Blessd is helping celebrate his hometown in a special way…
The 22-year-old Colombian singer/songwriter and rapper, whose real name is Stiven Mesa Londoño, appears on the new single “Así Es Medellín.”
The track, which has been released ahead of Medellín’s annual event Feria de las Flores, also features Llane and Reykon, among others.
The artists sing about the beauty of the Colombian city, its culture and its people. “Medellín is the best city on this planet, the city I represent,” Blessd said in a statement. “I’m proud to be from here and to represent the Antioquia flag.”
The Feria de las Flores is set to kick off on Monday
The 54-year-old Puerto Rican Latin pop singer and actor will take part in this year’s Billboard Latin Music Week, set to take place on September 26-30 at the Faena Forum in Miami.
Chayanne, one of Latin music’s most successful pop stars who has crooned to fans for nearly four decades with his ballads, will be releasing new music for the first time in more than six years, and speaking in his first interview in over five years.
But he isn’t the only new addition to the roster…
Ivy Queen, known as the Queen of Reggaeton, will open up about her prolific 25-year career, songwriting process, new music, and struggles as the only woman in a genre dominated by men.
Both Chayanne and Ivy join an already-announced star-studded lineup that includes Romeo Santos, Camilo, Nicky Jam, Eslabon Armado, Bizarrap, Blessd, Yahritza Y Su Esencia, Luis R. Conriquez, Ovy on the Drums, Kunno and The Rivera Family. More participants will be announced in the weeks leading up to the 2022 Latin Music Week.
Registration is now open at BillboardLatinMusicWeek.com.
Billboard Latin Music Week will also coincide with the 2022 Billboard Latin Music Awards on Thursday, Sept. 29, in Miami. The Billboard Latin Music Awards will broadcast live on Telemundo, and will also broadcast simultaneously on the Spanish entertainment cable network, Universo, and throughout Latin America and the Caribbean on Telemundo Internacional.
The 28-year-old Colombian singer has released his second clothing collection via Macy’s, which includes matching sets for men and women.
Royalty by Maluma, the collection’s official name, is all about self-expression and embracing one’s extraordinary sense of style, says Maluma, who adds that he wanted to make sure the collection’s style and colors — which feature prints in bright mojito green, scuba blue and more — were inclusive to everyone and enhanced creativity and imagination.
“Fashion for me is a way of self-expression,” Maluma told Billboard, describing his vision in fashion. “Depending on colors and style, it can describe your mood or enhance it positively. Fashion is like music; creativity and imagination.”
The collection features prints with beach scenes, blue waves, palm trees and a Hawaiian travel stamp print representing his global mega-hit song “Hawaii,” which nabbed him his second No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart in 2020.
Although Maluma has long been a fashionista and collaborated in design before, this was his first time designing a summer collection. And it was special for him because he had the opportunity to create bathing suits for women.
“It was a completely memorable and inspiring experience. It was also important for me to share more of Colombia’s coastal side in this collection. I want to continue sharing Colombia with the world in all ways.”
Last weekend, Maluma wore his clothing line while taking over Resorts World Las Vegas for the launch of Maluma Land, a festival where he curated the artist lineup, featuring artists such as Zion & Lennox, Blessd, Becky G and DJ Snake, among many others.
“The Maluma Land experience truly represented our music globally and introduced the new generation of Colombia’s urban music scene. I am proud to do what many did not do for me. I had many not believe in me or closed doors, and that’s not who I want to be,” Maluma adds explaining how he feels about being able to open doors for many new talents from Colombia.
Maluma’s summer clothing collection is now available in Macy’s department stores.
The 22-year-old Colombian singer-songwriter and rapper has secured his first No. 1 on a Billboard chart as “Medallo,” with Justin Quiles and Lenny Tavarez, rises 4-1 on Billboard’s Latin Airplay ranking-dated May 21.
It’s also Tavarez’s first leader on the all-Latin genre tally, Quiles captures his third among a collection of 14 entries.
“I’m really excited!” says Stiven Mesa Londoño, better known as Blessd. “When I received the news that we were No. 1 on Billboard, I was very emotional. This only makes me work harder for many more wins.”
“Medallo” hits No. 1 in its 16th week with 11 million audience impressions (up 49%) earned in the U.S. in the week ending May 12, according to Luminate.
It evicts Rosalía’s “La Fama,” with The Weeknd, down to No. 5 after its one-week on top (7.6 million, down 29%).
“Medallo” is the fifth title of 2022, which has landed at the summit in at least 16 weeks or more. The other four comprise Karol G’s “Sejodioto,” Rauw Alejandro’s “Cúrame,” and Marc Anthony’s “Mala,” all with 17 weeks to the top, and Jhay Cortez and Sech’s “Ley Seca” (19 weeks).
Further, Blessd and Tavarez join a crew of five other acts who have secured their first champ on the all-Latin genre Latin Airplay chart in 2022. Here’s a recap of the leaderboard:
Artist, Title, Artists, Peak Date Victor Cárdenas, “El Incomprendido,” with Farruko & DJ Adoni, Jan. 29
DJ Adoni, “El Incomprendido,” with Farruko & Victor Cárdenas, Jan. 29
Lis, “SG,” with Ozuna & Megan Thee Stallion, April 2
Megan Thee Stallion, “SG,” with Ozuna and Lisa, April 2
Ed Sheeran, “Forever My Love” and “Sigue,” both with J Balvin, April 9 and April 16, respectively
Blessd, “Medallo,” with Justin Quiles and Lenny Tavarez, May 21
Lenny Tavarez, “Medallo,” with Justin Quiles and Blessd, May 21
The Ovy on the Drums-produced track, concurrently lands atop Latin Rhythm Airplay after its third week at No. 3.
“At first, the idea of ‘Medallo’ was intended to be produced together with another artist who is also well positioned in Colombia,” the 22-year-old Blessd adds. “But in the end, it did not happen. In our counter plan, Lenny and Justin joined in and the song became a global hit.”
Among the trio, “Medallo” finds its home in Blessd’s roster. The tune is one of 10 tracks on the rapper’s Hecho en Medellín album, which has not entered the charts.
“The collaboration with Lenny and Justin was incredible,” Blessd concludes. “We went from making a song to becoming very good friends, the song transcended into my personal life.”
The 22-year-old Colombian emerging singer-songwriter and rapper has announced a global tour that will run through the U.S., Europe and South America for the rest of the year.
The independently produced Tendencia Global trek is Blessd’s first-ever global tour following a year of star-studded collaborations with artists like Maluma, The Black Eyed Peas, Piso 21 and, most recently, Ovy on the Drums and Myke Towers for his new track “Tendencia Global.”
The ambitious tour includes more than 20 stops in the U.S., including key markets like Chicago, New York, Miami and Atlanta. Blesd will wrap up the tour in September in his native Colombia with back-to-back shows in Bogotá, Medellín and Cali.
“Since I started my career, I had always dreamt of this moment,” Blessd said in a statement. “It’s an incredible achievement to be able to announce my global tour. I have to thank all the people that have always been there with me.”
The tour comes on the heels of Blessd’s whirlwind of a year scoring major collaborations with superstars, releasing his debut album and signing an exclusive worldwide distribution and licensing agreement with Warner Music Latina. The exclusive deal with Warner is an alliance with JM World Musicand Cigol Music that included a, “crafty, all-party proposal that will bring the artist’s music globally.”
Real name Stiven Mesa Londoño, the artist went from selling fruit at a local market in Colombia to having a viral hit (“Una”) in 2019.
“I would make eight dollars to ten dollars per day at the market,” he previously told Billboard. “With that money, I would record parts of a song. One day, I had enough money to record an intro, the other day, I would record a chorus, and so on.”
Here’s the complete list of dates for Blessd’s U.S. tour dates:
May 5 — San Francisco — The Grand Nightclub
May 6 — Los Ángeles — La Boom
May 7 — Phoenix — Stratus Center
May 8 — Denver — Stampede Club
May 12 — Dallas — Club VIVO
May 13 — Houston — Vertigo Club
May 14 — Atlanta — The Coliseum
May 15 — Miami — Oasis Winwood
May 19 — Washington D.C. — Coco Cabana
May 20 — Danbury, Conn. — La Canchita
May 21 — Revere, Mass. — Oceanside Events Center
May 22 — Mashantucket, Conn. — Shrine Nightclub
May 26 — Allentown, Pa. — Maingate Nightclub
May 27 — Columbus — La Boom
May 28 — Chicago — Sueños Festival
May 29 — Charlotte — Dubai Nightclub
June 10 — Newark — Prudential Center
June 12 — Orlando — Vibra Urbana Fest
June 18 — Brooklyn — Barclay Center
June 19 — Las Vegas — Mandalay Bay Resort
The 36-year-old Colombian singer and rapper will co-headline Sueños, a new reggaeton and Latin trap festival in Chicago.
J Balvin will co-headline with Ozuna and Wisin y Yandel, when the festival takes place during Memorial Day Weekend (May 28-29).
The first-ever edition of Sueños — presented by the producers behind Baja Beach Fest and Lollapalooza, respectively, and Chicago’s Reventon Promotions — will also include sets by artists like Myke Towers, El Alfa, Tokischa, Sech, Natanael Cano, Fuerza Regida, Jhay Cortez, Blessd, Jowell & Randy, and DJ Luian.
“We’re honored to work with the producers of Lollapalooza and Reventon to bring a premier Latin festival to Grant Park in Chicago,” said Aaron Ampudia of Baja Beach Fest. “Reggaetón is a massive genre, but remains underserved by live festivals in the U.S. We’re extremely proud to expand to the US and serve our community and everyone who enjoys Latin music.”
Reventon Promotions’ Enrique Medrano added: ”Over a decade ago, I started Reventon Promotions with a dream of bringing authentic and diverse Hispanic entertainment to Chicago. Now I am excited and proud to be part of the first Sueños festival, an event that celebrates the Hispanic presence in the city, in addition to being held in the iconic and representative Grant Park right in the heart of downtown. What better place is there for thousands of people from different Latin American countries to meet, share, and celebrate with artists of the likes of J Balvin, Ozuna, and many more.”
Sueños’ inaugural edition will be the first of two back-to-back reggaeton festivals set to take place for the first time ever in Chicago over the summer.
The also new Más Flow three-day reggaeton fest — featuring headliners Don Omar and Ivy Queen — is confirmed for July 15 to July 17, and produced by Grass Root Events, a local production company.
Sueños and Más Flow join Chicago’s very own Ruido Fest, a Latin alternative music festival that launched in 2015, as the third and second Latinx music festivals to find a home in the Midwestern city, where Latinos are now the second-largest racial or ethnic group, growing by 5% from roughly 779,000 in 2010 to nearly 820,000 in 2020, according to census data.
Tickets for Sueños will be available via pre-sale beginning Friday, February 11, at 1:00 pm ET with the official on-sale launching at 3:00 pm at www.suenosmusicfestival.com.
In addition, Blessd’s exclusive deal, which is an alliance with JM World Music and Cigol Music, will include a “crafty, all-party proposal that will bring the artist’s music globally.”
“Blessd is undoubtedly Colombia’s next musical urban star,” Gabriela Martinez, managing director at Warner Music Latina, said in a statement. “At Warner Latina we are very excited to be part of this project and take it to the next level.”
Dr. Velasquez, who signed Blessd to JM World Music in 2019, added: “JM World Music and Cigol Music see in Warner Mexico and Warner Music Latina an opportunity for team growth.”
“Everything that is happening in my career is very important to me,” the 21-year-old artist said in a statement. “I feel that the alliance with Warner Music Latina is a new beginning and I feel very confident to have the backing of a company like this. The idea is to project bigger and bigger goals and work as a team with the best.”
Part of Colombia’s new wave of hip-hop and reggaetón artists, the artist born Stiven Mesa Londoño in Antioquia, Medellín, broke out during the global pandemic, releasing viral hits like “Imposible” and “Hace Tiempo.” A promising singer-songwriter, who can gracefully go from freestyle to a chanteo to singing, he has already collaborated with artists such as Maluma, Piso 21, Ovy on the Drums, and The Black Eyed Peas. The former Billboard Latin Artist on the Rise credits reggaetón veteran Arcangel and Venezuelan rapper Akapellah as his biggest source of inspiration.
He continued: “All my achievements are in the hands of God and in prayer, I always ask that my songs be heard in all corners of the world and that my team is always blessed. From today on, I have the Warner, JM, and Cigol shirt on, because working hand in hand with the Lord everything is possible.”
The signing announcement comes on the heels of his first-ever international fall tour, kicking off November 4 in Europe. Blessd’s upcoming studio album, Hecho en Medellín, is scheduled to launch on October 27 under Warner Music Latina and features collaborations with Arcangel, Justin Quiles, Myke Towers, and more.
The Colombian newcomer, whose real name is Stiven Mesa Londoño, has announced his first-ever international tour, Hecho en Medellin.
Blessd’s tour will kick off November 4 in Europe.
Throughout the fall, the former BillboardLatin Artist on the Rise will visit cities like Madrid, Barcelona, Zurich, Milan, Rome and Paris, among others.
“God is rewarding us with these new triumphs that we are getting little by little, and without a doubt, Europe will mark a before and after in my career,” he expressed in a statement.
Maluma is hoping to put some up-and-coming talent on the map…
The 27-year-old Colombian singer/songwriter has joined voices with newcomers Kapla y Miky, Philip Ariaz and Blessd for the new single “L.N.E.M. (GATA).”
The new single comes on the heels of “Sobrio” and its star-studded video featuring Scott Disick and other celebs.
This time, Maluma reels in the newcomers, as he hopes to put “la nueva en el mapa” on their collaboration.
Co-produced by Golden Mindz and Rude Boyz, the track infectiously laces a slow-tempo perreo melody with hip-hop and reggaeton beats.
“This is what making history is all about,” Maluma wrote on his Instagram.
“He wants to raise the flag,” former BillboardLatin Artist on the Rise Blessd says of Maluma. “There is no other artist like him helping those of us who are emerging so much. He’s doing a job that no one else has done. I respect him as an artist and triple as a person because of that.”
Ozuna is inviting you to experience the Bahama breeze and his music…
The 29-year-old Puerto Rican Latin trap and reggaeton singer has announced the debut of his Ozuna Fest Bahamas.
The festival is being launched in partnership with travel company Pollen.
Taking place from December 2-6 at Atlantis Bahamas, the festival will include full resort accommodations, pool parties, exclusive club events, and many more activities.
Besides headliner Ozuna, the confirmed lineup is Alex Sensation, Blessd, Caleb Calloway, Dimelo Flow, DJ Adoni, Emilia, Jhay Cortez, Lunay, Major Lazer, Sound System, Mora, Sech, and Tiago PZK.
The track, which has been released ahead of Medellín’s annual event Feria de las Flores, also features Llane and Reykon, among others.
