Latin
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Shakira hopped up on stage at the LIV Miami nightclub over the weekend to celebrate her new single, “Soltera.” But according to fan video of the impromptu moment, after swiveling her hips in classic style for a few minutes, the singer stopped dancing when she appeared to notice someone in the crowd attempting to film […]
Maná has pulled its Nicky Jam collaboration from music streaming platforms following the reggaetón star’s endorsement of Donald Trump.
On Sunday (Sept. 15), the legendary Mexican rock band posted a statement on social media explaining why the group decided to remove its 2016 reimagining of “De Pies a Cabeza” from streaming services after Nicky’s public endorsement of Trump over the weekend.
“Maná doesn’t work with racists,” the Fher Olvera-fronted band wrote in Spanish on Instagram, drawing mixed reactions in the comments section.
“For the past 30 years, Maná has supported and defended the rights of Latinos around the world. There is no business or promotion that is worth more than the dignity of our people. That is why today Maná decided to remove its collaboration with Nicky Jam on ‘Pies a Cabeza’ from all digital platforms.”
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Maná and Jam’s reggae-tinged version of the band’s 1992 classic song “De Pies a Cabeza” premiered in 2016, reaching No. 1 on Billboard‘s Latin Airplay chart. At the time of its release, Nicky called Maná one of his idols and said, “I never thought I’d work with them so this is a blessing.”
Maná’s decision to pull “De Pies a Cabeza” from streamers comes after Trump’s Las Vegas campaign rally on Friday (Sept. 13), during which Nicky took the stage to support the former president as he faces off against Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 U.S. presidential election.
“It’s an honor to meet you, Mr. President. People that come from where I come from, they don’t meet the president. So I’m lucky,” said the 43-year-old reggaetón vet, who relocated from Massachusetts to Puerto Rico at a young age. “We need you. We need you back, right? We need you to be the president.”
In what’s become an embarrassing viral moment, Trump mistakenly referred to Nicky as a “she” when introducing him to the Vegas crowd for his endorsement speech.
“Do you know Nicky? She’s hot. Where’s Nicky?” Trump said while looking off to the side for the “X” singer. A few moments later, the ex-POTUS spotted the Latin star and realized his mistake. “Oh, look, I’m glad he came up,” Trump said as he patted Nicky’s shoulder.
Maná has been a strong supporter of Democratic causes over the years, particularly related to immigration reform and other Latino related issues. “The way Trump expresses himself about Mexicans and the Latin community is incredible,” Olvera tweeted in Spanish following a 2016 presidential debate. “Like a lot of people have perceived it, he is a racist.” The Mexican band also celebrated President Joe Biden’s 2020 win, writing on Twitter (now X), “Values won over provision. There’s unity in diversity.”
Nicky Jam is one of many music stars who have endorsed the 78-year-old businessman-turned-politician in his 2024 re-election bid. In late August, Puerto Rican reggaetón stars Anuel AA and Justin Quiles took the stage to support Trump at a rally in Johnstown, Penn. Other artists who support the former president include Jason Aldean, Kid Rock, Kodak Black, Lil Pump, Sexyy Red and Billy Ray Cyrus.
See Maná’s post on Instagram below.
Kim Loaiza‘s X Amor II has topped this week’s new music Latin poll. In the poll — published on Friday (Sept. 13) in support of the weekly New Music Latin roundup and playlist, curated by Billboard Latin and Billboard Español editors — music fans voted for the Mexican singer’s latest album as their favorite music release of the week. In X Amor […]
The plans to transform the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid, Spain, into a new musical epicenter have encountered an unexpected setback. Following successful shows by artists like Karol G, Taylor Swift and Luis Miguel, the football club Real Madrid announced on Friday (Sep. 13) that it has decided to suspend scheduled concerts at its official venue until 2025, though no specific date was provided.
“Real Madrid C. F. hereby announces that it has decided to provisionally reschedule the calendar of events and concerts at the Santiago Bernabéu. This decision is part of a series of measures that the club has been taking to ensure strict compliance with current municipal regulations during concerts,” the club stated in a press release published on its website and social media.
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“Despite the soundproofing of the Santiago Bernabéu and the additional measures that have been put in place, compliance with these regulations by the various organizers and promoters has been hampered by the challenge of meeting all the requirements,” the statement added. “Real Madrid will continue to work to ensure that during concerts there are the precise conditions in the production and broadcasting of sound that allow concerts to be held at our stadium.”
The affected concerts include those of Dellafuente and Aitana, originally scheduled for Nov. 15 and Dec. 28-29, respectively, and Lola Índigo’s, scheduled for March 22, 2025, Real Madrid said, stating that all of these would be rescheduled. The Music Bank Festival, which was to bring K-pop stars like BOYNEXTDOOR, KISS OF LIFE and aespa on Oct. 12, has been definitively canceled.
No further details were provided. Billboard Español attempted to contact the communications department of Real Madrid C.F. but did not receive a response at the time of publication.
On their social media accounts, Aitana and Lola Índigo quickly reacted to the news. Aitana immediately announced new dates for her shows, which will now be on June 27 and 28, 2025, while Índigo stated that she would announce new dates as soon as she has them.
“We are sad, but everything is postponed until 2025 and I am sure it will be incredible,” a visibly affected Aitana said in a video posted on her Instagram account. “It’s a blow, but we will come back stronger next year, promised!” expressed Lola Índigo. Fans flooded their accounts with messages of support, although the dismay over the wait was evident.
FACUA, a Spanish non-governmental and non-profit organization that fights for consumer rights, posted the following message on X (formerly Twitter): “If you are one of those affected, you have the right to get your money back and to be compensated for transportation and accommodation expenses that you have incurred and are non-refundable.”
With a capacity of up to 65,000 people, the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium opened its doors to musical events last April with the show Locos por la Música, followed by a series of concerts from Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour on May 29-30, and Karol G’s four closing shows of her Mañana Será Bonito Tour from July 20-23. Other major concerts at the venue were those of Duki (June 8), Manuel Carrasco (June 29) and Luis Miguel (July 6-7). The last act to perform there was the group Aventura, on Sep. 7-8.
The Bernabéu Stadium, which hosts one of the largest football teams in the Spanish capital, is located in the Chamartín district, right on Paseo de la Castellana, a mainly residential area. The noise level generated by the shows is not the only issue; the traffic and massive crowds have also been noted as a problem.
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Nicky Jam is officially endorsing Donald Trump in the 2024 U.S. presidential election.
On Friday (Sept. 13), the former president held a campaign rally at the World Market Center in downtown Las Vegas, where the 43-year-old reggaetón veteran took the stage to show his support for Trump as he faces off against Vice President Kamala Harris in the November election.
In an embarrassing faux pas, however, the ex-POTUS mistakenly referred to Nicky as a “she” when introducing him to the crowd for his endorsement speech.
“Do you know Nicky? She’s hot. Where’s Nicky?” Trump said from the stage while looking off to the side for the “X” singer. A few moments later, the former president spotted the Latin star and quickly realized his mistake. “Oh, look, I’m glad he came up,” Trump said as he patted the musician’s shoulder.
Nicky, wearing a black sweatshirt and the Trump campaign’s signature red “Make America Great Again” baseball cap, then took the stage to deliver a brief statement.
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“It’s an honor to meet you, Mr. President. People that come from where I come from, they don’t meet the president. So I’m lucky,” said Nicky, who moved from Massachusetts to Puerto Rico at a young age. “We need you. We need you back, right? We need you to be the president.”
Nicky Jam is one of many music stars who have endorsed the 78-year-old businessman-turned-politician in his 2024 re-election bid. In late August, Puerto Rican reggaetón stars Anuel AA and Justin Quiles took the stage to support Trump at a rally in Johnstown, Penn. Other artists who support the former president include Jason Aldean, Kid Rock, Kodak Black, Lil Pump, Sexyy Red and Billy Ray Cyrus.
Nicky, who announced last October that he’ll be “retiring soon,” recently opened up about the decision in an interview with Billboard.
“I’m not going to be a singer for the rest of my life,” he said over Zoom from his Miami home. “I think I’ll probably retire soon… Well, not retire. Singers never retire. You just tone it down.”
Nicky dropped his sixth studio album, Insomnio, on Sept. 6.
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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A Bon Jovi & Pitbull Moment
Pitbull is in the midst of his Party After Dark Tour that kicked off Aug. 21 in Virginia. During his pitstop at the Jones Beach Theater in Long Island, New York on Thursday (Sept. 12), the Cuban-American global artist surprised fans with a special appearance by the iconic Bon Jovi. Together, the artists performed the timeless 2000 rock song “It’s My Life.” “Always an honor! To all the fans, get ready for our new collab coming soon,” Pitbull expressed in an Instagram joint post.
Noreh’s Major Career Move
With his infectious melodies and raw lyricism powered by his captivating vocals, Noreh has leaped from an indie artist to landing his first label signing with 5020 Records (launched by Sony Music).
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“We were independent for a while but I’m clear that every part of the process (as hard as it was) brought us here,” the Venezuelan artist and former Billboard On the Radar Latin act, expressed in an Instagram post. “I never included the word ‘dreams’ in my vocabulary because I felt that wanting big things was not for people like me and fortunately I was wrong! […] Right now they come together: the support you give me, my team working hard, our tattooed ballads + the new chance and a new team of people willing to add and amplify what we already do and even more important: that these songs reach many more corners. I’m 27 years old and this is just beginning. 5020, you and I will make a great album.”
“We are extremely pleased to welcome Noreh as a new member of the 5020 Records family,” Rafa Arcaute, president of 5020 Records said in a press statement. “His innovative approach to music and his ability to connect with audiences on a deep level make him the perfect addition to our roster of artists. We are excited about the opportunity to support his artistic development and help him achieve even greater success.”
NOREH x 5020
Erick Quituizaca
Our Finalists Are Here!
This week, Billboard and Telemundo unveiled the 2024 Billboard Latin Music Awards finalists with Karol G leading the pack with 17 nods in categories including artist of the year, tour of the year, and top Latin album of the year for Mañana Será Bonito (Bichota Season). The Colombian artist is followed by top nominees Bad Bunny and Peso Pluma with 15 nods each, and Feid with 11 nods.
The 31st annual Billboard Latin Music Awards will be broadcast on Telemundo on October 20 at 9pm ET from Miami. It will simultaneously be available on the Spanish entertainment cable network Universo, on Peacock and the Telemundo app, and in Latin America and the Caribbean through Telemundo Internacional. See the complete list of finalists here.
Peso Pluma and Karol G at the Billboard Latin Music Awards 2023 held at Watsco Center on October 5, 2023 in Coral Gables, Florida.
Christopher Polk for Billboard
Latinos at the 2024 VMAs
In other awards news, the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards had a strong wave of Latin representation this week. Not only did artists such as Thalia, Danna and Camila Cabello strut the star-studded carpet, but a handful of artists also took center stage during the live telecast. Rauw Alejandro performed a stunning medley of “Touching the Sky,” “Diluvio,” and “Dejame Entrar,” Karol G made Taylor Swift dance merengue with her performance of “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido,” and Anitta delivered a Brazilian Funk fiesta, where she invited Tiago PZK for “Alegria.” The latter of the three won the silver moon person for best Latin for her single “Mil Veces.”
Anitta accepts the Best Latin award for “Mil Veces” onstage at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards held at UBS Arena on Sept. 11, 2024 in in Elmont, New York.
Christopher Polk
This week, Billboard’s New Music Latin roundup and playlist — curated by Billboard Latin and Billboard Español editors — features fresh new music from artists including new music by Chencho Corleone, Arthur Hanlon, Yotuel & Darell; Cris MJ, FloyyMenor & Louki, and more.
In her latest release, X Amor II, Kim Loaiza builds upon the foundations laid by her 2023 debut, X Amor. The Mexican singer demonstrates her evolving artistry through an eclectic mix of genres ranging from reggaetón to música mexicana, peppered with other unexpected styles. A standout track includes the opener, “5 Babys,” a powerhouse intro that features an all-female lineup with Spanish MC Ptazeta, Mexican reggaetonera Bellakath, Argentine lyricist Yami Safdie, and Colombian rapper Fariana.
Argentinian stars LIT Killah and Nicki Nicole team up with the release of “Somos 3,” an electro pop track with subtle trap and Afrobeat undertones, courtesy of producers Tatool and Francisco Zecca. The single was recorded during the summer in Madrid.
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Cumaná, Venezuelan newcomer MARI also dropped “La Carajita,” which offers a “hypnotizing fusion of urban music and Venezuelan llanero music, subtly transporting us to the countryside through sustained falsetto verses like ‘the street is calling me,’ and bringing us back to the city with forceful drum rhythms, rap and cuatro,” wrote Billboard Español‘s Sigal Arias-Ratner.
Other new releases this week include Charly García’s La Lógica del Escorpión, Chino Pacas’ corridos “Otra Vez Pegue Un Vergazo,” Mike Bahía’s tropical pop “La Pena,” and a whole new remix EP by Nathy Peluso, Club Grasa.
Last week, Andy Rivera’s “Moncler” won the poll, bringing in nearly 88% of the votes. Who should win this week? Give these new releases a spin and vote on them below.
What’s your new favorite Latin music release?/¿Cuál es tu nuevo lanzamiento favorito de música latina?
In our Latin Remix of the Week series, we spotlight remixes that the Billboard Latin and Billboard Español editors deem to be exceptional and distinct from the rest. We might not publish a review every week. This is our selection today.
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Following her latest album, Grasa, Nathy Peluso debuts Club Grasa, an eight-track EP that turbocharges half of the album’s original 16 tracks with a dance floor-ready twist. In her first remix project, she harnesses the talents of international electronic producers to reinvent these tracks. Elements of rap, salsa, soul and acoustic melodies are reinterpreted through the lenses of these diverse artists, reflecting a global EDM aesthetic.
“This whole process has been an experiment and a super fun journey for me,” Nathy Peluso shared in a press release. “I’ve handed over my music to producers from the international clubbing scene, giving them total freedom to reinterpret it from its core.”
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She also describes Club Grasa as a project that pushes her creative boundaries through collaboration, embodying the album’s intent for listeners to experience the “music in their own unique ways.”
The lineup includes Spain’s nusar3000, TRISTÁN!, Ideas Radicales, and Phoac; Argentina’s Garoto 3000 and Tayhana — who is also Mexican; Colombia’s CRRDR, and the U.K.’s Mura Masa.
The Grammy-winning British producer Mura Masa brings a glitchy electro touch to “Menina,” featuring Spanish-Brazilian artist Lua de Santana. Mura Masa, born Alex Crossen, shared his enthusiasm. “Nathy is really wonderful and Grasa is such a great album with a real sonic identity,” he said in a press release. “I wanted to take what she and Lua de Santana had done with the original and recontextualize those conceptual elements into a more club-friendly setting without compromising that identity.”
The remixes showcase a range of styles and influences. Nusar3000 infuses “Real” with a more adrenaline-pumping approach, while TRISTÁN!’s synth-futurist sound transforms “Corleone.” Tayhana’s remix of “Aprender a Amar” contrasts with Garoto 3000’s bouncy approach to “Manhattan.” PHOAC and Merca Bae explore Caribbean-industrial sounds in their respective remixes, with CRRDR blending tribal and Latin club rhythms in “Todo Roto.”
Listen to Nathy Peluso’s Club Grasa EP below:
Streaming has carried Latin music to the top of the Billboard charts, but the magazine covered it for more than 100 years before Bad Bunny hopped to No. 1. From genre architects like Xavier Cugat to current hit-makers such as Karol G, and from “Bésame Mucho” to “Despacito,” the many subgenres of Latin music have for over a century added flavor to U.S. airwaves — and the pages of Billboard. What’s living without La Vida Loca?
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Lingo Duo
“A great artist most certainly,” raved the Aug. 24, 1926, Billboard about Raquel Meller, a Spanish-born Broadway headliner. “These are folk songs, street ballads of her Barcelona…. For all the talk of not needing to know the language to understand there is frantic searching of librettos to appreciate” it. Billboard got the rhythm for the Nov. 2, 1940, cover story on Cugat, which described the bandleader as “aiding and abetting the present craze for the conga and tango,” and credited him for the “skillful integration of Latin American syncopation into the daily lives of the American public.”
‘Apple’ Music
“Pérez Prado’s waxing of ‘Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White’ has passed the 1,000,000-mark in sales,” reported the May 21, 1955, Billboard when the Cuban orchestra leader’s single was still No. 1 on various pre-Hot 100 singles charts. (When the Hot 100 debuted on Aug. 4, 1958, Prado’s hit “Patricia” was No. 2.) By the Aug. 18, 1956, issue, Tito Puente was big enough that his Cuban Carnival was reviewed alongside the new Frank Sinatra album. It “should attract some jazz fans as well as the more conventional Latin-American buyer.”
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Latin Calling
“The U.S. Latin market had been a widely scattered field with radically different musical tastes,” reported the Sept. 6, 1986, Billboard. To make sense of it, the Oct. 4 issue introduced a new chart to address “the growing needs of the Latin market.” That chart, now called Hot Latin Songs, was compiled by staffers by “calling the top 70 Latin (Spanish-speaking) radio stations in the U.S. and Puerto Rico.” (Don’t ask about the phone bills.)
Big ‘Mac’
A multipage package in the Aug. 17, 1996, Billboard covered the “exploding regional-Mexican market,” which grew because of “down-to-earth, hard-gigging performers” such as Los Tigres del Norte and La Mafia. That same year, Los de Río’s “Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix)” topped the Hot 100 for 14 straight weeks. “ ‘Macarena’ was largely a Top 40 event, and a sorely needed one,” noted the Sept. 7 issue. An article the following week declared that the dance craze had become a staple at “weddings, bar mitzvahs and family reunions nationwide.”
Nuevo Mundo
“English isn’t the only language of value” J Balvin told Billboard in an April 29, 2017, cover story. Prophetic words: On May 27, Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee’s “Despacito” began its 16-week run atop the Hot 100 — an unheard-of feat for a song in a foreign language. Since then, many Latin artists have gone mainstream en español. “When I came into this industry,” Bad Bunny said in an article in the Feb. 16, 2019, Billboard, “I was never afraid to be myself.”
There’s a uniqueness to Luis R Conriquez’s humble beginnings. The gas station worker-turned-hitmaker, now known as the king of corridos bélicos, began writing songs for an unlikely group of early listeners who turned into some of his first clients.
Soon after writing his first corridos in his early 20s, the Sonora-born artist started getting direct messages on Instagram from construction workers in the United States who were wondering if he could write corridos about them.
“If it wasn’t for Instagram I wouldn’t have been known. Instagram was how I got my first jobs,” Conriquez told Billboard‘s Griselda Flores in his latest cover story. While an odd request to get, it was, after all, a source of income for Conriquez, who worked at a gas station and made music on the side. “I asked them to send me a short summary describing themselves so I could get inspired,” he continued. “I’d write, record and send it to them.”
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Conriquez admits he didn’t even know how much to charge them. At the time, he explained, “I was my own manager at the time, my own distributor, collecting my own money.” So, initially, he charged $150 per corrido, but as demand grew, he tripled his fee. “The most I asked for was $1,000 for a corrido.”
The “Si No Quieres No” singer-songwriter has since only fueled the regional Mexican music movement after catapulting to stardom once he signed with Kartel Music in 2019, an also up-and-coming indie label based out of Santa Maria, Calif. Its founders, Alfredo “Freddy” Becerra and Leonardo Soto, discovered Conriquez at an audition in Mexicali, Baja California.
Today, Conriquez has become a go-to collaborator for regional Mexican and nonregional Mexican acts alike, including Nicky Jam, Ryan Castro and Peso Pluma. With 1.42 billion on-demand official streams in the United States, according to Luminate, he has 20 entries on Hot Latin Songs, and most recently scored his first Billboard Hot 100 entry with “Si No Quieres No,” a collaboration with up-and-comer Neton Vega. His Corridos Bélicos, Vol. IV, released in January, earned him his first entry and top 10 on any albums chart, debuting at No. 5 on Top Latin Albums and No. 3 on Regional Mexican Albums. It also became Conriquez’s Billboard 200 entree with a No. 36 debut.
He is set to headline the RUMBAZO 2024 event in Las Vegas this weekend. Conriquez will perform on Saturday, Sept. 14. See the schedule here.
Billboard Latin Music Week is returning to Miami Beach on Oct. 14-18, with confirmed superstars Gloria Estefan, Alejandro Sanz and Peso Pluma, among many others. For tickets and more details, visit Billboardlatinmusicweek.com.