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When Rauw Alejandro performed at the Governors Ball music festival in New York in June, he wore a burnt yellow and beige pinstripe suit with skinny pants, reminiscent of 1970s hipster New York — and previewing what to expect from his next studio album, due out on Sony Music US Latin.
“My dad is from Brooklyn and I have lots of family in New York, and obviously, there’s a lot of Puerto Rican culture there,” Alejandro says, speaking from Rosarito Beach, Mexico, where he headlined the Baja Beach Fest in August. “It’s a little inspired in the ’70s, the Fania All-Stars, all that. It’s a whole character, and I call it a ‘character’ because I see it as an overall concept. Music goes hand in hand with the visuals, the videos, the photos.”
Alejandro, whose six albums have all reached the top 10 on Billboard’s Top Latin Albums chart, is no stranger to chameleonic shows of artistry. His aesthetic has changed from album to album, notably with 2021’s Vice Versa (which debuted at No. 17 on the Billboard 200), along with its disco-tinged hit single “Todo de Tí,” plus his most recent album, 2023’s Playa Saturno.
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The upcoming Cosa Nuestra — a title inspired by the genre-defining 1969 Fania All-Stars salsa album by Willie Colón with Héctor Lavoe on vocals — includes the already-released “Touching the Sky” and “Déjame Entrar,” slick blends of funk, disco and R&B. (The latter track is bolstered by a video featuring a cameo by actor Adrien Brody). Producers include Alejandro stalwarts like Mag, Tainy and Mr. NaisGai, as well as veteran salsa producers like Nino Segarra.
Alejandro is approaching his new music with a new agency (UTA) and, instead of new management, is working with “a collective, a family, where we all bring ideas to the table,” he says. The core group consists of veteran manager Jorge “Pepo” Ferradas (who also manages Camilo and Rels B and spent a decade with Shakira), Alejandro’s longtime associate Matías Solari and business manager/attorney José Juan Torres. Ahead of Cosa Nuestra’s late-fall release, Alejandro will perform at the Global Citizen Festival in New York in September and at two arenas in Japan in October as part of Coke STUDIO Live 2024 alongside NewJeans and Rita Ora.
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You spoke about creating a character for this album. Who is he?
I give them nicknames. This is Raúl, Raúl Alejandro, which has more of a telenovela vibe. It’s a bit more like Raúl Alejandro and His Orquestra, which is more serious. My dad’s name is Raúl, so everyone calls me Raulito. I was Raulito on Saturno, a younger character, more active in the street, in the neighborhood. But now I’m Raúl, a more adult guy living in New York and re-creating the era when Puerto Ricans immigrated to the city. My grandmother came in the 1930s, 1940s when there was a big economic depression in Puerto Rico. Many genres — hip-hop, jazz, salsa — came from that time. I love to really study the world I’m going into and try to live it in the present with my touch.
How did you decide on the direction of Cosa Nuestra?
I like to visualize my plans long term. I’ll sit in my house, read a book, smoke a joint with a little cafecito, look at the sky and try to make a mental map of what’s coming up. I don’t like to repeat projects, so planning helps me achieve that. Saturno is an album inspired by the ’90s with more uptempo, electronic music, so don’t expect my next project to be more of the same. Obviously, my essence comes from R&B, and that can fit in any kind of rhythm. It’s not just about the music, but the eras overall.
Your album title is inspired by a classic salsa album. Will there be salsa on yours?
Salsa is not my essence, but it’s something that’s in my blood and in my culture, and it’s something I love. I come from urban music, but I can do other genres. The Colón-Lavoe Cosa Nuestra had the elegance and the musicality and the instruments, which you will hear on this album. It’s the first time I use my band and live music on almost an entire project. I usually write with my keyboard and my computer, but on this project I’m going to the roots.
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You had a hit with “Santa” alongside Jamaican producer Rvssian and Nigerian singer Ayra Starr. Are you planning any Afrobeats or African-inspired music on this album?
Afro is mixed in everything because for me, African music is the mothership. We inherited so much African music in Puerto Rico; our cultural mix is so rich and flavorful, and African music is in our blood. I’ve worked a lot with Rvssian, he’s a good friend, and all our collabs are Afrobeats and dancehall mixed with reggaetón. But everything comes from Africa. I’d love to tour Africa.
Dance has been front and center in the music videos for this album’s singles. What inspired that?
I’ve been studying my ancestors and all the richness of Puerto Rico, so there’s a lot of typical dance and dance that the world may not know. I’ve already used those elements, but I haven’t explained them. Those movements are inspired by something cultural … They’re inspired in salsa, in bomba, in plena, in dances from my island, obviously mixed with jazz, contemporary dance and hip-hop. It’s another aspect of my career.
This story appears in the Aug. 24, 2024, issue of Billboard.
From career milestones to new music releases to major announcements and those little important moments, Billboard editors highlight uplifting moments in Latin music. Here’s what happened in the Latin music world this week.
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Cazzu’s Tribute to Selena
This week, Cazzu surprised fans by reappearing on social media — following her very public breakout with Mexican artist Christian Nodal in June. The Argentine rapper was a guest on “Sesiones ¡FA!,” a platform hosted by Argentine actor and musician Mex Urtizberea, where she performed a heartfelt cover of Selena‘s timeless “Como La Flor.” Beyond giving the song a refreshing, reggae twist, the singer seemed happy and healed in the video. Cazzu and Nodal, who have a daughter together, called it splits in June after dating for nearly two years. “I feel the need to let you know that I AM OK, going through it in the best way possible,” she previously said on her Instagram Stories. “I choose to step away from social media for a while to detox and focus on my baby, who is my priority, and on my work.”
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J Balvin to Make Acting Debut
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J Balvin is set to make his acting debut in the forthcoming drug drama Little Lorraine, directed by Andy Hines. Starring Stephen Amell and Sean Astin, the film is “based on true events from the late 1980s, depicting a remote mining and fishing town’s transformation into a hub for a major cocaine smuggling operation,” according to Variety. “I’ve started acting — like real acting, not just cameos — and I just wrapped filming for a movie I’m in that comes out next year,” the Colombian artist, who will portray an Interpol agent investigating a Colombian drug importation ring, said. “I love that side of myself.”
J Balvin
Cesar Buitrago
Chencho Announces Debut Solo Album
After a 25-year trajectory, where he gained success through the popular reggaetón duo Plan B, Chencho Corleone is ready to launch his debut solo album. Earlier this week, the Puerto Rican artist revealed the cover art and release date of his upcoming studio set. “The wait is over…,” he wrote on Instagram, revealing that his album Solo (alone) will be out on Sept. 13. “This album represents my commitment to my fans, who always expect the best from me,” Corleone said in a press statement. “Every track describes a situation that transports you and, at the same time, motivates you to dance. I’m thrilled to finally share ‘Solo’ with my fans and can’t wait to see their reactions.”
LAGOS Supports Venezuelan Immigrants
In efforts to support the Venezuelan community, pop duo LAGOS has partnered with the United Nations to ensure that Venezuelan refugees in Latin America and the Caribbean have access to food, shelter, medical care, education, and formal employment. Proceeds from their Alta Fidelidad 2024 Tour in Mexico will be donated to UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency. “This is a collaboration that is not only part of our present, but will also be a long-term commitment,” the duo expressed in an Instagram post. “We know that music has the power to unite and heal, and we want to do our bit for those who need it most.” Donations can be made here.
New Music Latin is a compilation of the best new Latin songs and albums recommended by Billboard’s Latin and Billboard Español editors. Check out this week’s picks below.
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Carin León, Carlos Vives & Chimbala, “La Chancleta” (Socios Music/Virgin Music/Island Records)
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The unexpected fusion of Mexican, Colombian, and Dominican musical elements in “La Chancleta” is a delightful surprise, where Carín León collaborates with Carlos Vives and Chimbala. The upbeat song laces Vives’ tropical vallenato rhythms from the Colombian coast with Chimbala’s rapid and infectious Dembow melodies, all while León’s husky vocals bid farewell to a bad love. “No guardaste el pan para Mayo,” says part of the playful lyrics, which translates to “you did not save the bread for May” — a popular Spanish phrase that stresses the importance of saving for the future to avoid problems. — INGRID FAJARDO
Jesse & Joy and Banda MS, “Te Perdí” (Warner Music Latina)
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Finding the middle ground between their characteristic pop sound and banda sinaloense, Jesse & Joy venture to experiment with regional Mexican music with Banda MS on the song “Te Perdí.” The sweet female vocals that have conquered different generations merges perfectly with that of Alan Ramírez, one of the singers of the group that is characterized by its success with romantic songs. “And although it sounds silly, I know deep down I lost you/ If your heart is gone, then what is left for me to fight,” goes part of the lyrics to this pleasant-to-the-ear and easy-to-remember song. — TERE AGUILERA
Feid & Maisak, “Se Me Olvida” (Universal Music Latino)
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Despite being one of the biggest names in the reggaetón space today, Feid never holds back from supporting the new generation of urbano acts. “Se Me Olvida” attests to that, where the Colombian superstar teams up with promising newcomer Maisak, hailing from Santa Marta, Colombia. Produced by Fenix the Producer and co-penned by the two artists, “Se Me Olvida” is a romantic reggaetón ballad, where the heartfelt lyrics shine on its own. “I keep forgetting that I’m your ex, that I lost you/ And now the love of my life is with the love of her life,” goes the catchy chorus, which first went viral on Maisak’s TikTok — and as a result, Feid jumped on the track. — JESSICA ROIZ
Joaquina, “no llames lo mío nuestro” (Universal Music Latino/Arthouse)
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In her latest single “No Llames Lo Mío Nuestro” (Don’t Call What’s Mine Ours), Joaquina captures the strength of a young woman reluctant to make the same mistakes of the past. In this emotional pop track, the Venezuelan singer-songwriter sings to an ex who is looking to get back with her that she has closed that chapter and overcome their toxic relationship. “I can no longer be here for you whenever you want, don’t try to cover the sun with a finger/ You can no longer take the parts of me that you want, don’t come back because I’m no longer waiting for you/ Don’t call what’s mine ours,” goes the chorus. Driven by a guitar sound that’s perhaps more poppy than her previous work, the single is a new evolutionary step in the brilliant career of the youngest Latin Grammy best new artist winner, both musically and lyrically. — SIGAL RATNER-ARIAS
Cimafunk, Pa’ Tu Cuerpa (Terapia Productions/Thirty Tigers)
Erik Alejandro Iglesias Rodríguez, known as Cimafunk and originally from Pinar del Río, Cuba, redefines funk with his new album Pa’ tu Cuerpa. The set is a sonic mosaic that fuses Afro-Cuban rhythms with the contagious groove of R&B and the harmonic sensuality of soul, evoking giants like Earth, Wind & Fire, but with a Latin flavor. The album stands out for its originality, creating an exciting, danceable bridge between African American and Latin music. In addition, the musical arrangements are complex and dynamic, while Cimafunk’s performance is pure energy, charisma and mischief in each song.
Among the gems of the album, the single “Cuchi Cuchi” stands out for its magnetism, while “Catalina”, together with Monsieur Periné, shines for its fusion of styles and contagious joy. “Pretty” adds a note of sensuality and flavor, and closer “A tu merced” — a collaboration with Camila Guevara, Pancho Céspedes and Gonzalo Rubalcaba — ends the set with a more introspective cadence. With Pa’ tu Cuerpa, Cimafunk not only delivers “what your body needs,” but solidifies his place as one of the most innovative and captivating artists in contemporary music. — LUISA CALLE
Listen to more editors’ Latin recommendations in the playlist below:
Minutes before midnight on Saturday at the Petronio Alvarez Festival in Cali, Colombia, the sound system stopped working with La Herencia de Timbiquí onstage. The crowd, estimated at 45,000 by festival staff, hardly missed a beat – and continued singing for several minutes.
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It was not surprising that the audience, a mix of Colombians and visitors from the U.S., Europe and elsewhere, knew the band’s material; they are among the few groups from the South American country’s musically-rich Pacific coast that is the focus of the “Petronio,” as it’s known, to reach tens of millions of streams on Spotify. But outside Colombia, even as Latin music gains increasing traction at a global scale, relatively few fans are familiar with the rich diversity of Afro Latino music that comes from Colombia’s Pacific coast.
The Petronio, named after Petronio Alvarez — a railroad worker and composer of a song that has become a hymn to the region, “Mi Buenaventura” — may help remedy that.
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The event, which concluded its 28th edition on Monday, is held in Cali – the city with the second-highest Black population in Latin America, after Bahía, Brazil. Many of its Black residents immigrated here from the coast, driven by the drug war and other violence. They brought with them a rich cultural and musical heritage that includes genres steeped in folklore, like the brass-heavy chirimía and the marimba-driven currulao.
But those genres have never gained the prominence of others — like vallenato, cumbia or even the contemporary hybrid of rap and reggaetón.
Petronio has gained a higher international profile with each year; city government organizers estimated the 2024 festival would draw up to a half-million attendees, after beginning in 1997 with only five thousand locals in the stands. And this year, a visit from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who both spoke from the stage (Markle speaking in perfect Spanish) as guests of Colombian vice president Francia Marquez — the country’s first Black vice president — put new eyes on the event.
Markle spoke in perfect Spanish from the stage and the royal couple not only danced to and heard music from the Pacific coast, but also attended events focused on challenges facing the people of the historically-marginalized region.
Yuri Buenaventura
Jesse Pratt López
Still, the question some ask is: What will it take for the Afro-Colombian sounds of the Pacific coast to reach a global audience?
One person drawn to the music was Inma Grass, founder of Spanish music company Altafonte, acquired by Sony Music in January.
Altafonte’s roster includes La Herencia de Timbiquí among its artists, and Grass came to Cali both to “brainstorm” a campaign to celebrate the band’s upcoming twenty-fifth anniversary and to meet and hear new artists. En route to the airport on Monday, Grass told Billboard that her stay of twelve days was her first visit to Colombia. “I’m shocked by the musical richness [of the Pacific coast],” she said. “It has global potential.”
Musicians offering special performances outside the event’s contest format of five categories included Nidia Góngora, also from the Pacific town of Timbiquí. Góngora has toured for years in Europe and the U.S., and is known for her groundbreaking collaborations with the English electronic producer Quantic, as well as roots music recordings with her group, Canalón de Timbiquí (the group earned a Latin Grammy nomination in 2019 for the album De Mar y Río.)
When Quantic, whose real name is Will Holland, began speaking with Góngora about collaborating in 2017, she first asked him to visit her homeland. “I was afraid that it would be an extractive relationship,” she told Billboard on the second day of the festival, sitting in a side room of the seafood restaurant Viche Positivo that she runs in Cali (viche is a liquor made from sugar cane). Góngora took Holland to her family’s house on the coast. “He came back with more respect,” she said, explaining that he “took on a commitment” to the marimba and percussion in her roots.
The result: Curao, an album with six tracks that have each been streamed more than a million times on Spotify, in which “two sounds come together without either one taking away attention from the other,” said the singer. The name refers to a traditional blend of viche and herbs.
Such musical blends are increasingly found at the Petronio in the “Libre” or Open category of competition.
The six-day fest also included after-hour events, such as one featuring Alexis Play, a singer from the Pacific coast who fuses horns from chirimía with electric guitar, conga drums – and rap. Even so, his concert included a brief chirimía presentation beforehand, as if to remind the audience about the artist’s musical roots.
Many musicians and others at the festival in Cali were concerned about these roots, and their makers, being lost without attention or support. A highlight was the first-night concert led by marimbero Hugo Candelario, who gathered a 26-person ensemble featuring a handful of marimba maestros, the oldest being 87-year-old Genaro Torres – and their young relatives. Candelario founded Grupo Bahía, winner at the first “Petronio,” in 1997.
The Guapi-born musician also spent several days during “Petronio” speaking to whoever would listen about the need for everything from video recordings of the maestros explaining their techniques, tuning and other musical knowledge, to music schools on the Pacific coast for keeping traditions alive and developing future talent. His audiences included Colombian government officials and a delegation from the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.
“The danger is that the ancestral magic and wisdom go to the grave with the maestros,” Candelario said. “The festival is not a panacea,” he added – meaning it can’t solve these problems by itself.
Yuri Buenaventura has told the story more than once of living penniless in Paris as a young man, and going on to sell more than a million copies of his album Herencia Africana, including a salsa version of the Jacques Brel song, “Ne Me Quitte Pas.” Now living in Cali and working on projects through a foundation he founded that include recording musicians from the Pacific coast, he worries that the festival might become “a caricature of itself” if musicians from the region don’t have a way to learn the ins and outs of the music industry, about such matters as production, marketing and songwriting royalties. This lack of knowledge also endangers the music, he said.
Petronio Alvarez Festival
Jesse Pratt López
Altafonte’s Grass addressed the tension between conserving musical and other cultural traditions and reaching a global audience. “Many musicians are recuperating their roots, and mixing them with genres that young people listen to,” she said. “You can’t be a purist,” she added — drawing on the example of Spain’s flamenco, which drew many such debates for decades, only to see the artist Camarón de la Isla fuse the traditional form with other contemporary sounds, reaching great success.
“I think we have to conserve traditional groups and sounds, while at the same time I love the way music keeps evolving,” she said. “If it doesn’t, it’s not going to connect with new generations – mixing trap, rap, jazz, reggaetón, everything they feel in their world.”
One category above others at the festival lent itself to these sorts of fusion – the “Open” competition. After midnight on Monday morning, Chureo Callejero — a group of young musicians from Tumaco blending marimba, rap and snare drums — were announced as this year’s winners in the category.
Within hours of the victory, a person presenting himself as an Italian visitor to the festival wrote a comment under one of the few YouTube videos of the group, with slightly more than a thousand views: “We want your music on Spotify! Long live Petronio! Long live Colombia!”
Gerardo Coronel “El Jerry” rises to No. 1 spot on Billboard’s Regional Mexican Airplay chart as his single “Tutorial Para Olvidar” crowns the list dated Aug. 24. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news “Tutorial Para Olvidar” jumps 3-1 with the Greatest Gainer honors after a 39% surge […]
The 2024 Democratic National Convention has had its fair share of flashy moments – from Lil Jon’s “Turn Down for What” cameo during roll call to Patti LaBelle’s gorgeous rendition of “You Are My Friend” — but the primetime show isn’t the only thing happening in Chicago this week (Aug. 19-22).
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In addition to the main event, which takes place in Chi-Town’s United Center arena, the morning and afternoons are filled with different council and caucus meetings that fire voters up, educate them on grassroots campaign strategies and break down the party’s 2024 platform. Billboard was able to sit in on Tuesday afternoon’s youth council meeting (Aug. 20), where Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Vice President Harris’ running mate, made an appearance to remind young voters of their power and responsibility for their own futures now that Dems are seemingly passing the baton along to a new generation.
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Before Walz took the podium, Texas Rep. Greg Casar addressed the room, and by the end of his remarks, nearly every delegate in the room was on their feet. “It is going to be your energy and your work that is necessary to deliver the transformational change that the vast majority of this country wants,” he proclaimed. “Too often we confuse the political center with the moral center!” Casar, who currently represents Texas’ 35th district and was formerly endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America, was connecting — and he was connecting with the country’s newest and youngest voters.
Though he only joined Congress about two years ago, Casar has certainly made his progressive presence felt – from leading a nine-hour thirst strike in 2023 to urging President Biden not to recognize the coalition claiming victory in the 2024 Pakistani general election.
Billboard caught up with Rep. Casar after the youth council to talk about some key pieces of music legislation currently floating in Congress, his understanding of “brat summer,” and his love for Grupo Frontera and Peso Pluma.
What are your thoughts on the RAP Act? Can you commit to supporting it in the House?
I’m a supporter of the bill. Before being in Congress, I was on the Austin City Council and led on a lot of music issues in what is the live music capital of the world. I really came to understand during the pandemic that supporting both recording artists and live music is important not just for those industries and not just for music lovers but [also] for building community and joy, and making expensive cities worth living in in the first place, you know.
I think Leader Jeffries and Vice President Harris have embraced pop music, and hip-hop in particular, as part of their events, and as a part of their shared identity with so many of our communities. I hope that we can remind them of that as we prioritize bills like the RAP Act, because it’s not only a clear civil rights bill, but we [also] want people to be able to express themselves without being worried that it’s going to be used in a court case against them. I think that Speaker Jeffries and [Vice] President Harris would be supportive, not only because they understand the importance of hip-hop to American culture, but also because they’re civil rights-first elected officials.
In light of the DOJ suing Live Nation-Ticketmaster, where do you stand on the Fans First Act?
I’m trying to remember the details of Fans First versus all the different ideas on how to crack down on monopolies in the ticketing industry, [but] I’m just generally supportive of whatever it is that we can get done to make it easier to buy tickets, and for more of that money to actually get to the people that make the music and do the tour.
I find that people in places like Austin are actually increasingly happy to pay a decent cover if they know that it’s going to the artist then. So whatever it is that we can do to take on monopolies in the music industry I think is really important. It’s the same problem we have with meat; only four companies control nearly 90% of the meat in the country. The same issues we have in tech we have in music as well.
In that vein, what was the last concert you went to?
I always make sure that when I’m back home in Austin, I go see some shows. Last night, [I got to see] my friend Gina Chavez, who’s a Latin Grammy nominee, play live here. The weekend before that, we had Hot Summer Nights in Austin where a bunch of our clubs on Red River were opened up for free shows, so it was awesome to see a bunch of acts play there.
I just missed seeing Grupo Frontera in Austin because I was over here. I’m a big fan of Grupo Frontera and Peso Pluma. It’s just been awesome to see them really break out. Peso Pluma actually went to middle school in my district in San Antonio for a little while; he was between Mexico and San Antonio. A bigger arena show that I’ve been to recently was Burna Boy. For my birthday, we saw Chicano Batman. They played the 9:30 Club. People catch me at the $25 shows! Also, Thundercat! I’ve seen Thundercat twice in D.C.
What do you think of the Harris-Walz campaign’s embrace of pop music? Do you think it ever veers on the side of pandering, or do you think that they have their finger on their pulse in a smart and balanced way?
I think that you just got to have fun with it, man. If a politician likes that song, good for them! I think that the more we can be our real selves and realize that we’re just normal people, that’s gonna speak for itself. If I’m at your house, put on your playlist, don’t put on the playlist you think I’m going to like. Put on your stuff!
You get that feeling from this campaign? That they’re putting on their playlists?
I think they’re putting on what they like, and I would encourage them to really get relaxed with that. I think people are looking for authenticity.
How do you understand “brat summer?”
[Laughs.] I feel like its meaning has been contorted and twisted, you know? It started out [with] Charli XCX having a good time, then it turned into everybody having a good time. And now Kamala Harris might be president!
What is your personal song of the summer of 2024?
There’s this Karol G song, “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido,” it’s a great one. I’ve been on some long drives this summer, and it’s one of the ones that I [replayed] a decent amount. It’s hot in Texas, like 105° today, so it’s a good “rolling down the windows” and “chilling on the lawn” song.
Luísa Sonza has been announced as one of the attractions for the historic first regular-season NFL game that will take place in Brazil. She will perform the Brazilian National Anthem. Other confirmed acts include Anitta, who will perform during the halftime show. Zeeba (who is American, with Brazilian parents) will sing the U.S. National Anthem, while DJ Carola will present a set before the game begins. The event will take place on Sept. 6 at Arena Corinthians in São Paulo.
In a conversation with Billboard Brazil, Luísa described the moment as an opportunity to increase the projection of her name and career outside her country. “This is a very important exposure. But above all, representing my country to the world is the greatest honor I can have as an artist,” she said.
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The National Anthem moment precedes the start of the match, and for Sonza, it’s a time that generates a lot of anticipation for the audience. “It’s always emotional because it’s about our roots, our homeland. Being able to represent that to the world will be an honor.” Read the exclusive interview below.
How did the invitation to sing the National Anthem at the NFL event in São Paulo come about?
The invitation came through Kley Tarcitano, an artistic director who currently works in the United States and collaborates with the NFL, along with Maria Garcia, who works with the NFL and the halftime show in the U.S. and worldwide. I said yes right away! The NFL is a global event, and I was very happy to be invited to their first game in Brazil. Singing the National Anthem is always a unique moment, especially at an event of this magnitude. Representing my country is incredible.
Can you give more details about what you’re preparing for your performance?
The performance of the National Anthem always comes with great expectations. I’ve been singing since I was a child, and I always sing along with all the other Brazilians during important moments in our history, at games, and in celebrations. The anthem is always emotional because it brings our roots, our homeland, and being able to represent that to the world will be an honor.
In the United States, there is a strong connection between pop music and sports, particularly with American football. How do you see this playing in Brazil?
I believe entertainment and sports always succeed together. I’ve always followed the Super Bowl finals, the incredible shows that happen every year, and I’m very happy to be part of this moment here in Brazil.
Regarding the audience here in Brazil, do you think being part of this historic NFL event could also introduce you to a new audience?
It always adds value. Being able to perform and sing for new audiences is important for all artists. Music is very vast in Brazil, and having this kind of representation is relevant for any artist’s career.
Do you believe that this performance could also bring international exposure to your career? Is that an important point for you?
Yes. I’ve already been more present abroad, and this is a very important exposure. But above all, representing my country to the world is the greatest honor I can have as an artist. I’m very happy with the invitation.
Puerto Rican sensation Myke Towers dives deep into the superhero-inspired themes behind his upcoming album, La Pantera Negra, in an interview with Billboard News. He shares his interpretation of embracing his persona akin to suiting up like a black panther.
“First of all, I feel like I’m a superhero, whenever I’m performing or in the studio. When it’s time to do what I do, it’s like putting on the suit,” he explains. The album is slated for release Friday (Aug. 23).
Towers, known for his reggaetón, rap and trap songs including “Lala,” “La Falda” and “La Curiosidad,” is expanding his musical palette with tracks such as “En el Mar,” a song blending reggae roots with a “Bob Marley flow” and his staple música urbana influences. “I always try to do different things,” he says, hinting at the experimental vibes of the upcoming record.
A long-time collaborator of Bad Bunny’s, Towers also discussed returning to the studio with El Conejo Malo to create the track “Adivino,” a dance banger with a subtle reggaetón beat built over padded synths. On May 11, the song entered the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 63 and peaked at No. 2 on the Hot Latin Songs chart, Towers’ highest charting single to date.
The Río Piedras artist (born Michael Anthony Torres Monge) also highlighted how an encounter with Benny Blanco in an L.A. studio led to a fruitful session. “We did three songs that day, and the three songs are fire,” Towers shared, spotlighting the effortless synergy between the artists. His vibe is crazy — whenever I’m around him, he’s like laughing [all] around.”
The 20-track album features an ensemble of collaborations with artists such as Peso Pluma, Jay Wheeler, Omar Montes, Cosculluela, Yovngchimi and more, promising a multifaceted auditory experience for listeners.
On April 30, Myke Towers graced the cover of Billboard Español, in which he dove into the symbolism of La Pantera Negra and his continued ascent in the music world.
Watch Towers’ new interview with Billboard News above to hear him discuss his new album.
Los Angeles-based trio LA LOM make their first Billboard chart appearance with debut album The Los Angeles League of Musicians, as the 13-track set launches at No. 5 on the Tropical Albums chart (dated Aug. 24).
“I know I wasn’t thinking about charts when we made the record,” Zac Sokolow, LA LOM’s guitar player, tells Billboard. “We’ve been really excited to have the opportunity to share our original music with people around the world, and we’re really happy to hear that the record is resonating with people.”
The Los Angeles League of Musicians was released Aug. 9 on Verve/VLG. That gives the label its first entry and top 10 on a Latin chart in over a decade, since Natalie Cole’s Natalie Cole En Español debuted at No. 1 on both, Top Latin Albums and Latin Pop Albums charts in January 2013.
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The Los Angeles League of Musicians (LA LOM is its acronym), opens at No. 5 on Tropical Albums with a little over 2,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. for the tracking week of Aug. 9-15, according to Luminate. Most of the album’s first week sum comprises traditional album sales, with a small amount of units through streaming activity. That equates to 358,000 official on-demand U.S. streams for the album’s songs.
On Tropical Albums, one unit equals one album sale, 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams for a song on the album.
With The Los Angeles League of Musicians, LA LOM banks its first entry on a Billboard chart and its first top 10 on any ranking.
Notably, it’s just the third album to debut in the top five on Tropical Albums so far in 2024, after Prince Royce’s Llamada Perdida (No. 2 start in March) and Marc Anthony’s Muevense (No. 4 debut in May). Further LA LOM marks the third top five debut by a group this decade, joining El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico’s En Cuarentena and Buena Vista Social Club’s Ahora Me Da Pena EP, both which achieved a No. 3 opening in April 2021 and May 7, 2022, respectively.
“We all have a background playing different styles of music that we heard around Los Angeles, the city we all grew up in,” Sokolow adds. “Everything from classic soul, rockabilly, country, jazz, to traditional music from Eastern Europe. When we play cumbia, we bring all these elements from the city to our music. The tropical/cumbia that’s most popular around LA is probably the pop cumbia style from Mexico you hear on the radio, but there are also some really great bands that play music influenced by the chicha from Peru, or the vallenato style from Colombia. We play our own style from Los Angeles.”
Thanks to LA LOM’s U.S. growing footprint, the group, composed of Zac Sokolow (guitar), Jake Faulkner (bass), and Nicholas Baker (drums/percussion), concurrently makes its debut on the Emerging Artists chart, at No. 18. The tally ranks the most popular developing artists of the week, using the same formula as the all-encompassing Billboard Artist 100, which measures artist activity across multiple Billboard charts.
Further, the album takes LA LOM to its first appearance on Top Current Album Sales, where it arrives at No. 44.
“What you hear on the record is pretty close to the way we play live, but we always play the best when we are playing to a room full of dancers,” Sokolow concludes. “We’ve been pretty busy touring the last couple months and have dates coming up all over the world. Make sure to come see us when we make it to your town!”
Rauw Alejandro returns to No. 1 on Billboard’s Latin Pop Airplay chart with “Touching the Sky,” as the song jumps 2-1 to rule the Aug. 24-dated ranking. The new champ marks his fifth No. 1 overall and second as a soloist after “Todo De Ti” dominated for 28 weeks between 2021-22.
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The disco-infused “Touching the Sky,” released through Duars/Sony Music Latin on May 23, lands at the summit on Latin Pop Airplay with a 7% gain in audience impressions, to 3.8 million, earned in the week of Aug. 9-15, according to Luminate. Thanks to its audience improvement the song trades places with Piso 21 and Wisin’s “La Misión,” which dips 2-1 with an 11% drop, to 3.8 million impressions.
“‘Touching The Sky’ is out! Thanks for the loveeee siempreeeee,” the Puerto Rican announced on his Instagram account almost three months ago. The song’s connection with the Latin pop audience and programmers comes after the first taste of Rauw Alejandro’s new art direction overall, where he steps out of his rhythmic music chapter and embraces the pop side he occasionally showcased in prior releases, plus welcomes a more dapper wardrobe, as he’s been teasing on socials.
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“Touching the Sky” also marks Rauw Alejandro’s first No. 1 on Latin Pop Airplay as a soloist, unaccompanied by any other act, since the 28-week ruler “Todo De Ti” in 2021-22. In between, Raúl placed another champ, the Shakira collab “Te Felicito” (one week atop in May 2022). Plus, two top 10s followed: “Beso” with Rosalía (No. 2 high) and the No. 9-peaking “Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 56” with Bizarrap (both in July 2023).
In sum, Rauw Alejandro has logged five career No. 1s on Latin Pop Airplay, dating back to 2020. Here’s his collection of champs:
Peak Date, Title, Artist, Weeks at No. 1:
June 6, 2020, “TBT,” with Sebastian Yatra & Manuel Turizo, three
March 13, 2021, “Baila Conmigo,” with Selena Gómez, two
May 8, 2021, “Vacío,” with Luis Fonsi, six
June 19, 2021, “Todo De Ti,” 28
May 7, 2022, “Te Felicito,” with Shakira, one
Aug. 24, “Touching the Sky”
Beyond the Latin Pop Airplay coronation, “Touching the Sky” rebounds to its No. 24 peak on the overall Latin Airplay chart, his first appearance as a solo singer since “Cúrame” ruled the March 5, 2022, chart.