Latin

15 Jan 2025

Xavi Keeps Pushing Latin Music’s Boundaries: ‘We Definitely Brought Something New’

The night of Oct. 20, 2024, was full of firsts for Xavi. The 20-year-old Mexican American ­singer-songwriter gave his first televised performance of his breakout hit, “La Diabla,” at the Billboard Latin Music Awards, where he also won his first trophy, for artist of the year, new. And this occurred just eight days after he released his celebrated debut album, Next, which became his first top 10 on any albums chart.

“I’m still processing it,” Xavi says today. “It’s something that I didn’t really expect, but it’s a blessing. My grandpa and my whole family would always talk about this type of stuff; it was their dream to make it in the music industry. I’m really trying to push their dreams forward.”

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Xavi photographed December 3, 2024 in Los Angeles.

Jennifer McCord

This digital cover story is part of Billboard’s Genre Now package, highlighting the artists pushing their musical genres forward — and even creating their own new ones.

It was a fitting, and familiar, flurry of events for the young artist. After the August 2023 release of “La Víctima,” “La Diabla” followed in November and took off in 2024, helping maintain Xavi’s momentum and quickly establishing him as one to watch.

“La Diabla” has since tied for the second-­longest-reigning title of the year on the Hot Latin Songs chart, dominating for 14 weeks. (“La Víctima,” Xavi’s first chart entry, peaked at No. 2.) By the end of 2024, Xavi had placed nine songs on the tally while Next debuted at Nos. 6 and 9 on the Regional Mexican Albums and Top Latin Albums charts, respectively. But Xavi’s greatest accomplishment in a year of many is the spread of his hybrid subgenre: tumbados románticos.

Xavi photographed December 3, 2024 in Los Angeles.

Xavi photographed December 3, 2024 in Los Angeles.

Jennifer McCord

Xavi photographed December 3, 2024 in Los Angeles.

Jennifer McCord

With his pioneering blend of the musicality of corridos tumbados with the melodies of sad sierreño, Xavi has paved a clear path for himself to explore other genres, too. Growing up between Sonora, Mexico, and Phoenix, his mother would wake him up with music by Vicente Fernández and Selena, but he says coming to the United States was “a whole different world” and he quickly became a fan of artists like Justin Bieber and Daniel Caesar. Now he’s eager to explore all kinds of sounds — sometimes simultaneously.

“We’re talking about R&B, we’re talking about música mexicana. When you get all those elements and put them into one, it literally becomes its own — it brings out this new sound,” he says. “Since it’s something new and we’re getting to the bottom of it, it’s done with so much love and patience. We do it with a lot of passion.

“The studio is a kitchen, you know?” he continues. “And we’ve just been working on the sound of the fusion because there’s a lot of styles out there. But what happens when you put two, or three, or four or five genres into one song? It’s a fusion of corridos — I don’t want to say we invented it, but we definitely brought something new.”

This story appears in the Jan. 11, 2025, issue of Billboard.

14 Jan 2025

Calibash 2025 Rescheduled Due to Los Angeles Wildfires

The 2025 Calibash concert has been rescheduled amid the ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles. 

Originally scheduled to take place Saturday (Jan. 18) at Crypto.com Arena, the event — presented by SBS Los Angeles, Mega 96.3FM and 97.9FM La Raza — will now take place Friday, March 7. Confirmed artists include Maluma, Wisin, Xavi, Manuel Turizo, Emilia, Kapo and Alex Sensation. 

“The devastation our Los Angeles community has suffered resonates deeply with all of us at Mega 96.3FM,” the radio station expressed in an Instagram post on Tuesday (Jan. 14). “This decision has not been easy, but we recognize the need to focus on the well-being of our community during these difficult times. Stay safe.” 

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Organizers will also make donations to L.A. wildfire relief. In the past week, the city has suffered 24 deaths, nearly 100,000 people under evacuation orders, and more than 12,000 structures destroyed.

“In addition to our immediate community relief efforts, SBS will be utilizing a percentage of the proceeds from Calibash to further assist and support those affected by the devastation,” an official press release stated. “We are committed to making a positive impact and helping rebuild the lives of our neighbors in need.”

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All purchased tickets for the Jan. 18 date will be honored for the new date on March 7. 

For health alerts, evacuation updates and additional shelter information as the wildfire battle continues, go to L.A. County’s emergency website here. Musicians and music industry professionals who are affected can get details about assistance here.

14 Jan 2025

Ryan Castro Acquires Stake in Colombian Basketball Team: ‘I Want to Venture Into Sports’

Add a new line to Colombian reggaetón star Ryan Castro’s resume: professional sports team owner.

Castro announced that through his company AWOO Team, he has acquired a significant equity stake in Paisas Basketball club, a professional team in his hometown of Medellín. The acquisition makes Castro the first Colombian music artist to own a stake in a basketball team, and also makes him one of only a handful of Colombian artists vested economically in sports.

“It’s another facet for us as entrepreneurs. Supporting sports, because the kids in the barrios have the same dreams as us, the artists,” said Castro, who rose to stardom from the slums of Medellín, tells Billboard.

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The Paisas, he adds (the term “Paisa” is slang for people from Medellín), are from his hometown, plus, “I love basketball. Every time I go to the U.S., I like to go to NBA games. So, it all came together and the opportunity arose to support a team from my city to continue growing the basketball movement, generate more activity and support young people who are into sports.”

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While basketball is not nearly as prominent as soccer in Colombia, it’s on the rise. Castro’s acquisition coincides with Paisas Basketball debut in the Basketball Champions League Americas (BCLA0, which includes top teams from across the continent). The team also competes in the Betplay professional league in Colombia under Venezuelan coach Daniel Seoane.

On his end, Castro is no stranger to sports.

Last year, he released “El Ritmo Que Nos Une,” the official anthem for Colombia’s national soccer team during Copa América. The video, which has been viewed more than 110 million times on YouTube, shows Castro hanging out and playing soccer with members of the Colombian squad.

However, Castro wasn’t actively looking to invest in sports. The opportunity came to him via a close associate who works actively with basketball and the NBA. “He told me this was a possibility and me and my team gathered all the information we could about Paisas,” says Castro.

Beyond investing in the team, partnering with Castro also gives the Paisas the opportunity to leverage the musician’s platform as a popular Colombian artists with millions of followers on social media (4.5 million on Instagram alone). Plus, he says, “Taking into my account my life story, also take that message of empowerment, of working for your dreams to other kids. That’s the intention. Many kids dream of basketball and sports as a way to get ahead and have a better life, and my story is similar, but with music. So it’s about also taking that motivation, and, as a businessman, I want to venture into sports.”

Castro is set to officially announce his partnership Tuesday (Jan. 14) at a press conference in Medellín. At the same time, he’s releasing his first single of the year, “Ni x el Putxs,” featuring Colombian trap star Kris R.

Castro’s music is distributed by Sony Latin via his company AWOO Corp. He also has a strategic partnership and label services deal with WK Records with Leo Arango as his manager.

14 Jan 2025

Bad Bunny Becomes the First Latin Artist to Tally 100 Career Hot 100 Hits

Bad Bunny makes history on Billboard’s latest charts (dated Jan. 18), thanks to the arrival of his new studio album, Debí Tirar Más Fotos.

The album launches at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 with 122,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. in its opening week, according to Luminate. The set arrived Sunday. Jan. 5, so its opening week figure is from just five days of activity (with Billboard’s chart tracking week running each Friday through Thursday).

Despite its mid-week release, all 17 songs from the album chart on the Billboard Hot 100, led by the set’s opening track “Nuevayol” at No. 27. Below is a recap (all are debuts except where noted).

Rank, Title:

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  • No. 27, “Nuavayol”
  • No. 28, “Baile Inolvidable”
  • No. 36, “Voy a Llevarte Pa’ PR”
  • No. 37, “El Clúb” (up from No. 89; new peak)
  • No. 38, “DtMF”
  • No. 43, “Veldá,” with Omar Courtz & Dei V
  • No. 45, “Perfumito Nuevo,” with RaiNao
  • No. 52, “Weltita,” with Chuwi
  • No. 54, “EoO”
  • No. 59, “Ketu Tecré”
  • No. 60, “Pitorro de Coco” (up from No. 91; new peak)
  • No. 66, “Kloufrens”
  • No. 69, “Bokete”
  • No. 77, “Turista”
  • No. 83, “Café con Ron,” with Los Pleneros de la Cresta
  • No. 94, “Lo Que Le Pasó a Hawaii”
  • No. 95, “La Mudanza”

(Bad Bunny has an 18th song on the latest Hot 100: “Qué Pasaría…,” with Rauw Alejandro, ranks at No. 72.)

With 15 debuts, Bad Bunny ups his career total from 98 to 113 career Hot 100-charted songs. He becomes the 20th artist to join the 100 Hot 100 hits club, and the first who primarily records Latin music.

Here’s a look at every artist with 100 or more Hot 100 hits, through the chart dated Jan. 18.

Total Hot 100 Entries, Artist:

  • 338, Drake
  • 264, Taylor Swift
  • 218, Future
  • 207, Glee cast
  • 187, Lil Wayne
  • 161, Kanye West
  • 155, Lil Baby
  • 149, Nicki Minaj
  • 119, Travis Scott
  • 118, Chris Brown
  • 113, Bad Bunny
  • 112, Eminem
  • 111, Lil Uzi Vert
  • 109, Elvis Presley (whose career predates the Hot 100’s August 1958 start)
  • 106, Beyoncé
  • 105, 21 Savage
  • 105, Jay-Z
  • 105, Justin Bieber
  • 104, The Weeknd
  • 104, YoungBoy Never Broke Again

Of Bad Bunny’s 113 Hot 100 hits, 41 have reached the top 40; 12 have hit the top 10; and one rose to No. 1: “I Like It,” with Cardi B and J Balvin, in 2018.

Bad Bunny also pushes his total to a record-extending 189 career Hot Latin Songs chart entries.

While it’s rare for artists to chart a triple-digit total of Hot 100 appearance, it has become a more regular occurrence since the chart began including streaming data in 2007. As such, some artists have been able to chart a high number of songs after releasing high-profile albums. The model contrasts with prior decades, when acts generally promoted one single at a time in the physical-only marketplace and on radio. That shift in consumption helps explain why artists have been able to log many songs over short spans in recent years.

14 Jan 2025

Bad Bunny Talks ‘Happy Gilmore 2,’ Busks Undercover in Subway, Co-Hosts ‘Tonight Show’ With Jimmy Fallon: Watch

Bad Bunny came to play on Monday night (Jan. 13). The singer celebrated the release of his Debí Tirar Más Fotos album by doing it all on The Tonight Show. In addition a typically unique performance of his new single, “Voy a Llevarte Pa Pr” — in which he sang the track while doing his laundry and having a mug of coffee — Benito kicked off the takeover by, literally, crashing the stage.

As Fallon worked through his monologue jokes at the top of the show, Bad Bunny burst from behind the curtain with a rollicking, joyous parranda featuring two dozen drummers and dancers from Los Sobrinos and Los Pleneros de la Cresta, who worked their way through the audience singing the joyous new track “Café con ron.”

The singer went all out to promote his new album — whose title translates into “I should have taken more photos” — which became his ninth straight to hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Latin Albums chart dated Jan. 18. He kicked things off by watching a replay of the time last week when he did all the jobs on a popular Puerto Rican morning news show and talking about his role in Adam Sandler’s upcoming Happy Gilmore 2.

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“Now he’s my friend,” Benito said of co-starring with the Sandman in his first attempt at comedy. “Now he’s my uncle, Tio Sandler. It’s been so crazy. It was one of the best experiences ever.”

Saying the album title is about taking time to appreciate the moment he’s in, Bad Bunny expressed his gratitude for the love he’s gotten for his latest project, which NPR dubbed “his most Puerto Rican and most political album yet,” one that puts a bright spotlight on the island’s distinctive musical rhythms and styles. Bunny explained that the LP is focused on the “plena” rhythm, one of the island’s oldest and most beloved percussion sounds.

Bunny also joined Fallon for one of his recurring gags: a trip down to the subway in disguise for some impromptu busking. They opened with a cover of the Backstreet Boys’ “I Want It That Way,” followed by a run through Bunny’s new track “Nuevayol.” With Bunny kitted out in a bushy beard and a curly red wig and Fallon rocking long hair and an equally impressive beard, they crooned the BSB tune to a group of excited commuters with some help from members of Tonight Show house band the Roots, before taking off their disguises and heating things up with the high-energy track from Benito’s new album.

The two also reminisced about Bunny’s many appearances on the Tonight Show, with Fallon busting out a photo of the singer from this very first appearance, where he sat alongside a Madame Tussauds wax figure of the host. Over the years, they have recreated that image several more times, including in 2018 and 2020, and then again on Monday night. But since he was co-hosting, Bunny suggested he switch places with Fallon and remake the pic again, but this time he pretended to be a waxy Fallon.

The pair also did some shots of Puerto Rican rum, pitorro, which Bunny brought along to share with his pal before they co-interviewed Emilia Pérez star Karla Sofía Gascón.

Watch Bad Bunny on The Tonight Show below.

13 Jan 2025

Alejando Fernández & More Latin Artists Donate to L.A. Wildfire Victims & Local Organizations (Updating)

Standing in solidarity with the community of Los Angeles, which has been impacted by the blazing wildfires, artists such as Alejandro Fernández, Maná, Peso Pluma, Chiquis and Fuerza Regida have all stepped up to help the countless of Angelenos who have been impacted the by the ongoing devastation.

Mexican artists Alejandro Fernández, Peso Pluma and Maná all have announced donations to the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation, among other local organizations. Meanwhile, Mexican American band Fuerza Regida rented out a hotel to help out families displaced by the wildfires, which have been ravaging since last week. Chiquis, who lives in California, volunteered at a local refuge helping provide food and supplies for the community. According to CNN, the wildfires have destroyed more than 12,000 homes and buildings, have displaced nearly 200,000 and killing 24 to date.

“We urge the Latin artistic community to donate,” Maná’s frontman Fher Olvera said in a video on Jan. 10. “For Maná, Los Angeles has been a second home and like family to us. Let’s donate and also calling the entire Mexican and Latin American community in the United States. We have to give today, whatever we can. We have to find a place, a foundation, an institution that can channel the resources that we send.”

For health alerts, evacuation updates and additional shelter information as the wildfire battle continues, go to L.A. County’s emergency website here. Musicians and music industry professionals who are affected can get details about assistance here.

Below, an updating list of the Latin acts who’ve donated time or money to help those in need.

13 Jan 2025

Check Out These Exclusive Photos of Bad Bunny Subway Busking With Jimmy Fallon

Bad Bunny tried out his subway busking skills on Monday (Jan. 13), just before taking the on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon stage as both a musical guest and co-host.

In photos shared exclusively via Billboard ahead of the episode, the duo are seen in long curly wigs and matching beards, dressed in 1960s-inspired attire as Fallon performed on the tambourine and Bad Bunny sang. While down in the subway, the duo performed a cover of the Backstreet Boys’ “I Want It That Way” as well as “NUEVAYoL” off the Puerto Rican star’s freshly released album Debí Tirar Más Fotos.

The 17-track release is Benito Antonio’s sixth solo full-length project, and he’s set to perform a song from the set during his musical guest spot. “I’ve been dreaming about this album for years, and seeing it come to life has brought me immense happiness,” Bad Bunny previously said of the album in a press release. “This album is the result of the experiences that have led me to get to know myself better, even getting to know the rhythms I enjoy most — the ones I truly enjoy singing and creating.”

Bad Bunny’s Tonight Show co-hosting gig marks his seventh time on the show, stretching back to his first English-language TV interview on the program back in 2019.

The full subway performance and Bad Bunny’s co-hosting gig will air during the Jan. 13 episode of the Tonight Show, which will broadcast live on NBC at 11:35 p.m. ET and will also be available for streaming on Peacock the following day.

In the meantime, check out the exclusive photos of Bad Bunny and Fallon’s subway performance exclusively via Billboard below.

13 Jan 2025

Bad Bunny Announces Residency at Coliseo de Puerto Rico: Here Are the Dates

Bad Bunny announced on Monday (Jan. 13) that his 21-date residency at the iconic Coliseo de Puerto Rico is set to kick off July 11.

The Puerto Rican hitmaker shared with his millions of followers on social media that while he does plan to unveil dates for shows in countries such as Mexico, Brazil and Spain later this year, for now, “I’m in Puerto Rico, I’m home, having fun and, to be honest, I don’t want to leave,” he says in the video.

“Thanks to music and the love you give me through my music, I’ve had the privilege of traveling to sing in different places of the world. I appreciate and love to do it,” Bad Bunny explains. “There are places I for sure will return to like Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Colombia. And some I’ve never been to but would like to visit, like Brazil and Japan. And there are places I haven’t been to in a long time, like Italy, London, Spain, I know, and I promise before the year ends, I’ll tell you the date and time I will be visiting.”

As he walks down a hallway passing by posters of all his previous tours, including El Último Tour del Mundo and World’s Hottest Tour, Bad Bunny (real name Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio) unveils a new poster that announces his No Me Quiero Ir de Aquí residency at El Choli. Set to kick off July 11, the 21-date stint will launch with the first nine shows exclusively reserved for Puerto Rico residents, with in-person presale staring Wednesday, Jan. 15. He’ll wrap the ambitious residency on Aug. 24.

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Bad Bunny’s residency announcement follows the release of Debí Tirar Más Fotos, his latest album released Jan. 5. The set debuts at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, securing Bad Bunny his seventh top 10-charting set. Meanwhile, the LP opens at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Streaming Albums chart (dated Jan. 18), the largest streaming week for a Latin title in over a year.

Debí is Bad Bunny’s sixth studio album, and it’s a celebration of Puerto Rico and the sonic heritage that has soundtracked the island for generations, including plena and jíbara. The 17-track album includes collaborative efforts with Chuwi, Dei V, Omar Courtz, Pleneros de la Cresta and RaiNao — all Puerto Rican acts.

See the complete list of dates to Bad Bunny’s No Me Quiero Ir de Aquí residency at Coliseo de Puerto Rico here.

13 Jan 2025

Tito Double P Adds Additional Dates & Cities to ¡Ay Mamá! Tour

Ahead of his ¡Ay Mamá! Tour, Mexican music hitmaker Tito Double P has unveiled additional dates to his first-ever U.S. trek, set to kick off March 5 in Atlanta.  

The Live Nation-produced stint – with a handful of dates helmed by Bobby Dee Presents – now includes stops in Virginia, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The previously announced dates were all mainly on the West Coast. With the addition of the new dates, the 27-year-old from Sinaloa goes bicoastal, a reflection of his rapidly ascending stardom.  

Just last year, Tito Double P – Peso Pluma’s cousin and go-to collaborator – launched his own career as an artist. As Peso’s main songwriter, Tito (real name Roberto Laija) wrote or co-wrote some of the Mexican superstar’s early hits, including “El Belicon,” “Siempre Pendientes,” “PRC” and “AMG,” all of which topped the global charts. 

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Over the summer, Tito dropped his debut album Incómodo via Double P Records, which includes collaborations with música mexicana heavyweights including Peso, Natanael Cano, Junior H and Luis R Conriquez, to name a few.  

The LP — which landed at No. 15 on Billboard’s Best Latin Albums of 2024 (according to Billboard editors) — dethroned Peso Pluma’s Éxodo from No. 1 on Top Latin Albums, earning Tito Double P his first No. 1 on any Billboard album ranking. Furthermore, Tito Double P ended 2024 strong, landing at No. 2 on Billboard’s Year-End “Top Latin Artist – New” chart.  

Tickets for Tito Double P’s ¡Ay Mamá! Tour will go on sale beginning Thursday, Jan. 16, at 10 a.m. local time. Below, check out the complete list of tour dates:  

  • March 5 – Atlanta – Coca Cola Roxy
  • March 6 – Fairfax, Va. – EagleBank Arena***
  • March 7 – Reading, Pa. – Santander Arena***
  • March 8 – Newburgh, N.Y. – The Newburgh Armory***
  • March 9 – Newark, N.J. – New Jersey Performing Arts Center***
  • March 13 – Dallas – The Pavillion at Toyota Music Factory
  • March 14 – San Antonio – Boeing Center at Tech Port
  • March 15 – Hidalgo, Texas – Payne Arena
  • March 16 – Houston – 713 Music Hall
  • March 21 – El Paso, Texas – El Paso County Coliseum
  • March 22 – Phoenix – Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre
  • March 28 – Ontario, Calif. – Toyota Arena
  • April 5 – Austin – Bésame Mucho Festival**
  • April 11 – Denver – Fillmore Auditorium
  • April 12 – Salt Lake City – The Union Event Center
  • April 17 – Wheatland, Calif. – Hard Rock Live
  • April 18 – Fresno, Calif. – Save Mart Center at Fresno State
  • April 19 – Reno, Nev. – Silver Legacy Resort
  • April 25 – Palm Desert, Calif. – Acrisure Arena
  • April 26 – Las Vegas – PH Live at Planet Hollywood
  • April 27 – Rio Rancho, N.M. – Rio Rancho Events Center***
  • March 29 – Bakersfield, Calif. – Dignity Health Amphitheatre***

**Festival date
*** Produced by Bobby Dee Presents

11 Jan 2025

Fuerza Regida Rent Out Hotel for Families Affected by Los Angeles Wildfires

Fuerza Regida are providing aid to those in need of housing amid the devastating wildfires in the Los Angeles region.

“To our beloved community affected by the Los Angeles fires: We are here for you in this challenging time. We’ve rented out a hotel with space for more than 50 families, more will become available for those in need of shelter. Please know that we stand with you and will continue to support throughout this difficult period. Rooms will be available at 3pm PT 01/11/24,” the Mexican American band, from San Bernardino, Calif., announced in a statement released Saturday (Jan. 11).

“Please reach out to logistics@streetmobcorp.com for further information. Stay safe. Much Love, Fuerza Regida,” they signed the note.

In an Instagram post, Fuerza Regida added that they’ve rented the hotel for six days.

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For health alerts, evacuation updates and additional shelter information as the wildfire battle continues, go to L.A. County’s emergency website here.

A number of organizations, listed here, are also offering help to those impacted by the California wildfires, which have been blazing through the L.A. area and causing extensive damage since Tuesday. Musicians and music industry professionals who are affected can get details about assistance here.

Fuerza Regida won the top/duo group and top Latin duo/group awards at the 2024 Billboard Music Awards, as well as four awards at the 2024 Billboard Latin Music Awards. Their latest album, Pero No Te Enamores, featuring singles including title track “Pero No Te Enamores” and the hit “Nel,” debuted at No. 2 on the Top Latin Albums chart in July.