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Karol G leads the list of finalists for the 2023 Billboard Latin Music Awards, with 21 nods in categories including artist of the year, tour of the ytear, Global 200 Latin artist of the year, and top Latin album of the year for Mañana Será Bonito (Bichota Season), Billboard and Telemundo announced Thursday (Sep. 12).
For the third consecutive year, the Colombian star garners the greatest number of entries for a female artist, after achieving 15 in 2022 and 13 in 2023. Her song “Qlona,” with Mexican star Peso Pluma, competes for six awards — including Hot Latin Song of the year, Global 200 Latin Song of the year and Sales Song of the Year — while her hit “Mi Ex Tenía Razón” garners two nods, for Latin airplay song of the year and Sales Song of the year.

Following Karol G are Bad Bunny and Peso Pluma with 15 nods each. Bunny competes, among others, for Artist of the Year, Global 200 artist of the year, and tour of the year. His song “Perro Negro” with Feid, including Global 200 Latin song of the year, Hot Latin Song of the Year, and Hot Latin Song of the Year, Vocal Event. His album Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va A Pasar Mañana competes for Top Latin Album of the Year and Latin Rhythm Album of the Year.

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Pluma, meanwhile, is up for Artist of the Year, Global 200 Artist of the Year, songwriter of the year, and regional Mexican album of the Year for Éxodo. In addition to his six entries with Karol G for “Qlona,” his hit “Lady Gaga” with Gabito Ballesteros and Junior H competes for two awards: Hot Latin Song of the year, vocal event and Streaming Song of the year.

Feid boasts 11 entries. In addition to the five he achieved for “Perro Negro” with Bad Bunny, he also competes for Global 200 Latin artist of the year, and Latin rhythm album of the year for Ferxxocalipsis.

With eight entries are regional Mexican acts Fuerza Regida and Junior H, both artist of the year finalists. The group also competes, among others, for Hot Latin Song of the year, vocal event for “Harley Quinn” with Marshmello, as well as Top Latin Album of the year and regional Mexican album of the year with Pa Las Baby’s y Belikeada. Junior H is also a Top Latin Album of the year and regional Mexican album of the Year finalist for $adBoyz For Life II.

Other artists with multiple mentions include Xavi (7), Grupo Frontera y Mike Towers (5), Aventura, Gabito Ballesteros, Kali Uchis, y Shakira (4), Cris Mj, Eslabon Armado, FloyyMenor, Julión Alvarez y su Norteño Banda, Marc Anthony, Prince Royce, Rauw Alejandro y Young Miko (3), ATL Jacob, Edgar “Edge” Barrera, Grupo Firme, JOP, Luis Figueroa, Maná, Marshmello, Natanael Cano, Piso 21,  Reik, Venesti and Wisin (2).

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.

This year’s awards will be presented in 49 categories spanning major Latin music genres, from Latin pop to tropical, and Latin rhythm to regional Mexican.

The Latin Billboard Music Awards are the only ones that recognize the most popular albums, songs and performers in Latin music, according to Billboard‘s weekly charts. Produced by Telemundo and MBS Special Events, they coincide with Billboard Latin Music Week, which returns to Miami Beach Oct. 14-18 with a roster of star speakers including Alejandro Sanz, Gloria Estefan, Danny Ocean, Peso Pluma and many more. Get your tickets today for the Billboard Latin Music Week 2024 here.

See the complete list of finalists below:

OVERALL ARTISTS CATEGORIES

Artist of the Year

Bad Bunny

Fuerza Regida

Junior H

Karol G

Peso Pluma

Artist of the Year, New

Gabito Ballesteros

Oscar Maydon

Tito Double P

Xavi

Young Miko

Tour of the Year

Aventura

Bad Bunny

Karol G

Luis Miguel

RBD

Crossover Artist of the Year

ATL Jacob

Cardi B

Marshmello

Rema

Tiesto

Global 200 Latin Artist of the Year

Bad Bunny

Feid

Karol G

Peso Pluma

Xavi

SONGS CATEGORIES

Global 200 Latin Song of the Year

Bad Bunny & Feid, “Perro Negro”

Feid & ATL Jacob, “Luna”

FloyyMenor & Cris Mj, “Gata Only”

Karol G & Peso Pluma, “Qlona”

Myke Towers, “Lala”

Hot Latin Song of the Year

Bad Bunny, “Monaco”

Bad Bunny & Feid, “Perro Negro”

FloyyMenor & Cris Mj, “Gata Only”

Karol G & Peso Pluma, “Qlona”

Xavi, “La Diabla”

Hot Latin Song of the Year, Vocal Event

Bad Bunny & Feid, “Perro Negro”

FloyyMenor & Cris Mj, “Gata Only”

Fuerza Regida & Marshmello, “Harley Quinn”

Karol G & Peso Pluma, “Qlona”

Peso Pluma, Gabito Ballesteros & Junior H, “Lady Gaga”

Hot Latin Songs Artist of the Year, Male

Bad Bunny

Feid

Junior H

Peso Pluma

Xavi

Hot Latin Songs Artist of the Year, Female

Anitta

Karol G

Kali Uchis

Shakira

Young Miko

Hot Latin Songs Artist of the Year, Duo or Group

Eslabon Armado

Fuerza Regida

Grupo Firme

Grupo Frontera

Julión Álvarez y Su Norteño Banda

Hot Latin Songs Label of the Year

Double P

Interscope Capitol Labels Group

Rimas

Sony Music Latin

Warner Latina

Latin Airplay Song of the Year

Bad Bunny & Feid, “Perro Negro”

Karol G, “Mi Ex Tenía Razón”

Karol G & Peso Pluma, “Qlona”

Myke Towers, “La Falda”

Myke Towers, “Lala”

Latin Airplay Label of the Year

Interscope Capitol Labels Group

Rimas

Sony Music Latin

Universal Music Latin Entertainment

Warner Latina

Sales Song of the Year

Bad Bunny, “Monaco”

Karol G, “Mi Ex Tenía Razón”

Karol G, “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido”

Karol G & Peso Pluma, “Qlona”

Xavi, “La Diabla”

Streaming Song of the Year

Bad Bunny & Feid, “Perro Negro”

Calle 24, Chino Pacas & Fuerza Regida, “Qué onda”

Karol G & Peso Pluma, “Qlona”

Peso Pluma, Gabito Ballesteros & Junior H, “Lady Gaga”

Xavi, “La Diabla”

ALBUM CATEGORIES

Top Latin Album of the Year

Bad Bunny, Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana

Fuerza Regida, Pa Las Baby’s y Belikeada

Grupo Frontera, El Comienzo

Junior H, $ad Boyz For Life II

Karol G, Mañana Será Bonito (Bichota Season)

Top Latin Albums Artist of the Year, Male

Bad Bunny

Feid

Junior H

Peso Pluma

Rauw Alejandro

Top Latin Albums Artist of the Year, Female

Becky G

Kali Uchis

Karol G

Shakira

Young Miko

Top Latin Albums Artist of the Year, Duo or Group

Aventura

Eslabon Armado

Fuerza Regida

Grupo Frontera

Grupo Marca Registrada

Top Latin Albums Label of the Year

Double P

Interscope Capitol Labels Group

Rimas

Sony Music Latin

Universal Music Latin Entertainment

LATIN POP CATEGORIES

Latin Pop Artist of the Year, Solo

Enrique Iglesias

Kali Uchis

Luis Fonsi

Sebastián Yatra

Shakira

Latin Pop Artist of the Year, Duo or Group

Camila

La Oreja De Van Gogh

Maná

Piso 21

Reik

Latin Pop Song of the Year

Danny Ocean, “Amor”

Maná & Edén Muñoz, “Amor Clandestino”

Piso 21 & Wisin, “La Misión”

Reik, “Abril”

Venesti, Nacho & Maffio, “No Es Normal”

Latin Pop Airplay Label of the Year

AP Global

Intercope Capitol Label Group

Sony Music Latin

Universal Music Latin Entertainment

Warner Latina

Latin Pop Album of the Year

Chayanne, Bailemos Otra Vez

Jay Wheeler, Música Buena Para Días Malos

Kali Uchis, Orquídeas

Kany García, García

Shakira, Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran

Latin Pop Albums Label of the Year

Columbia

Interscope Capitol Labels Group

Sony Music Latin

Universal Music Latin Entertainment

Warner Latina

TROPICAL CATEGORIES

Tropical Artist of the Year, Solo

Juan Luis Guerra

Luis Figueroa

Marc Anthony

Prince Royce

Romeo Santos

Tropical Artist of the Year, Duo or Group

Aventura

Gente de Zona

Grupo Niche

La Sonora Dinamita

Monchy & Alexandra

Tropical Song of the Year

Luis Figueroa, “Bandido”

Marc Anthony, “Punta Cana”

Myke Towers, “La Capi”

Prince Royce & Gabito Ballesteros, “Cosas de la Peda”

Víctor Manuelle feat. Frankie Ruiz, “Otra Noche Más”

Tropical Airplay Label of the Year

Interscope Capitol Label Group

Magnus

Rimas

Sony Music Latin

Warner Latina

Tropical Album of the Year

Aventura, Generation Next

Camilo, Cuatro

Marc Anthony, Muevense

Prince Royce, Llamada Perdida

Tropical Albums Label of the Year

Discos Fuentes

Sony Music Latin

The Orchard

Universal Music Enterprises

Universal Music Latin Entertainment

REGIONAL MEXICAN CATEGORIES

Regional Mexican Artist of the Year, Solo

Carin León

Ivan Cornejo

Junior H

Natanael Cano

Peso Pluma

Regional Mexican Artist of the Year, Duo or Group

Eslabon Armado

Fuerza Regida

Grupo Firme

Grupo Frontera

Julión Álvarez y Su Norteño Banda

Regional Mexican Song of the Year

Alejandro Fernández, “Difícil Tu Caso”

Banda MS, “Tu Perfume”

Banda El Recodo de Cruz Lizárraga, “Dios Bendiga Nuestro Amor”

Banda Los Recoditos, “Vas a Querer Volver”

Julión Álvarez y Su Norteño Banda, “Buscándole a la Suerte”

Regional Mexican Airplay Label of the Year

Afinarte

Azteca

Grupo Frontera

Sony Music Latin

Universal Music Latin Entertainment

Regional Mexican Album of the Year

Fuerza Regida, Pa Las Baby’s y Belikeada

Grupo Frontera, El Comienzo

Junior H, $ad Boyz For Life II

Natanael Cano, Nata Montana

Peso Pluma, Éxodo

Regional Mexican Albums Label of the Year

Double P Records

Grupo Frontera

Sony Music Latin

Universal Music Latin Entertainment

Warner Latina

LATIN RHYTHM CATEGORIES

Latin Rhythm Artist of the Year, Solo

Bad Bunny

Feid

Karol G

Myke Towers

Rauw Alejandro

Latin Rhythm Artist of the Year, Duo or Group

Baby Rasta & Gringo

Jowell & Randy

Mambo Kingz

Wisin & Yandel

Zion & Lennox

Latin Rhythm Song of the Year

Aaantonio, “El Hotel”

Daddy Yankee, “Bonita”

Natti Natasha, “Ya No Te Extraño”

Venesti, “Umaye”

Wisin & Mora, “Bien Loco”

Latin Rhythm Airplay Label of the Year

Interscope Capitol Labels Group

Rimas

Sony Music Latin

Universal Music Latin Entertainment

Warner Latina

Latin Rhythm Album of the Year

Bad Bunny, Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana

Feid, Ferxxocalipsis

Karol G, Mañana Será Bonito (Bichota Season)

Rauw Alejandro, Playa Saturno

Tainy, Data

Latin Rhythm Albums Label of the Year

Interscope Capitol Labels Group

Neon 16

Rimas

Sony Music Latin

Universal Music Latin Entertainment

WRITERS / PRODUCERS / PUBLISHERS CATEGORIES

Songwriter of the Year

Alexis Armando Fierro Román

Edgar Barrera

JOP

Peso Pluma

Xavi

Publisher of the Year

Double P Publishing, BMI

Prajin Music Publishing, BMI

Street Mob Publishing, BMI

Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp, BMI

Universal Music, Inc., ASCAP

Publishing Corporation of the Year

Downtown Music Publishing

Kobalt Music Group

Sony Music Publishing

Universal Music

Warner Chappell Music

Producer of the Year

Edgar Barrera

Ernesto ‘Neto’ Fernández

JOP

MAG

Ovy On The Drums

Superstars Thalia, Eden Muñoz and Yandel have been added to the lineup of Billboard Latin Music 2024, taking place October 14-18 at the Fillmore in Miami Beach. The three stars join a group of more than 50 speakers and performers now confirmed for the five day event that kicks off Oct. 14 and runs through Friday, October 18, with the 35th anniversary celebration gala. Previously confirmed speakers include fellow superstars J Balvin, Peso Pluma, JOP, Alejandro Sanz, Gloria Estefan, Young Miko, Lele Pons, Eslabón Armado, Danny Ocean, Yahritza y su Esencia, Belinda, Bad Gyal, Mon Laferte, Fat Joe, , Keityn, Kunno, Luis Alfonso, Lupita Infante, Majo Aguilar, Marko, Mau y Ricky, Mon Laferte, N.O.R.E., Omar Courtz, Paola Jara, Peso Pluma, Pipe Bueno, Sophia Talamas, Yeison Jiménez, Yeri Mua, Zhamira Zambrano, and many more.

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See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

The three new additions represent three distinctly different subgenres of Latin music.

Trending on Billboard

Global sensation Thalia returns to Billboard Latin Music Week for an open discussion about mental health and stardom with previously confirmed Argentine superstar Maria Becerra. Celebrated Regional Mexican artist Eden Muñoz will take part in the “Why Are There 50 Writers on My Song?” panel alongside songwriter Keityn, producer Sergio George, and moderator Pierre Hachar. The panel will provide an insider’s perspective on how much a hit song is worth and who gets songwriter credit. Urban music icon Yandel will participate in “ELYTE: The beginning and future of the genre,” with Yandel and friends panel presented by Warner Music. 

“We are thrilled to welcome Latin icons Thalia, Eden Muñoz, and Yandel to Billboard Latin Music Week as we celebrate our 35th anniversary,” said Leila Cobo, Billboard’s Chief Content Officer for Latin/Español. “These artists and their trajectories embody the energy, diversity, and impact of Latin music today. We look forward to hosting meaningful conversations and unforgettable experiences that will resonate with fans and industry professionals alike.”

Celebrating its 35th anniversary, Billboard Latin Music Week is the longest-running and biggest Latin music industry gathering in the world—a must-attend event for new, established, and upcoming artists, executives, and industry leaders alike. The 2024 edition will feature exclusive panel conversations and performances by Latin music’s biggest stars, as well as workshops, showcases, networking opportunities, and more.

To register and access the full schedule of events, visit Billboardlatinmusicweek.com.

Billboard Latin Music Week sponsors include Azzaro Parfums, Cheetos, Chevron, DoorDash, Johnnie Walker Blended Scotch Whisky, Smirnoff, Smirnoff Ice, Ulta Beauty and Walmart. This year, for the first time, attendees can purchase weeklong and day passes to tailor their experience at Latin Music Week.

On a balmy May evening in 2023, the Glasshouse — a neon-lit venue six stories above the Hudson River in Manhattan’s Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood — buzzed with excitement. A music-­industry crowd of hundreds had gathered for a private Telemundo Upfront event and its featured performance by Nicky Jam. And from the moment the seminal reggaetón star stepped onstage, clad in his signature baseball cap and an athletic Amiri ensemble beneath a wool trench coat, he showcased why he’s not just part of the genre’s history but also a vital architect of its present and future.

As Nicky sang 2003’s “Yo No Soy Tu Marido,” a bold attendee leapt onstage to dance alongside him. “Oh, ella quiere perrear!” (“She wants to twerk!”) he exclaimed, happily engaging with his unexpected partner as she enthusiastically began to grind on him. For about two hours, Nicky commanded the spotlight with that kind of effortless swagger, cycling through his expansive catalog of hits, from his 2014 international breakout smash, “Travesuras,” to the pulsating beats of “Hasta El Amanecer,” to the pop-reggaetón banger “El Perdón,” to the groundbreaking collaborative track “Te Boté (Remix).”

Trending on Billboard

Two decades into his career, Nicky is still vital onstage — which made it all the more shocking when, last October, he told his more than 40 million Instagram followers that he was “retiring soon.” He paired his social media announcement with footage from his 2018 Netflix bio-series, Nicky Jam: El Ganador, which chronicled how he’d recovered from a turbulent past marked by drug addiction (and a stint in prison) to become one of Latin music’s most illustrious figures. “I’m not going to be a singer for the rest of my life,” he tells Billboard today 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 Jam will headline Rumbazo on Sept. 13 at the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center. For more information, go to rumbazofest.com.

Offstage, the 43-year-old born Nick Rivera Caminero certainly doesn’t look like he’s slowing down. He’s channeled his creativity into a burgeoning business empire, running a chic Miami restaurant, La Industria Bakery & Cafe, and a few boutique hotels in Colombian cities including Cartagena, Guatapé and Medellín. “I have another hotel in Tierra Bomba that we’re almost finishing. It’s on an island resort [in Colombia] that I bought,” he mentions casually, then adds with a grin: “I’ll probably come out with weed too.”

In addition to these ventures, he’s recently launched his own lines of vape products (NickyJam x fume) and energy drinks (Athon) and even dipped his toes into the media world as host of The Rockstar Show (which streams on his official YouTube channel as well as all podcast platforms), where he’s interviewed Latin music stars including Karol G, Rauw Alejandro and Tainy (not to mention Billboard’s own chief content officer of Latin/Español, Leila Cobo). “We’re coming out with the third season right now,” Nicky says. And he also just signed his first full management client, up-and-coming Bronx rapper Axel Leon. (Nicky is also part of the management team for Manuel Turizo.)

However, for the moment, Nicky continues to find music creatively fruitful. The artist has been open about his battles with addiction, but when speaking with Billboard, he also reveals that he’s grappled with anxiety and depression for the past two years. That emotional turbulence — and the sleepless nights that came with it — inspired his sixth studio album, one of his most personal to date. Insomnio, out Sept. 6, delves into his personal reflections and nocturnal musings, while musically blending the sounds of Afrobeats, soul, trap and reggaetón.

For the project, he enlisted a range of talent from all over the world including Jamaican dancehall veteran Sean Paul, Puerto Rican trap star Eladio Carrión, Italian DJ-­producer Benny Benassi, Argentine rapper Trueno and Colombian reggaetón star Ryan Castro. “It’s crazy to collaborate with a person you grew up listening to on the stoops of your neighborhood, the cars blasting his music in your city,” says Trueno, who guests on the classically reggaetón single “Cangrinaje.” “It’s like being able to transcend the line from being an admirer to being able to collaborate with that influence. Nicky Jam, without a doubt, was one of those visions that has stayed with me.”

“Having a track with Nicky for his latest album is very special to me because I watched him perform in nightclubs in Medellín,” says Castro, who’s listened to Nicky since he was a kid. “Seeing him overcome everything he went through in life and achieve what he has is the ultimate inspiration for me. Nicky is a star, and since I met him, we’ve developed a great friendship. I feel like he’s one of our own in Colombia.”

KSUBI shirt, Amiri pants and Louis Vuitton glasses.

Devin Christopher

Before his resurgence in the mid-2000s, however, Nicky faced significant struggles on his native island. “In Puerto Rico, I wasn’t booking any shows. Nobody wanted to deal with me — I had a bunch of problems on the streets, I was into drugs, I was a mess. Back in Puerto Rico at that time, I was the embarrassment of reggaetón music,” Nicky told the podcast Drink Champs last year. “But in Colombia, I was a legend,” he added, noting that Colombians appreciated both his hits and the songs that weren’t popular back home.

When Nicky moved to Colombia in 2007, he experienced a rebirth. “He arrives from Puerto Rico to Colombia con una mano atrás y otra adelante,” says his longtime manager Juan Diego Medina, using the Colombian expression for arriving with nothing. “In Colombia, he went through an entire musical process. He says that he learned to be human there, in the city [of Medellín] and country.” (In July, the two amicably parted ways after 13 years but remain close friends.)

“Moving to Colombia gave me the mojo to do the music,” Nicky says. “I got to Colombia in a moment when I desperately needed to work. They were listening to my old songs; they said they were classics. It changed my way of thinking and my way of writing music. I just sat down and I said, ‘If I make a No. 1 hit in this country, that would mean a lot of views on YouTube.’ With 45 million people [back then in Colombia], I was motivated. So I did a No. 1 national hit in Colombia, then four, five more. I became the new Colombian sound.”

In Colombia, Nicky embraced local culture while leveraging then-emerging digital platforms to reach a wider audience. “He had his whole trajectory in Puerto Rico and went to Colombia to try to reinvent himself, to find that audience that would give him a second opportunity,” says Stephanie Carvajal, artist relations and development, Latin lead at YouTube. “What allowed him to break beyond was a platform like YouTube. Nicky Jam was one of the pioneers in understanding and harnessing the power of YouTube to extend his music to audiences worldwide.”

Released in February 2015, “El Perdón,” Nicky’s game-changing collaboration with Enrique Iglesias, was a pivotal moment in reggaetón’s evolution from crude barrio genre to global juggernaut. “Nicky Jam was blowing up in Colombia, and Enrique had just put out ‘Bailando,’ ” recalls industry veteran Gerardo Mejía, who had worked closely with the Spanish pop superstar at Interscope Records and remained in close contact with him. “I said to Enrique, ‘Bro, you got to do something with Nicky.’ Nicky sent us ‘El Perdón.’ I said, ‘Wow, this is a hit.’ We saw how the [reggaetón] crossover began to happen through Enrique’s pop strength. All reggaetón started becoming more [mainstream] — it wasn’t so street anymore.”

But Iglesias’ pop-oriented style initially gave Nicky pause when he first heard it. “I felt the song was too pop-ish,” he admits. “I was worried about my street community. My urban community. I thought they were going to criticize me, so I put out the song without him. Then the record label, Sony, was like, ‘Yo, bro, we need you to put Enrique back on that track because it will be the best move you would do.’ We did the video and the version with Enrique, and that became a global hit.”

Louis Vuitton glasses, Gucci belt, Amiri pants and Palm Angels shoes.

Devin Christopher

Almost a decade later, Nicky Jam is one of YouTube’s most watched Latin artists of all time, boasting seven videos in the platform’s Billion Views Club. On the Billboard charts, “El Perdón” began a run of nine entries on the Hot 100 for him, and two of his albums, 2017’s Fénix and 2019’s Intimo, charted on the Billboard 200.

His Insomnio singles have also fared well: The 2023 Feid collaboration “69” climbed to No. 41 on Hot Latin Songs, No. 37 on Latin Airplay, No. 18 on Latin Digital Song Sales and No. 10 on Latin Rhythm Airplay; “Calor,” with Beéle, reached No. 20 on Latin Airplay and No. 6 on Latin Rhythm Airplay; and the title track, released in August, soared to No. 9 on Tropical Airplay.

And as he prepares for Insomnio’s release and contemplates what might come after, Nicky is well aware of his influence. “I came out exactly at that moment where everything happened,” he says. “For some weird reason, me being an old-school singer, I started what’s going on right now. I’m lucky to say I’m from the old school. I did a lot of hits back in the days, but when it came to the new stuff and the new movement, I’m one of the creators and pioneers of that moment, too.”

Insomnio is an evocative title. What inspired it, and how does it relate to the music’s themes?

I’ve been having two crazy years. I was struggling with anxiety and depression. A lot of the problems from the past were catching up to me. It led me to drink a lot. I had problems with drugs in the past, but never with alcohol. Alcohol is something legal that you find anywhere you go. I started drinking a lot, and it took me to a dark spot where I was feeling like it wasn’t the Nicky people are used to. I was partying too much, going out and I wasn’t sleeping. The crazy thing is sometimes, out of bad things, good things come. I did badass songs for this album during this dark moment. The reason why the album is called Insomnio is because most of the songs [were written, recorded and] take place at night.

How did the nocturnal songwriting process influence the album’s overall tone and message?

Remember, music is the art of expression, and I’m expressing myself. I’ve always been that type of person who’s very transparent. I never hide who I am or what I do. If you listen to “3 a.m. y yo en la cyber truck, pensando cuando contigo me daba los shot” [from “La Cyber” featuring Luar La L], “Exótica” [with lyrics] like “ver el sol caer,” most of the songs talk about me in full self-destruction mode, partying and not giving a f–k about life and just going crazy. If you listen to “Insomnio,” the merengue song, it’s a very sad song [lyrically].

Louis Vuitton glasses, Gucci belt, Amiri pants.

Devin Christopher

Merengue is usually joyful, but “Insomnio” takes a darker turn. How did you balance its upbeat rhythm with its somber themes?

If you listen to “El Perdón,” it’s a sad song. But you put that beat [on it], it automatically becomes a happy song. I think that’s part of my magic. I can make a sad song sound happy. That’s part of my creation mode. I really like that people can sing a sad song not even known as a sad song. That’s magic! If I were to sing that with low, dark chords, you automatically would have been like, “Damn, this motherf–ker is sad as f–k.” The reality is I was sad when I wrote that song, but in the production moment, I said, “I am not going to make this a sad song, I want this upbeat.”

Every album has its own unique creation journey. How would you differentiate Insomnio from Infinity, Intimo or Fénix in terms of the creative process?

I’m going to be honest with you. Fénix is an album that you can realize is Nicky Jam in his prime, doing his comeback and very happy about life. It was a different moment in my life. These other two albums, it was just working. I was touring so much and I just did music and put the [album] name after. These other two albums have no meaning for me. Insomnio has more meaning than any of these albums because I’m telling the people how I felt in one of my darkest moments.

On Insomnio, you navigate between trap, merengue, reggaetón, Afrobeats and electronic music. Can you talk about exploring a wide spectrum of genres?

I’m not this guy that stays in one corner. I could sing R&B, hip-hop, trap, reggaetón, merengue, whatever. The merengue thing is something I’ve never done. That’s why I wanted to do it. That’s funny because I’m half Dominican. Merengue right now is doing really good. Karol G came out with a merengue, Manuel Turizo, and a couple of others. I wanted a part of it. But the whole trap song thing was because Eladio Carrión sent me the [beat]. Then the Afrobeats is something that’s really going on right now. Quería cubrir todas las partes — I wanted to have every corner block. That’s what I did with the album.

Alongside your music, you’ve ventured into business, investing and launching restaurants and hotels. How do these fit into your long-term plans?

I’m not going to be a singer the rest of my life. I’m 43 years old. In a [few] years, I’ll be 50. A 50-year-old reggaetón artist; I don’t know if that looks so good. Daddy Yankee retired at 47, 48. I think I’ll probably retire soon, too. Not now, but probably in seven to 10 years. Well, not retire. The word “retire” for a singer does not make any sense. Daddy Yankee said he retired, and he came out with a song [“Loveo”] a couple of months ago.

There are a lot of new kids, and you’re not going to compete when you’re almost 50 with a 20-year-old that has that brand-new sound, that new vibe that kids like. The reality is this is young people’s music. I’m not saying older people don’t listen to it, but if you see the list of the people, you’re going to see that it’s mostly the youth that listen to this music. You can’t compete with that. So I prepared myself businesswise.

When people say, “OK, Nicky, you’re too old for this,” I’ll be like, “All right, but I’m rich, baby. I got businesses that take care of me and [I] still live the lifestyle.” That’s what you want, to capitalize so many businesses that you don’t even have to perform and do music to live the lifestyle. I worked hard for it. That’s why I do businesses on the side, where I could profit enough that I can keep living that good life.

Faith by Luis hat.

Devin Christopher

How do your restaurant, La Industria Bakery & Café, and your hotels reflect your personal interests?

La Industria is mostly a brunch place. You get your pancakes and French toast. It’s that type of vibe. Here in Miami, I used to go to a lot of these spots, but I recognized there wasn’t a Spanish one. So I came out with the bakery, and it’s been a boon. It has my DNA everywhere. I was born and raised in Massachusetts, but I lived in Puerto Rico most of my life. At the end of the day, it’s a sweet pancake spot — but the bestseller is a hamburger called La Boricua. Everybody goes and gets that hamburger. They love it. You have a knife right through the middle.

You recently signed a management deal with hip-hop artist Axel Leon. What qualities do you look for in artists you mentor?

They got to be talented, disciplined, versatile and have a lot of charisma. That charisma goes crazy with the people. Just with that, you could conquer the world in the music industry. Talent is something, but if you have charisma and you’re hungry to work…

What led you to start The Rockstar Show?

I was in pandemic [mode]. Bored. I wasn’t doing anything. I was in my house and I said, “I got to work.” So I got a studio and I started interviewing artists. It started with a couple of interviews. From there, we went to The Rockstar Show. We’re coming out with the third season right now.

You took The Rockstar Show to Billboard Latin Music Week in 2023, and during your onstage interview with Ivy Queen you started beatboxing. What was that about?

I’m from the old school. Back in the day, we were MCs and we did everything. We’d rap, beatbox and dance. I used to breakdance. I used to [freestyle] battle in the corners like they do in the Red Bull Batalla. I’m very good. Believe me, ain’t nobody f–king with me.

As you continue diversifying your career, are there any other new avenues you’re looking to still explore?

Mostly hospitality, hotels. That’s what I’m really doing. I’ve done acting [in movies like 2017’s xXx: Return of Xander Cage and 2020’s Bad Boys for Life], I’ve done music, I’ve done it all.

Everything I do is to inspire people. Yes, it’s business, but at the end of the day, I come from a black hole most people don’t come out of. A lot of people that were raised with me, they’re dead right now. I’m not talking about one or two, I’m talking about hundreds of them. There’s a chance. There’s hope. If I did it, you could do it. That’s my philosophy.

This story appears in Billboard‘s Rumbazo special issue, dated Sept. 14, 2024.

On a balmy May evening in 2023, the Glasshouse — a neon-lit venue six stories above the Hudson River in Manhattan’s Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood — buzzed with excitement. A music-­industry crowd of hundreds had gathered for a private Telemundo Upfront event and its featured performance by Nicky Jam. And from the moment the seminal reggaetón […]

Bad Bunny is on to his next movie adventure, joining Adam Sandler in Happy Gilmore 2 — the sequel to the cult-classic sports comedy film released in 1996 — The Hollywood Reporter revealed Tuesday (Sept. 10). There are no details yet about Bad Bunny’s role. The artist born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio made his acting […]

Mexican singer-songwriter Codiciado has postponed six of the 14 dates initially announced for his Ando Enfocado U.S. tour, reducing it to eight for the time being, Live Nation confirmed to Billboard Español.
The tour is still scheduled to kick off on September 27 at the Brooklyn Paramount in New York. However, performances in Charlotte, N.C. (Oct. 3), Miami (Oct. 4), Atlanta (Oct. 6), and the Texas cities of San Antonio (Oct. 11), Hidalgo (Oct. 12) and El Paso (Oct. 18) have been suspended.

Representatives from Live Nation expressed their ongoing commitment to the artist via email, describing Codiciado as “a great partner and a super-talented artist.” Live Nation added, “We are still in the planning stages for 2025, so we do not have anything about the tour that we can share yet.”

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The Tijuana-born artist returns to the U.S. stage after more than five years, a hiatus due to visa issues. The Ando Enfocado U.S. tour kicked off with five dates, the first of which took place on April 26 at the Hard Rock Live in Sacramento, California, where he broke attendance records for the venue, according to a press release.

Recently, Codiciado (real name Erick de Jesus Aragon Alcantar) was honored with a special proclamation by Mayor John McCann of Chula Vista, Calif. The award, presented at City Hall last Wednesday (Sept. 4), recognized his “outstanding career and invaluable artistic contributions to the San Diego community and beyond,” said a press release.

Codiciado and Mayor John McCann

Pedro Torres

The musician, who was Billboard‘s Latin Artist on the Rise in June, continues to make waves on stage. Last weekend, he performed at the Arre Festival in Mexico City, and next weekend he is poised to appear at Rumbazo 2024, the two-day Mexican Independence Day weekend fiesta taking place Sept. 13-14 in Las Vegas, where he will be one of the main artists on the bill.

See below for the updated schedule of the second leg of his Ando Enfocado U.S. tour:

Sept. 27 – Brooklyn, N.Y. @ BK ParamountSept. 29 – Rosemont, Ill. @ Rosemont TheatreOct. 10 – Irving, Texas @ The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory  Oct. 13 – Houston, Texas @ 713 Music Hall Oct. 20 – Palm Desert, Calif. @ Acrisure Arena Oct. 24 – San José, Calif. @ San Jose CivicOct. 25 – Inglewood, Calif. @ YouTube Theater Oct. 26 – Reno, Nev. @ Grand Sierra Resort*

*Not A Live Nation Date

The finalists for the 2024 Billboard Latin Music Awards are set to be announced on Thursday, Sept. 12, at 10 a.m. ET on Billboard.com and Telemundo.com.
This year’s finalists will be recognized in a wide range of award categories, including top Latin album of the year, artist of the year, Hot Latin Song of the year, tour of the year and songwriter of the year, among others. Additionally, the show will honor a few select artists with Billboard‘s special awards, which will be announced soon. The finalists, as well as the eventual winners, will be determined based on their performance on Billboard‘s albums and songs charts from Aug. 19, 2023, to Sept. 7, 2024.

Produced and broadcast by Telemundo, the Billboard Latin Music Awards stands as the only awards show that recognizes the most popular albums, songs, and performers in Latin music, as determined by Billboard‘s weekly charts. The awards ceremony will take place in Miami and air on Sunday, Oct. 20, at 9 p.m. ET.

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The awards will culminate Billboard Latin Music Week, which returns to Miami Oct. 14-18, celebrating Latin music, cultur, and entertainment all week long with exclusive performances, one-of-a-kind panels, workshops, showcases and exclusive fan experiences. The star-studded event, taking place at The Fillmore Miami Beach at the Jackie Gleason Theater, will feature Latin music’s biggest stars, including Peso Pluma, Alejandro Sanz, Young Miko, J Balvin, Gloria Estefan, among many others in its lineup.

Learn more about Billboard Latin Music Week and register at billboardlatinmusicweek.com.

One year after she agreed to a deal with Spanish authorities to settle her $15 million for tax fraud case, Shakira is telling her side of the story. In an over 1,000-word op-ed published in the Spanish newspaper El Mundo, the Colombian singer penned strong declarations about her war with Spain’s tax agency. “In 2023, […]

On Sunday (Sept. 8) day two, the second edition of the Arre Festival, taking place in Mexico City’s Curva 4 Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, became a platform for new artists in the regional Mexican music space, featuring corridos tumbados superstar Junior H as the headliner. Read day one recap here. Throughout the various stages of the […]

RUMBAZO 2024 – the two-day Mexican Independence Day weekend fiesta taking place Sept. 13-14 in Las Vegas – has unveiled its performance schedule, culinary lineup and other activations that the festival will offer to spotlight local makers and creators.

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Headlined by Nicky Jam, Luis R Conriquez, Codiciado and Arcángel, this year’s edition of RUMBAZO will feature food from local restaurants, a lowrider car show, Mercado RUMBAZO, an Estrella Jalisco Tattoo Parlor and more.

In partnership with Billboard and presented by Estrella Jalisco, RUMBAZO is set to take place at the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center, where music fans will not only be in for some show-stopping performances, but will also get to enjoy food stands, art displays and more activities. RUMBAZO coincides with the traditional El Grito and Mexican Independence Day weekend, celebrated Sept. 15-16.

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Other artists set to perform include Octavio Cuadras, Lupita Infante, Venesti, Darumas, De La Ghetto, Miguel y Sus Kompaz, among many others. “We listened to the fans, and are excited to bring even more top talent from across the Latin world to the heart of downtown Las Vegas,” said a RUMBAZO Organizer. “No matter if you attend both days or just Friday or Saturday, you’ll discover an incredible up-and-coming artist while also celebrating with your favorite headliner. It’s going to be an unforgettable Mexican Independence Day Weekend.”

This year’s RUMBAZO lineup reflects the stronghold both regional Mexican and urbano have on Latin music and culture. The event is open to guests ages 18+ and tickets can be purchased at the RUMBAZO website.

Below iw a breakdown of the performance schedule, culinary lineup and activations:

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE:

Friday, Sept. 13

5 p.m. – 5.Slow

6 p.m. – Dirty Dave

7 p.m. – DARUMAS

7:45 p.m. – Venesti

8:30 p.m. – De La Ghetto

9:15 p.m. – Gabby Got It

9:45 p.m. – Arcángel

10:30 p.m. – “Hora Loca” ft. DJ AR

11 p.m. – Nicky Jam

Saturday, Sept. 14

5 p.m. – 5.Slow

5:45 p.m. – Miguel y Sus Kompaz

6:30 p.m. – Danco

7 p.m. – Vortxz

7:45 p.m. – Lupita Infante

8:45 p.m. – Octavio Cuadras

9:15 p.m. – Yo Quiero Silla

9:45 p.m. – Codiciado

10:30 p.m. – “Hora Loca” ft. DJ Exile

11 p.m. – Luis R Conriquez

FOOD & BEVERAGE

RUMBAZO Cantina Presented by Cantaritos by Jarritos: Attendees can visit the RUMBAZO Cantina Presented by Cantaritos by Jarritos for local Latin eats and samples of the brand’s hard soda. Food offerings include:

Vitos Tacos

Ole Mannys

Tamales La Reina

Churros 101

Empanada Factory

Don Julio: Don Julio is back for the second year in a row for attendees to toast to Mexican Independence weekend with premium spirits and specialty Don Julio cocktails.

Buchanan’s: Buchanan’s is bringing a splash of flavor to the weekend festivities with tastings of Buchanan’s Pineapple Scotch.

ACTIVATIONS

Barrio Jalisco: Estrella Jalisco returns to RUMBAZO as the event’s title sponsor for the festival weekend. Guests can celebrate 203 years of Independencia with music. Stop by the Estrella Jalisco activation to enter for a chance to win merchandise from the limited-edition collaboration with Born X Raised.

Mercado RUMBAZO: Festivalgoers can support local makers and creators with the following options available:

Airbrush Las Vegas

Alans Lids

Cinloco

Archaic Eyewear

More to be announced

VIP Experience: VIP ticket holders can take advantage of upfront viewing for the performances; a dedicated entrance; exclusive bathrooms; all GA ticket inclusions; and specialty activations including:

Vegas Braiders

The Beauty Shoppe

Glam Cam Photo Booth

ARTS & CULTURE

Tiempo Car Club: The Las Vegas classic car club returns to RUMBAZO, showcasing one-of-a-kind cars and lowriders to honor a car culture that stands the test of time.

Live Art Experiences: Attendees can enjoy a live art experience as Las Vegas’ very own Juan Muniz paints murals live during the festival.