Sofia to Perform at This Year’s Latin Grammys

Raquel Sofia is ready to make a big splash at the Latin Grammys

The Puerto Rican singer-songwriter has been added to the roster of artists scheduled to perform at the annual awards show.

Raquel Sofia

Sofia, who is nominated for Best New Artist at this year’s Latin Grammys, joins a list of performers that includes Juan Luis Guerra, J Balvin, Cho Quib Town, Natalia Jimenez, Will Smith and Bomba Estereo, and fellow best new artist nominees Matisse.

Sofia’s debut album, Te Quiero los Domingos, was released in July.

Sofia, who recently received a Vevo Lift nomination, previously performed backing vocals for Juanes, Shakira and Jean Carlos Canela, before making a name for herself.

Smith and Bomba Estereo will perform their version of “Fiesta,” which is nominated for record of the year in its original version. Balvin is nominated for best urban performance and best urban son for his hit “Ay Vamos” while Guerra is up for four awards, including album and record of the year.

The 16th annual Latin Grammys will air live on Univision on November 19 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Canela Signs with ICM Partners

Jencarlos Canela is changing teams…

The 26-year-old Cuban American actor and musician has signed with the talent and literary agency ICM Partners.

Jencarlos Canela

Canela, currently one of the busiest Latin stars in Hollywood, just booked the male lead opposite Eva Longoria in her new NBC comedy Telenovela.

His other television credits include top-rated Telemundo series, Mas Sabe El Diablo.

As a musician, Canela’s 2009 debut album Buscame entered the Latin charts at No. 1 and was certified Gold within weeks of release. The following year, he was nominated for Best New Artist at the Latin Music Billboard Awards.

He will spend the next month on tour in the U.S.

Canela is managed by Ivan de Paz.

Moreno Releases Spanish-Language Holiday Album, “Posada”

Gaby Moreno is getting into the holiday spirit… en español

The 32-year-old Guatemalan singer-songwriter and guitarist has released a Christmas album that’s being heralded as an insta-Latin holiday classic.

Gaby Moreno

Moreno’s Posada, released in the U.S. on indie label Cosmica, blends the singer’s love of gospel, soul and piano jazz with acoustic sounds from her Central American roots to revive a set of traditional holiday songs.

Moreno performs standard Spanish-language hymns with passion, delivering a beautiful rendition of “El Niño del Tambor” and bringing a little naughty to “Peces en el Rio” in a revved-up cabaret version of the children’s Christmas classic.

On an album that includes English and German-language lyrics, the singer seduces with a retro “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” set to brushed drums. Moreno and her band add some honky tonk to “Go Tell It on the Mountain.”

A video for Moreno’s spare and emotive “Primer Noel,” premiering on Billboard.com, features the artist reliving childhood holiday memories.

Unlike the album, which is notable for Moreno’s decidedly non-secular approach to holiday music, the video brings some typical Christmas commercialism to her message with a bottle of Pepsi placed prominently on her piano. Moreno recently appeared at a Pepsi holiday concert and in a commercial for the beverage’s holiday campaign in Guatemala.

Moreno has a strong bilingual following in her adopted home city of Los Angeles, and she’s most widely known to Spanish-speakers for her 2011 duet with Ricardo Arjona, “Fuiste Tu.” That track has neared 165 million views on YouTube, and it rose to #1 on Billboard’s Latin Pop Airplay and Tropical Airplay charts.

Moreno parlayed that connection into a well-received Latin American tour for her 2012 album Postales, released on Arjona’s label Metamorfosis, which also produced her Christmas record.

Despite being named Best New Artist at the 2013 Latin Grammys, the singer still remains underappreciated in the U.S. Latin market. Postales sold 3,000 copies in the U.S., according to Nielsen Soundscan.

Miguel Takes Home His First BET Award…

Miguel is celebrating a big first…

The 25-year-old half-Mexican singer/songwriter, who was born Miguel Jontel Pimentel, picked up his first trophy at Sunday night’s BET Awards.

Miguel

Miguel, who lost out in the Best New Artist category at last year’s show, claimed the Best Collaboration trophy for his work with Wale on the hit song “Lotus Flower Bomb.”

Miguel, nominated for three awards, lost to Chris Brown in the Best Male R&B Artist category and to the R&B boy band Mindless Behavior in the Viewers’ Choice Award
 category.

Here’s the full list of winners:

Centric Award
 Common
Youngstars Award
 Diggy
Best Group
 The Throne (Jay-Z and Kanye West)
Best Actor 
Kevin Hart, Think Like a Man
Best Actress 
Viola Davis, The Help
Best Movie The Help
Subway Sportswoman of the Year 
Serena Williams


Subway Sportsman of the Year
 
Kevin Durant
Best New Artist
 Big Sean
Best Male R&B Artist
 Chris Brown
Best Collaboration
 Wale (featuring Miguel), “Lotus Flower Bomb”
Best Gospel
 Yolanda Adams
Best Female R&B Artist 
Beyoncé
Best Female Hip-Hop Artist
 Nicki Minaj
Best Male Hip-Hop Artist
 Drake
Lifetime Achievement Award
 Maze, featuring Frankie Beverly
Video of the Year
 The Throne (Jay-Z and Kanye West), featuring Otis Redding, “Otis”
Humanitarian Award 
The Reverend Al Sharpton
Viewers’ Choice Award
 Mindless Behavior
Video Director of the Year
 Beyoncé and Alan Ferguson
Best International Act: UK
 Sarkodie (Ghana) & Wizkid (Nigeria)
Best International Act: Africa 
Wretch 32

Miguel Releases Video for Latest Single, “Adorn”

It’s no wonder he was named the Best New Artist at the Soul Train AwardsMiguel can sing his heart out, as evidenced in his latest video.

The 25-year-old half-Mexican R&B singer/songwriter has released the music video for his latest single “Adorn.”

Miguel

It’s a simple video with the California-native singing his heart out to the camera, which captures the action with very tight shots of Miguel’s face.

“Adorn” is the first single from Miguel’s next album Art Dealer Chic, Vol. 1, which will be released on February 27.

Miguel: This Year’s Best New Artist at the Soul Train Awards

Miguel only released his debut single, “All I Want Is You,” last November… But that’s all the time the critically acclaimed crooner has needed to take the music world by storm and start reaping the rewards.

During the 40th anniversary taping of the Soul Train Awards at Atlanta’s historic Fox Theater this Thursday, the 25-year-old half-Mexican R&B singer/songwriter was named the 2011 Best New Artist. He beat out some of the industry’s biggest rising stars, including part-Latino doo wop singer Bruno Mars and soulstress Marsha Ambrosius, to take home the coveted award.

miguel

Miguel, who received three nominations for this year’s Soul Train Awards, lost the Best Male R&B/Soul Artist award to Cee Lo Green. But he’s still in the running for the Song of the Year award for his insta-classic “Sure Thing.” The song is facing off against Kelly Rowland & Lil’ Wayne’s “Motivation,” Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep,” Chris Brown’s  “She Ain’t You,” Kayne West’s “All of the Lights” and Jill Scott and Anthony Hamilton’s “So In Love.”

Along with picking up the Best New Artist award, Miguel performed his latest single “Girls Like U.”

Hosted by Cedric the Entertainer at Atlanta’s historic Fox Theatre, the show included special tribute performances to Gladys Knight, Earth, Wind & Fire and the late Heavy D.

Here’s a look at the only four awards (from 11 categories) that were doled out during taping:

Best New Artist
Miguel

Best Male R&B/Soul Artist
Cee Lo Green

Best Female R&B/Soul Artist
Jill Scott

Record of the Year (The Ashford & Simpson Songwriter’s Award)
“Far Away” – Marsha Ambrosius

The 2011 Soul Train Awards will be broadcast on BET and CENTRIC on Sunday, November 27 at 9:00 pm Eastern.