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Shakira has dropped her new single “Monotonía” in collaboration with Ozuna, in which she opens up about the rupture of what seemed to be a perfect relationship.
“It wasn’t your fault, it wasn’t my fault/ It was monotony’s fault/ I never said anything but it hurt/ I knew this would happen,” she chants.
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Though the song — which marks Shakira’s first single post-breakup with longtime partner and soccer star Gerard Piqué — reveals a very heartbroken singer, the music video also references her ex.
In the first minute of the emotionally charged clip — co-directed by the Colombian star and designer Jaume de la Iguana — a teary-eyed Shakira has an encounter with a man in a grocery store where he blows up her chest and her heart is ejected from her body.
Fans on social media were quick to discover that the man in the video is wearing a white hoodie and gray joggers similar to one of the outfits Piqué wore for Shakira’s 2017 video “Me Enamoré,” in which the couple is seen enjoying the puppy-love stage of their romance, and furthermore implying that the man who shoots at Shakira in the new “Monotonía” clip is meant to represent Piqué.
In June, the former couple announced their split. “We regret to confirm that we are separating,” the two said in a joint statement released by Shakira’s public relations firm. “For the well-being of our children, who are our highest priority, we ask that you respect our privacy. Thank you for your understanding.”
Shakira, 45, met the Barcelona defender while she was promoting her 2010 World Cup anthem, “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa).” The couple share two children, Sasha and Milan.
“Monotonía” follows the singer-songwriter’s Latin Airplay chart-topping song “Te Felicito” with Rauw Alejandro, in which she calls out her significant other and congratulates him on a stellar performance for making her believe he truly loved her.
Watch the “Monotonía” and “Me Enamoré” music videos below.
Billboard has two new elevations within company in the Latin and Events departments. On Thursday (Oct. 20), Billboard announced that Leila Cobo has been promoted to the chief content officer of Latin/Español and Mary Rooney to vp, head of events, effective immediately.
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The promotion will see Cobo continue her oversight of Billboard Español and its newly created team, in addition to providing her expertise in all Latin content and programming. Under her leadership — she previously held the role of vice president of Latin and Latin industry lead — Billboard.com’s Latin vertical has earned nearly 2 million unique visits a month, and saw her extend her talents to programming Latin Music Week, the world’s longest running gathering in the Latin music industry. In Cobo’s new role, she will report to Hannah Karp, Billboard‘s editorial director and Mike Van, Billboard president.
“There is no other mainstream media company more committed to covering and celebrating Latin music than Billboard, and with the launch of Billboard Español we’re more committed than ever. It’s an honor to work with this amazing team and keep growing and building!” Cobo said.
Rooney’s promotion will see her continue her oversight of Billboard‘s signature business events and strategizing for the growth and development of the brand’s identity, including consumer-facing programs and event production across the country. Rooney previously led as the executive director of events at Billboard, and had a large hand in conceptualizing Billboard‘s Women in Music and Latin Music Week, as well as creating The Stage at SXSW. In her new role, she will report to Dana Droppo, Billboard‘s chief brand officer.
“I am thrilled to continue working alongside this talented team, and to represent the Billboard brand as we continue to grow the events business producing best-in-class events across the country,” Rooney said in a statement.
Van added of the two promotions: “We could not be more grateful and proud to be elevating two key executives to essential roles that will continue to propel the Billboard brand globally.”
Omar Apollo has signed a global publishing deal with Concord Music Publishing. The new partnership comes after the Latin singer-songwriter’s major label debut album, Ivory (2022) via Warner Records, and a juggernaut soulful single “Evergreen (You Didn’t Deserve Me At All),” which recently landed at No. 51 on the Hot 100.
The contract with Concord will cover his complete music catalog, which includes Ivory and future works.
“Omar has already proven himself to be one of the most exciting artists, pushing music forward,” Jeremy Yohai, senior vp of A&R at Concord, said in a statement. “It’s been amazing working Omar together with Dylan [Shanks, management] and his current music success is only the beginning.”
“Working with Jeremy and the Concord Music Publishing team has been great,” adds Apollo.
The independent music publishing company also houses the works of acclaimed songwriters like The 1975, BIA, Daft Punk, and Duff McKagan, and represents the catalogs of legends such as Benny Blanco, Phil Collins, and Joan Sebastian among others.
Prior to Ivory, the Mexican-American artist was already a force to be reckoned with. He carved out a space as a prolific, millions-streaming SoundCloud creator; entered the top 20 of Heatseekers Albums for both 2019’s EP Friends and 2020’s mixtape Apolonio releases; and earned two Latin Grammy nominations in 2021. Plus, he’s been building a fervid, cult fan base that’s now ready for a mainstream breakthrough.
With a heady mix of pop-punk (“Talk”), delectable funk (“No Good Reason”), Spanglish trap (“Tamagochi”), and plenty of bluesy cuts in the new album, Apollo further testifies his genre-spanning prowess and song-crafting eminence and that’s equipped for global consumption. Proof? For starters, Ivory debuted at No. 1 of the Heatseekers Albums chart, and singles like “Evergreen” racked up about 66 million plays across streaming channels.
This year, the bilingual star made memorable appearances in major festivals like Coachella, Lollapalooza, and ALC Fest. He also guested on Good Morning America, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, and Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and is preparing for another headlining tour Stateside that includes stops at Brooklyn’s King Theatre and Los Angeles’ Greek Theatre.
Shakira isn’t holding back and is as raw and honest as one can get singing about heartbreak and the end of what seemed to be a perfect relationship.
In her new Ozuna-assisted single, titled “Monotonía (Monotony),” a bachata track that released Wednesday (Oct. 19), the Colombian star starts off declaring: “It wasn’t your fault, it wasn’t my fault. It was monotony’s fault. I never said anything but it hurt. I knew this would happen.”
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Marking the first collaboration between Shakira and Ozuna, “Monotonía” follows the singer-songwriter’s Latin Airplay chart-topping song “Te Felicito” with Rauw Alejandro, where she calls out her significant other and congratulates them on a stellar performance making her believe he truly loved her.
In the music video — which Shakira co-directed with longtime collaborator Jaume de la Iguana — she has an encounter with the ex at a grocery store where he blows up her chest and her heart is ejected from her body. She then runs around with her beating heart in hand until she hands it over to Ozuna, who takes it from her and puts it in a safe box.
“Monotonía” and “Te Felicito” follow Shakira’s very public breakup from her longtime partner, and father of her two children, soccer star Gerard Piqué. In an interview with Elle, she addressed the split, calling this moment one of the “most difficult” of her life. “I’ve remained quiet and just tried to process it all. Um, and yeah, it’s hard to talk about it, especially because I’m still going through it, and because I’m in the public eye and because our separation is not like a regular separation. And so it’s been tough not only for me, but also for my kids. Incredibly difficult.”
Stream “Monotonía” below:
Does an artist need a certain level of sex appeal in order to achieve success? Are labels asking their artists to be ultra sensual in their appearance and lyrics in order to sell? The role or intersectionality of sexuality and music took centerstage during a heated conversation between artists Dalex, Villano Antillano, Corina Smith and Lenny Tavárez for the newest episode of Billboard‘s Cultura Clash.
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“People like to consume through their eyes, they like what looks nice, what’s aesthetic,” says Puerto Rican trans rapper Villano Antillano. “Sex sells.” Smith adds, “I think physical appearance does have influence over any product but the power we have as artists, when one of our songs can make someone feel sexy or sensual, that’s where it’s at. To be able get someone in that mindset, that’s really powerful.”
The group also got candid about the advice given to them from their respective teams (managers, labels) and if its at all impacted their career path. “Everyone wants to have an opinion and it starts at home with your family,” says Tavárez. “And you take all of it into consideration but, as an artist, you have to know yourself, what you feel comfortable doing and how you’re going to project yourself. Sometimes my team wants me to automatically go onstage shirtless but sometimes I don’t want to do that.”
Now in its second season, Cultura Clash — hosted by Latin executive AJ Ramos — spotlights Latin artists and influencers who discuss trending topics within Latin culture and music. A new episode airs every Wednesday on Billboard.com, social media and Billboard‘s YouTube channel. Watch this week’s episode above.
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Every month, Billboard Latin editors will feature a small group of new or relatively unknown artists whose music we love. Think “diamantes en bruto,” or “diamonds in the rough.” These are newcomers who have yet to impact the mainstream — but whose music excites us, and who we believe our readers should make a point to discover.
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Our recommendations this month are emerging artists that we met during Billboard‘s 2022 Latin Music Week in Miami. Check them out below:
Artist: Blondiak
Country: Colombia
Why They Should Be on Your Radar: Singer-songwriter Blondiak struck me as a relatable, humble musician who is eager to grow and keep honing his craft. The Latin urban artist from Colombia, who works independently with the support of his family through their very own company, BK MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT LLC, has a dozen songs published on his YouTube channel, including the reggaetón tunes “Se cansó” (She got tired) and “Algo más” (Something more), and the tropical infused banger “Guaya,” which he released earlier this month. Blondiak, 22, was nominated this year for a Latino Show Award in his native country, in the developing artist category. Based in Miami since four years ago, he says he is 100% dedicated to music, and that his next plans include releasing an album, collaborating with other artists and promoting his music through Latin America. I am curious to see where he’s at five years from now. — SIGAL RATNER-ARIAS
Song for Your Playlist: “Guaya”
Artist: King David Dembow
Country: Puerto Rico
Why They Should Be on Your Radar: At Latin Music Week, a very eager emerging artist approached me introducing himself as “a Boricua who does dembow music.” With a royal name, King David Dembow launched his first official single last year, “Rompele,” and is signed to indie label High End Entertainment. The dembowsero newcomer has released many singles that best showcase his fast-paced beats and witty lyrics, as heard in “Calle,” “Ella Eh,” and the recent “Calor.” — JESSICA ROIZ
Song for Your Playlist: “Calor”
Artist: Daniel Arana
Country: Mexican-American
Why They Should Be on Your Radar: Daniel Arana is all about intentionality. The Mexican-American urban artist released his debut album, DALE, on a full moon — when energetically it’s the strongest — and his lyrics are all about spotlighting queer love and relationships. “My goal is to help mainstream Latin music become more LGBT-friendly, and to help the Latinx community become more open-minded, while helping those struggling to be who they are,” he told the Billboard team during Latin Music Week. While he is more traditional-leaning sonically, with reggaetón drums powering his songs, lyrically, he’s less traditional. For example, “Lento,” which is part of his latest LP, is about coming out and embracing his queer identity. — GRISELDA FLORES
Song for Your Playlist: “Lento”
Artist: Eduardo Galán
Country: Venezuela
Why They Should Be on Your Radar: Venezuelan Eduardo Galán really stood out not only because of his commanding presence, but because of his charisma and his bubbly personality. I was gladly surprised to find out that his song “Te Prometo” (I promise you) is just an extension of that — an infectious, positive tropical pop tune that invites you to dance and to smile. “And I promise to take you to heaven, to make you touch the sun,” the singer-songwriter, who lives in Spain, sings in his mother tongue. “This life is too short not to try,” he goes on. He is certainly giving music his best shot.
Also worth mentioning: His ballad “Bienvenida” (Welcome) dedicated to his young baby girl, with a cute music video starring his then-pregnant wife. With a music style somewhat reminiscent of Chino y Nacho or Chayanne, Galán is releasing music independently through Eduardo Galán Group. He plans to debut two new singles in November and January — one Cuban jazz and one merengue, he told Billboard Español — as he prepares for his first concerts in Barcelona, Madrid and Sevilla next year. — SRA
Song for Your Playlist: “Te Prometo”
Artist: J Molina
Country: Mexico
Why They Should Be on Your Radar: J Molina represents a growing number of Mexican-born artists dabbling in reggaetòn. The singer-songwriter, born in Monterrey, Mexico and currently residing in Texas, was one of the many emerging artists I came across during Latin Music Week, where he passionately talked about growing the reggaetón scene in Texas. After launching his career in 2010, Molina took it upon himself to create his own opportunities — launching his indie label The Kingz Factory in 2021 to release his own music and help develop up-and-coming local urban acts, such as La Yadi, who’s featured in his latest single “Tabú.” With a few singles under his belt, Molina’s reggaetón can be described as melodic and subtle as opposed to hard-hitting or raunchy. His rhythmic beats are powered by the traditional reggaetón drums. — G.F.
Song for Your Playlist: “Tabú”
Artist: Nora González
Country: Mexico
Why They Should Be on Your Radar: I first discovered Nora González in 2021 when she was a two-time Latin Grammy nominee, and was excited to see her networking at Latin Music Week. González, who also has promising collaborations with Lupita Infante and Vicente Fernandez Jr., is still a rising act in her own right. Her powerhouse and mature vocals bring a refreshing, bilingual touch to traditional mariachi music, which has ultimately dubbed her the “Charra Millennial.” Originating from Chihuahua, Mexico, and a Berklee College of Music alumn, González is recently making the rounds with her seven-track set Xtina, where she gives Christina Aguilera’s biggest hits a Regional Mexican tribute. González is signed to and managed by CHR Records. — J.R.
Song for Your Playlist: “Pero Me Acuerdo De Ti”
Artist: Shiela
Country: Mexico, Nicaragua
Why They Should Be on Your Radar: If her mix of cultures — Nicaraguan-Mexican-American — is any indication, Shiela is an emerging Latinx artist who’s delivering innovative Latin R&B rhythms. With her sultry voice, the Texas-born, Miami-based artist brings to life her empowered lyricism, as heard in recent singles “Estas Mal” and “Soltera.” Shiela is inspired by artists such as Sade and Selena Quintanilla, and has already graced the renowned stages of SXSW and Austin City Limits Music Festival on multiple occasions. Shiela officially kicked off her career in 2017 with the debut single “Runaway,” and dropped her debut, bilingual album Chilita in 2021. — J.R.
Song for Your Playlist: “Estas Mal”
Artist: Wanton Chulito
Country: Cuba
Why They Should Be on Your Radar: Amongst the many aspiring artists at Latin Music Week, I came across Wanton Chulito (real name: Yoandris Wanton). Hailing from Santiago de Cuba, the Texas-based singer-songwriter is fusing traditional Cubaton rhythms with other genres such as bachata and dembow. With the mission of getting more eyes and ears on his music, Wanton has strategically collaborated with many artists, including dembow act Bulova and Cuban artist El Taiger. — J.R.
Song for Your Playlist: “Candela” (feat. Bulova)
Artist: Victor & Gabo
Country: Venezuela
Why They Should Be On Your Radar: Victor & Gabo is a Venezuelan duo formed by Víctor Portillo and Carlos Espinoza who I met on the first day of Latin Music Week. They shared a little about their story and passion for music. Listening to them now, they are a fusion of fresh tropical-urban and romantic melodies, featuring Gabo’s chanteos and Victor’s sweet, higher range. Theo du recently released their new single, “Cantinero,” a song that mixes regional Mexican music with pop and Latin rhythms, proving their versatility. — INGRID FAJARDO
Song For Your Playlist: “Cantinero”
Hunkered down in Bogotá, Colombia during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, Camilo was itching to hit the road with his debut studio album, Por Primera Vez. But as soon as the live entertainment industry re-opened, the Colombian singer-songwriter announced his first-ever world tour, kicking off in Spain.
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Now, his exciting and successful 2021 debut tour makes way to his fandom, La Tribu, worldwide in a new HBO concert special called Camilo: El Primer Tour De Mi Vida — slated for a Nov. 18 release — also marking his debut on HBO.
The documentary, which received its first trailer on Wednesday (Oct. 19), follows Camilo behind the scenes as he prepares for his shows and performs hits from his debut set and sophomore album Mis Manos, such as “Tutu,” “Mareado,” “Bebé,” “Tattoo,” “KESI,” and “Por Primera Vez,” to name a few. The special also features intimate moments alongside his fans and loved ones, including his wife, fellow artist, and director Evaluna Montaner.
“For six months we toured incredible places that I never imagined I would visit with my music,” Camilo said in a press statement. “We shared the stage with artists who became friends, we met wonderful people from all over the world, and so many incredible things happened that changed our lives forever. I am happy because those moments were all documented and now, thanks to HBO Max, we can share them with La Tribu, who is the force behind my career. It fills me with pride to be able to open this door for them to sing along and relive the tour, and to also meet the people who are with me every day and make it possible for my songs and my music to be our meeting point.”
Camilo: El Primer Tour De Mi Vida premieres at 10 p.m. ET on Friday, Nov. 18 via HBO Latino and streamed on HBO Max in the U.S. and Latin America.
Watch the trailer for the documentary below.
From hits to slam dunks! Ozuna is officially the new owner of a basketball team in Puerto Rico, the Baloncesto Nacional Superior de Puerto Rico (Basketball National Superior – BSN) announced on Monday (Oct. 17).
The sports organization revealed that the chart-topping artist has acquired Los Brujos de Guayama. Due to the franchise’s transfer to the municipality of Manatí, the team has been renamed to Los Osos de Manatí (Manatí Bears). With Juan Aubín Cruz Coliseum as their home venue, Los Osos de Manatí become the first BSN team in that municipality since 2017.
“Owning a Puerto Rico National Superior Basketball franchise has been one of my greatest dreams, for which we have been working for some time,” the “Diles” singer said in a statement. “I feel a lot of passion for this sport and being able to be part of this family fills me with great pride. Thanks to the BSN for opening the doors for me and to everyone who has made this possible. See you next season at the new house of Los Osos in Manatí.”
Ricardo Dalmau, president of the BSN, added: “It is with great enthusiasm that we welcome Ozuna to the BSN family. The commitment shown throughout this entire process gives us confidence in what his management will be in charge of the new Osos de Manatí. I take this opportunity to thank Rafael Rodríguez for his commitment to the league and the Brujos de Guayama franchise, which he led for the last 10 years.”
Ozuna joins a growing number of Latin artists that have ventured into the sports world by purchasing basketball teams in Puerto Rico. The list includes moves from Bad Bunny, who became the co-owner of Los Cangrejeros de Santurce and Anuel AA, who purchased Capitanes de Arecibo along with his manager Frabian Eli, in 2021.
Instead of flocking to basketball like their fellow hitmakers, duo Wisin & Yandel is placing all bets on baseball as new co-owners of Criollos de Caguas, the latest champions of the Liga de Béisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente (LBPRC).
Ozuna collects his sixth top 10 on Billboard’s Top Latin Albums chart as his latest full-length, OzuTochi, debuts at No. 5 on the list dated Oct. 22. The set concurrently opens at No. 4 on Latin Rhythm Albums.
OzuTochi begins with 8,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. in the week ending Oct. 13, according to Luminate. While most of the album’s first-week total derives from streaming-equivalent album units, 500 stem from traditional sales and track-equivalent units combined.
On the multimetric Top Latin Albums chart as measured in equivalent album units, each unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album.
The songs on OzuTochi logged 11 million on-demand official streams in its opening week. The 18-track set was released Oct. 7 via Aura/Sony Music Latin and is billed as Ozuna’s fifth studio album as a soloist. The set follows a collaborative release with Anuel AA: Los Dioses, which earned Ozuna his fifth No. 1 on the all-Latin albums tally (February 2021).
Ozuna’s debut effort, Odisea, bowed at No. 1 in September 2017. It held strong at the summit for 46 weeks, tying with Bad Bunny’s X100PRE for the third-most among all acts since Top Latin Albums launched in 1993 (behind Benito’s 70 weeks atop with YHLQMDLG and Gloria Estefan’s Mi Tierra, a total of 58).
In total, of Ozuna’s seven charting efforts on Top Latin Albums, five have reached No. 1 (Odisea, Aura, Nibiru, Enoc and his collaborative set with Anuel AA, Los Dioses).
Back to OzuTochi, as mentioned, the set also starts at No. 4 on Latin Rhythm Albums. As it sends X100PRE to No. 5, it ceases Bad Bunny’s domination of the top four, a feat his endured for 13 consecutive rankings (since the July 23-dated ranking).
OzuTochi was preceded by “Somos Iguales,” a collaborative song with Tokischa, featuring Louchie Lou and Michie One. It hits a new peak of No. 34 on the current multi-metric Hot Latin Songs chart. The pair’s first joint track samples Louchie Lou and Michie One’s 1993 tune “Rich Girl.” The new Caribbean-rhythmic version was produced by DJ Luian, Mambo Kingz, Jowny, and Hydro. (“Rich Girl” was later refreshed by Gwen Stefani’s 2004 song of the same name, featuring Eve. Both versions of “Rich Girl,” and “Somos Iguales,” all call back to the song “If I Were a Rich Man,” from the stage musical Fiddler on the Roof.)
“Somos Iguales” also pounces to the No. 1 rank on the all-genre Latin Airplay chart, as it rallies 13-1 with 9 million in audience impressions, up 55%, earned in the U.S. in the week ending Oct. 16. It’s a 29th win for Ozuna. Meanwhile, Tokischa, Louchie Lou and Michie One, all top the list with their first chart entry.