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Majo Aguilar and Alex Fernández will be in charge of uniting for the first time the two most important dynasties of ranchera music: the Aguilar and Fernández families.
Antonio Aguilar’s granddaughter and Vicente Fernández’s grandson have announced a tour together for the fall, which they have named Dos Dinastías, Una Tradición (Two Dynasties, One Tradition). In addition to the tour, they also announced a new collaboration, “Cuéntame,” which will be released this Thursday (Aug. 8).
“It is very common that in this type of concept there are egos or fights over credits,” Alex Fernández told Billboard Español. “Here everything will be equitable we have an excellent relationship and above all communication.”
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“Here no last name outweighs the other,” added Majo Aguilar. “It will be a show where we will take a little piece of Mexico to the United States, so that the public can feel the party and the joy of Mexican music, singing the songs of their idols Don Antonio and Don Vicente, as well as our own songs.”
The tour will kick off Oct. 25 in Savannah, Georgia and make stops in cities in Tennessee, North Carolina and California, with the first leg ending Nov. 30 in Redwood City. More dates will be announced in the near future, according to a statement.
As for the upcoming release, it is a heartbreak ranchera penned by Majo Aguilar that will also be the song that identifies the tour. “Tell me how it feels to know that you won’t touch my body/ And that no matter how hard you try our relationship is dead/ There’s no turning back,” goes a verse in Spanish.
The music video — which will serve as the intro to the show — was filmed in Monterrey, Mexico under the direction of Gil Cerezo, vocalist and creative director of the Mexican band Kinky, who has previously worked with Majo.
Although both artists manage their careers separately from that of their fathers — fellow Mexican music icons Antonio Aguilar, Jr. and Alejandro Fernández — their opinions on the concept have been very important to them.
“My dad told me that what we are doing is reviving something very wonderful in two very beautiful voices, which bodes a great success,” said Majo. Alex, for his part, shared the words of his famous father: “I am very happy with what you are doing, I am sure you will be very successful.”
Dos Dinastías, Una Tradición aims to bring traditional Mexican music to new generations.
“Subgenres such as [corridos] tumbados are good that they exist and do well, but it is important to defend tradition,” said Alex. To which Majo added: “I find the new movements that emerge in Mexican music very interesting, but I believe that we should not stop paying attention to our true roots, which are ranchera and banda music, we should not confuse one thing with the other”.
Below are the confirmed dates for Majo Aguilar and Alex Fernández’s Dos Dinastías, Una Tradición tour:
Oct. 25 — Savanna, Ga. — Convention Center
Oct. 26 — Clarksville, Tenn. — Empire Center
Oct. 27 — Wilmington, N.C. — Convention Center
Nov. 22 — Ventura, Calif. — The Majestic Ventura Theatre
Nov. 23 — Fresno, Calif. — Saroyan Theatre
Nov. 24 — Stockton, Calif. — The Bob Hope Theatre
Nov. 27 — Bakersfield, Calif. — The Fox Theater
Nov. 29 — Salinas, Calif. — The Fox Theater
Nov. 30 — Redwood City, Calif. — The Fox Theater
After successful editions in countries like the U.S., Japan, Switzerland and Brazil, Netflix is launching dating reality show Love is Blind: Mexico on Thursday (Aug. 1), featuring a theme song by Joss Favela.
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That song is “Cosas Mágicas,” a romantic single released on July 19 under Sony Latin, in which the Sinaloa singer-songwriter experiments with country music for the first time. “They say magical things never warn us when they arrive/ Love is blind and the truth is/ Today I was able to confirm it,” he sings in Spanish over beautiful electric guitar riffs and trombone.
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“I’m truly happy to have written a song for such a significant series,” he tells Billboard Español, explaining that the opportunity came through Seitrack, his management agency. “The lyrics are completely romantic, something I haven’t written in a long time,” he adds.
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He recalls that the closest he had come to country music before was “Pienso en Ti” with Becky G, released in October 2018, where the guitar sounds evoke classic Nashville rhythms without being entirely country. Now, he hopes to reach new markets beyond regional Mexican music.
“It’s definitely a great opportunity for my music to reach beyond where it’s currently known,” says the 33-year-old artist. “Many people will watch the series and if they don’t know who Joss Favela is, they will now. Ultimately, what an artist wants is to be heard, and this is a great showcase.”
Favela has had a busy 2024. In May, he released the six-song EP, Mis Compas, Vol. 1, which includes duets with Banda MS, Codiciado, Los Plebes del Rancho, Luis R. Conríquez, Gera MX and Yuridia. Last Thursday, July 25th, he performed at the Premios Juventud in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
He has also returned to the top of the Billboard charts as the songwriter of Grupo Firme’s hit “El Beneficio de la Duda,” which reached No. 1 on Latin Airplay and Regional Mexican Airplay this month.
“I had been holding onto the song for a while; it’s from a time in my life when I felt very vulnerable,” Favela says about the top-charting song. “[Grupo Firme’s vocalist] Eduin [Caz] connected with the song from the moment he heard it. We recorded it in my studio, which allowed me to get to know him better, and he’s a great guy. Today, I can say he’s my friend, and honestly, working that way is much easier.”
He confesses that he initially “had fears because it isn’t a song in the style of what Grupo Firme usually does,” but now he is “as proud as a peacock” with the outcome and its success. “What has happened with the song has been wonderful for them, for me, and for everyone involved,” he says.
Favela is planning to release Vol. 2 of Mis Compas. Fans have to wait and see if Caz is among the guests.
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Just when it seemed like things were quieting down on the drug front in Mexico, U.S. authorities pulled off quite the big haul when they took into custody two of the biggest names in the drug cartel game.
According to ABC News, Sinaloa cartel co-founder Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada and Joaquin Guzman Lopez (the son of “El Chapo” Guzman), were officially placed under arrest Thursday (July 25), in El Paso, Texas. The Department of Justice announced the news and said that both men would be charged for their senior roles in the drug trafficking enterprise that turned certain parts of Mexico into a war zone.
With Sinaloa cartel OG Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzman already serving a life sentence for his role in the cartel, this is a pretty huge haul for the Department of Justice. FBI Director Christopher Wray spoke on the matter and acknowledged as much.
ABC News reports:
“Today, the FBI and DEA arrested two alleged cartel leaders who have eluded law enforcement for decades. Ismael Mario ‘El Mayo’ Zambada García and Joaquin Guzman Lopez, son of El Chapo, will now face justice in the United States,” Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Christopher Wray said in a statement.
“Garcia and Guzman have allegedly overseen the trafficking of tens of thousands of pounds of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and fentanyl into the U.S. along with related violence. These arrests are an example of the FBI’s and our partners commitment to dismantling violent transnational criminal organizations like the Sinaloa Cartel,” Wray said.
The circumstances behind Zambada and Guzman Lopez being taken into custody were not immediately clear as of Thursday evening, however, the men were arrested in an operation that ended on U.S. soil.
“El Mayo” thought he was headed to inspect a clandestine Mexican airfield, of which the Sinaloa cartel has many in the country. Instead, according to a Homeland Security Investigations official, a senior ranking member of the cartel tricked him and flew him to El Paso instead.
Upon landing on the tarmac, agents from HSI, along with the FBI arrested “El Mayo” and Guzman.
Clever trap. Sounds like Netflix might turn this into a season of Narcos with that last maneuver alone.
Having planned this operation for months, you can only imagine how much man power went into pulling this off and how many nerves were on edge while it was being executed.
While we’re sure they will be replaced by other members of the powerful Sinaloa cartel, this is still a huge haul for the DOJ who’ve been doing everything they can to stop the flow of drugs from Mexico into the United States.
Don’t be surprised if the streets get dry for a while. Just sayin’.
The day after the marriage of his daughter Ángela Aguilar to Christian Nodal, the bride’s father, legendary ranchera singer Pepe Aguilar, publicly blessed the couple on Thursday (July 25) via Instagram.
Along with a series of photographs of the newlyweds with members of the Aguilar-Nodal family, the patriarch wrote an emotional message and fatherly advice. “Dear Ángela and Christian, whether you see it or not, today you begin a new and very different path to any you have walked before. One where respect and responsibility will be your strongest guide, Even as important as love!
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“In any lasting relationship, love is essential and respect and responsibility totally indispensable,” he continued. “With love, you face the most complicated challenges inside and outside your environment. … I have also been in your shoes. And already in the past. And after 27 years with my wife I say to you: There is no simple principle.”
The photos show Angela and Nodal looking elegant and smiling, she in a vintage embroidered dress and he in an elegant off-white suit.
Held at a 16th-century Mexican colonial hacienda in Amacuzac, Morelos, a place full of history and about 90 minutes from Mexico City, the private ceremony was attended by famous friends such as Marc Anthony and his wife, Nadia Ferreira, who appear in one of the images shared by Pepe Aguilar.
In his message, the legendary artist also expressed that “there is no simple principle. But even if there are fears for such a transcendental decision and in their case, so public, even if they are young and in a learning stage in their lives, even if there could be a logical fear of the unknown for such a decision, etc., etc., etc. EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE.
“Just always remember that what is truly worthwhile, is never easy. But if there is true love, TRUE LOVE WITH CAPITAL LETTERS! Then EVERYTHING is worth it. And everything will always make sense. I wish from the bottom of my heart that your love is one of those. One of those worthwhile ones, one of those that make sense. Here’s to your happiness… and may you always take great care of your love with what I mentioned first. Responsibility and respect. Many, many congratulations.”
Later on Thursday, Nodal and Aguilar shared a joint Instagram post of wedding photos with the caption “24.7.24.”
The life of Mexican influencer Yeri Mua has taken a new turn with her foray into music, writing yet another chapter in her peculiar story.
Born in the port of Veracruz, Mexico, Yeri Cruz Varela (real name) went viral in 2018 at just 16 years old, doing makeup tutorials on YouTube and social media that attracted thousands. But that was only the beginning. Over time, the girl with a carefree spirit would share with her audience family aspects such as her relationship with her parents, whom she made part of her content; her stormy love affairs, which became part of her daily life in her online publications; and her much talked about physical transformation, achieved after several cosmetic surgeries and, of course, makeup.
All of this has grown her fandom: On TikTok, for instance, she has more than 22.6 million followers; on Instagram, she boasts 12.1 million. (On YouTube she has a separate account where she now posts her music).
Her friendship with Mexican reggaetón stars like Jey F and El Gudi led her to fulfill her dream of becoming a singer in 2023, when she collaborated with them on the song “Chupón”, whose video has more than 100 million views. Then came “Línea del Perreo” with Uzielito Mix, El Jordan 23 and DJ Kiire, and “Mamita Rica” with rising star Kenia Os, who also started her career as an influencer.
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Today, at 22, Yeri Mua is a celebrity who has caught the attention of superstars like J Balvin, with whom she released “G Low Kitty Remix” last April. Shortly thereafter, the content creator-turned-singer moved on from being an independent artist by signing a contract with Sony Music Mexico in early June. And, on Tuesday (June 25), she received a nomination for Premios Juventud in the “Creator of the Year” category.
In an conversation with Billboard Español, the Mexican influencer of the moment talked about her music plans, her ability to learn languages, her thoughts about starting a family, the moments that have shaped her character, as well as her plans to retire early.
How was your signing day with Sony Music?
As a woman I felt fulfilled. My managers, my best friend, my parents were there. Just before signing, my parents and I had a very intimate moment where we asked my grandfather, who is in heaven, for his blessings and to enlighten me on this important path.
Your parents have been together for many years. Have you imagined yourself getting married?
You bet I have. I would have no problem getting married at this age, even though many people say it’s not good. I’m not afraid because there is divorce. A wedding is a very nice family celebration.
Your relationships have been much talked about and your partners have even been criticized.
The truth is that I used to love toxic boyfriends — but to get married, I wouldn’t marry just anyone. For example, I get along very well with my current partner, because he listens to me in everything and that makes me happy.
I would like a beautiful [wedding] gown. There are not so many weddings anymore, so I would like a party in style. Maybe I would get married between 25 and 27.
Despite your age, you seem to have already experienced a lot. What is Yeri really like?
I think it is very demonized to make mistakes; making mistakes is a way to learn and move forward, and that has been my life. Many people think that I have always been a liberal person sexually and in every way — but no, when I was 17 my mother did not allow me to go out with skirts or showing cleavage.
My personality was formed as I grew up, because it was a process for my parents to accept the way I am now. I have always been extroverted, but it was a process. Today they love me and accept what I do.
Does anyone advise you on what to do?
I have not learned from what others tell me, I have to live it and stumble, and then I can get over the bumps. I don’t have to follow the advice of others; I have to follow my intuition even if it sucks. Today I can say that the problems I got into one, two or three years ago I would not commit them again.
You have talked about retiring young, at age 35. Is this true?
Yes, because I want to have a family and I don’t want my children to be nepo babies, to be exposed. If I am exposed it is because I want to. I don’t want my children to be exposed to cameras or fame without them causing it.
If I am working hard and breaking my back right now, it is to give them a normal childhood. I would like to have two children.
Has making money always been your objective?
I am in favor of the fact that it is not necessary to get a college degree. Since high school, I started studying hairstyling, because we were not going through a very good economic period and I started working since I was a teenager: I did nails, scrubbed feet, took care of children, I did everything because I liked to earn money. My mom allowed me to do high school online as long as I worked and I haven’t stopped.
I believe that no one should skip the stage of enjoying youth. However, I believe that working changes young people’s mentalities.
Are there any other passions you have besides music and makeup?
I always went to private schools, although I studied one year in the U.S. in a public school.
My school in Mexico was trilingual, so in addition to Spanish, I learned English and Mandarin Chinese. Languages have always been easy for me. In fact, I started studying languages and I would like to return to it.
How do you stay in shape?
I confess that I had rhinoplasty, liposuction twice and breast implants. Before my surgeries I was 20 kilos (44 lbs.) overweight — I lost weight on my own and then I had surgery. To be honest, I am not so much of an exerciser nor a dieter. At home I have a person, Mrs. Lucy, who cooks for me. If you eat healthy at home, you don’t need diets.
Tell us about the experience of making a video with J Balvin.
Although it was very fast, it was very pleasant. Colombians have something special, they make you feel good. J Balvin is someone I admire for the musical legacy he is leaving, he is a gentleman.
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Who would you like to collaborate with?
My dream reggaetón collaboration would be with Karol G or Tokischa, but artists that I also love and are top for me are Ice Spice and Doja Cat. I’m very inspired by their image, and I’m going to work to achieve it.
A Latin music executive accused of doing business with a concert promoter linked to Mexican drug cartels is now asking a federal judge to dismiss the charges, arguing that the indictment is unfairly vague and the sign of an eventual “sucker punch” by prosecutors.
Angel Del Villar, the CEO of Los Angeles-based Del Records, was charged in 2022 with violating a federal law that bars U.S. residents from doing business with known drug traffickers. Prosecutors say he repeatedly arranged concerts with a Guadalajara-based promoter who has ties to Mexican cartels.
But in a motion filed Thursday, Del Villar’s attorneys say the indictment failed to clearly state what aspects of that federal law he allegedly violated, leaving him unable to properly prepare a defense.
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“The purpose of an indictment is to protect individuals from government ambush,” writes Del Villar’s attorney. “A person whose liberty is at stake is entitled to know with certainty what offenses they are alleged to have committed [and] against what theories they must be prepared to contend.”
“The indictment here thwarts those goals,” Del Villar’s lawyers say. “Neither Del Villar nor his codefendants, upon reading it, can be sure from which direction the government’s attack will come — a sure setup for a sucker punch.”
Del Villar is represented by Drew Findling, a well-known criminal defense attorney for music industry figures. The Atlanta lawyer with has previously represented Gucci Mane, YFN Lucci and members of Migos in criminal cases; last year, he successfully defended Cardi B over a microphone-throwing incident in Las Vegas.
Founded by Del Villar in 2008, Del Records has grown into a top record company for Regional Mexican music. The label is home to música mexicana supergroup Eslabon Armado, whose global hit, “Ella Baila Sola” with Peso Pluma, became one of the biggest songs of 2023, as well as Lenin Ramirez and other chart-topping artists.
But in June 2022, Del Villar, 41, and chief financial officer Luca Scalisi, 56, and Del Records itself were all charged with conspiring to violate the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act. Passed in 1999, the law allows the U.S. to impose targeted sanctions on foreign individuals involved in the illegal drug trade and ban U.S. residents from doing business with them.
In Del Villar’s case, prosecutors claim that he repeatedly worked with Jesus Perez Alvear, a Mexican concert promoter who runs a company called Gallistica Diamente (Ticket Premier). The U.S. Treasury Department added Perez to the sanctions list in 2018, claiming he and Gallistica had helped cartels “exploit the Mexican music industry to launder drug proceeds and glorify their criminal activities.”
Prosecutors claim Del Villar and Scalisi used Perez to arrange four Mexican concerts for an undisclosed Del Records artist, then accepted nearly $200,000 in payments from him, all while clearly aware that Perez had been sanctioned. Charging documents cite a never-sent Del Records press release acknowledging that status, as well as private messages in which Scalisi noted that Perez was “under homeland security watch” and Del Villar was directly told that Perez was “a sanctioned US person.”
Two and a half years later – after the case was pushed back numerous times – both Del Villar and Scalisi are now pushing to dismiss the charges.
In his filing on Thursday, Del Villar’s attorneys argue that the indictment is not clear about which aspect of the Kingpin Act he was accused of violating. Is it a provision banning transactions related to a significant drug trafficker, or another one prohibiting transactions that seek to evade the law itself? Findling says prosecutors “do not specify.”
“It would be one thing had the indictment plainly set out the precise elements of [those separate provisions],” Del Villar’s attorney writes. “It would even be acceptable had the indictment set out facts that would make clear which provision was at issue. But it does neither.”
A response from prosecutors is due next month. If the case is not dismissed, a trial is tentatively scheduled for October.
Mexican influencer and singer Yeri Mua has signed a contract with Sony Music Mexico for the recording of her first album. The signing, exclusively announced by Billboard Español, comes after Mua released four songs in the last year that positioned her among the most influential urban artists of the moment. Previously known for her fashion, lifestyle and makeup […]
As a child, Vivir Quintana thought she could aspire to be anything but president of Mexico. “Back then I thought it was a job for men,” recalls the Mexican singer-songwriter, who now sings to the woman who could become on Sunday (June 2) the first female president of the Latin American country, framed for years by its machista culture.
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“Compañera Presidenta” is the song that Quintana composed in honor of Mexico’s potential first female president, a respectful letter to the two women leading the polls: candidate Claudia Sheinbaum, of the ruling Morena party, and Xóchitl Gálvez, the standard-bearer of the opposition alliance formed by the PRI, PAN and PRD parties.
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“Que no te duermas sin deberle la justicia a las madres que ahora buscan por ahí a sus hijas entre fosas clandestinas,” reads a fragment of her song, translating to “That you do not go to sleep without owing justice to the mothers who are now searching out there for their daughters among clandestine graves.” Released Monday (May 27) night, the song honors the tireless work done by Mexican mothers searching for their missing children among the nearly 100,000 unaccounted for since 1962, according to official figures.
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“The mothers who fight are the ones who have touched my life and my heart the most. I have been with them in public and intimate moments, feeling pain for all of them and crying out for justice,” Quintana tells Billboard Español.
The song arrives just days after the artist, originally from Coahuila, in northern Mexico, posted a message on her X account addressing both candidates where she asks them for empathy for causes such as gender violence. The response from the presidential hopefuls came just hours later on the same social network.
“Dear Vivir, dear companion. Your music moves and inspires me. Your call to work together gives me the certainty that Mexico can be a different country. A country where going out on the street is not a risk for women. A country where equality is not a claim but a palpable reality,” tweeted Galvez.
On the other hand, Sheimbaum responded: “Vivir, thank you for your letter. It is clear to me that I do not arrive alone, we all arrive; with our ancestors, with our mothers, with our daughters and our granddaughters. I will be a companion, with responsibility and sensitivity. I will be at the service of our generous and wonderful people.”
“I didn’t expect the response so quickly,” Quintana tells Billboard Español about the May 24 exchange. “The truth is that I was very hopeful about the response from both of them, and I hope that whoever is elected, I will accompany her with my music. Yes, I am being a supporter, but I also hope that it is a commitment on their part.”
The social-justice corridos singer explains that “Compañera Presidenta” (roughly translating to “Dear Madam President”) is her own composition, featured in the book Presidenta, by journalist Yuriria Sierra. In the book, Sierra brings together a hundred women from various fields including culture, politics, activism and economy, to share their hopes for the nation’s future with the next leader of the Federal Executive.
“My way of communicating with people, with my parents, with my friends, is through music,” explains Quintana. “That’s where the idea came from.”
With one album to her name, 2023’s Te Mereces Un Amor, Vivir Quintana has become a benchmark for social corridos, a fusion of traditional Mexican music with lyrics about societal issues. Her song “Canción Sin Miedo” (2020), inspired by the femicide of a friend, became the feminist anthem that accompanies all marches and demonstrations against gender violence in Mexico, and the struggle of searching mothers and defenders of human rights and the environment.
In addition, the song “Árboles Bajo el Mar,” which she performs as a duet with Mare Advertencia Lirika, was included in the soundtrack of the 2022 film Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. And her song “Te Mereces un Amor” was part of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s playlist to confront corridos tumbados, which he believes glorifies the opulent and eccentric lifestyles of drug traffickers to the youth.
Mexico will hold the largest general election in its history on Sunday, when more than 97 million Mexicans will go to the polls to vote for the renewal of just over 20,000 elected officials, including the country’s presidency.
Quintana says she will also make her vote count as a Mexican citizen. In addition to Sheinbaum and Gálvez, the standard-bearer of the Movimiento Ciudadano party, Jorge Álvarez Máynez, also aspires to be president of Mexico.
“I feel that Xóchitl (Gálvez) and Claudia (Sheinbaum) serve as referents, showing that there have been other female candidates before them, and that we are not far from it being achieved,” she says. “My 16-year-old niece can now dream of becoming a woman president. Let it not be seen as unattainable.”
The second (and last) day of the Tecate Emblema festival in Mexico City was all about female power, with Christina Aguilera, Nelly Furtado and Annita gracing the stage. The international superstars all sang and spoke in Spanish, conquering the almost 72,000 attendees that packed the Curve 4 of the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez on Saturday (May […]
The first day of the Tecate Emblema festival in Mexico City on Friday (May 17) featured a lineup that was sonically broad and led mainly by women, bringing everything from electro-pop to hip-hop to the Curve 4 of the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. As the icing on the cake at the fest, British star Sam Smith […]