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Natalia Lafourcade has signed with UTA for worldwide representation in all areas, Billboard can exclusively announce. The signing follows the Mexican artist’s latest Grammy win for De Todas Las Flores, which won best Latin rock or alternative album. The critically-acclaimed set also collected three awards at the Latin Grammys last year, including best singer-songwriter album. […]
Spanish hitmaker Bad Gyal is giving fans an exclusive look at what a typical day on tour looks like, specifically how she spends the last few hours leading up to the show.
Born Alba Farelo Solé, the “Chulo” singer recently wrapped her 24 Karats U.S. Tour in Los Angeles, where she performed a sold-out show at The Novo. Before taking the stage, Bad gave Billboard a behind-the-scenes look at her tour stop, which includes glam and vocal training.
“This is our one typical office day,” jokes Alba Blasi, Bad Gyal’s manager of more than seven years.
“We’ve been together since the beginning,” Bad Gyal adds. The singer-songwriter also introduces Adriana Capellá, her tour manager and assistant. “We’re friends since childhood,” she says of Capellá, whom she met when they were just 8 or 9 years old.
After introducing her team — which also includes hairstylist Jesus Camacho and her makeup artist Venus — and getting all glammed up, she dedicates a few hours to creating social media content. “I’m the one who’s deciding which pictures I’m posting, like, I run all my social media. After that, I go back to my dressing room, I chill for a bit. I take my hot tea for my voice and then I do the vocal training,” Bad Gyal explains.
Bad Gyal’s 24 Karats Tour was in support of her debut album, La Joia, which translates to “the jewel.”
“I felt it was [the right] time when I had more experience in songwriting, in the studio, in choosing the producers, in the material that has been made, what’s better, what’s less important,” Bad Gyal previously told Billboard about the process of creating her album. “Over the years, you gain experience and you know yourself better.”
Above, watch Bad Gyal’s behind-the-scenes video of her tour stop in Los Angeles.
Christian Nodal opened up to his fans about his current relationship with singer-songwriter Ángela Aguilar, following the confirmation of their romance. Speaking candidly in a video post to Instagram in the early morning hours of Tuesday (June 11), Nodal expressed his respect and ongoing love for his former partner, Argentine star Cazzu, and emphasized the amicable nature of their breakup.
“I know that today, many people found out that officially Angela and I have a relationship. Since I don’t like gossip, making up stories, out of respect for my ex-partner, out of respect for my daughter, out of respect for my current partner, I wanted to come out and give you a little context,” he said in the video.
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Nodal refuted rumors of infidelity, insisting that there were no third parties involved in the end of his previous relationship.
“First of all, Julieta is a person I love and who has my respect for life. We are public figures, we are artists, but we are not masters at life,” added Nodal, using Cazzu’s real name — Julieta Cazzucheli. “Love doesn’t always work. Our cycle together ended in the best possible way. It was a love that gave us the most precious gift that could have come to us in life, the most beautiful thing we could have done together, which is Inti, my daughter, who I will always love, who I will always take care of. And in that relationship there will never be a third party, there was never any infidelity.”
“Now I find myself living a precious experience with a woman I love, with a love that took so many years for what is happening to happen and we are enjoying it, we are living the experience,” he said about his new romance with Aguilar.
The video addressing his new romance comes just one day after Nodal confirmed the relationship.
Billboard Español has reached out to Nodal’s representatives for comment. The mariacheño superstar is currently touring the United States with his Pa’l Cora Tour.
Watch Christian Nodal’s full statement below:
Christian Nodal and Ángela Aguilar revealed Monday (June 10) that they’re dating. HOLA! Americas released the couple’s first photos together, confirming their romance began after Nodal’s separation from Cazzu.
“It is not a new relationship; it’s the continuation of a story that life made us pause so we could grow and miss each other. Because when we let go, we returned even closer,” Aguilar told HOLA!
According to sources, they reunited after Nodal ended his relationship with the Argentine trap star, with whom he recently had a baby. The Mexican superstar and Cazzu artist publicly announced their breakup on social media on May 23, stating they still have a respectful and amicable relationship.
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“The time has come to share that Julieta [Cazzu’s real name] and I are going our separate ways,” Nodal wrote, which Cazzu reposted on her own account. “Our love and respect for each other remains strong, especially in our role as parents to our wonderful daughter, Inti. I am deeply grateful for the moments we shared and will always carry those memories fondly. I appreciate your support and understanding during this time of change.”
After reposting Nodal’s message, Cazzu shared in her own words: “We artists are a screen of what happens in real life. You go through love, heartbreak, successes and mistakes with us. Today, as it was many times and as there are still many, you accompany us, some with hate and others with much love. Thank you, everything heals.”
Following the end of their respective relationships, 20-year-old Aguilar and Nodal, who is 25, began their romance, having previously established a friendship through their musical collaborations in 2020’s ranchera song “Dime Cómo Quieres.” “I couldn’t stop laughing while recording my part. When you record a duet well you have that human interaction and a lot of your facial expressions are a reaction to what the other person is doing. But here, I was singing to a green screen and a guy from our production team who pretended to be Nodal,” Aguilar told Billboard in 2020 about their collaboration.
Ángela Aguilar was honored with the Musical Dynasty award at the 2024 Billboard Latin Women in Music ceremony, which aired Sunday night (June 9), where she was also the youngest of the eight honorees.
Rosalía’s “Despechá” surpassed one billion streams on Spotify Sunday (June 9), making her the first Spanish artist to achieve this milestone with a solo song. “I just found out that ‘Despechá’ already has 1 BILLION plays and the culprits are all of you,” the singer wrote on her Instagram account. “Thank you for having listened […]
The 2024 Billboard Latin Women in Music event honored eight powerful and admirable mujeres in the industry, including Gloria Estefan, who received the legend award; Ana Bárbara, who received the lifetime achievement award; and La India, who received the pioneer award. This year’s woman of the year was Karol G — who was unable to […]
Feid‘s latest single, “Sorry 4 That Much,” has topped this week’s new music Latin poll. In a poll published on Friday (June 7) — in support of the weekly New Music Latin roundup and playlist, curated by Billboard Latin and Billboard Español editors — music fans voted for the Colombian artist’s latest track as their favorite music release of the week. “Sorry 4 That Much” […]
Bad Bunny delivers a spectacular show on any stage, but there’s nothing like seeing the megastar at home in Puerto Rico, performing for his day-ones. After wrapping up his Most Wanted Tour in the U.S., Benito brought the show to el Coliseo de Puerto Rico in San Juan. All three shows, including last Sunday’s (June 9) finale, sold out.
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Benito gifted locals an extra-special event, packed with guest appearances and hometown-specific elements not offered elsewhere.
Most tellingly, he opened with a video montage created specifically for this weekend’s shows. In it, he reflects on the excitement of the earlier tour dates, but makes clear that performing at home is like nothing else. Nobody will better appreciate his work than his fellow Puerto Ricans on the archipelago, he says in the clip, before concluding: If you’ve seen Bad Bunny perform, but you haven’t seen him in Puerto Rico, then you haven’t really seen him at all.
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On Friday’s, Saturday’s and last night’s shows, a youthful, classical orchestra directed by Colombian musician Carlitos López was both the opening act and a live band. The orchestra was also a major feature of the U.S. dates; this weekend, however, the first number was different. The orchestra opened with “La Borinqueña,” Puerto Rico’s official anthem. The crowd came to attention quickly, shifting from anticipatory pre-show bustle into a beautiful choir.
Centered around his latest release, 2023’s Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana album, the U.S. dates featured two stages at opposite ends and a moving runway that descends from above. The Coliseo setup was the same — and considering the overwhelming number of cargo trailers outside the venue, it’s safe to assume Bad Bunny had the exact setup shipped in.
When the video went black, the orchestra began three Western-inspired overtures, setting a somber, solitary tone, before moving into “Nadie Sabe.” The orchestral opening and subsequent accompaniment was pretty ingenious in the satisfying cohesion it brought; the soundtrack of a companionless cowboy pairs well with the loneliness of fame, which Bad Bunny explores in the track’s lyrics.
When Bad Bunny rose, surrounded by fog, from a hidden opening in one of the stages, the crowd roared mightily. He maintained a stoic demeanor befitting the song, though — then hunched over his gleaming, silver mic at the end as fans chanted “Benito, Benito!”
The coliseum rattled as “Monaco” rolled in, then out — and Bad Bunny took a long moment to look around the giant space. He didn’t smile, yet he looked content. He nodded as if in acknowledgment of the love beaming at him from every direction.
Then came the guest appearances: Joining first for “Fina” was Young Miko, who bounced around the stage between dancers with a big black bow adorning her long blonde hair. Then came Mora for “Hibiki,” and later Yovngchimi for “Mercedes Carota” and Bryant Myers for “Seda.” Benito slowed the show there, stopping for a lights-off pep talk for fans, essentially about being yourself fully, regardless of the hate or admiration you receive.
Moving to the opposite stage, Luar La L hopped on for “Telefono Nuevo.” Shortly after, two lucha libre wrestlers appeared on the opposite stage. It was an awesomely bizarre method of distraction — meanwhile, Eladio Carrión was joining Bad Bunny on the runway to run through a slew of their collaborations.
Another stretch of Most Wanted feels like a piano bar, with only a pianist accompanying Benito as he runs through hits from his growing discography. He got extra playful with the element last night, though, playing a sort of guess-the-song game with fans. The pianist would play a few notes, he’d sing, then stop — did fans know the song? Of course, they always did. He apparently improvised plenty, as eventually the pianist stopped playing and it was only Bad Bunny singing a few bars — before, again, checking to see if fans knew the song. The game seemed to delight him. Here, he smiled plenty.
Again, special to these Puerto Rico dates, the mystery pianist’s identity was finally revealed. She’d been masked at every show since the start of Most Wanted, but removed the covering at the end of the set here, as Benito introduced her to the crowd as Tiffany Román.
Later, De La Ghetto rolled in for “Acho PR.” Then Arcángel hopped in for several cuts — the crowd went wild. Bomba players also joined onstage, with cabezudos wearing the mask also worn by Bad Bunny in the album visuals, as well as by the orchestra player and pianist.
There’s some practical rationale to the overabundance of guest stars in Puerto Rico, of course. It’s logistically easier for these artists to appear in concert alongside Bad Bunny when he’s playing where everyone’s based. Still, it’s a treat concertgoers simply can’t get anywhere but else but here.
In total, the Puerto Rico shows were each about an hour longer than the U.S. shows. Call it preferential treatment, and you’d be right — but that doesn’t mean it’s wrong. His hometown fans are the reason Bad Bunny is who is today, and they’re forever his foundation. They deserve the best, and it’s beautiful that Bad Bunny never forgets it.
Mexican rapper Santa Fe Klan is set to hit the road this summer with his Blanco y Negro tour, which he announced on Monday (June 10). His upcoming trek, produced by Live Nation, will kick off July 26 in Salt Lake City’s Maverik Center. Santa Fe Klan’s 25-date trek, which follows his 2023 Todo y […]
New York City’s Gov Ball was ablaze with excitement on Sunday (June 9) as Peso Pluma energized tens of thousands of festivalgoers with corridos and a few trap hits on the Gopuff stage. But during his set, the Mexican superstar fractured his foot, yet continued to power through like a champ. This was his first headlining slot at a genre-spanning festival, and he tackled the challenge head on with an exhilarating show.
Decked out in a Celine black mesh hoodie and silver chains, the Guadalajara native kickstarted his hourlong set with the blaring trombone notes of “Rubicon.” With ecstatic cheers, he welcomed the crowd, “¡Arriba México, putos! How y’all doing, New York? Are you ready to have a f–king corrido night?” he shouted.
Amid a dozen dancers and eight musicians, the star also invited Jasiel Nuñez on stage to perform the corridos hit “Rosa Pastel,” and later on brought in Rich the Kid to do the trap song “Gimme a Second.” This blend of artists across different styles showcased Peso’s versatility. He also showcased Billboard chart-topping bangers such as “Ella Baila Sola,” “PRC” and “La Bebe,” and performed his recent single “La Durango” live for the first time.
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The night took an unexpected turn when Peso Pluma, with a sudden misstep on the slanted stage, fractured his foot. Unfazed, he adapted his performance. At one point, a staff member brought him a chair, which Peso refused, and kept hopping on one foot. “If I have it fractured, I don’t give a s–t because you all deserve a grand show!”
He later confirmed the injury and wrote on Instagram, “Broken foot? IDGAF! Thanks New York. Y’alls energy was insane! Los Amo!”
At one point, Morgan Freeman’s voice also played a notable role in Peso’s set as a key storyteller. The actor recounted the historical controversies that narco corridos — drug ballads — have played in Mexico, or in this case, corridos bélicos, which have even been banned in certain places in the country, drawing parallels to gangster rap. Meanwhile, images of Chalino Sánchez appeared on the backdrop.
As Peso Pluma — who later rocked a white tank top, showing off his newly tattooed sleeves — rallied for one final grand cheer, and the audience responded by chanting his name at the end for an encore, which he delivered with “Lady Gaga.” Despite his injury, his Gov Ball appearance was a display of his indomitable spirit. Audience members left the set energized and inspired, with one non-Hispanic fesivalgoer commenting, “That was the coolest set ever!”
After a wildly successful 2023 packed with Hot 100 hits, the Mexican hitmaker now prepares to release his Génesis follow-up, Éxodo, this month.