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For an artist who says music is his passion and the music of others is his hobby, it’s no surprise why Puerto Rican salsa icon Gilberto Santa Rosa released a conceptual album called Debut y Segunda Tanda. Both the Vol. 1 and a deluxe version were produced by his label B2B Music and distributed by Believe.
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The “Debut” part of its title, as he explains to Billboard, represents three of his original recordings, such as “Cartas Sobre La Mesaz” — while “Segunda Tanda” pays tribute to emblematic tracks recorded by his colleagues, such as Willie Chirino, Mucho Manolo and Carlos Vives’ “For Sale,” to name a few.
“The first song that was created was ‘Cartas Sobre La Mesa,’ and that’s the one that sparked the concept of my album,” he says of his first set in two years. “This album came at the perfect timing.”
Below, read 20 questions with El Caballero de la Salsa, where he opens up about his new album, being from Santurce, Puerto Rico, the movie that makes him cry and more.
1. This is your first album in two years — what’s the concept behind Debut y Segunda Tanda?
It’s simple. My new songs are the ones debuting and the second part is the covers. Half of the songs were originally recorded by me and the other half are songs that other artists lent me for the album.
2. On this album, you pay homage to your colleagues Willie Chirino, Mucho Manolo, Septeto Acarey, Grupo Bahia, Carlos Vives and Alejandro Sanz. Which of these covers was most challenging for you to interpret?
Truthfully, I identify with all of them, even if they’re not my songs. But I would have to say “Cartas Sobre La Mesa” because it was originally recorded as an urban song. I’ve done tropical and romantic covers, but it’s the first time I did something urban. Even though salsa and urban have a lot of things in common, starting with their origin, this song was the most peculiar for me.
3. Of your original tracks on the album, which is your personal favorite?
Without a doubt “En Defensa Propia.” It’s a very well-written song, very Santa Rosa. It’s a song made for expression and it gives the album a special touch.
4. Which song from Debut y Segunda Tanda are you most excited to perform live?
I like all of them! Since I select the songs for my shows, I would like to perform them all, because it’s an album I really want my fans to discover.
5. Why did you decide to release this album in two parts?
The album was divided because I went into the studio and got excited. I realized I had a lot of songs, and we decided to work on the first eight. Besides, time passes by very fast, and a lot of music gets lost in the way. That’s when we had the idea of releasing it in two parts.
6. What’s at the top of your professional bucket list?
I don’t really have a bucket list. Who knows if in a couple of years I’ll focus on that list? But for the time being, I don’t have anything.
7. Who made you realize you could be an artist full-time?
I was six years old. There was a teacher in my school who unfortunately passed away very young, her name was Yenny Diaz. She was a science teacher, but she also led the music classes. She taught us to play the guitar. She encouraged me and taught me a lot. I remember her with great affection. She was the only person, of all the people who gave me a lending hand, who did not see me develop my career.
8. Which would you say is the most emblematic song of your career?
“Conciencia” and “Perdóname.” They are two songs that I have definitely had to sing in all the places since I recorded them.
9. What was the first concert you ever saw?
I started singing very young, so I had access to see almost all the artists for free. But, the first concert I went to which my uncle paid for the ticket was Las Estrellas de Fania — and the first concert that I paid for, where I worked and saved, was to see a great Cuban singer named Roberto Ledesma, a spectacular romantic singer.
10. What artist, dead or alive, would you like to see in concert?
Well, it’s going to surprise you, because I’ve seen almost every artist. But I would like to see John Legend, Alicia Keys, or Justin Timberlake, if possible.
11. How did being from Santurce, Puerto Rico shape your art?
Totally. A large number of musicians and singers who excelled in salsa music came from Santurce. At one time, the heart of entertainment was there including radio and television stations. The atmosphere in general is a very happy sector with a lot of music. I always remember my grandmother’s house, when you went out to the balcony and there was music everywhere, and you were nourished by all that. Being from there helped me with my training, of course.
12. What was the last song you listened to?
When I prepare for my concerts, I like to listen to music by other artists. Last night I was listening to a song called “Adolorido” by a Cuban singer named Tito Gomez who has already passed away.
13. What song or movie always makes you cry?
There is a movie that has it all! It has tears, it has suspense, and even quite a lot of violence but very well used. The first Godfather movie, I’ve seen it like 900 times. I always find something that I didn’t see the previous time. That movie talks about family, and loyalty, it goes beyond being a mobster movie. There are many interesting and deep messages.
14. Do you recall your first job ever?
I’ve always worked in music. I thank music for sustaining me all my life. But, the very first job I had was delivering newspapers for two weeks. The other time, I was a model for a car show. I had to drive one, but I’m usually not a good driver, so it didn’t go very well for me. Those were the last times I worked on something other than music.
15. Besides music, what’s another passion of yours?
I can be a bit boring because I’m passionate about music and nothing else. My work is music and my hobby is the music of others. In the last few years, however, I wasn’t much into going to the studio. For me, the recordings were very tedious, but about five years ago, I began getting involved and visiting the studio every once in a while to record things. That’s why I have many songs for this album.
16. What’s your all-time favorite vacation spot?
Las Vegas. I love going there for the entertainment lifestyle. It’s a city where there is always something new going on. I’ve seen almost every artist in the residences. I have a good time even if it’s on a bench drinking coffee. It is an interesting desert.
17. Describe 2022 in one word?
Spectacular!
18. With a more-than-40-year career, what’s one piece of advice you would give to younger salsa artists?
A genuine vocation and the stamina to move forward are important. It is not an easy road — life, in general — is not, but today, there is a contrast between all the advances that exist. And that seems to be an advantage, but sometimes it is not, because the competition is even stronger. It is more difficult for people to focus on an artist. So, you have to have the stamina and character to be able to fulfill a dream. There is always a door that opens, there will always be an opportunity, and there is always a person who helps you — but we cannot give up on the first failure or the first “no.” It is hard to start a project and defend it.
19. What’s the one word you always use?
Everyone knows me because I use the phrase “Caminalo!” At first, it started out as a strictly rhythmic phrase, but today for me it’s almost a philosophy. It suggests going forward, not stopping, the future, and movement.
20. What do you hope to accomplish or experience in 2023?
We are going to start promoting both volumes of Debut y Segunda Tanda, and in 2023, we will begin planning the new tour that we hope will take us to Europe again.
Shakira and Ozuna’s “Monotonía” rallies 25-3 on Billboard’ Hot Latin Songs chart (dated Nov. 5) after its first full tracking week. The track was released Oct. 19 via Sony Music Latin, and debuted in the top 30 a week ago with five days of airplay (during the Oct. 17-23 tracking week).
“Monotonía” pushes to No. 3 with gains in all metrics. It earned 9.4 million U.S. streams, up 205%, in the week ending Oct. 27, according to Luminate. That yields a No. 3 debut on Latin Streaming Songs. Sales, too, assist its position increase, with 2,000 downloads sold — up 38% — during the same period. (The song holds strong at No. 1 on Latin Digital Song Sales.)
Meanwhile, on the radio front, “Monotonía” generated 6 million in audience impressions, up 106%, earned in the week ending Oct. 30, which prompts a 36-13 surge on the all-genre Latin Airplay. On Tropical Airplay, the song lifts 8-4.
Further, “Monotonía” breaks up a Bad Bunny monopoly of the top three on Hot Latin Songs — the entire top three has been occupied by nothing but Benito’s songs since the May 21-dated chart, where he has ruled with songs from his Un Verano Sin Ti album.
“Monotonía’s” move earns Shakira her 32nd top 10. She continues to hold the record for the most top 10s among women since the tally launched in 1986. Ozuna adds a 28th top 10 to his career count.
Elsewhere, “Monotonía” also enters the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 chart at No. 65. It becomes Shakira’s highest debut since “Empire’s” No. 58 arrival in 2014.
On Global territory, Shakira secures her third top 20 title on the Billboard Global 200 ranking as “Monotonía” debuts at No. 18. Ozuna, meanwhile, captures his third top 20 on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. survey, as the song soars 174-4 in its second week.
Music is an essential part of the Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebration. For this reason, many Latin artists have lent their voice to showcase the traditional melodies of this Mexican festival, which mixes indigenous roots with Christian traditions from the Spanish colonial era, but also to bring to the forefront more recent songs such as those included in the 2017 Disney-Pixar movie soundtrack, Coco.
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According to this tradition, every Nov. 1 and 2, the dead and alive are reunited when they return from Mictlan, as the ancient Mexicans called the Underworld.
In honor of Day of the Dead, Billboard compiled five heartfelt songs. Listen to them below:
“La Llorona,” Various Artists
“La Llorona” is one of the best known tracks in the Mexican popular songbook and has its origin in the region of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, Oaxaca. The most famous version is performed by the late singer of Costa Rican origin Chavela Vargas. Other popular interpreters include Mexican artists Lila Downs, Aída Cuevas, and Natalia Lafourcade.
In recent years, the timeless song has positioned itself among the young generations thanks to Ángela Aguilar, who recently performed it before thousands of people in the Zócalo of Mexico City during the closing of the mega-parade dedicated to the Day of the Dead.
This year, there is also a new version performed by another young regional Mexican artist, Carolina Ross, who accompanies her singing with a TikTok where she is transformed into a Catrina skull.
“La Nostalgia,” Julieta Venegas
Mexican-American singer-songwriter Julieta Venegas pays tribute to the Mexican tradition with “La Nostalgia,” which premiered Sunday (Oct. 30) exclusively on her Facebook page. The song is part of her seventh album, Tu Historia, set to be released on Nov. 10. In this song, Venegas captures her memories of Mexico and is strongly inspired by the Day of the Dead.
“Las Flored del Camposanto,” Lupita Infante
The Mexican-American singer (granddaughter of the emblematic Mexican actor and singer Pedro Infante), released a majestic mariachi version of this song written by Luis Rosado Vega and performed in 1986 by the late Mexican singer-songwriter and musician Óscar Chávez. Infante recorded the piece to pay homage to those who are no longer with us and to the place where they rest, the cemeteries.
“Flores y Tierra,” Danny Felix
Phoenix-based singer Danny Felix, one of the pioneers of the corrido tumbao genre, also released new music in honor of Day of the Dead. On Nov. 1, he shared a video on his YouTube account announcing “Flores y Tierra,” which he states is “dedicated to loved ones who are no longer with us.” An accompanying music video shows Felix performing the song at a cemetery during the day.
“Recuérdame,” Natalia Lafourcade, Carlos Rivera
“Recuérdame” is the main theme song from the Disney Pixar film, Coco. Many versions of this heartfelt track exist, including one by Carlos Rivera, who recorded the version in Spanish for Latin America, and “Remember Me” in English recorded by Miguel Natalia Lafourcade. The song was also performed by renowned Latin actor Gael García Bernal during the 2018 Oscars ceremony, where it took the award for the best original song.
After nearly a five-year break, Yuridia returns to a Billboard albums chart as her latest full-length, Pa’ Luego Es Tarde, debuts at No. 7 on the Regional Mexican Albums chart (dated Nov. 5). It’s her first entry and first visit to the upper region there.
“The truth is I did not expect to receive this news,” Yuridia tells Billboard. “I am very excited to be able to enter the top 10 on a Billboard chart, and obviously I am going to celebrate the news by toasting with a big cold ‘caguama’ (loggerhead), hahaha.”
Pa’ Luego Es Tarde was released Oct. 20 via Sony Music Latin. The Eden Muñoz-produced effort is the first taste of the Hermosillo-born artist within the regional Mexican genre. The 14-track set starts with 2,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. in the week ending Oct. 27, according to Luminate. Most of the album’s opening sum derives from streaming equivalent album units. That equates to 3.8 million on-demand official U.S. streams generated for the songs on the album.
“Eden and I clicked from the get-go,” Yuridia adds. “We drank beer, played and sung songs through the night; tunes that are not on the album but that are part of the soundtrack of our lives and that is how we became the best of friends. It’s something I will never forget.”
Pa’ Luego, Yuridia’s seventh studio album, marks her comeback to a Billboard albums chart; Primera Fila debuted and peaked at No. 12 on Latin Pop Albums in 2017. Pa’ Luego was preceded by six other sets, all of which have secured an entry on Top Latin Albums and Latin Pop Albums. On the latter, the six albums reached top 10, dating back to La Voz de Un Ángel, a No. 8 high in 2006.
Elsewhere, Pa’ Luego debuts on Top Latin Albums at No. 39, becoming Yuridia’s return since 6 debuted and peaked at No. 7 in 2015.
Two Pa’ Luego album cuts preceded the set on Regional Mexican Airplay: “Y Tú, ¿Qué Ganas?” peaked at No. 32in July, while ¿Y Qué Tal Si Funciona?,” with Banda MS, peaked at No. 11 on the Oct. 29-dated ranking.
About the songs Yuridia adds: “I really like all of them, but right now I am very excited to be able to sing live on tour for the first time a song I composed with Eden Muñoz called ‘Brujería’ because we are going to dance a lot to it.”
Yuridia’s Pa’ Luego Es Tarde U.S. Tour kicks off this Friday, Nov. 4 in Laredo, Texas. The 24-date (thus far) tour will conclude at Rancho Mirage in California on Feb. 25.
The Latin Recording Academy unveiled a new wave of performers Tuesday (Nov. 1) set to take center stage at the 2022 Latin Grammy Awards. They include Christina Aguilera, Camilo, Christian Nodal, Elvis Costello, Jorge Drexler, John Legend, and Mariachi Sol de México de José Hernández.
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At the 23rd annual ceremony, Aguilera is a seven-time nominee, including album of the year and record of the year; Camilo holds six nominations including record of the year and song of the year; Drexler has eight nominations including album of the year and record of the year; and Nodal is nominated for best ranchero/mariachi album and best regional song.
The newly announced artists set to take the stage join previously announced performers such as Ángela Aguilar, Rauw Alejandro, Marc Anthony, Banda Los Recoditos, Chiquis, Nicky Jam, Jesse & Joy, Carin León, Sin Bandera, Sebastián Yatra, and this year’s Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year, Marco Antonio Solís.
The Latin Grammy Awards — which “promise to honor the legacy, celebrate the present and embrace the future of Latin music, with deliberate consciousness, paying-it-forward to the next generations of music creators,” according to a press statement — will be held Nov. 17 at the Michelob Ultra Arena at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, and will air live on Univision beginning at 8 p.m. ET.
The Latin Grammy Premiere, a non-televised ceremony in which the winners in most categories are announced, will take place before the broadcast. Additional details about this ceremony will be announced soon.
Yahritza Y Su Esencia has signed a label deal with Columbia Records, Billboard can confirm. The deal is a partnership between Columbia and the trio’s regional Mexican indie label Lumbre Music, who first signed them in February.
Composed of 15-year-old singer-songwriter Yahritza Martinez and her brothers Armando (guitar) and Jairo (bass), the sierreño band is currently managed by their older sister, Adriana Martinez. In April, Yahritza y Su Esencia made chart history with their heartbreak track “Soy El Unico” as the youngest Latin performer to enter the Billboard Hot 100 debuting at No. 20. Since then, major Latin and mainstream record labels had expressed interest in signing the regional Mexican act.
“Lumbre is really happy to partner with Columbia Records for Yaritza Y Su Esencia. It speaks volumes for an American-Mexican indie label like us to work hand in hand with a major label,” says Ramon Ruiz, CEO of Lumbre Music. “We have been working hard to develop and really get the kids’ music out to the masses and we have done some great work with them, including their first diamond certification, but are so excited to take them to the next level. We are all so passionate about this project it was important that whoever came into the project felt that same passion, and both the artists and Lumbre felt that with Columbia from the get-go. It felt like the right choice. Great things are coming for Yahritza Y Su Esencia!”
Yahritza Y Su Esencia, up for best new artist at the 2022 Latin Grammys, broke out on TikTok earlier this year where they uploaded covers and quickly created a zealous fan base. In March, after being discovered by Lumbre Music on the platform’s For You Page, they released their first single, “Soy El Único,” which peaked at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart.
Since, they scored their first No. 1 on the Regional Mexican Albums chart with their debut album, Obsessed, released in May. Elsewhere, the five-track set debuted at No. 7 on Top Latin Albums, and it also entered the all-genre Billboard 200 at No. 173.
Yahritza Y Su Esencia added in a statement: “We are so excited to be working now with not only Lumbre but also a big label like Columbia! For us it’s just another step forward in accomplishing our dreams. We still have to go to school, but we are working hard on recording new music for our fans that we love so much and who helped get us to where we are today. We are very grateful to our entire team for all their support, and we can’t wait to see what the future holds.”
October has wrapped up, and the Billboard Latin team has compiled a list of collaborative tracks released throughout the month that were either included on the weekly First Stream Latin roundup or featured by Billboard.
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This month’s fan poll includes Shakira’s first single following her breakup with Gerard Piqué “Monotonia,” in collaboration with Ozuna; Jhayco, Feid and Sech’s club banger “En La De Ella”; Manuel Turizo’s “Extasis” with Maria Becerra; Natanael Cano and Victor Cibrian’s “Que Me Importa”; and “Dejame Vivir,” by the late Juan Gabriel and former RBD star, Anahí, to name a few.
Last month, Kany Garcia and Christian Nodal won the fan poll with “La Siguente” receiving more than 39 percent of the votes. They were followed by Chris Jedi, Young Miko and Lunay’s “Condado” with over 18 percent of the votes.
In August, Cuban newcomer R3ymon and Puerto Rican rapper Anonimus won the coveted fan poll with their track “Santa Diabla” receiving more than 34 percent of the votes. Sebastian Yatra and Pablo Alboran’s “Contigo” was picked best Latin collaboration of July, with more than 50 percent of the votes, followed by CNCO and Kenia OS’ “Plutón,” with more than 37 percent of the votes.
In the summer, Billboard unveiled the “Best Latin Collaborations of 2022 (So Far),” including Christina Aguilera & Ozuna’s “Santo” (January), Becky G & Karol G’s “Mamiii” (February), Sebastian Yatra & John Legend’s “Tacones Rojos (Remix)” (March), Bizarrap & Paulo Londra’s “BZRP Music Sessions #23” (April), Morat & Duki’s “Paris” (May), and Blessd & Rels B’s “Energia” (June).
Who should win the best Latin collaboration of October? Vote below!
Halloween is officially here, and in the spirit of the spooky holiday, Billboard compiled a list featuring some of the Latin music stars who understood the assignment this year.
The list kicks off with Becky G and her boyfriend Sebastian Lletget, who dressed up as Santanico Pandemonium (Salma Hayek) and Seth Gecko (George Clooney) in the 1996 film From Dusk Till Dawn. The power couple is followed by artists such as Anittam who dressed as Beetlejuice’s wife, and Rauw Alejandro, who dressed up as the blue ranger from the timeless Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, to name a few.
A pereniall costume favorite, both Ivy Queen and Pabllo Vitar dressed up as the late Selena Quintanilla this year — channeling the iconic purple cutout jumpsuit that Selena donned during her concert at the Houston Astrodome in 1995. The Reggaeton Queen even rocked the band-aid and smudged lipstick microphone as Selena did in the concert.
Meanwhile, a wave of artists brought their latest singles to life, such as Karol G, Thalía, and Robi. In the midst of her Strip Love Tour, Karol G dressed up as a sexy Catwoman in all-red leather, in honor of her Maldy-assisted “Gatubela.” Mexican pop star Thalía rocked an all-black leather fit, also to go with her new track “Psycho Bitch.” And rising Puerto Rican act ROBI dressed up as Daddy Yankee just weeks after releasing his version of the latter’s classic “Tu Principe.”
Also on the list are Shakira, Cazzu, Lele Pons, Kimberly Loaiza, Jessi Uribe, Mario Ruiz, and Pipe Bueno. See all the spooktacular costumes below!
From deconstructing Rosalía’s success to announcing a novel partnership between See Tickets and Spain’s powerful media conglomerate Grupo Prisa, networking, technology and live events were at the forefront of the tenth annual edition of BIME, the international music industry gathering that took place in Bilbao, Spain, Oct.26-29.
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Created by entertainment company Last Tour, best known for its live events, BIME remains focused on bridging the Latin American and European markets, with a focus on live events.
This year’s anniversary event highlighted a recovered, post-COVID scene, with some 2,500 in-person attendees for both the “Pro” side of the event (made up of panels, speed dating and networking) and over 60 live shows through out Bilbao. Here are some stand out moments:
1. Rebeca León on her gut instinct and Rosalía’s au natural posts: “The pendulum has swung to the less pretentious,” said super manager León when asked about Rosalía’s frequent clean-faced, home-made posts. “It’s more about hand-held videos as opposed to showing things like a private plane.” And while León’s instinct may have served her well when she signed a still-unknown Rosalía several years ago, León admits she sometimes has to quiet her gut to take stock of opportunity. “Even when my intuition says run, run, run, I stop and listen. It’s important to consider all offers.”
2. De La Ghetto gets pragmatic: The Puerto Rican reggaetonero with multi-genre sensibility displayed sophisticated business savvy and was generous in his advice to up and coming artists. He is involved “in every single aspect of my business,” he said bluntly. In his early days, he recounted, he was relentless in giving away his music–CDs were still around—so fans would get to know him. Now, he uses social media relentlessly for the same objective. “Believe in yourself,” he said. “No one thought someone who looks like me, and who sang with an R&B sensibility would do well.” More important, he stressed, never sign anything that your lawyer doesn’t look at. “I have my lawyer, my manager has his lawyer,” he said. “Having a lawyer is the best investment.”
3. Ady Harley and Nerea Igualador on digital marketing strategies: Harley, Meta’s head of music label partnerships for Latam and U.S. Latin, and Igualador, VP of digital business for Sony Music Entertainment, provided a roadmap for effective social media marketing and promotion. “Today, you can create a marketing plan on social media that leads to consumption,” said Harley.
It starts with generation an audience, says Igualador, and that requires three steps: “Discovery; I need my audience to discover me. It’s one of the biggest challenges. There are 60,000 songs released per day, and you have to define their place and audience.” The second step, she says, is taking that audience to consume the music. “All our actions have consumption as a final objective.” And finally, there’s engagement. “Once my audience discovers me, how do I keep them engaged.”
4. James Cruz gets emotional: In a conversation with BBC London’s Beatriz de La Pava, the rap and hip-hop producer lamented the loss of community in rap music. “I come from hip-hop where we really tried to help each other,” he said. “I don’t see a unified front anymore.” Cruz also recalled growing up Latin at a time when being Latin was far from appreciated. “When I see the growth of Latin music, I get tears in my eyes. It’s incredible. We had to take the jobs no one wanted to do […] We had to create our on status and our own algorithm.”
5. See Tickets and Grupo Prisa Announce partnership: The global ticketing platform, which operates in 10 countries, and the Spanish media conglomerate announce an exclusive alliance. Not only will See Tickets sell Prisa’s many festivals and concerts, it will also receive promotion and placement on Prisa’s multiple media platforms, including leading Spanish daily El País, leading radio network 40 Principales and its social media.
6. Billboard announces the launch of Billboard Español: Billboard officially launched Billboardespañol Sept. 15. A little after the one month mark, visits to the all-Spanish site are growing 24% week by week. The site was officially presented to the Spanish industry during BIME.
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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Becky G & Latin Grammys Join Forces
Ahead of the 2022 midterm elections, Becky G and the Latin Grammys are teaming up to encourage Americans to make sure they are registered to vote. The Mexican-American pop singer, who’s also co-chair of When We All Vote, will gift one lucky fan the opportunity to fly to Las Vegas for a meet-and-greet and tickets for two to the Latin Grammy Awards on Nov. 17. Participants can apply for the When We All Vote “Meet Becky G” Sweepstakes by clicking this link.
Manuel Turizo’s No. 1 Streak
Manuel Turizo continues to make waves with “La Bachata,” released five months ago. This week, the Colombian artist secured his fifth No. 1 on Billboard’s Latin Airplay chart, concurrently notching a sixth week at No. 1 on Tropical Airplay.
“Every song that you put out, you put out because you feel something and you’re in love. With ‘La Bachata,’ it took me some time,” he tells Billboard. “When it started to grow, first it was in Spain, then in Latin America, and it started to climb a lot on the charts. That’s when I felt that people were really connecting with the song. About three months after taking it out, I felt like wow, this is turning into something big. At some point, I felt it would be cool to do a remix but I abandoned the idea. I feel that ‘La Bachata’ is what it is and that was the idea. It is a very beautiful song.”
Manuel Turizo
La Industria INC
Karol G Surprises Fan Who Gave Birth
In the midst of her Strip Love Tour, Karol G surprised one of her fans who gave birth during her concert in Fresno, Calif. On her Instagram stories, the Colombian artist said she found out the fan was rushed to the hospital during her performance of “El Makinon.” Karol later documented herself going to the hospital to visit the fan who gave birth. “Anahí, the baby, is incredibly healthy and beautiful,” she wrote in a since-deleted story. “Happy, blessed, and grateful for the incredible experiences that God adds to my life. Here I am, always faithful to your faithfulness.”
Karol G performing during her Strip Love Tour.
Chris Cornejo
Ozuna Is World Cup Ready
Ozuna teamed up with Coca-Cola Puerto Rico to bring sports lovers on the island closer to the 2022 FIFA World Cup. In honor of the tournament taking place from Nov. 20 to Dec. 18, limited edition collectible cans, with 14 different designs representing some of the participating countries, can already be purchased in stores throughout the island.
“I feel very happy with this collaboration with Coca-Cola and to be able to contribute in some way to continue cultivating interest in the sport of soccer in Puerto Rico,” Ozuna said in a statement. “Being part of the FIFA World Cup soundtrack is something very special for me. I never imagined that I could go so far with my music.”
In addition, the initiative will promote the development of sports on the Island by allocating a donation of $50,000 for the rehabilitation of soccer fields in San Juan.
A Family Affair
Colombian power couple Greeicy and Mike Bahia are bringing their Amantes Tour to the U.S. for the first time. The 2023 North American leg of the tour, which follows its trek across Latin America in 2018 and 2019, marks Greeicy’s return to the stage after giving birth to her first child, KAI, in April 2022. If the official poster is any indication, the couple also plans on taking their son on tour with them.
Presented by Loud and Live, Greeicy and Bahia — who have been in a relationship since 2010 — will visit eight cities in the U.S., kicking off on Feb. 23 at the Colden Auditorium in New York, and wrapping on March 5 at The Novo in Los Angeles. The couple will also visit select cities including Miami and Houston. Prior to visiting the U.S., the tour will make stops in countries such as Bolivia, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Peru, and Venezuela, among others. See the dates here.