. Felipe Santos, “Xicatrices” (Laponia Entertainment)
Spanish singer-songwriter Héctor Pérez joins forces with Colombian singer Felipe Santos to deliver a perfect fusion of voices. “Xicatrices” is a romantic pop ballad powered by piano melodies navigating between Pérez’s soft dreamy vocals and Santos’ sweet voice and powerful interpretation. Penned by both artists and produced by Santos, the lyrics talk about those unusual connections that cannot be denied when you meet someone special. “I am afraid of losing you/ For this, I am not so strong/ I collect scars/ From what luck has left me/ I know it sounds a little crazy,” they both sing in the chorus. — I.F.
Son Rompe Pera, “Chucha” (AYA Records)
On Son Rompe Pera’s first cut of 2023, the fiery troupe of misfits continues to churn out their unstoppable cumbia-punk frenzy, but this time, they take it to the mosh pit. Bolstered by maddening marimba and típico-leaning guitar riffs, the Mexican band combines merengue maniaco-styled rhythms against feverish shouts à la Black Flag. “It’s me giving it my last possible breath, mixing desperation with stage fright, nightmares and aliens,” said vocalist and marimba player Mongo of the song, inspired by a dream within a dream he had. Following their more folky debut Batuco (2020), the Mexican brothers and friends prepare to drop their sophomore album Chimborazo on March 10 via Aya Records. Son Rompe Pera is expected to perform at SXSW and Treefort. — I.R.
Culled from our editors’ playlists, Billboard has put together a list of 30 personal favorite Latin love songs. The list of tracks features classics (old and new) that have soundtracked multigenerational Latin households for decades.
These romantic Spanish-language songs — such as the lovely ballad “Contigo Aprendí” (1967) by Armando Manzanero, Carla Morrison’s modern love song “Eres Tú” (2012) and Franco De Vita‘s swoon-worthy “Te Amo” (1988) — became anthems to different generations, but they all have more than one thing in common. These songs are pure poetry. They include raw lyrics about the mystery of falling in love and the roller coaster of emotions that come from that magical, yet vulnerable, moment.
“I love you from the first time I saw you,” sings De Vita in “Te Amo,” which peaked at No. 2 on Billboard‘s Hot Latin Songs chart in 1989. “I had been looking for you for a long time and I imagined you this way. I define what I feel with these words.”
The list also includes tracks such as Intocable‘s “Sueña,” the norteño song that spent 13 weeks atop Billboard‘s Regional Mexican Airplay chart — as well as Maná’s achingly beautiful “Eres Mi Religión, Karol G‘s emotional “Ocean” and Juanes‘ rock ballad “Es Por Ti,” which earned the Colombian singer-songwriter record of the year and song of the year at the 2003 Latin Grammys.
Below, see the 30 canciones románticas that made our list, which you should consider adding to your Valentine’s Day-themed playlist. The songs are arranged in alphabetical order.
Karol G‘s new album Mañana Será Bonito is set to drop Feb. 24, the Colombian star announced on Friday (Feb. 10). The chart-topping artist also unveiled the set’s colorful doodle-inspired cover and the tracklist.
The 17-song album, which kicks off with “Mientras Me Curo del Cora,” features collaborations with Quevedo, Carla Morrison, Sean Paul, Sech, Bad Gyal, Justin Quiles and Angel Dior. It also includes previously released singles “Provenza,” “Cairo” with Ovy on the Drums, “Gatubela” featuring Maldy, and the Romeo Santos-assisted “X Si Volvemos.”
“This is the face of my album,” Karol wrote on social media. “I present it with all my love and pride. To be honest, I can’t believe I was able to contain myself and not share the release date sooner but I can finally share it with you. I am happy and counting down the days.”
Mañana Será Bonito will be her fourth studio album. It will follow her 2021 Grammy-nominated KG0516, which scored Karol her first No. 1 on Billboard‘s Top Latin Albums. The set earned the biggest week for a Latin album by a woman since Shakira‘s 2017 El Dorado.
The “Provenza” singer nabbed the No. 1 spot on Billboard‘s 2022 year-end Top Latin Artists – Female chart for a fourth consecutive year. She was also No. 2 on the overall Top Latin Artists chart – the only female act in the top 10. Furthermore, Karol G’s $trip Love Tour became the highest grossing U.S. tour by Latin female act in history. It grossed $69.9 million and sold 410,000 tickets across 33 shows in North America (through the end of October), according to numbers reported to Billboard Boxscore.
See the album’s cover below:
Bad Bunny‘s label and management company, Rimas Entertainment, is responding to accusations the super star artist “illegally used” an Afro-pop act’s song. Bunny’s team responded by saying they paid to use the material in question and, hence, its use in the track “Enséñame a Bailar” was not infringement.
Earlier on Thursday (Feb. 9), emPawa Africa founder Mr Eazi — himself a popular Nigerian singer — issued a press release claiming Bad Bunny used his artist Joeboy‘s song “Empty My Pocket” without consent in the track “Enséñame a Bailar” off Bad Bunny’s blockbuster 2022 album, Un Verano Sin Ti. Mr Eazi claimed he had been trying to settle the case privately since the record’s release nine months ago.
Listen to the first few seconds of two songs and the case could seem obvious. The jubilant rhythms of the Dëra-produced Joeboy track “Empty My Pocket” appear prominently as an interpolation and at the 2:30 minute mark on “Enséñame a Bailar,” where one can even faintly hear Joeboy’s vocals.
“We will not accept Bad Bunny and Rimas denying Joeboy and Dëra credits and a share in the ownership of a song they wrote, composed and, in Joeboy’s case, even performed on,” said Ikenna Nwagboso, co-founder and head of label services, distribution, and publishing with emPawa Africa, in a statement. “Give Joeboy his credit, publishing and royalties on the song, and give Dëra a producer credit alongside those already given to Bad Bunny’s Producers.”
emPawa Africa is demanding that Bad Bunny and Rimas Music grant Joeboy publishing, songwriting and feature credits on “Enséñame a Bailar,” and credit Dëra as the track’s co-producer. Though the statement seemed to threaten legal action, no lawsuit has yet been filed.
Not so fast, says Rimas Entertainment, which is denying any wrongdoing.
“We are deeply concerned by the copyright infringement accusations made by Oluwatosin Oluwole Ajibade (Mr Eazi), the founder of emPawa Africa, on the track ‘Enséñame a Bailar,’” a company spokesperson told Billboard Español in a statement. “We want to make it clear that at all times, Rimas Entertainment has acted properly and has followed standard industry protocols.”
The Rimas statement continues, “Before releasing [‘Enséñame a Bailar’], Rimas purchased the master track from record producer Lakizo Entertainment, listed as the track’s creator and owner in numerous public sources [editor’s note: including Spotify as of Thursday]. After the [‘Enséñame a Bailar’] release last year, emPawa contacted us, claiming ownership over the master. Our lawyers have had many communications with emPawa in an effort to resolve the ownership dispute between emPawa and Lakizo, but emPawa has so far failed to provide proof of ownership. Instead, emPawa has chosen only to send us a heavily redacted contract that did not confirm their claims and only served to raise more questions about the validity of their claims. Our numerous efforts to obtain the unredacted version of the agreement from emPawa have not been successful. It is entirely untrue that we have been unresponsive.”
For an artist to sample another act’s track, they must typically clear master and publishing rights for the recording and underlying composition, respectively. At time of publishing, a Rimas could not confirm whether the company had secured rights use the “Empty My Pocket” composition, but in the company’s statement noted, “Regarding the song’s composition, emPawa has also failed to forward documents to prove that they are authorized to act on the writer’s behalf.”
The Rimas statement concluded, “We look forward to resolving this matter cordially and are waiting for emPawa to provide us with the necessary documents that validate their claims.”
In 2019, Mr Eazi and Bad Bunny actually collaborated on the outro track “Como Un Bebé” — produced by Nigerian duo Legendury Beatz — off Bunny and J Balvin’s joint album Oasis.
Un Verano Sin Ti was released on May 6, 2022, becoming just the second Spanish-language album to reach No. 1 on the 66-year old chart Billboard 200. (the first was Bunny’s previous album, 2020’s El Último Tour del Mundo). It also became Spotify and Apple Music’s most-streamed album in the U.S. and globally.
Emilia, TINI and Rels B join an already star-studded Viña del Mar International Song Festival, which is set to take place Feb. 19-24. The Chilean festival will feature other Latin stars, including Karol G, Alejandro Fernández, Christina Aguilera, Fito Paez, Nicki Nicole, Paloma Mami, Polimá Westcoast, Camilo and Los Jaivas.
Both Emilia and TINI are set to perform Monday, Feb. 20, taking up Maná’s slot after the band canceled its performance due to lead singer Fher Olvera’s knee injury, the organizers announced earlier this week. Meanwhile, Rels B will take his turn onstage Wednesday, Feb. 22. Fito Paez will also perform that day.
Launched in 1960, the Viña del Mar International Song Festival is held annually at Quinta Vergara, a 15,000-capacity amphitheater located in the Chilean city of Viña del Mar, in the central coast region of Valparaíso.
Over the course of five days, the event features a mix of superstars, emerging singers and local artists competing for the Silver, Gold and Platinum “Gaviotas,” the name of its awards. These awards are decided by a jury with the help of viewers from their homes, although the so-called “monster” — the audience present at Quinta Vergara — undoubtedly has a great power of influence with its ovations and occasional boos.
The 62nd annual Viña del Mar will be broadcast in Chile on TVN and channel 13, and will be available throughout Latin America on STAR Channel and its streaming platform Star+.
See the complete roster for Viña del Mar 2023 and complete schedule:
After weeks of teasing fans on social media, Grupo Marca Registrada and Grupo Frontera have finally released their single “Di Que Si” (RB Music/Interscope Records), exclusively on Billboard below.
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Penned by Edgard Barrera, the upbeat Tejano song — backed by the captivating percussion and accordion melody — tells the story of a man who’s drinking his sorrows away, drunk-dialing an ex, and admitting they were in the wrong but now want to make the relationship work.
“Give me a minute to explain that I messed up/ I was wrong/ Forgive me, I won’t do it again/ Because I have many sleepless nights/ My bed stayed without your smell/ I miss you, I miss you, and you don’t do anything,” chant both Frontera’s Adelaido “Payo” Solis III and Registrada’s Fidel Castro.
“Edgar Barrera sent us the song first, saying that it was made for us,” Castro tells Billboard. “We had great chemistry with Frontera, and a nice friendship was born. Both groups are sure that this song is going to be a hit.”
The music video, filmed by Abel in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, shows all group members performing the song at a plaza, where tons of fans gathered to watch.
Both Marca Registrada and Frontera formed part of Billboard’s coveted “23 Latin and Spanish Artists to Watch in 2023” list. The former is a norteño-sierreño group that was founded in 2014 in Sinaloa and recently earned its first entries on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart thanks to collaborations with Junior H (“El Rescate”) and Luis R. Conriquez (“Puro Campeón”). The latter is a McAllen, Texas-based cumbia & norteño group, whom with its viral hits “No Se Va,” “Que Vuelvas” with Carin León” and “Bebe Dame” with Fuerza Regida became the first Regional Mexican act to have three songs in the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Watch the music video for “Di Que Si” below:
Anuel AA and Dominican rapper Yailin La Mas Viral have called it quits. The Puerto Rican artist (real name: Emmanuel Gazmey Santiago) confirmed the news in an Instagram Live he made during the wee hours of Thursday (Feb. 9).
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“When I fall in love, I fall in love for real,” he said in the since-deleted video. “Yailin is the mother of my daughter. I’m not with her but she’s the mother of my daughter.” He later vented about all the negative things that were said about their relationship on social media.
“They said about seventy thousand things since the first moment, trying to damage her name, but I didn’t care. I met her and my relationship was direct with her. She’s 20 years old, and that affected her,” he continued. “But really, people should support her. She’s hard-working, she’s going to be a mother, and she’s fought alone for her family. I’m not with her but she’s still the mother of my daughter.”
The former couple announced that they were expecting a baby together in November last year, just five months after getting married. The intimate gender reveal party was shared on social media, where they found out they will be having a baby girl, whom they later said would be called Cattleya after orchids found in Latin America.
During the Instagram Live, Anuel also assured the over 30,000 fans connected that no matter what, he was going to be responsible for his baby. “I’m going to take care of her, and she’s going to be mine,” he added. “She’s going to live like a queen because her dad is a king.”
The Latin trap artist and Yailin (real name: Jorgina Lulú Guillermo Díaz) became husband and wife on June 10, 2022, just five months after making their relationship Instagram official. In March of 2022, they dropped their first-ever collaboration, titled “Si Tu Me Busca,” which peaked at No. 12 on Billboard‘s Latin Digital Song Sales chart (dated April 16).
Rapper Vico C has signed a record deal with Nain Music, a division of Rimas Entertainment, Billboard has learned.
Previously signed to EMI Latin, where he released albums such as En Honor a la Verdad and Desahogo following his release from prison in the early 2000s, Vico C is kicking off a new phase in his career with a new deal and an upcoming studio album due in May.
“During these times, when it’s a great necessity to put out content that’s pure, a new platform opens to continue to do what I’ve always done with my music: touch hearts and revolutionize a lost society,” Vico C said in a statement. “That’s why I think the most important part of my union with Nain/Rimas is the liberty they’ve given me to express what I want.”
The Puerto Rican artist, born Luis Armando Lozada Cruz, became one of the most recognized and respected Latin rap artists of the 90s with songs such as “Me Acuerdo,” “Bomba Para Afincar,” “La Recta Final” and “Viernes 13.” On the charts, Vico C has eight entries on Billboard‘s Top Latin Albums, three hit the top 10, and three entries on both Hot Latin Songs and Latin Airplay.
“It’s a privilege to work with an artist of this stature with a great trajectory like Vico, who’s legacy in Latin music and and in the new generations is still in full force,” added Fidel Hernández, CEO of Nain Music.
Vico C is managed by his wife Sonia Torres.