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Taking a regional Mexican music route has led Thalia — often referred to as the Queen of Latin Pop — back to her roots, as she embraces the resurgence of música mexicana on her latest EP, A Mucha Honra.
“This album was created at the source from which this [new corridos] movement comes and emanates,” the superstar tells Billboard Español. In collaboration with Jimmy Humilde of Rancho Humilde and music producer Edgar Rodríguez of Yellow Room, the singer dives deep into the musical heritage of her beloved home country.
She reflects on the power of songs like the timeless “Amor a la Mexicana” as a key inspiration for this project. “It’s the perfect circle of why I’m singing regional [Mexican] right now,” says Thalia about the classic 1997 Mexican cumbia-pop hit. “[This genre] evokes a nostalgia in me. It gets into the Mexican DNA and provokes a catharsis in you, this style, this sound, these chords.”
The 9-track EP, released on Friday (April 26) under Sony Music US Latin, includes the corridos tumbados of “Bebé, Perdón,” “Para Qué Celarme” and a remake of “Amor a la Mexicana.” There’s also the sierreño pop jam “Choro” featuring Estilo Sin Límite, the norteño song “Silencio,” and a nor-techno remix of “Te Va a Doler,” courtesy of Deorro, which she premiered last night at the 2024 Latin American Music Awards; the original version features Grupo Firme.
“For me it has been a pleasure to be able to create this music for such a long time, to be able to perform it”, the artist explains. “It has been incredible for me to release A Mucha Honra little by little. I always try to experience different things, new things, things that challenge me and add to me.”
Below, Thalia breaks down five essential songs from her new EP, in her own words.
“Te Va a Doler” (with Grupo Firme)
“Te Va a Doler” is a song that despite being regional [Mexican], has a little bit of both worlds. It has a little more of the Thalia universe, of my musical and interpretative style, but it still has the power and sonority of the new regional Mexican. For more than a year we have been talking with Eduin Caz [of Grupo Firme] about doing something, about working together, and for me this song was the perfect ring for this union. The truth is that our styles merged well, his voice sounds very powerful in this story, and it was spectacular.
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From the same song, “Te Va a Doler,” a more electronic version was done with Deorro, who since I heard his work I loved it, so I said: “You have to do something for me.” I love Deorro’s work, and he did the remix version of this song.
“Amor a la Mexicana”
It’s the perfect circle of why I’m singing regional right now. For me, singing to Mexico and singing in the styles of our musical [heritage] has been a constant in my discography. If you look for songs, videos and hits by Thalia that have a regional or Mexican sound, there are many, and the classic of my entire career is “Amor a la Mexicana.” So, it could not be missing in this album called A Mucha Honra. I feel honored to be Mexican, to celebrate what is happening with culture, with music globally at this time. And what more than with the icing on the cake, which is to sing a new version of “Amor a la Mexicana”, which really turned out spectacular. Without a doubt, it is one of my best versions of “Amor a la Mexicana.”
“Troca” (with Ángela Aguilar)
It is a song that has such beautiful lyrics, so pure, so simple, so much love, that I needed. It resonated with me to sing something with beautiful, with delicate lyrics of love. It made me feel good to pronounce these words and these lyrics. It was also a great opportunity to bring together two generations, two Mexicans, singing at this time. I feel that our voices came together very cool, and very velvety, like a cozy blanket around you. And that makes me very happy to be able to say how cool it is that two Mexicans from different generations coexist in a love song.
We made an animated video which is also something new and different for me. It’s super cute.
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“Choro” (with Estilo Sin Límite)
“Choro” features Dania from Estilo Sin Límite, an emerging artist who has incredible talent, and is a great songwriter with a very special voice. When I heard her, I said, “Let’s do the song, let’s work”, and we recorded “Choro.” The interpretation is super cool. I feel a responsibility, of someone who has already come a long way [in my career] to extend a hand and support new talents.
[Choro] is a very Mexican thing to say. I thought it was a good title, a good concept for a song. Later it made me laugh because in other countries it has different connotations.
“Para Qué Celarme”
I think it’s my favorite of the album. The arrangements are nostalgic, it does something to my heart. I love the lyrics, the story is so awesome, and it allows me as an actress to sing it and get into character. And that’s what I really like about this song. It’s a ballad with pride, with strength. It reminds me a little bit of that song of mine, “Equivocada,” in the subject matter. My fans likes to see the party Thalia, the Thalia who sings irreverent songs, dance songs, but also the romantic one, the one who sings songs of broken hearts, and intense ballads. This is the ballad of this album.
Watch Latin American Music Awards One thing you cannot say about the 2024 Latin AMAs, which aired live last night on the Univision network, is that they lacked guts. Beyond its 21 performances on the evening, the awards featured many up and coming acts, as well as a group of hosts that included two music […]
Ricky Martin will headline LA Pride in the Park, which will return to the Los Angeles State Historic Park on Saturday, June 8. This marks Martin’s first-ever headlining Pride performance. Moreover, Martin will be the first openly gay Latin artist to take center stage at the popular Pride event.
The theme for this year’s Pride season is “Power in Pride,” which celebrates the LGBTQIA+ community’s ability to live authentically.
“I am thrilled to be headlining LA Pride in the Park because it’s an incredible opportunity to celebrate love, diversity, and equality,” Martin said in a statement. “LA Pride is a testament to the power of community, the power of visibility, and the power of standing up for our rights. Being part of this vibrant community fills me with pride and purpose.”
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“With his electrifying stage presence and chart-topping hits, Ricky Martin has long been an inspiration to millions around the world,” said Gerald Garth, board president of CSW/LA Pride. “His participation in LA Pride in the Park goes beyond mere entertainment; it symbolizes a powerful affirmation of queer Latin identity and a celebration of diversity within the LGBTQ+ community. We cannot wait to be ‘Livin’ La Vida Loca’ while beaming with Pride!”
Across 20 acres and with a capacity of 25,000, LA Pride in the Park is one of the largest official Pride concerts in the country. The nonprofit Christopher Street West Association has produced the LA Pride celebration for more than 50 years. General admission and VIP passes are now available to purchase at lapride.org.
Throughout his nearly four-decade career, Martin has brought Latin music and culture to the mainstream, paving the way for an explosion of crossover talent.
Born in Puerto Rico in 1971, Martin gained fame as a member of Menudo before embarking on a highly successful solo career, which has brought him two Grammy Awards and four Latin Grammy Awards.
Martin’s 1999 smash “Livin’ La Vida Loca” topped the Billboard Hot 100 for five consecutive weeks and received Grammy nods for record and song of the year. It was also nominated for record of the year at the inaugural Latin Grammys in 2000 – a show that became a reality because of the undeniable crossover success of artists like Martin, Santana and Marc Anthony, among others.
In May 1999, Martin appeared on the cover of Time in a story headlined “Latin Music Goes Pop!” In November 2006, at age 34, he became the youngest-ever person of the year recipient at the annual gala put on by the Latin Recording Academy.
Martin is also an accomplished actor, earning a Primetime Emmy nod for his role in FX’s The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story and displaying his talent on Broadway. He starred in Jingle Jangle for Netflix, opposite Forest Whitaker and Anika Noni Rose and can now be seen in the Apple TV series Palm Royale alongside Laura Dern, Kristen Wiig, Allison Janney and Carol Burnett.
The Latin American Music Awards 2024 are a wrap, but the best looks on the red carpet must be immortalized. Mexican-American star Becky G, who co-hosted the ceremony, which took place live from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on April 25, was among the first to arrive. Shining bright in a sparkly cutout mermaid […]
Karol G and Feid have swept the 2024 Latin American Music Awards, taking six trophies each on Thursday night (April 25).
The former nabbed the coveted artist of the year, song of the year (“TQG” with Shakira), and album of the year (Mañana Será Bonito); whereas the latter took home collaboration of the year (“Yandel 150” with Yandel), global Latin song of the year, and streaming artist of the year, to name a few accolades.
Other top winners included Shakira and Young Miko with three awards each; and with two awards each, Marshmello, Peso Pluma, RBD, Romeo Santos, and Yandel, who also swept the special Latin AMA Pioneer Award for his contributions to the reggaetón movement. (See complete winners list here)
Under the theme “We Speak Música,” the awards ceremony broadcasted its first-ever bilingual edition co-hosted by Thalia, Becky G, Alejandra Espinoza, and Carlos Ponce.
“It’s my first time coming to one of these awards shows and not feeling ashamed of being a Pocha, speaking in Spanglish,” Becky exclusively told Billboard ahead of her co-hosting opportunity. “The fact that this is a historical moment that I get to be a part of, for me, brings me so much pride.”
The Latin AMAs aired live at 7 p.m. ET on Thursday, April 25, from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas via Univision, UNIMÁS, Galavisión and ViX.
Meanwhile, Billboard was backstage at the red carpet and media center catching all the things you missed on TV, such as Jay Wheeler celebrating his 30th birthday with press, and more. Check them out below:
Morat Talks Grupo Frontera
Deservingly so, Banda MS was honored with the Legacy AMA at the 2024 Latin American Music Awards.
The special award recognized the band’s more-than two decades of artistic career that began in 2003 in their native Sinaloa and eventually saw them become one of the biggest exponents of regional Mexican music around the world.
Presented by Eslabon Armado and Joss Favela, Banda MS took the stage to deliver an emotional speech, acknowledging the new generation of regional Mexican hitmakers. “More than 21 years ago, we started a dream in Mazatlán, Sinaloa, to be able to take this music to all the corners of the world, to fight for a purpose,” said frontman Oswaldo Silvas.
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He continued: “Not just to take the name of a band, but the name of the regional Mexican music, of a genre, all over the world. We have not yet achieved the purpose but we are still in the fight. The new generations have to achieve more than what we have achieved. Here we have a generation of musicians who have taken music to a new level and at home there is another generation that will take the genre to a higher level. To all those people who think we deserve this, thank you. Long live music, long live Mexican music.”
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Later that night, Banda MS — backed by their live musicians that power their banda sinaloense signature sound — took the stage to perform a show-stopping medley with real star power, bringing out artists like Carin León and A.B. Quintanilla. They kicked off with their latest hit, “Tu Perfume,” and were then joined by Los De La S for “Somos Los Que Somos.” Then, León joined the group to sing their collab “Ojos Cerrados” and Banda MS wrapped with special guest A.B. Quintanilla to sing the the party anthem “Es Viernes.”
The 2024 Latin American Music Awards took place Thursday, April 25, live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas via Univision. Hitmakers Feid and Peso Pluma lead this year’s list of nominations with 12 nods each. The Colombian singer and Mexican star, who are up for the coveted artist of the year award and album of the year award, are followed by top nominees Bad Bunny (11), Grupo Frontera (11), Karol G (9), Shakira (9), Eslabon Armado (8) and Fuerza Regida (8).
Thalia, Becky G, Alejandra Espinoza and Carlos Ponce co-hosed the award ceremony that presented in a combination of English and Spanish, marking the first time any major U.S. award show featured a bilingual broadcast.
We can’t remember the last time anthemic pop/rock made it onto a Latin music awards show. But after watching Morat perform at the Latin AMAs 2024, all we can say is: Let’s bring on some more of this. The Colombian power quartet, who are in the midst of a global tour, performed their new single, […]
Dripping in diamonds and donning all-black, Peso Pluma and Arcángel took the stage at the 2024 Latin American Music Awards to perform their joint single “Peso Completo.” Accompanied by 2 dozen black-clad people with their faces covered and standing in two rows amid scaffolding — and exuding mysterious vibes — the Mexican and Puerto Rican superstars […]
Ricardo Montaner is a synonym for romanticism, delivering some of the best love songs in Latin music. For that, and his many decades in music, the Venezuelan singer-songwriter was honored with a special award for his extraordinary artistic legacy at the 2024 Latin AMAs on Thursday (April 25). Before hitting the stage for a riveting […]
At the 2024 Latin American Music Awards, live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Yandel delivered an exhilarating show and testified why he’s a genre pioneer. The Latin music icon also accepted the Latin AMA Pioneer Award for his trailblazing contributions in reggaetón.
Clad in a black leather outfit and silver chains, looking straight out of a post-apocalyptic Mad Max setting, the Puerto Rican artist rocked the stage alongside dancers in matching black outfits and several of his genre peers.
He opened his medley with “Caserio,” a savory slow-tempo dancehall tune, and transitioned to “Te Suelto el Pelo” — that’s when the reggaetón rhythm began to set the mood. The momentum started crescendoing as Yandel spun through his hits such as “Permítame,” originally by Tony Dize, and was soon joined by Jay Wheeler.
The superstar then smoothly moved on to sing his banger “Encantadora” alongside Farruko, who delivered sultry vocals. As the light work continued to intrigue, Feid stepped onstage in his signature neon green, and they both began to sing “Fecha” from their latest joint album Manifesting 20-05.
After the nearly 10-minute performance was done, Jay Wheeler, Farruko, Feid, Steve Aoki and Arcángel gathered to offer heartfelt words of why Yandel has created such an impact in Latin music.
Here’s Yandel’s full speech below:
“I have been in this career for a long time, since 1998. I chose to be in this career because of my love for music and the true love of those beginnings, when reggaetón was nothing. You live in moments with many hurdles along the way, but when you don’t lose faith and you set your mind to dedication, effort and passion, there is no one or nothing that can stop you. You are going to make it.
“And these magical moments are unique and I feel very proud to be here. Thanks to my work, my team, and to all the artists and colleagues who have collaborated with me during all this time, all this way of music. Among them my partner of many battles, my brother Wisin, I love you with all my heart, my brother. We have both been blessed as duos and with our new career also as solo artists, so it is a blessing. Brother, I love you with all my heart and we are going to keep breaking.
“To my people at Warner Latino, Alejandro Duque and Roberto Andrade, thank you for believing in me, for supporting me in this beautiful stage of my career. To my support that you give me every day, without you this would not be possible. So much respect. Manifesting is on the street, breaking. Thank you.”
Thalia, Becky G, Alejandra Espinoza and Carlos Ponce co-hosed the award ceremony that presented in a combination of English and Spanish, marking the first time any major U.S. award show featured a bilingual broadcast via Univision.