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Two years after the death of Vicente Fernández, his grandson Alex Fernández wanted to remember him in a special way: with a song that reflects all the feelings of the loss of his greatest ally. Let’s not forget that it was his “Tata,” as all his grandchildren called the ranchera legend, who convinced Alex to dedicate himself professionally to music and put his work team at his disposal — and even got Sony Music Mexico to sign the young singer.
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“Mi Abuelo Vino a Visitarme” (meaning “My Grandfather Came to Visit Me”) was written by Francisco El Gallo Elizalde and Jonathan Vizcarra, and produced by Colombian Yohan Usuga, who got to work with Vicente Fernández. “He told me ‘I didn’t want to leave you, but I don’t want to see you sad/ Remember that your father is there and you promised to take care of him’/ Suddenly I threw myself into his arms and meeting his gaze/ I confessed to him in a low tone, ‘I’m missing you so much’,” Alex sings with gut-wrenching emotion in Spanish over mariachi backing.
The song is accompanied by a music video, directed by Christian Schmid, that was filmed at the legendary Rancho Los 3 Potrillos — owned by the Fernández family outside Guadalajara, Mexico, next to the tomb of the man who remains the greatest singer of ranchera music. The sepia-colored atmosphere and the performance of the youngest member of the singing dynasty resulted in emotional scenes.
“I did it the way he deserves, with his team, and the way I think he would have liked it,” Fernández tells Billboard Español. The visual premieres today (Dec. 12) at 7:00 p.m. ET and can be viewed here:
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The 30-year-old artist has had a busy schedule this year, with solo performances as well as collaborations with his father, Mexican music star Alejandro Fernández. Alex is already working on his third studio album, still untitled, which he plans to release in mid-2024, and which he says will include several collabs, one with his father. Below, he talks with Billboard Español about that upcoming album, and about paying tribute to his legendary grandfather.
Was “Mi Abuelo Vino a Visitarme” a tailor-made track or a song sent to you for the occasion?
I wanted to pay homage to my grandfather but also to have a song dedicated for grandparents; I already wrote one for my father, but in general, nobody writes for those wonderful beings. El Gallo Elizalde sent it to me, he penned it for his father and I liked it very much, but I asked him to adapt it for my grandfather.
Filming by your grandfather’s grave must have been very special.
In the video, we recorded several places on the ranch that were very special to my grandfather, and we included many things that he liked. Every moment was emotional, every detail was taken care of to make a tribute as he deserved.
Was your grandfather’s team closely involved in this project?
Absolutely. My grandfather’s team is also my team — it’s the one I started with — so I wanted to do things the way he would have liked. I wanted to make it very traditional Mexican. I wanted it to be with few instruments, the voice, a guitar and an accordion, with a charro costume, to wear it with a lot of pride and respect.
Alex Fernández, Vicente Fernández and Alejandro Fernández perform onstage during the 20th annual Latin GRAMMY Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on November 14, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Kevin Winter/Getty Images
What do you think of the musical changes that have taken place lately in regional Mexican music?
I understand that there must be changes in some things, but I do believe that what is truly traditional, the Mexican music of yesteryear, has been lost. It is good to do new things, but it is necessary to return to the roots.
What’s coming musically in 2024 for Alex Fernández?
Personally I will start the year with the arrival of my new baby [to be named Nirvana], plus a new album in which we will include mariachi, of course, a little bit of country, banda music and different sounds. I want to experiment musically and now I want to do a lot of collaborations. In fact, I am about to record one with my father and I have also talked with Natalia Jiménez. I will start releasing the singles in February. Next year we will combine shows with a lot of promotion and thus continue advancing in my career and improving myself.
Sony Music México announced on Thursday (Nov. 9) the launch of M4 Records, a label run by music executive Manuel Cuevas, who has helped propel the careers of artists such as Carlos Rivera, Yuridia, Lila Downs, Filipa Giordano, Gilberto Santa Rosa and, more recently, regional Mexican singer Luis Ángel “El Flaco”. “Manuel is an executive […]
As part of its Latin American leg, Karol G‘s Mañana Será Bonito Tour will make three stops in Mexico, starting February 8 at the capital’s emblematic Estadio Azteca, promoter Ocesa said Tuesday (Oct. 17) in a press release.
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According to the Colombian star’s official website, the other two dates scheduled in Mexico are February 16, at the Estadio Mobil Super in the northern city of Monterrey, and February 23 at the Tres de Marzo stadium in Guadalajara.
Pre-sale for HSBC cardholders for the Estadio Azteca show begins next Monday and Tuesday (Oct. 23-24), and the following day they will be available to the general public at the venue’s box office or through Ticketmaster, Ocesa said.
The show at the Estadio Azteca will be produced by Ocesa and Westwood. The collaboration between both promoters had previously occurred last December, when Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny sang at the same venue. The nicknamed “Coloso de Santa Úrsula” has room for about 83,000 people, according to its website. Among other stars that have performed there are U2, Madonna and Vicente Fernández.
The last time that “La Bichota” performed in Mexico City was in June 2022, when she gave two sold-out concerts at the Arena Ciudad de México, where she had RBD’s Anahí and Mexican rock band Café Tacvba as special guests.
Karol G‘s upcoming shows in Mexico, after her successful U.S. stadiums tour, mark the beginning of a journey through 18 Latin American cities, including in her native Colombia, Peru, Chile, Guatemala, Argentina and Brazil.
Her previous arenas stint, the 2022 $trip Love Tour, became the highest-grossing US tour by a Latina woman in history. It grossed $69.9 million across 33 shows in North America, according to figures reported to Billboard Boxscore, surpassing Jennifer Lopez’s $50 million on the 2019 It’s My Party World Tour and Shakira’s $28.2 million on the 2018 El Dorado World Tour.
Last August, Karol G was the first Latina headliner at Lollapalooza. She subsequently released her second album of the year, Mañana Será Bonito (Bichota Season), six months after Mañana Será Bonito, which debuted atop the Billboard 200 becoming the first No. 1 by a woman singing in Spanish in the history of the chart.
Check Ocesa’s announcement on Karol G’s tour below.
Mexican singer, songwriter and producer Edén Muñoz has signed a record deal with Sony Music México in partnership with Sony Music Latin, Billboard Español can exclusively announce today (Oct. 11).
Muñoz, the former leader of the group Calibre 50, has had a fruitful solo career in recent years. His hits include “Chale”, “Consejos Gratis”, “Como Quieras Quiero” and “Mi Caída En Los Excesos,” and his collaborations with rock-pop artists such as Maná and Matisse have demonstrated his versatility to innovate in other areas, where he can also move with ease. Alejandro Fernández, Pepe Aguilar, Christian Nodal, Carlos Rivera, Banda MS, Yuridia and La Arrolladora Banda El Limón are some of the acts who have recorded his songs.
“I am more than happy,” Muñoz, previously signed to Sergio Lizárraga’s Lizos Music, said in a statement. “I am excited about this family that we have formed for a long time and that today we materialize,” “I knew the day would come when my music and my art would find a home where it would be seen with the love it deserves. Today begins one of those stories that rarely happen.”
“The signing of Edén Muñoz fills us with joy and pride,” added Roberto López, president of Sony Music México. “Edén, whom we have always admired, is one of the greatest artists and creators of Mexican music of the moment. With unparalleled enthusiasm and creativity, I am sure he will continue to leave an indelible mark.”
Alex Gallardo, president of Sony Music U.S. Latin, was also pleased to have Muñoz in the company’s ranks. “Eden is a 360 artist, not only does he shine on stage, but he is also an extraordinary musician, producer and composer,” he said. “His work shows that he is a visionary and one of the most versatile artists that Mexican music has known.”
At 33, Muñoz is one of the regional Mexican music figures with greatest presence on digital platforms, with over 1.5 million subscribers on YouTube and videos that together exceed 1.1 billion views. He also has 17.4 million monthly listeners on Spotify, and 4.6 million followers on TikTok. On the Billboard charts, he’s placed seven albums at No.1 on Regional Mexican Albums, in addition to 22 No. 1s on the Regional Mexican Airplay with songs of his own performed as a soloist and by artists such as Caliber 50, Banda MS, and La Arrolladora.
Currently, Muñoz is on tour with Consejos Gratis, named after his latest album, with shows in Mexican cities such as Mexicali, Oaxaca, Pachuca, Morelos, and dates in the U.S. including Reno, Camarillo, Phoenix, El Paso and Denver.
Edén Muñoz with part of the team of Sony Music México, management and A&R.
Courtesy of Sony Music Mexico
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Peso Pluma needs to move tactfully whenever he’s in his hometown. He recently had to cancel a concert in Tijuana due to death threats from cartels.
Vulture is reporting that the Mexican singer songwriter is facing some safety concerns. He was supposed to perform at Caliente Stadium on Saturday (Oct. 14), but is no longer taking the stage at the multi-use facility in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. On Wednesday (Sept. 20), his record label Double P Records took to its Instagram Stories to make the announcement. “Our goal is to protect the fans and our team. For the safety of everyone involved we will cancel our show in Tijuana” the post read. “Thank you very much to all of our fans for understanding. We love you. Sincerely: La Doble P.”
In the past, Peso Pluma has referenced or directly named Sinaloa cartel kingpin Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán Loera throughout his music. Local news site Punto Norte reports that Mexican police found three banners with messages for Peso Pluma written in Spanish. “Refrain from appearing this October 14. Because it will be your last presentation,” one of the banners read. All the messages were signed Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación, or Jalisco New Generation Cartel; the direct rivals of the Sinaloa cartel.
This is not the first time a Peso Pluma concert had to be canceled in Mexico. Back in February, a show with Eden Muñoz, Roberto Tapia and El Fantasma was nixed by the promoter due to “insecurity and threats towards other events.”
Currently, Peso Pluma is on the American portion of his 2023 tour.
The concert that Peso Pluma had scheduled for Oct. 14 in Tijuana, Mexico, has been canceled, Prajin Music announced Wednesday (Sept. 20) on social media — days after the artist was threatened in a series of banners that appeared in the border city. “Our goal is to protect the fans and the team. For the safety […]
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After serving two years of a three-year prison term, the wife of notorious Mexican drug lord, Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, was released from prison Wednesday (Sept. 13).
According to Raw Story, Emma Coronel Aispuro was given her freedom papers after doing a baby bid for drug trafficking and money laundering, which she was convicted for back in 2021. The 34-year-old former beauty had been married to 66-year-old El Chapo since she was a teenager. It was only a matter of time before she herself got caught up in the life of organized crime that he ruled with an iron fist south of the border.
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Whether or not she was a willing participant or forced into that life is anyone’s guess, but her role ultimately landed her in prison alongside her infamous hubby.
Raw Story reports:
During her trial, prosecutors and her defense lawyers said Coronel was not involved in the core business of Guzman’s Sinaloa Cartel, which shipped hundreds of tons of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and other drugs into the United States.
“The defendant’s actual role was a minimal one,” prosecutor Anthony Nardozzi said.
“The defendant was not a leader, organizer, boss or other type of manager,” Nardozzi said. “Rather she was a cog in a very large wheel of a criminal organization.”
Coronel, who helped facilitate Guzman’s spectacular 2015 escape from a Mexican prison, regularly attended her husband’s trial in New York.
A dual US-Mexican citizen, Coronel was able to move in and out of the United States freely until she was arrested at Dulles International Airport outside Washington in February 2021.
Well, at least she can now go back to living the lavish life paid for by drug money.
El Chapo meanwhile isn’t seeing the light of day for the rest of his life as he’s been sentenced to life behind bars without the possibility of parole for his deadly reign as the drug kingpin of Mexico. We’re just wondering if he’s given his wife his blessing to move on with her life. We’re sure there’s plenty of men willing to wife up the former beauty queen who’s sitting on millions with nothing to do on Saturday nights.
Won’t be surprised if Future shoots his shot at some point. Just sayin’.
What do y’all think think of El Chapo’s wife being a free woman? Let us know in the comments section below.
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This week, organizers with Playa Luna Presents announced the Dead Ahead Festival, an all-inclusive musical experience at the Moon Palace Resort in Riviera Cancún, Mexico, from Jan. 12-15, 2024, celebrating the Grateful Dead songbook with two nights of curated collaborations. Dead Ahead Festival includes Grateful Dead alumni Bobby Weir and Mickey Hart, as well as […]
The iconic voice of the late Mexican singer-songwriter Juan Gabriel will be heard again on Thursday night (Sept. 7), when “Méxxico es Todo” premieres on digital platforms. The track was formally announced a day prior on the artist’s social media.
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“I am very happy to be with you again, with my beloved Mexico, and loved by so many people”, a message with the voice of the singer of “Noa Noa” — adapted from previous recordings but without the use of AI — is heard on a video posted on Juan Gabriel’s official Instagram account. “I invite you to travel with me through all those cities that marked my life and that filled it with so much love. Prepare your luggage, I invite you to make this trip together”.
“Méxxico es Todo” is the first single from the second posthumous album of the superstar after 2022’s Los Dúo 3, and the first with original unpublished songs, a representative of Virgin Music México confirmed to Billboard Español on Wednesday night at an event in Mexico City, where the song and its music video were premiered to select media.
The track was produced by Rodrigo Cárdenas and will be officially released on Thursday at 6:00 p.m. (Central Mexico time) and at 8:00 p.m. (US Eastern Time). The song maintains the distinctive musical stamp of Gabriel, with festive melodies to the rhythm of trumpets, and sounds that flirt with traditional Mexican music, this time with hints of pop.
The music video, created by Juan Gabriel’s former collaborator David Tames and which lasts about seven minutes and 20 seconds, is a collage of images of iconic places and symbols of Mexican culture such as the Zócalo in Mexico City, the Basilica of Guadalupe, the Pyramids of Teotihuacán, the Aztec calendar and the tricolor flag with the shield of an eagle devouring a snake.
Iván Gabriel, the artist’s son and universal heir, is expected to offer more details about his father’s new album, which would be released in the coming weeks.
Known throughout Latin America for classics such as “Querida” and “Amor Eterno,” Juan Gabriel died of natural causes on Aug. 28, 2016 at his home in Santa Monica, California, in the midst of a tour. He was 66.
Inducted into the Billboard Latin Music Hall of Fame in 1996, he built a legacy as a multifaceted artist over a more-than-four-decade career, recording songs in genres as diverse as ranchero, ballad, pop and bolero as well as producing other artists. Among his many accomplishments, the “Divo de Juárez” sold more than 150 million records, wrote over 1,800 songs, released 34 studio albums, was a six-time Grammy nominee, won three Latin Grammys posthumously and had seven No. 1s on Billboard‘s Hot Latin Songs chart. (“Yo No Sé Qué Me Pasa” even led the first edition of that chart in 1986.)
See the teaser for “Méxxico es Todo” below.
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Rising rapper Lefty SM, who had been creating a serious buzz in his home country of Mexico, was shot and killed. He was 31 years old.
The tragic demise of Lefty SM, also known as Juan Carlos Sauceda, was confirmed by his label and Billboard Español. “Dear Alzada friends and family, with profound sadness we’re informing you about the death of our brother, Lefty SM, Juan Carlos Sauceda,” Alzada Records confirmed, in Spanish, on its Instagram page on Sunday (September 3). “Our love and prayers are with his wife María Isabel and their two daughters.”
Carlos Félix, a PR rep for Alzada, confirmed that Lefty SM was shot twice near his home and was pronounced dead at a local hospital. He offered no further comment on a possible motive for the murder. The Mexican government in the Jalisco region was expected to release a formal report on the incident on Monday (September 4).
News of his death caused shock to his peers and fans. MC Davo, a friend and colleague, had just performed with Lefty SM last Friday (September 1) at a show held at the Teatro Metropólitan in Mexico City. “How is this possible? I can’t believe it, really, I can’t believe it man,” he said tearfully in a now-deleted video sent through his Instagram Stories. He would later post a photo of them hanging out at the beach. “Just a few hours ago we were enjoying life. May God have you in his glory.”
Lefty SM had built a solid career in rap and Hip-Hop, starting off in 1992. It wasn’t until 2017 when the native of San Luis Río Colorado, Sonora, started to amass a huge following thanks to his YouTube channel. He built upon that with collaborations, including hits with the Santa Fe Klan such as “Si me caigo”, “Con los ojos rojos” and “Por mi México”. The group expressed their grief over the news online. “This isn’t possible, brother,” they wrote in an Instagram post. “Tell me it’s a lie.”
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