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Mexican festival Vive Latino will celebrate its 25th anniversary with an eclectic lineup headlined by acts including Caifanes, Raphael, Scorpions, Aterciopelados, Keane, Molotov, Mon Laferte, Eden Muñoz, Los Ángeles Azules, Zoé and Duncan Dhu, who will light up the great Hispanic rock party to be held March 15-16, 2025, at the GNP Seguros Stadium in Mexico City, promoter Ocesa announced Friday (Oct. 25).
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The lineup also includes other Latin and English speaking soloists and bands such as Sepultura, Draco Rosa, Nortec: Bostich + Fussible, Kany García, Meme del Real, Little Jesus, Los Planetas, Rüfüs Du Sol, La Lupita, Vilma Palma e Vampiros, Cuarteto de Nos, Siddhartha, División Minúscula, Arde Bogotá, Él Mató a un Policía Motorizado, and León Benavente.
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According to the organizers, the presale for Citibanamex cardholders will take place next Wednesday (Oct. 30), with the regular sale for the general public opening the next day.
The Vive Latino will be returning to its original home at GNP Seguros Stadium (formerly Foro Sol), after the 2024 edition had to be held at Curve 4 of the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, the same site where Formula 1 and the Corona Capital and Arre festivals are held annually, due to renovations of the venue.
Since its inception in 1998, the Ibero-American Festival of Musical Culture, better known as Vive Latino, has had a transgressive personality that has challenged stigmas: It was the first to incorporate pop, reggaeton, cumbia, and regional Mexican music artists into its lineup; it had an edition lasting four days; it added English-speaking bands despite being the ultimate celebration of rock es Español, and it is the first in Latin American festival to have its own edition in Spain.
The Vive Latino festival debuted on November 28-29, 1998, at the Foro Sol, on the east side of Mexico City. Since then, it has been held annually, except in 1999, 2002, and 2021, the latter due to the COVID pandemic.
Check out the full official lineup for the 2025 Vive Latino festival below:
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The crime in Mexico has claimed another politician’s life. A mayor was found decapitated just after one week of being elected.
As reported by on USA Today another official has fallen victim to the rampant violence in Mexico. Alejandro Arcos met his demise on Sunday, Oct. 6 only a couple of days after winning the mayoral race for Chilpancingo; a town south of Mexico City. According to the local news he was found with head cut off. Soon after photos of his head on top of a truck went viral on the popular messaging app WhatsApp. Al Jazeera reports that the late mayor was on route to Petaquillas but had decided to forego having guards secure him. “The mayor was going to Petaquillas for a meeting alone,” Security Minister Garcia Harfuch said. “We know that he was going to a specific meeting, he was not accompanied, communication was lost in the community, and the discovery [of his body] was made hours later.”
Naturally the murder made headlines throughout the Central American country. Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum condemned the act and made it clear that Arcos’ murder will be prosecuted. “We are going to fortify the intelligence investigative capabilities of the Mexican government,” she told reporters. Evelyn Salgado Pineda, governor of Guerrero expressed her sadness via X, formerly known as Twitter. “His loss has saddened all of Guerrero society and fills us with indignation” she wrote.
Friends and family of Alejandro Arcos carried his coffin throughout the city on Monday, Oct. 7 for the funeral ceremony. He was 43 years old.
Christian Nodal is now at home recovering from a “strong stomach infection” that led to his recent hospitalization in Mexico, the singer announced on Thursday night (Oct. 3) in a press release. His shows scheduled for this weekend in Denver, Colorado, and Salt Lake City, Utah, as part of his Pa’l Cora Tour have been postponed.
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“Through this statement, we want to deeply thank the expressions of affection, concern, and prayers towards our artist Christian Nodal,” said the statement on the singer’s Instagram stories. “We inform you that he is already home, where he must take a few days of absolute rest, while continuing with the treatment received to eradicate the strong stomach infection, which had him under observation in the emergency room in the past days.”
“As he recovers, we unfortunately must announce that the dates scheduled for this weekend in Denver, Colorado, and Salt Lake City, Utah, will be postponed until November,” it added. “The tour will resume next Monday, October 7, at the palenque in the City of Guadalajara, as part of the Fiestas de Octubre.”
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Christian Nodal was recently hospitalized in Mexico, where he was scheduled to perform on Wednesday (Oct. 2) at the Palenque de la Feria de Pachuca; the show was rescheduled for Oct. 14. His publicist, Conchita Oliva, told Billboard on Wednesday that the Mexican star — who had performed a concert last weekend in Los Angeles — began feeling ill upon arriving in Mexico.
Oliva also posted a photo of Nodal in a hospital bed with his eyes closed and a woman’s hand, presumably his wife Ángela Aguilar, caressing his head.
The performer whose hits include “Dime Cómo Quieres” and “Adiós Amor” has more dates scheduled in Mexico and the U.S. throughout the month. On Oct. 20, he is slated to perform at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., followed by a gig at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on Oct. 26.
During a routine process of conservation and digitization of tapes, Sony Music Mexico audio engineer Edson R. Heredia discovered “Ya No Pienso en Ti,” an unreleased track by José José, out Saturday (Sept. 28) exclusively through Spotify Singles, on the fifth anniversary of the beloved Mexican singer’s passing.
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“It was a magical moment,” says Heredia, who then set out to research more about the recording, finding that it was made on Nov. 9, 1978, in England, with David Hunt as the sound engineer and Tom Parker as the producer.
“Ya No Pienso en Ti” — which means “I No Longer Think of You” — is a heartfelt ballad about heartbreak in which José José, with his exquisite interpretative quality, sings about his recovery process after a breakup. “I’ve convinced myself that a long long time ago, I lost you/ I’ve resigned myself to not counting on your love’s support/ I’ve gotten used to not seeking you when I miss your warmth,” he sings in Spanish.
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For the release, Latin Grammy-winners Edson R. Heredia and Memo Gil did a new mix so that the voice of the dubbed Prince of Song could be revived in 2024 as a gift for his fans five years after his departure.
“These are the kinds of discoveries that they keep sending us from heaven,” actor and singer José Joel, the son of José José, exclusively tells Billboard Español. “It’s something very beautiful that allows us to continue remembering my father despite his passing. We are very grateful to the company (Sony Music Mexico) because they keep finding ways to perpetuate José José’s legacy.”
“We as a family also do it every year at the place where he grew up,” he adds. “This Sept. 28, we will be at Parque de la China, in the Clavería neighborhood of Mexico City, paying tribute with my mother Anel Noreña and me, along with the fans who have always supported us.”
José Joel, who is currently on tour in Mexico performing songs from his repertoire and that of his father — with whom he shares a great vocal resemblance — will sing for the first time at the event “Sangre de tu Sangre,” which he describes as a response to the unforgettable “La Fuerza de la Sangre” that father and son recorded for the 1994 album Grandeza Mexicana.
José José is undoubtedly one of the most important references in Spanish-language music. Known for hits like “El Triste,” “40 y 20” and “Amar y Querer,” he sold millions of records and filled iconic venues such as the Madison Square Garden and the Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Throughout his over 55 years career, he recorded 36 albums, released 30 greatest hits compilations, as well as conceptual projects.
His records sold, according to his label, more than 100 million copies, receiving multiple gold, platinum, and diamond certifications. He also received some of the most important awards in the industry, among them the Billboard Latin Music Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013, a Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004, and the Person of the Year Award of 2005 from the Latin Recording Academy. He also unveiled his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2004.
On the Billboard charts, he placed 20 hits on Hot Latin Songs, 13 of them in the top 10 and four at No. 1, including “Soy Así”, “Y Quién Puede Ser,” “Amnesia” and “Quién Como Tú,” which spent 10 weeks at the top in 1989. He also had 20 entries on Top Latin Albums, reaching the top 10 in 2003 with El Príncipe Con Trío Vol. 1, which peaked at No. 7.
The star, whose real name was José Rómulo Sosa Ortiz, died on Sept. 28, 2019, at the age of 71 after having confirmed in March 2017 that he was suffering from pancreatic cancer. His music continues to be a part of the lives of thousands of fans around the world, as evidenced by his 10 million monthly listeners on Spotify.
Listen to the newly released song by José José “Ya No Pienso en Ti” below:
Metallica continued its tribute to Mexican bands during their trek in Mexico on Friday (Sept. 28). On their third of four shows in the capital city, the metal legends honored legendary rock band El Tri by performing a unique cover of their famous song “A.D.O.,” once again with bassist Robert Trujillo doing the vocals.
Just as last week, Trujillo and guitarist Kirk Hammett surprised the 65,000 spectators gathered at the GNP Seguros Stadium, according to figures from promoter Ocesa, with their own version of a classic from the Mexican popular songbook. On the first night (Sept. 20), Metallica paid tribute to the norteño music group Los Tucanes de Tijuana by playing the song “La Chona.” Two days later (Sept. 22), they honored the rock band Caifanes with their cumbia hit “La Negra Tomasa.”
“A.D.O.,” by the band led by veteran rocker Alex Lora, refers to the Autobuses de Oriente (ADO) central bus station, one of the largest in the country.
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“Mom, turn on the recorder because #Metallica is singing A.D.O. Long live rock and roll!” tweeted user @Orlas33 on X, paraphrasing Lora, along with a video of the moment.
On Sept. 21, during a private talk by photographer Ross Halfin with a group of Metallica fans attended by Trujillo and Hammett, the bass player of Mexican descent hinted at the possibility of including a song from El Tri as part of the covers they would perform during their shows in Mexico City.
With 55 years of history, El Tri is one of the pioneering bands in the Mexican and Latin American rock scene. It has sold more than 30 million records over the years, and has received four Grammy nominations for best latin rock album. In 2022, Lora received a Latin Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award.
Metallica’s history with Mexico began three decades ago with the tour of their 1991 self-titled album (often referred to as The Black Album), which included five dates at the Palacio de los Deportes in 1993. Since then, the band has maintained a very close relationship with the country, where they recorded their live DVD Orgullo, Pasión y Gloria (2009), which portrays three spectacular nights at the Foro Sol (today GNP Seguros Stadium) in June 2009.
Their fourth and final show in Mexico City as part of their M72 World Tour, which brought them back to the Latin American country after seven years of absence, is Sunday (Sept. 29).
Metallica gave its first concert in Mexico City in seven years on Friday (Sept. 20), and the band’s bassist, Robert Trujillo, took the opportunity to pay tribute to his Mexican roots by performing a peculiar song: “La Chona,” by famous corrido group Los Tucanes de Tijuana.
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“This is a great party,” Trujillo said in Spanish to the 65,000 people who packed the GNP Seguros Stadium, according to figures from promoter Ocesa. “It is an honor to be here with all of you, with the spirit of 72 Seasons. Kirk [Hammett] and I are going to play something for all of you. We are very nervous, so if you know this song, please help us by singing it.”
Immediately, they started playing the first chords of the classic by Los Tucanes de Tijuana, included in their 1995 album, Me Robaste El Corazón, which has transcended several generations in Mexico and the U.S.
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The long hair of Metallica’s fans swung to the northern rhythm, while Trujillo and Hammett, Metallica’s guitarist, swayed to the surprise and applause of much of the audience. The bassist, who on several occasions during the night wore a traditional mariachi hat, took charge of the vocals.
The moment was quickly trending on social media, where users celebrated the rock band’s gesture to its Mexican fans. “La Chona is national heritage and Metallica knows it,” wrote user @virian_avaa on her X account. “The most surreal thing, Metallica playing La Chona,” added user @Amackdiel. Both posted videos of the moment.
Metallica is giving four performances in Mexico City as part of its M72 World Tour, in support of their 2023 album 72 Seasons. The next shows at the GNP Seguros Stadium are scheduled for Sunday (Sept. 22), and Sept. 27 and 29.
Metallica’s history with Mexico began three decades ago with the tour of their Black Album (1991), which included five dates at the Palacio de los Deportes in 1993. Since then, the band has maintained a very close relationship with the country, where they recorded their live DVD Orgullo, Pasión y Gloria (2009), which portrays three spectacular nights at the Foro Sol (today GNP Seguros Stadium) in June 2009.
Metallica’s production team filmed the entire show on Friday and, according to the Mexican newspaper Reforma, next week it will make special shots at tourist spots such as Teotihuacán, the Historic Center, Chapultepec, Coyoacán, and San Ángel.
Watch Trujillo and Hammett play “La Chona” below.
Billboard Latin Music Week is returning to Miami Beach on Oct. 14-18, with confirmed superstars including Gloria Estefan, Alejandro Sanz and Peso Pluma, among many others. For tickets and more details, visit BillboardLatinMusicWeek.com.
The music of the late Mexican superstar Juan Gabriel will resonate in Mexico City’s Zócalo on Sunday (September 22), when his concert Mis 40 en Bellas Artes is projected at a free event organized by the capital’s Secretary of Culture. “After the cancellation of the second screening at the Cineteca Nacional scheduled for September 14, […]
As she celebrates the first decade of her career as a soloist, Ángela Aguilar has chosen to honor Mexico by showcasing a collection of striking traditional dresses she has worn throughout the years.
The regional Mexican singer, who on Tuesday (Sep. 17) received a nomination to the Latin Grammy Awards in the album of the year category for her set Bolero, kicked off in recent days an exhibit at the Mexican Consulate in Houston, which specially arranged an area for visitors to enjoy the collection titled “Ángela Aguilar: 10 Years Singing and Dressing Mexico.”
The show is free and open to the public indefinitely, from Monday to Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. (local time). It includes 25 outfits, including the one she wore in the music video for “Solamente Una Vez,” a song included in her newly nominated album.
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Other dresses that have marked important moments in Aguilar’s career — from her beginnings singing “La Chancla” to a recent one with rebozos used at an awards ceremony — are part of this interactive experience, which includes QR codes on each piece to share information about the moment they were used.
Not to be missed is the short red dress she wore in the video for “Dime Cómo Quieres” alongside her now-husband, regional Mexican star Christian Nodal. Another notable piece is a tehuana from the state of Chiapas, hand-embroidered by artisans, which she wore for the cover of her album Primero Soy Mexicana.
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Ángela Aguilar, who is the daughter of Mexican music icon Pepe Aguilar and granddaughter of the legendary Antonio Aguilar and Flor Silvestre, made her onstage debut at only 3, while she and her family accompanied her father on tour. Five years later, she released her first album at the age of 8 — a joint album with her brother Leonardo titled Nueva Tradición that was powered by banda, mariachi and norteño sounds.
Her solo debut was in 2014 with the Christmas album Navidad con Ángela Aguilar, which was followed by Primero Soy Mexicana (2018), Baila Esta Cumbia (2020), Que No Se Apague La Música (2020), Mexicana Enamorada (2021) and Bolero ( 2024).
Visitors to her fashion exhibit in Houston will also see the tricolor dress, in honor of the Mexican flag, included on her family’s Jaripeo Sin Fronteras Tour, as well as the princess cut dress that the singer wore in front of Queen Sofia of Spain, which also showcased her Mexican roots.
Designers who have worked for Aguilar and contributed to this unique collection include Nelly de Anda, Iann Dey, Diego Medel, Enrique Samartin, Felipe Alvarado, Anayeli García Cruz and Felipe Botello, among others.
The Mexican consulate in Houston is located at 3200 Rogerdale Rd. in Houston, Texas. Watch the video with part of Ángela Aguilar’s dresses collection above.
Billboard Latin Music Week is returning to Miami Beach on Oct. 14-18, with confirmed superstars including Gloria Estefan, Alejandro Sanz and Peso Pluma, among many others. For tickets and more details, visit Billboardlatinmusicweek.com.
Carlos Vives now has his double at the Wax Museum of Mexico City. The Colombian star helped unveil his figure on Thursday night (Sep. 5) night at the institution, where it will share space with other iconic Mexican cultural figures, like painter Frida Kahlo and wrestler El Santo.
“I’m happy with this recognition that the Mexican people give me, that’s how I feel,” Vives said during the ceremony, evidently moved. “We have come to Mexico so much, our hearts have been touched by its music, by its art, by its cinema, its television.”
He added: “Being here in the museum, next to so many figures from the world, but above all next to the Mexican stars, who from my childhood and my youth had been a great example and inspiration — being here with them is the greatest honor I’ve received from the Mexican people.”
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The new wax figure shows Vives looking a bit younger and taller than the real artist. It carries a guitar and wears fitted leather pants and a black t-shirt emblazoned with his name and the title of his sixteenth album, Cumbiana (2020). It’s located in the main hall of the museum, close to those of Vicente Fernández and Marco Antonio Solís.
Vives — who is performing this Saturday, Sept. 7 before 10,000 people for a sold-out show at the National Auditorium in Mexico City — shared the honor with the Colombian musicians who inspired him in his youth and who are part of his history. “They are here with me and represent what I wanted to show the world: a beautiful and diverse oral tradition like our country,” he said.
His addition to the museum comes two months ahead of his honoring as the Latin Recording Academy 2024 Person of the Year in November, during the 25th anniversary of the Latin Grammys in Miami.
Born in Santa Marta, Colombia, Vives is one of the most respected artists in Spanish-language music and a pioneer of a new Latin American sound, redefining traditional Colombian vallenato by incorporating to it pop and rock sounds. With No. 1 hits on the Billboard charts such as “Volví a Nacer,” “Fruta Fresca” and “La Bicicleta” with Shakira, among others, he has become an ambassador of Colombian and Latin American culture around the world.
“He has undoubtedly left an indelible mark on the hearts of millions of people and today he will be immortalized at the Wax Museum of Mexico City,” said the museum in a press release prior to Thursday’s ceremony.
Located in the central neighborhood of Colonia Juárez, in an old Art Nouveau style mansion, the Wax Museum of Mexico City celebrates this year its 45th anniversary. In its 14 thematic rooms, visitors can appreciate some 260 wax figures of characters from history, art, politics, and sports, from Diego Rivera and Salvador Dalí, to Bill Gates, Ronaldinho, Hugo Sánchez, ‘Canelo’ Álvarez; Gene Simmons, Michael Jackson, Chaplin, Alex Lora, Chabelo, and more.
According to the museum, the wax figures are made by its team of sculptors and many wear clothes that belonged to the real character. The creation of each figure takes approximately four to eight months.
Watch Carlos Vives unveil his wax figure below:
Fito Páez has been forced to cancel his September shows in Mexico City, Guadalajara and Bogotá. The acclaimed Argentine musician announced Wednesday (Sep. 4) on his social media that he broke five ribs over the weekend at his home. “On Sunday morning, I had a domestic accident that resulted in the fracture of five ribs,” […]