State Champ Radio Latin
Page: 5
Myke Towers was just a child when he saw the future. On his way to school in Río Piedras, Puerto Rico, he had his first real-life glimpse of Tego Calderón, the Black rapper who at the time was one of the island’s — and Latin music’s — biggest stars. “I was a little kid with a backpack, and he was […]
A new partnership reaches No. 1 on Billboard’s Latin Airplay chart (dated May 4), as Feid and ATL Jacob’s “Luna” rises 2-1 to lead the 50-track-deep ranking. The song becomes the 11th collaboration in 2024 to land at the summit, with three of them Feid collabs.
“Luna,” released on Universal Music Latino/UMLE, ascends to the top slot from No. 2 after a 15% increase to 10.73 million audience impressions on U.S. reporting radio stations during the April 19-25 tracking week, according to Luminate. The new No. 1 unseats Prince Royce and Gabito Ballesteros’ “Cosas de La Peda,” which spent one week in charge. It falls to No. 3 with 8.33 million in audience, down 23%.
“Luna,” produced by ATL Jacob, where the latter also provides background vocals, is one of ten cuts from Feid’s Ferxxocalipsis set, which earned the Colombian a third top 10 on Top Latin Albums (No. 9 debut last December). The song generated significant attention only after Feid shared an acoustic version on his Instagram account in January, thus followed a No. 20 launch on Latin Rhythm Airplay in February, where it holds at No. 1 in its second week.
Trending on Billboard
[embedded content]
With the new champ, American rapper ATL Jacob checks into the penthouse on the overall Latin Airplay tally for the first time. Feid, meanwhile, picks up his seventh No. 1 among 14 career entries. Further, as “Luna” shakes up the scoreboard, here’s a look at the 11 collabs, whether through co-billed or three-way combined efforts, that hit No. 1 on Latin Airplay in 2024:
Title, Artist, Peak Date“Según Quien,” Maluma & Carín León, Jan. 6“Bubalu,” Feid & Rema, Jan. 13“Harley Quinn,” Fuerza Regida & Marshmello, Feb. 3“Borracho y Loco,” Yandel & Myke Towers, Feb. 17“Qlona,” Karol G & Peso Pluma, March 2“Por El Contrario,” Becky G, Leonardo Aguilar & Angela Aguilar, March 9“No Es Normal,” Venesti, Nacho & Maffio, March 16“Puntería,” Shakira & Cardi B, April 6“Perro Negro,” Bad Bunny & Feid, April 20“Cosas de La Peda,” Prince Royce & Gabito Ballesteros, April 27“Luna,” Feid & ATL Jacob, May 4
In addition to its Latin Airplay control, “Luna” ascends 9-8 on the multi-metric Hot Latin Songs chart, which combines airplay, streaming data, and downloads, despite a 6% dip in streams, to 3.5 million official U.S. streams generated during the same period.
“Luna” is one of the 36-song setlist on Feid’s Ferxxocalipsis Tour, the North American 27-date run that launched in Sacramento April 24 and will close in Miami on July 26.
All charts (dated May 4, 2024) will update on Billboard.com tomorrow, April 30. For all chart news, you can follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram.
Mario Olvera Acevedo, an event promoter specializing in Regional Mexican music, has died at the hands of unknown assailants in a direct attack that occurred in the early morning hours on Saturday (April 27).
According to a statement issued by the Secretaría de Seguridad Ciudadana (or Secretariat of Public Safety) of the Government of San Pedro Cholula, Puebla, Mexico, police officers responded to the scene after receiving a report of gunshots.
Paramedics from the Municipal Civil Protection confirmed that Olvera, age 42, no longer had vital signs when he was found. They proceeded to cordon off the area while awaiting forensic experts from the State Attorney General’s Office.
Trending on Billboard
Initial investigations indicate that it was a “presumed direct attack.” According to the press release from Seguridad Ciudadana, after “a motorist hit the rear of the truck of the deceased to force him to get out and shoot him, at that moment a third person on a motorcycle arrived and both subjects fled in the direction of Periférico Ecológico, where they finally abandoned the vehicle.” The authorities are still looking for the perpetrators.
The death of Olvera shocked the world of Regional Mexican music. For more than two decades, Olvera was a promoter of events in the states of Tlaxcala and Puebla with his company, Ranch Music Sinaloa, and countless artists and managers had working relationships and friendships with him.
Over the weekend, misinformation circulating in several media outlets about Olvera’s relationship with big stars of the genre suggested he acted as their representative and was a direct part of their teams, neither of which is true.
Last Wednesday (April 23), Olvera attended a meeting in Guadalajara, Mexico, of the ADEEM (Association of Entertainment Entrepreneurs in Mexico), of which he was once a member of the board of directors.
Multiple artists took to social media to express their condolences, including Los Tucanes de Tijuana, El Flaco Elizalde and El Yaki. The latter artist said he was close to Olvera and considered him an older brother, though the two were not biologically related.
“This is how I say goodbye to you my brother! Because I know you would have liked me to share it… and I do it from my heart,” wrote El Yaki on Instagram below a photo of the two together. “You taught me some really bitchin’ things and opened my eyes to something that today little by little I’m still building […] Fly high compa!”
In Puebla, Olvera was also known for his activities in the restaurant business. At the time of his death, he owned three establishments: Humo Gris, Ostería Humo and Puerto Marisco.
On Monday (April 29), Olvera’s body will be buried at the Valle de Los Angeles Funeral Home in Puebla.
Billboard and Telemundo have revealed that the exclusive airing of the Billboard Latin Women in Music special is scheduled to return for its second edition on June 9 at 9 p.m. ET via Telemundo. The two-hour music special, which celebrates “Latin female artists proactively working for positive change, inclusion, and gender parity in the music […]
Diana Montes was working in sales and sponsorships at the Latin Recording Academy in 2013 when Turner Media Group contacted her with an ambitious proposal: Could she create a Latin music awards show outside the United States to air on HTV, the Latin music channel then owned by TBS? It was a challenging idea because at the time, all major Latin music awards shows were produced stateside.
“We decided to make a Latin music award for Latins, made in Latin America,” Montes says. She pitched the concept to multiple cities and countries and finally partnered with the Dominican Republic’s burgeoning tourist destination of Cap Cana.
Today, 10 years after its first broadcast by the seashore, the event has grown from a homey show to a major ceremony with a massive online following and a cadre of devoted artists — including Karol G and Feid — who have been feted by Premios Heat throughout their careers.
Trending on Billboard
Montes plans to honor many of them during the anniversary edition of the awards show on July 11, set once again for the beaches of Cap Cana.
How has Premios Heat evolved?
We have only existed for 10 years but have grown in a huge way. When we started, HTV was only seen in Latin America, and there was no great impact in Mexico or the U.S. Now we’ve expanded. Since 2020, 2021, our biggest audiences are in the United States, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Colombia, Peru and Ecuador, in that order.
What makes this awards show different?
The staging. We’re a beach awards show where the beach is a protagonist. Our slogan is “The only awards show with the Caribbean Sea as the stage.” We’re unique because it’s very complicated to stage an awards show on a beach. And yet, in 10 years, we’ve never had a weather disaster. And obviously, having an awards show on the beach is very different than in an arena. Artists come with a different vibe, and all our concepts are tropical chic.
Did you initially have skeptics?
When I first started, people used to say this wasn’t an awards show but a beach festival that happened to hand out awards. Now they say I created a unique format and we’ve connected with a younger audience.
Diana Montes
Andrea Ramirez PR
How are the finalists and winners decided?
Nominations are based on video rotation on HTV, and we also have a committee of radio programmers throughout Latin America who tell us what’s playing in different countries. Once nominations are out, they’re public, and people vote for the winners. Anyone can vote. We also give out two editorial awards: social commitment, to an artist who has effected change through their foundation, and a golden award, which is the big award of the night that we give for career trajectory.
What’s different this year?
It’s a very special year because it’s our 10-year anniversary. We’ve expanded our categories, and this year, we’ll name winners in 29 categories, including a video-game streaming song. We’re also going to give out song of the year for the first time, and we’re launching a salsa category. We’re also excited about our app, Heat.TV. We launched it in 2021, and we have 647,000 unique monthly users. Last year, we had 5.2 million people watch the show in its entirety on the app.
This story originally appeared in the April 27, 2024, issue of Billboard.
When singer Manuel Turizo released his single “La Bachata” in May 2022, it was a risky move. The Colombian singer was venturing into Dominican territory not only by singing bachata — a very regional Dominican music genre — but by cheekily titling his foray “La Bachata” (The Bachata).
The risk paid off. By August, Turizo’s pop- and tropical-laced take on bachata landed at No. 1 on Billboard’s Tropical Airplay chart, where it ruled for 14 weeks, and it rose to No. 1 on the Latin Airplay chart in October. The track also reached No. 6 on the Billboard Global 200 (becoming the first bachata song to enter the top 10 since the chart’s inception in 2020) and No. 3 on the Global Excl. U.S. chart. It peaked at No. 67 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 in October.
“Music is universal,” Turizo told Billboard following the song’s success. “These are the influences Dominican music left in me.”
Trending on Billboard
Turizo is far from the only Latin star influenced by Dominican music. In the past few years, a number of non-Dominican superstars — including Rosalía (with The Weeknd on “La Fama”), Shakira (with Ozuna on “Monotonía”), Karol G (“El Barco”) and, most recently, Chayanne (with 2023 hit “Bailando Bachata”) — has topped the charts by capitalizing on the broad appeal of bachata, known for its signature percussion and plucked guitars.
Bachata’s popularity, along with a rising interest in dembow and the strength of other traditional Dominican genres like merengue, have refocused attention on the music coming from the small Caribbean country that shares its island territory with Haiti but has distinct idiosyncrasies and a booming economy fueled by tourism. Despite its size, the Dominican Republic is second only to Mexico in Latin America in the number of tourists who visit every year, according to statistics site Statista.
When it comes to music, the DR — as it is affectionately known — is teeming with it. As beloved global star Juan Luis Guerra once famously said, “Even the avocados sing.” The DR’s vast roster of international stars includes the more global Guerra, as well as Romeo Santos, Aventura and Prince Royce (who, although all born in the Bronx, identify with their Dominican music and roots). In Latin America, the list includes merengue stars Milly Quezada, Los Hermanos Rosario and Sergio Vargas, who are all active today.
Juan Luis Guerra
Ricardo Rubio/Europa Press/Getty Images
Romeo Santos
Paras Griffin/Getty Images
While music from the DR has been less ubiquitous than music from Puerto Rico, for example, in the past five years, the country has significantly upped its musical exports, thanks in part to a new generation of stars including Natti Natasha, El Alfa, Tokischa, J Noa and Amenazzy. Major labels have taken notice, with Natasha, Tokischa and J Noa all now signed to or distributed through Sony Latin. This is in no small part due to the explosion of Dominican dembow — an exciting, vibrant fusion that’s filling arenas thanks to artists like El Alfa, who, in turn, has helped globalize the style by working with genre-bending acts such as Camilo, Fuerza Régida, Rauw Alejandro and Peso Pluma. Tokischa has recorded with Rosalía and traded an onstage kiss with Madonna during the legend’s Celebration tour stop in New York, while Natasha has emerged as the country’s most prominent pop star.
The DR is poised to assume an even bigger role on the global music stage. This year, in addition to its local Premios Soberano, Premios Heat — which has traditionally taken place on the beaches of DR — celebrates its 10th anniversary on July 11 as a Latin American-produced live music awards show that’s viewed regionwide. For the first time, in addition to broadcasting on HTV, the awards will also stream on YouTube.
Industrywise, the newly minted Dominican Music Week returned April 16-18 for a second year of panels and new-artist showcases. “The music industry in the Dominican Republic is clearly growing,” Premios Heat president Diana Montes says. “Although the big companies and streamers have long been in the territory, we see more artists working hand in hand with them, and the growth impact is palpable.”
Billboard spoke with industry leaders about the present and the future of a country that lives and breathes music.
Greeicy (left) and Mike Bahía at Premios Heat in 2023.
Premios Heat
A Fusion Of Rhythms
Although the Dominican Republic has always been rich with a wealth of Latin genres — bachata, merengue, merengue típico — Montes is particularly excited about the surge of dembow, “which has taken over the global charts,” and the new mix of rhythms that has come with it. “There’s an amazing fusion of genres going on,” she says, citing Peso Pluma’s collaboration with dembow pioneer El Alfa and Chimbala’s many collaborations with reggaetón acts. New talent is proliferating, and, she says, “Tropical music is coming back. That fills me with enthusiasm.”
On the radar: Montes mentions J Noa, a rapper recently signed by Sony Music, as an “incredible” talent, as well as proponents of new tropical music like Chimbala.
Dominicans Take On The World
Never, perhaps, have Dominican music and its artists enjoyed as much global recognition as they do today. “The increasing value placed on Dominican music and its music-makers in the global market is exciting to watch,” attorney Rosa Mayra Tejada says. That recognition, she adds, goes hand in hand with the growth of the market itself and the increased participation of Dominican artists on international hits, as well as composers and producers. “I’m excited about a musical market that’s growing and where all our creators have more and better opportunities to prepare for this changing market,” Tejada says.
A place to learn: “Dominican Music Week is the best place to acquire or refresh knowledge and interact with music executives,” Tejada says.
Music That’s A Cultural Heritage Of Humanity
The DR birthed two genres of great significance: “merengue and bachata, which have also been declared by the UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity,” a designation of cultural heritage including traditions or living expressions inherited from ancestors such as the performing arts, says Valerio de León Severino, president of the country’s general society of authors, composers and editors, Sgacedom. “2024 is shaping up to be a year of growth for Dominican music genres, given the fact that important international artists have placed their eyes on the music and market,” Severino continues. “Likewise, Dominican talent is more aware than ever of the importance of digital platforms to internationalize their music.”
On the radar: “Established acts Juan Luis Guerra, Eddy Herrera, Milly Quezada, Sergio Vargas, El Prodigio, Elvis Martinez, Sacarías Ferreiras and El Chaval,” Severino says.
Sergio Vargas
Johnny Louis/Getty Images
Educating For Growth
As CEO of indie music company and distributor Aparataje, Jairo Bautista has focused on educating his artists and creators since 2015. “Topics like royalty splits, publishing rights and neighboring rights are common topics of discussion in recording sessions,” he says. “This has also led to a surge in a new generation of Dominican executives with deep knowledge of the business.” The versatility of Dominican artists and musicians has allowed them to adapt and interact with other genres, “thanks to the rich mix of cultures and genres, including orchestral merengue, typical merengue and, particularly, urban music.” The lattermost is where Bautista sees the most growth, with urban artists selling out shows throughout the country and with labels willing to invest “up to $10 million” in signing advances.
On the radar: “Without a doubt, dembow is the main mass-consumption genre right now,” Bautista says. “TikTok has become the main platform to viralize the music. And merengue típico is living a resurgence thanks to new artists who are bringing a fresh take to this legendary Dominican genre.” Artists to watch include Chimbala, Bulova and Don Miguelo.
Local Expertise That Translates To Global Recognition
International superstars may have globalized bachata and merengue, but their foundation lies in the expertise and musicianship of local composers and musicians. The DR “has been able to position genres like bachata, merengue and dembow on an international stage, and this means that locally you can find an industry of musicians, producers, composers and arrangers who are experts in those genres,” says Emiliano Vásquez, an A&R manager at Sony Music Latin. “It thrills me to say that tropical genres have increasing presence in international markets and that it’s increasingly common to see Dominican musicians being tapped for their expertise.”
Hidden talents: Composers like Brasa have credits on tracks with Bad Bunny, Prince Royce and Diego Torres, while writer-producer Cromo X has credits on a merengue song with Kali Uchis that was made in the DR.
An ‘Inexhaustible Source Of Talent And Grace’
Amarilys German, longtime manager for Guerra, describes her country as an “inexhaustible source of talent and grace. Here, even the trees sing and dance.” But German has also seen a tangible change in live music since the end of the pandemic. “The growth in massive shows has been huge,” she says, noting fans’ behavior has changed dramatically. “Prior to the pandemic, you went on sale, and truly, until the last week, you had no idea what was going to happen, and there was no presale.” Now tickets sell from the first day, “which allows managers, artists and promoters to have clarity and work with added precision.”
On the radar: J Noa, SNENiE and Damn Goldo.
Rap, Dembow And DIY
Vulcano Music Entertainment CEO Juan Carlos Restituyo has seen a dramatic shift in the urban side of the Dominican music industry, with up-and-coming artists either launching their own imprints or partnering with established labels like his. The move underscores the growing viability of Dominican urban sounds, which Restituyo splits into two front-runners: Dominican rap and dembow, represented by Rochy RD and El Alfa, respectively. Rochy RD’s “Ella No Es Tuya” (with Myke Towers and Nicki Nicole) made President Barack Obama’s summer 2023 playlist, and El Alfa’s most recent collaboration, “La Botella,” features Enrique Iglesias. “The Dominican Republic has become a popular destination for both music and tourism,” Restituyo says. “Those foreigners are the main distributors of Dominican happiness at a global scale, and they’re our major music exporters.”
On the radar: “We’re doing very well with our roster of El Alfa, Bulin 47, Rochy RD, Kiry Curu, Lapiz Conciente, Ceky Viciny, El Mayor Clásico and Paramba,” Restituyo says, “and also excited about emerging acts like Rosaly Rubio and El Chuky de Lewa, among others.”
A Vibrant Live Music Scene
According to SD Concerts president Saymon Díaz, “Music is the entertainment industry that generates the most income and audience in the country.” Post-pandemic, he says, Dominicans have changed their live-music consumption habits. Where before fans waited until the last minute to buy tickets, today, “shows sell out online in 24 hours and websites collapse.” Fandom now extends beyond shows themselves, with fans buying merchandise and some restaurants even offering themed menus on show days. Most importantly, Dominicans’ musical taste is vast and goes beyond tropical and local genres. “K-pop and fusion are consumed in a big way,” he says.
On the radar: The new Capitalia festival premiered April 20 with shows by four icons: Guerra, Sting, Juanes and Residente. “We want to make Capitalia an annual trademark that we eventually export,” Díaz says. His artists on the rise include J Noa and urban singer-songwriter Chris Lebrón.
Tokischa
Medios y Media/Getty Images
An Explosion Of Dembow
While long associated with merengue and bachata, the DR has produced music of many genres, including pop, ballads, boleros, jazz and, most recently, dembow. Now music festivals worldwide are booking dembow artists like El Alfa, Tokischa and Chimbala and composers such as Brasa, Cromo X and Maffio, who are collaborating with stars like Bad Bunny and Karol G — marking a “major change,” says Porfirio Pina, president of indie La Oreja Media Group and founder of Dominican Music Week. “It’s exciting to see the development of our music industry at a local level and the presence of [digital service providers] and multinationals in the country.”
On the radar J Noa, Solo Fernández, Techy Fatule, Yendry and Letón Pé.
This story originally appeared in the April 27, 2024, issue of Billboard.
Although Funk Generation just missed the lead on Billboard‘s weekly new Latin music poll results, Anitta‘s new album is triumphant in topping this week’s new music poll that features artists in various genres of music. Music fans voted in a poll published Friday (April 26) on Billboard, choosing Anitta’s Funk Generation as their favorite new music release […]
Belinda and Natanael Cano‘s corrido coquette “300 Noches” has topped this week’s new music Latin poll. In a poll published on Friday (April 26) — in support of the weekly New Music Latin roundup and playlist, curated by Billboard‘s Latin and Billboard Español editors — music fans voted for Belinda and Cano’s new single as their favorite music release of […]
Not all events that were canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic got a comeback story. Fiesta Broadway, back after a four-year hiatus in Los Angeles, gets to have one.
Around for more than 25 years, Fiesta Broadway became a marquee Cinco de Mayo event that took place every year in downtown LA, reuniting thousands of Angelenos for a day of food, music and activities for kids. That all came to an abrupt stop when the pandemic shut down all live events in 2020. “You can tell that Los Angeles has felt empty, a lack of celebration of unity,” says Luis Medina, president and executive producer of Uno Productions (one of the companies producing the event), who adds that past editions have gathered around 100,000.
Now under the management of All Access Talent and Uno Productions, Fiesta Broadway’s organizers doubled down on kick-starting the free event by bringing the original producers of the festival onboard.
Trending on Billboard
“There is no one who could’ve helped us more than the people who created the festival,” says Medina, noting that joining forces with the previous producers was a key strategy in the revival of Fiesta Broadway. Plus, the support of Los Angeles City Council member for District 14, Kevin de León. Once city officials green-lit its return, they had six months to plan and execute.
“Our phones were flooded with many artists and organizations, including media and sponsors, who wanted to participate in our return,” Medina adds. “What makes Fiesta Broadway the beloved event that it is recognized for, is that it is made for the people. To bring the community together, to see artists that would be a bit cost-difficult to see in concert, to bring food from different cultures and remind people that home is in Los Angeles.”
This year, Alex Lora from rock band El TRI, will be the Grand Marshal 2024, a recognition to legacy artists who’ve contribution to the Hispanic community in the United States. This edition, which will take over four blocks of Broadway St. on Sunday (April 28), will also feature performances by Mexican actor and singer Pablo Montero, Graciela Beltran and Leonardo Torres, accompanied by the Mariachi Juvenil Nuevo Grullense. Other confirmed acts include Juanito El Millonzuki, Rocío “La Dama de la Cumbia,” and many more.
Whether Fiesta Broadway is back for good or not, that’s too soon to tell. “[This year] is a moreover learning experience on how we can remain up-to-date with the new era and keep the festival popular among the younger generation as well,” says Medina.
Anitta unleashed Funk Generation on Friday (April 26), which puts the Brazilian funk that has influenced the trilingual star’s career center stage. Marking her sixth studio album, the set follows 2022’s Versions of Me and is home to the previously released singles “Funk Rave” and “Joga Pra Lua.”
It’s safe to say that all songs on the album are certified bangers. After all, Anitta is a bona fide hitmaker. She first cracked the Billboard Hot 100 in 2020 with “Me Gusta” in collaboration with Cardi B and Myke Towers. Since, she’s had two more songs on the Hot 100, including “Bellakeo” with Peso Pluma and “Envolver.” The latter became a viral hit that spent one week at No. 1 on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart, just to name a few of her chart accomplishments.
Anitta is set to embark on her first North American tour in May, in support of Funk Generation. “Funk is ingrained in the culture of those who live in Brazilian favelas, where I come from, and has often been unfairly judged as lacking artistic value, even associated with organized crime,” Anitta said in a statement. “It reflects the classism and racism that haunt our society. I’m part of a generation that embraced the rhythm, emerged from the favelas, and conquered Brazil.”
“My new project is very special because it signifies my intention to create an international funk album, something I’ve always dreamed of,” she added. “It’s fulfilling to see that funk is now a source of inspiration and art in the global music scene—a genre with value, awards, and admiration.”
Above, check out Anitta’s rise on the Billboard charts.
After the video, catch up on more Billboard Explains videos and learn about Peso Pluma and the Mexican music boom, the role record labels play, origins of hip-hop, how Beyoncé arrived at Renaissance, the evolution of girl groups, BBMAs, NFTs, SXSW, the magic of boy bands, American Music Awards, the Billboard Latin Music Awards, the Hot 100 chart, how R&B/hip-hop became the biggest genre in the U.S., how festivals book their lineups, Billie Eilish’s formula for success, the history of rap battles, nonbinary awareness in music, the Billboard Music Awards, the Free Britney movement, rise of K-pop in the U.S., why Taylor Swift is re-recording her first six albums, the boom of hit all-female collaborations, how Grammy nominees and winners are chosen, why songwriters are selling their publishing catalogs, how the Super Bowl halftime show is booked and more.
