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Chartbreaker: How Grupo Frontera Turned a Hobby Into a Massive Following in Less Than a Year
In May, regional Mexican act Grupo Frontera performed at Houston nightclub El Rodeo Disco to approximately 300 people. Three months later, in August, the act returned, and this time, much to the surprise of 19-year-old vocalist and bajo quinto player Adelaido “Payo” Solis III, the crowd had increased to 3,000. “I had to take off my in-ear to listen to everyone sing with us,” he remembers. “This was a dream come true.”
The experience would have been unfathomable a year ago, when Grupo Frontera was a local band from the Texas border town McAllen, creating music merely as a hobby. After recruiting Solis, fresh out of high school, into its now six-man ensemble — also comprised of Juan Javier Cantú, 29 (vocalist and accordionist), Julian Peña Jr., 26 (percussionist and animator), Alberto “Beto” Acosta, 30 (bajo quinto), Carlos Guerrero, 28 (drums), and Carlos Zamora, 32 (bass) — the group officially launched this March with an independently released debut EP that contained four cover songs, including Diego Verdaguer’s “La Ladrona.” “When choosing our covers, we decided to focus on timeless pop songs,” says Peña.
But it was a one-off released just one month later — their norteño rendition of “No Se Va,” a 2019 single by Colombian folk-pop group Morat — that catapulted them to fame. “We practiced that song just 16 hours before recording it,” says Peña. “Payo began singing it, then I added rhythms with the congas, and then Beto followed with the bajo quinto, and we all stared at each other thinking, ‘Wow, this sounds cool.’ We practiced it three times on a Wednesday, and the next day we recorded it live in one take.”
Following its release on April 28, its music video gained steam on YouTube on the heels of the EP, though at first the band still “didn’t understand why” it was performing so well, says Peña. “Then we went on TikTok.” Its engagement has sustained momentum on the platform, ultimately exploding due to a video from September that shows a suave man named Elmer and his dance partner, Erika, moving in rhythm to the song in Chihuahua, Mexico. The clip, which has now amassed more than 12 million views, “gave the song the push it needed to get to another level,” says Peña.
“No Se Va” debuted on Billboard‘s Hot Latin Songs chart in September and has since climbed to No. 4. Meanwhile, the track became only the fifth regional Mexican song in Hot 100 history, reaching a No. 57 high after entering the all-genre songs chart in early October. “Honestly, I think it was the seasoning that we put with the congas,” Cantú says of its runaway success. “It doesn’t sound like your typical norteño song; in fact, it sounds like something fresh with that reggaetón vibe.”
Despite Grupo Frontera’s success with its cover version, Morat’s original “No Se Va” has yet to appear on any Billboard charts (though the band did reach the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart in June with “Paris,” a collaboration with Argentine rapper Duki). While Grupo Frontera has not had any communication yet with Morat, Cantú insists the act deserves all the credit. “We wanted to pay tribute to a group that many of us admire,” he continues.
Amid all of its recent success, Grupo Frontera has added indie record label VHR Music founder Victor Ruiz as its manager. Ruiz — also the vocalist of Grupo Zaaz and manager of a handful of other Texas-based groups — additionally serves as the band’s booking agent and has already secured various performances in Texas, Arizona, North Carolina, New York, California, Florida and Mexico. Plus, he’s worked with the group to help boost its visibility, insisting on the importance of vlogging for each member. “I want them to get to the point that everyone can identify who’s who in the group,” he says. “People love seeing the intimacy of an artist, how they prepare for their shows and how they are behind the scenes.”
But beyond touring and vlogging, Grupo Frontera wants to keep testing its success as an independent act — even after multiple record labels have made generous offers, according to Ruiz. Adds Cantú: “I’m not saying that we won’t ever sign with a label but for now, we’re very happy this way. We want to see how far we can get as indie artists.”
The band plans to flood the space with new material, starting with a recent song titled “Vete.” Grupo Frontera aims to release at least five more original tracks before the end of 2022, with some help from reigning Latin Grammy producer of the year winner — and fellow McAllen native — Edgar Barrera. “I’m worried that they’ll become a one-hit wonder, and that’s why I tell them they need to release music constantly because if not, the momentum fades away,” Ruiz says.
“You’d think we’ve been playing together for 10 years, but we’ve only been out for eight months,” Cantú adds. “I still can’t believe everything that’s happening to us.”
A version of this story will appear in the Nov. 5, 2022, issue of Billboard.
Takeoff Was Always the Backbone of the Migos
In 2013, an uncle and a nephew, born three years apart, sit on two bright red chairs speaking about their music for the first time to a mainstream media outlet.
The uncle – known as Quavo, aged 22 – sports a silky black T-shirt, glimmering diamond bracelet, designer shades, and draped in gold chains. He’s doing most of the talking, answering trivial questions about the duo’s upbringing, personalities, and why they chose to be a group. The nephew – known as Takeoff, 18 at the time – leans back in the chair wearing designer jeans, a grey T-shirt, diamond watch and a giant shimmering pinky ring. Briefly throughout the eight-minute exchange, he pops up to add little tidbits of input, mostly deferring to Quavo. But every once in a while, whenever the questions revolve directly around music, he takes the lead.
“Ain’t no day go by without us doing a song,” Takeoff says proudly.
The interview was with VladTV, conducted on the heels of Migos’ breakout hit “Versace” and rapturously received Y.R.N. mixtape – which also featured classics like “Hannah Montana” and “Adios” and dispelled any remaining “one-hit wonder” claims. From there the Migos became Atlanta rap icons, ascending to the pedestal where prior legends such as T.I., Gucci Mane, OutKast, Jeezy, Future and others perched.
The VladTV chat isn’t a particularly revealing one, but it does reinforce one thing – Takeoff wasn’t interested in entertaining any extracurriculars, but rather comfortable sitting in the back, focused on the music.
Tragically, Takeoff’s bright future was cut short at 28 on Tuesday morning after being shot outside a Houston bowling alley, caught by a stray bullet that wasn’t intended for him. The mark Kirshnik Khari Ball made during his short time on earth was impressive: the silent engineer of the triplet flow mastered by the Migos, hits that defined the past decade like “Versace,” “T-Shirt” and “Fight Night,” and an overall cultural impact that made Migos a game-changing rap group, just like OutKast, Wu-Tang Clan, Dipset and others before them.
But the sad truth is Takeoff was just entering his prime, as evidenced by the excellent Only Built For Infinity Links, his recent team-up album with Quavo. While the latter became the de facto frontman for the Migos and an in-demand features artist, and Offset stole the headlines with his flashy personality and much-publicized marriage to Cardi B, Takeoff, the quiet one, stayed in the background. He was always in the studio, consistently improving his flow, wordplay and ad-libs, meticulously grinding to iron out the flaws in his work. The flamboyance of the Migos helped them stand out from the rest of the growing ATL trap scene at the dawn of the streaming age, but it was the technical prowess that put them over the top, a precision engineered and held down by Takeoff.
“Fight Night,” the group’s excellent, no-frills 2014 smash, exemplifies this strength. “If you know me, know this ain’t my feng shui/ Certified everywhere, ain’t gotta print my resume/ Talking crazy, I pull up, andale/ R.I.P. to Nate Dogg, I had to regulate,” Takeoff raps with a smooth demeanor, fitting the multisyllabic verse in the tight 10-second pocket. Usually a verse this complex would come off rushed, sped up, or manic. But Takeoff’s control makes the sentiment sound cool, calm, and collected, contrasting with the absurd and animated bars that come later from Offset and Quavo.
Takeoff was true to his name, rapping like a fighter jet ascending from the landing strip up into the clouds when he began verses, but holding steady and smooth as he took flight, turbulence be damned. His early crowning achievement is “Commando,” a showstopping performance off of YRN 2 where Takeoff sounds possessed by the ghosts of the greats before him. His dexterous verse (“The ring on my pinky is bigger than a globe/ Skippa Da Flippa done flipped a n—a, never fold”) never falls off track despite several tempo changes, flow switch ups and complex rhyme schemes. He sounds like Arnold Schwarzenegger with a machine gun, posted up and firing away with dead-on accuracy.
Migos’ biggest project commercially and best creatively, 2017’s Culture, feels like an album that Takeoff took the creative lead on – as opposed to the more bloated sequels Culture II and Culture III. It’s 13 tracks of bangers on bangers, slim with the fat cut off, no song wasted, meticulously curated to sound like the celebration of reaching the mountain top. For listeners of a certain age – particularly those who frequented house parties at colleges across America in the mid-late 2010s – it’s a staple of the time, a community driver turning any celebration into a wild night on the Atlanta strip. But most of all, it was inviting music that brought people together.
“Call Casting” is a standout on the record, stemming from Takeoff’s earworm chorus (“Up early in the morning trappin’/ You can get ’em how you askin’”) that takes his song-stealing flow and uses it to give Quavo and Offset the stencils to showcase their skills. Takeoff could takeover any song, a likely reason why he didn’t have as many features as Quavo – no rapper wants to get washed on their own song –, but he had an underrated ability to open up pockets for Quavo and Offset, dishing assists like Trae Young in the pick-and-roll.
His 2018 solo album, The Last Rocket, predictably flew under the radar but is easily the best of the trio’s side projects. It’s not a statement album with high profile features or headline-grabbing reveals. Instead, it’s a well-produced, strongly rapped, to-the-point technical showcase where Takeoff proved he could hold his own for a full record. It’s not exciting, but it’s not supposed to be, opting for smooth control and comfort over unnecessary risks. But that didn’t mean it wasn’t an important step in Takeoff’s progression. Take the woozy “Casper.” which feels like the quintessential Takeoff track – a masterclass in his merciless flow (“Cartel get the bag dirt cheap/ Got gas but the tank on E/ No flash, but the ice on fleek/ Walkin’ out with the bag and receipt”) mixed with improved chorus work where his vocals float on a cloud of THC smoke.
Weeks before his death, the usually reserved Takeoff, came out of his shell during an interview with Drink Champs, with a simple request: “ Enough is enough,” he exclaimed. “I’m chill and I’m laid back, but it’s time to pop it – it’s time to give me my flowers, I don’t want them later on when I’m not here.”
It’s a chilling reminder to give respect to the people who are innovating in the moment. History books may be re-written following his death to say that Takeoff was always known as the best Migo, this conveniently leaves out the ignorant past sentiments that flooded Twitter timelines after 2017’s infamous Everyday Struggle interview (“Do it look like I’m left off ‘Bad And Boujee’?”) that Takeoff was “trash.” It shows the dichotomy of how rappers are both evaluated in real time and remembered after they’re gone, crafting a narrative that an artist was always beloved and respected, and minimizing when the public was loud wrong about them.
Suffice to say, it’s unclear how many people knew Takeoff was the soul behind Migos before his death. But one person repeatedly asserted he was the technical glue that kept the group on the rails.
“He always been workin’ on his craft,” Quavo insisted in an interview with Power 106 in 2018. “He just masterminded his craft.”
Taylor Swift’s ‘Midnights’ Scores Biggest Global Streaming Week of 2022
The anti-hero of the Nov. 5-dated Billboard charts, Taylor Swift tallies 20 debuts on the Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. Every song from the expanded, “3am Edition” version of her new album Midnights launches in the top 40 of the former and the top half of the latter, led by “Anti-Hero” at No. 1 on both rankings.
The 20 songs on the set – which soars in at No. 1 on the U.S.-based Billboard 200 albums chart with the biggest week (by equivalent album units) in seven years – collectively drew 1.16 billion official streams and sold 211,000 downloads worldwide in the week ending Oct. 27, according to Luminate. That’s the biggest global streaming figure for an album this year, passing Bad Bunny’s 1.06 billion clicks in the week ending May 12 upon the arrival of Un Verano Sin Ti.
The 13 titles on the standard edition of Midnights garnered 973 million global streams, accounting for 84% of the set’s overall streaming figure despite equaling 65% of the total track listing. Standard-version tracks averaged 75 million clicks, compared to 26 million for “3am Edition”-only tracks. (The original version of Midnights arrived at midnight ET Oct. 21, followed by the “3am Edition” at, when else, 3 a.m.)
While standard Midnights songs scored nearly three times the global streams as their deluxe counterparts, the opposite was true in the sales market. The seven extra songs sold a combined 138,000 downloads worldwide, while the 13 standard songs amassed 73,000 (as many consumers likely purchased the set’s original version as a whole and upgraded to buying the seven bonus cuts à la carte, activity also reflected on the U.S.-based Digital Song Sales chart).
Meanwhile, Sam Smith and Kim Petras’ “Unholy,” the No. 1 song on both global charts the previous four weeks, falls to No. 6 on the Global 200, acting as the only interruption to Midnights’ near-total takeover atop the tally, as the 13 standard-edition tracks are Nos. 1-5 and 7-14. The seven additional songs rank at Nos. 21-22, 24, 30-31, 35 and 37, giving Swift half the chart’s top 40 songs.
Swift has accumulated 94 entries on the Global 200, leading all acts, over Lil Baby (69), Drake (61), Lil Durk (55) and Bad Bunny (52), since the survey started in September 2020. She also owns the record on Global Excl. U.S. with 75 entries, besting Bad Bunny and Drake at 52 apiece.
Official HIGE DANdism’s ‘Subtitle’ Logs Second Week Atop Japan Hot 100
Official HIGE DANdism’s “Subtitle” holds at No. 1 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100, dated Nov. 2, marking the highest weekly streams of 2022 in Japan.
The theme of the highly acclaimed drama series silent racked up 20,781,069 streams this week — up by 14.7 percent from the week before — and stayed at No. 1 for streaming for the third straight week. The track is the first to log more than 20 million weekly streams this year, and is also now the record-holder for second biggest week of all time in terms of streaming, following BTS’s “Butter” that scored 29,935,364 streams on the chart released June 2, 2021.
“Subtitle” also performed well in other metrics — No. 2 for video views, No. 6 for downloads, No. 6 for radio airplay — and increased its total points from last week to stay at the top of the Japan Hot 100.
Kenshi Yonezu’s “KICK BACK” also holds at No. 2 this week. The official music video accompanying the Chainsaw Man opener dropped during the chart week. Yonezu’s collaborator on the track, King Gnu’s Daiki Tsuneta, made a cameo on the mind-bending visuals that racked up 4,113,998 views to come in at No. 1 for the metric. The song comes in at No. 2 for streaming, No. 4 for downloads, No. 3 for Twitter mentions, and No. 8 for radio.
Hinatazaka46’s “Tsuki to Hoshi ga Odoru Midnight” rises 62-3 on the Japan Hot 100. The girl group’s eighth single sold 459,613 copies in its first week — a slight decrease from its previous single “Bokunanka” (478,142 copies) — to rule sales and look-ups this week, but lacked luster in the other metrics: No. 19 for downloads, No. 8 for Twitter, and No. 46 for radio.
Travis Japan‘s “JUST DANCE!” debuts at No. 4. The group drew attention for becoming the first Johnny’s boy band to debut worldwide on streaming platforms and the track was downloaded 66,078 times during the three days counting towards this chart week (No. 1). It also ranked No. 1 for Twitter, No. 36 for video, and No. 38 for radio. How the song performs with seven full days to count is something to look out for on next week’s chart.
The Billboard Japan Hot 100 combines physical and digital sales, audio streams, radio airplay, Twitter mentions, YouTube and GYAO! video views, Gracenote look-ups and karaoke data.
For the full Billboard Japan Hot 100 chart, tallying the week from Oct. 24 to 30, see here.
Harry Styles Opens Up About ‘My Policeman’ at Film Premiere: ‘It’s Never Too Late to Find Your Happiness’
Harry Styles took a night off from performing at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles on Tuesday (Nov. 1) to swing by the red carpet premiere of his new movie My Policeman, where he got candid about his character’s emotional story.
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Located at L.A.’s Regency Bruin Theater, the premiere came just three days before My Policeman is slated to become available for streaming Friday (Nov. 4) on Amazon Prime Video. Styles plays a closeted gay police officer named Tom in the 1950s-set film, and enters a secret relationship with a man named Patrick (David Dawson) while married to a woman named Marion (Emma Corrin).
In between posing for photos on the red carpet, the “As It Was” singer answered questions about the film submitted by fans to Prime Video’s Twitter account. “I think the story’s about wasted time, and that it’s never too late to follow your heart and do what you want,” he said, responding to those wondering what My Policeman means to him.
“I hope that people take that away from it,” he continued. “It’s never too late to follow your happiness and be brave in love.”
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Once inside the theater, Styles stood in front of the audience to deliver a couple heartfelt remarks. “I just want to say a massive thank you to everyone who was involved in the making of this film,” he said. “I had such a wonderful experience making it and being a part of this. It’s something I’m really proud to be a part of.”
The Grammy winner went on to shout out his two co-stars and director Michael Grandage. “It was a really special thing for me,” he added. “This film is about love and wasted time, and how hard it can be to be in love.”
My Policeman marks the second of two films in which Styles has played the leading man this year. In September, he starred opposite Florence Pugh in Olivia Wilde’s Don’t Worry Darling, for which he made appearances with his cast mates at the film’s Venice International Film Festival world premiere and its New York City premiere. He’s currently about halfway through a 15-night concert residency at the Kia Forum in L.A., which follows similar residencies in New York City, Austin and Chicago for his Love On Tour.
See clips of Harry Styles at the My Policeman premiere in Los Angeles below.
The Contenders: Could the Fab Four Unseat Taylor Swift at No. 1 This Week?
Welcome to The Contenders, a midweek column that looks at artists aiming for the top of the Billboard charts, and the strategies behind their efforts. This week (for the upcoming Billboard 200 albums chart dated Nov. 12): Taylor Swift’s record-setting Midnights enters its second frame, facing competition from rap star Kodak Black, rising country singer-songwriter Lainey Wilson, and a quartet of up-and-comers from Liverpool.
The Beatles, Revolver: Special Edition (Apple)
It was No. 1 for six weeks in September and October 1966, and 56 years later it could top the Billboard 200 again. The Beatles’ Revolver, widely regarded as one of the greatest rock albums of all time, was reissued on Oct. 28 in a new Special Edition, centered around a stereo remix of the album from Giles Martin (son of original Revolver producer George Martin) and Sam Okell.
The set comes in a variety of different packages: a five-CD (or four-LP plus one 7-inch vinyl) super deluxe version featuring dozens of bonus demos and sessions, a two-CD/LP deluxe version with 15 bonus “Revolver Sessions Highlights,” and a one-CD/LP version with just the original remixed album. (All versions of the album, old and new, are combined for tracking and charting purposes.) The Beatles have already released ambitious box sets dedicated to Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Beatles (The White Album), Abbey Road and Let It Be — all of which returned to the Billboard 200’s top 10.
Kodak Black, Kutthroat Bill, Vol. 1 (Atlantic)
Billboard reported last week that hip-hop star Kodak Black will head to Capitol Records when his current deal with Atlantic is through — but he still owes the latter label two albums. The first of them dropped Friday: Kutthroat Bill, Vol. 1, the Florida rapper’s second 2022 release, following February’s Back for Everything.
Kodak is familiar with the Billboard 200’s top spot, as his 2018 album Dying to Live reigned for one week, while Back for Everything debuted at No. 2 behind the Encanto soundtrack. Kutthroat doesn’t have a crossover single as massive as those sets’ “ZEZE” and “Super Gremlin,” respectively — both of which reached the Billboard Hot 100‘s top five — but it does have a streaming-friendly 19 tracks, and a recent Hot 100 debut with the woozy advance single “Walk.”
Lainey Wilson, Bell Bottom Country (BBR)
“Lainey Wilson is the next superstar for the format,” proclaimed Charlie Cook, vp Country Format at Cumulus, to Billboard in September. Wilson will show how close she’s gotten to fulfilling that prediction with the release of Bell Bottom Country, her second album since signing to BBR. The set — which like her previous release is produced by Jay Joyce — is preceded by two hit Wilson duets from earlier this year: “Never Say Never” with Cole Swindell (a Country Airplay No. 1) and “Wait in the Truck” with HARDY. Neither cut appears on Bell Bottom Country, but her own “Heart Like a Truck” does — hitting a new peak of No. 23 on Country Airplay this week — as does a cover of ’90s rockers 4 Non Blondes’ karaoke classic “What’s Up?”
IN THE MIX
Baby Keem, The Melodic Blue (pgLang/Columbia): Reigning best new artist Grammy winner Baby Keem’s debut album has been on the Billboard 200 since it debuted at No. 5 in Sept. 2021, sitting at No. 105 on the current week’s chart. Expect it to climb higher next week, thanks to a deluxe reissue with seven new bonus tracks, including guest spots from streaming fixtures Don Toliver, PinkPantheress and Lil Uzi Vert.
The Grateful Dead, Dave’s Picks Vol. 44 (Rhino): The legendary jam band is a regular on the Billboard 200 with the Dave’s Picks series, which features live shows selected by Grateful Dead archivist David Lemieux. The most recent set, July’s Vol. 43, was the highest-charting on the Billboard 200 to date, reaching No. 11; if Vol. 44 makes the chart’s top 10, it would be the first Dead album to score that high since In the Dark hit No. 6 in 1987.
Smino, Luv 4 Rent (Zero Fatigue/Motown): The acclaimed R&B singer-songwriter’s third album is also his first since announcing the new partnership between his indie/collective Zero Fatigue and the iconic Motown label. The 15-track set includes collaborations with R&B sensations Lucky Daye and Ravyn Lanae, as well as rap superstars J. Cole and (again) Lil Uzi Vert.
Michael Jackson, Thriller (Epic): The best-selling original album in pop music history remains a Billboard 200 fixture; it’s No. 61 this week, in its 545th week on the chart. But it’s also a Spooky Season perennial, thanks largely to its eerie, Vincent Price-narrated title track. Last year the set jumped to No. 25 on the chart following Halloween, and it should be due for another big leap this November.
Swifties Are Even More Convinced ‘Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)’ Is Coming
And they said, “Speak now!” Taylor Swift sent Swifties running wild across social media on Tuesday (Nov. 1) with speculation that her announcement of The Eras Tour contained more clues to Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) being on the way.
Interestingly, the pose the superstar strikes on the colorful poster for her upcoming stadium tour mirrors the cover art for Speak Now‘s lead single “Mine,” all the way down to her long flowing locks, spaghetti strap dress and glance at the camera from over her left shoulder.
However, a more obvious hint came in Swift’s own caption to the announcement on social media, where she wrote, “I’m enchanted to announce my next tour: Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour, a journey through the musical eras of my career (past and present!)” with a reference to Speak Now album cut “Enchanted.”
Capitol One — also known as the official partner for the tour — also added to the theories by tweeting, “Warning: Mastermind moves in progress” with three purple squares and two white ones in response to a fan’s reaction to Tuesday’s announcement. “She wouldn’t?????? Announce Speak Now TV?????? During the World Series?????? Would she????????” another Swiftie then tweeted, pointing out that the Phillies and Astros have now played three of their five games, possibly signified by the three purple squares.
It’s worth noting that plenty of Swifties also took notice that their queen seems to re-litigate her Speak Now-era drama with John Mayer on Midnights track “Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve.” (On the bonus cut, the singer promises “I damn sure never would’ve danced with the devil at 19” — the same age she famously references in scathing Speak Now confessional “Dear John.”)
Check out some of the best fan theories about Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) below.
Jennifer Lawrence Regrets Not Taking Adele’s Advice About One of Her Box Office Bombs
Jennifer Lawrence was on an epic box office and awards run… until 2016. That’s when she pulled down a major payday and earned top-billing in the box office sci-fi dud Passengers, one of the last big-budget blockbusters she starred in before taking a break from the spotlight and slowing her pace for a few years.
According to a new New York Times profile of the Oscar-winning actress posted on Wednesday (Nov. 2), she might have avoided that ding in her resume if she’d just listened to her pal Adele.
“Adele told me not to do it! She was like, ‘I feel like space movies are the new vampire movies.’ I should have listened to her,” Lawrence said of the movie about two astronauts on a giant spaceship who are accidentally woken up 90 years early from hibernation that grossed more than $300 million globally but drew so-so reviews.
The piece opens at the Greenwich Village, New York gay bar Pieces, where we’re told Lawrence tackled the “Easy On Me” singer to the ground in March 2019 after she lost a heated game of musical shots. The original plan was for JLaw to meet Adele at a concert, but since Lawrence was already at Pieces, she suggested the singer meet her there instead. Though both women are careful about their public exposure while out on the town and frequently disappear for months, or years, at a time when not on-cycle, they decided Pieces was a fine place to let loose.
And, according to the article, they did just that, with Adele competing in an onstage drinking game that prompted the very competitive Lawrence to yell, “How could you lose?,” before the aforementioned public takedown. They even indulged in a bit of karaoke, which is a gutsy move when your partner is a Grammy-winning global superstar whose album releases are massive cultural events. Lawrence, however, is a frequent presence at Adele’s concerts, including a cameo at last year’s star-studded “Adele: One Night Only” special.
Lawrence, 32, will return to screens this weekend with the Apple TV+ drama Causeway. Speaking to the Times, she dove into the period in her mid-20s after her run as the star of the Hunger Games franchise when suddenly her movies were not clicking with audiences as much and she could feel like they were losing interest. “I was like, ‘Oh no, you guys are here because I’m here, and I’m here because you’re here. Wait, who decided that this was a good movie?’,” she said.
As she enters a period of higher exposure following the Feb. 2022 birth of her first child with husband Cooke Maroney, Lawrence told the Times her carefree night out with bestie Adele was proof that she’s moved on from being afraid of the tween Hunger Games fans who got too in her head for a while.
“I can tell things are different by my interactions in the real world, just by the way that I can move about life,” she told the paper. “There’s an occasional article about me walking out in Ugg boots, but other than that, the interest has lessened, God bless it.”
20 Questions With Gilberto Santa Rosa: New Album, Future for Salsa Artists, & More
For an artist who says music is his passion and the music of others is his hobby, it’s no surprise why Puerto Rican salsa icon Gilberto Santa Rosa released a conceptual album called Debut y Segunda Tanda. Both the Vol. 1 and a deluxe version were produced by his label B2B Music and distributed by Believe.
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The “Debut” part of its title, as he explains to Billboard, represents three of his original recordings, such as “Cartas Sobre La Mesaz” — while “Segunda Tanda” pays tribute to emblematic tracks recorded by his colleagues, such as Willie Chirino, Mucho Manolo and Carlos Vives’ “For Sale,” to name a few.
“The first song that was created was ‘Cartas Sobre La Mesa,’ and that’s the one that sparked the concept of my album,” he says of his first set in two years. “This album came at the perfect timing.”
Below, read 20 questions with El Caballero de la Salsa, where he opens up about his new album, being from Santurce, Puerto Rico, the movie that makes him cry and more.
1. This is your first album in two years — what’s the concept behind Debut y Segunda Tanda?
It’s simple. My new songs are the ones debuting and the second part is the covers. Half of the songs were originally recorded by me and the other half are songs that other artists lent me for the album.
2. On this album, you pay homage to your colleagues Willie Chirino, Mucho Manolo, Septeto Acarey, Grupo Bahia, Carlos Vives and Alejandro Sanz. Which of these covers was most challenging for you to interpret?
Truthfully, I identify with all of them, even if they’re not my songs. But I would have to say “Cartas Sobre La Mesa” because it was originally recorded as an urban song. I’ve done tropical and romantic covers, but it’s the first time I did something urban. Even though salsa and urban have a lot of things in common, starting with their origin, this song was the most peculiar for me.
3. Of your original tracks on the album, which is your personal favorite?
Without a doubt “En Defensa Propia.” It’s a very well-written song, very Santa Rosa. It’s a song made for expression and it gives the album a special touch.
4. Which song from Debut y Segunda Tanda are you most excited to perform live?
I like all of them! Since I select the songs for my shows, I would like to perform them all, because it’s an album I really want my fans to discover.
5. Why did you decide to release this album in two parts?
The album was divided because I went into the studio and got excited. I realized I had a lot of songs, and we decided to work on the first eight. Besides, time passes by very fast, and a lot of music gets lost in the way. That’s when we had the idea of releasing it in two parts.
6. What’s at the top of your professional bucket list?
I don’t really have a bucket list. Who knows if in a couple of years I’ll focus on that list? But for the time being, I don’t have anything.
7. Who made you realize you could be an artist full-time?
I was six years old. There was a teacher in my school who unfortunately passed away very young, her name was Yenny Diaz. She was a science teacher, but she also led the music classes. She taught us to play the guitar. She encouraged me and taught me a lot. I remember her with great affection. She was the only person, of all the people who gave me a lending hand, who did not see me develop my career.
8. Which would you say is the most emblematic song of your career?
“Conciencia” and “Perdóname.” They are two songs that I have definitely had to sing in all the places since I recorded them.
9. What was the first concert you ever saw?
I started singing very young, so I had access to see almost all the artists for free. But, the first concert I went to which my uncle paid for the ticket was Las Estrellas de Fania — and the first concert that I paid for, where I worked and saved, was to see a great Cuban singer named Roberto Ledesma, a spectacular romantic singer.
10. What artist, dead or alive, would you like to see in concert?
Well, it’s going to surprise you, because I’ve seen almost every artist. But I would like to see John Legend, Alicia Keys, or Justin Timberlake, if possible.
11. How did being from Santurce, Puerto Rico shape your art?
Totally. A large number of musicians and singers who excelled in salsa music came from Santurce. At one time, the heart of entertainment was there including radio and television stations. The atmosphere in general is a very happy sector with a lot of music. I always remember my grandmother’s house, when you went out to the balcony and there was music everywhere, and you were nourished by all that. Being from there helped me with my training, of course.
12. What was the last song you listened to?
When I prepare for my concerts, I like to listen to music by other artists. Last night I was listening to a song called “Adolorido” by a Cuban singer named Tito Gomez who has already passed away.
13. What song or movie always makes you cry?
There is a movie that has it all! It has tears, it has suspense, and even quite a lot of violence but very well used. The first Godfather movie, I’ve seen it like 900 times. I always find something that I didn’t see the previous time. That movie talks about family, and loyalty, it goes beyond being a mobster movie. There are many interesting and deep messages.
14. Do you recall your first job ever?
I’ve always worked in music. I thank music for sustaining me all my life. But, the very first job I had was delivering newspapers for two weeks. The other time, I was a model for a car show. I had to drive one, but I’m usually not a good driver, so it didn’t go very well for me. Those were the last times I worked on something other than music.
15. Besides music, what’s another passion of yours?
I can be a bit boring because I’m passionate about music and nothing else. My work is music and my hobby is the music of others. In the last few years, however, I wasn’t much into going to the studio. For me, the recordings were very tedious, but about five years ago, I began getting involved and visiting the studio every once in a while to record things. That’s why I have many songs for this album.
16. What’s your all-time favorite vacation spot?
Las Vegas. I love going there for the entertainment lifestyle. It’s a city where there is always something new going on. I’ve seen almost every artist in the residences. I have a good time even if it’s on a bench drinking coffee. It is an interesting desert.
17. Describe 2022 in one word?
Spectacular!
18. With a more-than-40-year career, what’s one piece of advice you would give to younger salsa artists?
A genuine vocation and the stamina to move forward are important. It is not an easy road — life, in general — is not, but today, there is a contrast between all the advances that exist. And that seems to be an advantage, but sometimes it is not, because the competition is even stronger. It is more difficult for people to focus on an artist. So, you have to have the stamina and character to be able to fulfill a dream. There is always a door that opens, there will always be an opportunity, and there is always a person who helps you — but we cannot give up on the first failure or the first “no.” It is hard to start a project and defend it.
19. What’s the one word you always use?
Everyone knows me because I use the phrase “Caminalo!” At first, it started out as a strictly rhythmic phrase, but today for me it’s almost a philosophy. It suggests going forward, not stopping, the future, and movement.
20. What do you hope to accomplish or experience in 2023?
We are going to start promoting both volumes of Debut y Segunda Tanda, and in 2023, we will begin planning the new tour that we hope will take us to Europe again.
