Selena Gomez Donates Autographed Collection of Rare Beauty Products for ASCAP Foundation Silent Auction

Selena Gomez is helping raise money to help develop music’s next superstar….

The 30-year-old Mexican American musician is taking part in the second annual ASCAP Foundation Silent Auction, launched Thursday, December 1, with donations supporting music education and talent development programs throughout the country.

Selena GomezGomez has donated an autographed collection of her Rare Beauty products.

Meanwhile, Ashanti is offering up a special one-on-one…

The 42-year-old half-Afro-Dominican singer/actress is auctioning off a private dinner with her.

Other silent auction items include an autographed vinyl copy of Olivia Rodrigo‘s album Sour, a personalized video from The Chainsmokers, an autographed Fender guitar from Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora, a bottle of bourbon signed by Chris Stapleton, a hat signed by Alan Jackson, VIP tickets to a show by DJ Steve Aoki in Las Vegas, and more.

The auction, located at charitybuzz.com, will run through December 16.

“For nearly five decades, The ASCAP Foundation has fulfilled ASCAP’s mission to support aspiring music creators at the most fundamental level, by funding music education and talent development programs in schools and communities across the U.S.,” said Nicole George-Middleton, The ASCAP Foundation Executive Director, via a statement. “We are thrilled to host our silent auction for a second year and hope that music lovers everywhere will join in to support The Foundation and land some one-of-a-kind holiday gifts for their family and friends.”

Other donors include Broadway legend Stephen Schwartz, Shawn Mendes, songwriter and writer advocate Paul Williams, country artists Carly Pearce, Old Dominion and Kelsea Ballerini, actress-author Diane Keaton, NBA champion Kevin Durant, Universal Studios, Nightbird Studios and legendary musician-writer-producer Quincy Jones.

The ASCAP Foundation launched in 1975 and is dedicated to supporting American music creators, through encouraging development via music education, talent development and other programs such as songwriting workshops, grants, scholarships, and community outreach programs.

Diego Luna to Receive 2021 Platino Award of Honor

Diego Luna is being celebrated for his platinum career.

This year’s seventh edition of the Ibero-American Platino Awards (Premios Platinos) will honor the 41-year-old Mexican actor, director, producer and festival organizer with the Platino Award of Honor.

Diego Luna

An itinerant award show by design, this year’s Platinos will be held on October 3 in Madrid.

Luna will be the youngest recipient of the career achievement honor, joining previous winners Miguel Rafael Martos Sánchez, often simply referred to as Raphael, one of Spain’s most iconic entertainers of the 20th century; Adriana Barraza, the Oscar nominated Spanish-English-language crossover star of Alejandro Iñárritu’s Babel and Amores Perros; Oscar and three time Primetime Emmy nominee Edward James Olmos (Stand and Deliver); Oscar nominee Antonio Banderas (Pain and Glory); and Primetime Emmy (The Burning Season) and BAFTA (“Dona Flor e Seus Dois Maridos) nominee Sonia Braga.

A child actor who excelled from an early age, Luna’s first film appearance was in Javier Bourges’ 1991 Mexican Academy Award-nominated short The Last New Year.” He appeared in several telenovelas throughout the ‘90s, joined on screen for the first time by his longtime collaborator and close friend Gael García Bernal in El abuelo y yo in 1992. Alternating between film and television over the next decade, his international breakout came with García Bernal and Spain’s Marbel Verdú in Alfonso Cuarón’s seminal coming-of-age road trip film “Y Tu Mamá También.”

Shortly after, Luna began his Hollywood career appearing alongside Bon Jovi in John Carpenter’s Vampires: Los Muertos and in Salma Hayek’s Oscar-winning biopic Frida.

In the decades since, Luna has continued to work on both Latin American and U.S. productions while also taking turns as a producer, writer and director. He also, again with García Bernal, launched the nomadic documentary film festival Ambulante, as well as their own production label, first Canana in 2005 and now La Corriente del Golfo.

Most recently, he created and hosts the Amazon Original conversation series Pan y Circo and is starring in the Disney+’s Andor, a spinoff series following his Rogue One: A Star Wars Story character Cassian Andor.

He was also recently confirmed as a voice actor for Netflix’s upcoming animated series Maya and the Three, where he will team with frequent collaborator Jorge Gutierrez (The Book of Life).

Last year’s ceremony was, like so many, forced online by the COVID-19 pandemic. But this time around, the Platinos are planning an in-person event to celebrate the best offerings from the Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American screen industries.

At 11 nominations each, the two standout titles are Fernando Trueba’s Colombian drama Memories of My Father and Jayro Bustamante’s Guatemalan thriller La Llorona.

The Platino Awards are promoted by EGEDA (Spain’s Entity for the Rights Management of Audiovisual Producers) and FIPCA (the Ibero-American Federation of Film and Audiovisual Producers) and have the support of the Ibero-American film academies and institutes as well as numerous sponsors in Europe and Latin America.

Gloria Trevi to be Inducted into the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame

Gloria Trevi is heading into the annals of Latin music history…

The Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame has revealed which five songwriters will be inducted at the prestigious hall this year, with the 50-year-old Mexican singer/songwriter making the grade.

Gloria Trevi

Trevi joins a roster that includes previous inductees, including last year’s Erika Ender, Carlos Vives and Ana Gabriel, to name a few.

Besides having a rebellious and over-the-top personality onstage, Trevi is also known as a songwriter and philanthropist. In her nearly three-decade music career, she’s penned more than 400 songs and released 13 albums, four of which reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Latin Albums chart: Gloria in 2011, El Amor in 2015, Immortal in 2016 and Versus in 2017.

Joining Trevi is Chucho Valdés.

As a pianist, composer and arranger, the 76-year-old Cuban artist become one of the most influential figures in modern Afro-Cuban jazz. He’s a winner of six Grammys and three Latin Grammys. On November 27, 2010, Chucho peaked at No. 8 on the Latin Pop Albumschart thanks to his collaboration with Buika on her album El Ultimo Trago.

Ecuadorian singer and songwriter Carlos Rubira Infante has also made the list. He’s known for bringing to the forefront the country’s national music style, pasillo and pasacalle music. At 96 years old, he was awarded the National Prize in ArtPremio Eugenio Espejo” in 2008 from the president of Ecuador and has penned more than 400 songs.

Another honoree, Fernando Osorio.

Born in Colombia but raised in Venezuela, this singer-songwriter is the man behind some of the most unforgettable Latin songs. His first international success was with “Solo con un Beso,” a song he wrote for Ricardo Montaner in 1988, peaking at No. 7 on the Hot Latin Songs chart. Osorio nabbed the Latin Grammy for best tropical song in 2004 for composing Celia Cruz‘s “Rie y Llora” before her death.

And last but not least… KC Porter will be honored.

Bon Jovi, Janet Jackson and Laura Pausini all have one thing in common: KC Porter. The American record producer, songwriter, musician and singer is known for crossing over many artists into the Spanish-speaking market. He’s a nine-time Grammy winner for his production work on Carlos Santana‘s Supernatural and has written and produced some of Ricky Martin’s biggest hits, including “María.”

For the past six years, the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame, founded by Desmond Child and Rudy Pérez, has honored the world’s greatest Latin music creators and their memorable songs.

The 2018 honorees will be officially inducted at the sixth annual La Musa Awards ceremony and gala, taking place October 18 at the James L. Knight Center in Miami.

Garcia to Be Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame

Jerry Garcia legacy lives on…

The late part-Spanish American musician best known for his lead guitar work, singing and songwriting with the band the Grateful Dead, will be posthumously inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame this week.

Jerry Garcia

Garcia and his songwriting partner Robert Hunter, who will also be honored, first paired together as performers in a folk duo in the early 1960’s.  When Garcia formed the Grateful Dead in the mid-1960’s, he looked to Hunter for lyrics. Hunter became an official lyricist for the band, and when they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, Hunter was inducted as a band member, the only non-performer ever honored.

Garcia wrote the music while Hunter penned lyrics for songs like “Casey Jones”, “China Cat Sunflower,” “St. Stephen” and “Truckin,’” which was recognized by the United States Library of Congress in 1997 as a national treasure.

With more than 35 million albums sold worldwide, other notable tracks include, “Dark Star,” which is listed as one of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s “500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll” list, and was ranked #57 on Rolling Stone’s “100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time,” the 1987 single, “Touch Of Grey” which was also the band’s first music video and, “Friend of the Devil” from the 1970 album American Beauty, which has been covered by Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, The Counting Crows, Elvis Costello, Lyle Lovett and John Mayer.  In 2007, the Grateful Dead received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

The 46th Annual Induction and Awards Dinner will take place on June 18 at the New York Marriott Marquis.

The attendees will gather to celebrate the core of creativity that drives the music business: the craft of songwriting.

Other members of 2015 class of inductees: country hitmaker Bobby Braddock, late blues icon Willie Dixon, country star Toby Keith, ’80s pop chart-topper Cyndi Lauper and Linda Perry of 4 Non Blondes, who has written hits for Christina Aguilera, Alicia Keys, Gwen Stefani, James Blunt, the Dixie Chicks and others.

“Our 2015 lineup of inductees represents the rich diversity of American musical styles – Rock, Country, Blues and Pop – that have captivated the world over the past six decades,” said SHOF President & CEO Linda Moran.  “Each one of these brilliant music creators have written instantly recognizable classics, songs that are both of their time and timeless.  Our Annual Awards Gala is sure to be unforgettable.”

The evening’s lineup of performers and presenters includes Tony Bennett, Benny Blanco, Zac Brown, Michael Buble, Ledisi, Ne-Yo, Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland, Richie Sambora of Bon Jovi, Bernie Taupin and Paul Williams.

Mars Named to Billboard’s Highest-Paid Musicians in 2013 List

Bruno Mars is making bank…

The 28-year-old part-Puerto Rican singer-songwriter is one of Billboard’s highest-paid musicians of the past year.

Bruno Mars

Mars, who attracted a record audience during his Super Bowl Halftime Show, ranks No. 12 on Billboard’s Music’s Top 40 Money Makers 2014: The Rich List with $18.8 million in reported earnings. He’s actually the only Latino to make this year’s list.

Before his unforgettable Super Bowl performance, Mars entertained fans during his sold-out Moonshine Jungle Tour, which finished at No. 23 on Billboard’s list of the top 25 tours of 2013, grossing $46.4 million.

In addition to Mars’ share of that revenue ($12.2 million), the previous year marked his chart-topping ascent with his Grammy-winning sophomore album Unorthodox Jukebox.”

Selling 1.4 million in 2013 and charting four Hot 100 hits, including No. 1s “Locked Out of Heaven” and “When I Was Your Man,” these feats helped Mars earn the title of Billboard’s 2013 Artist of the Year.

The top five artists on the list include Taylor Swift, Kenny Chesney, Justin Timberlake, Bon Jovi and The Rolling Stones.

Click here to see the complete list.

Mars Earns Two Billboard Touring Award Nominations

Break out the moonshineBruno Mars is being recognized for his hit tour.

The 28-year-old part-Puerto Rican singer, known for his high-octane performances, has earned two Billboard Touring Award nominations for his Moonshine Jungle World Tour, which he announced on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in February.

Bruno Mars

Mars earned a nod in the Breakthrough Award category, which honors an artist in their first decade of headlining who cracked the top ranks of top tours for the first time. He’s up against country crooner Luke Bryan and boy band One Direction.

He’s also nominated in the Fans Choice’ Award category. Mars competition includes Beyonce, Blake Shelton, Bon Jovi, Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band,
 Dave Matthews Band, 
Depeche Mode,
 Fleetwood Mac,
 George Strait,
 Jason Aldean,
 Jay-Z,
 Justin Bieber,
 Kenny Chesney,
 Kid Rock,
 Luke Bryan,
 Maroon 5,
 Miranda Lambert,
 New Kids On The Block,
 One Direction,
 P!nk,
 Rascal Flatts,
Rihanna, The Rolling Stones,
Taylor Swift 
and Tim McGraw.

“The Fans’ Choice Award for Best Concert Tour of the Year is the only award determined by fan voting and Eventful is thrilled to power this award and give the fans a say in this prestigious industry event,” said Jordan Glazier, Eventful’s CEO.

The 10th Annual Billboard Touring Awards, which are primarily based on box office numbers reported to Billboard Boxscore from October 1, 2012 through September 30, 2013,will take place on November 14 at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York.

“The live music industry remains on a strong growth path, in large part due to the effort and creativity of the tours, artists, venues, events, executives and companies represented as finalists for the Billboard Touring Awards,” says Billboard‘s Ray Waddell. “By basing the majority of these awards on Boxscore data, as opposed to some sort of popular vote, the Billboard Touring Awards has, over the past decade, been the true mark of achievement in the live music space.”

Here’s a look at the complete list of nominees:

TOP TOUR
Bon Jovi, Because We Can
Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, Wrecking Ball
Michael Jackson Immortal

TOP DRAW
Bon Jovi
Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band
P!nk

TOP PACKAGE
Jay-Z & Justin Timberlake Legends Of Summer, with DJ Cassidy Kenny Chesney No Shoes Nation Tour, with Eric Church, Eli Young Band, Kacey Musgraves
Taylor Swift Red Tour with Ed Sheeran, and Joel Crouse, Brett Eldredge, Florida Georgia Line, Casey James

BREAKTHROUGH
Bruno Mars
Luke Bryan
One Direction

TOP COMEDY TOUR
Jeff Dunham
Michael McIntyre
Russell Peters

TOP BOXSCORE
P!nk – Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne, July 7-Aug. 26
The Rolling Stones — O2 Arena, London, Nov. 25, 29 2012
The Rolling Stones — United Center, Chicago, May 28, 31, June 1

TOP FESTIVAL
Coachella
Lollapalooza
Outside Lands Music & Arts Festival

TOP ARENA
Barclays Center, Brooklyn
O2 Arena, London
Staples Center, LA

TOP VENUE – Under 10,000 seats
Auditorio Nacional, Mexico City
NOKIA Theatre L.A. Live
Radio City Music Hall

TOP VENUE – Under 5,000 seats

Beacon Theatre, NYC
Fox Theatre, Atlanta
The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, Vegas

TOP CLUB
9:30 Club, Washington, D.C.
House of Blues, Boston
House of Blues, Orlando

TOP AMPHITHEATER
Comcast Center, Mansfield, Mass.
Nikon at Jones Beach Theater, Wantagh, N.Y.
The Gorge, George, Wash.

TOP PROMOTER
AEG Live
Live Nation
OCESA-CIE

TOP INDEPENDENT PROMOTER (U.S.)
Another Planet Entertainment
C3 Presents
Jam Productions

TOP INDEPENDENT PROMOTER (INTERNATIONAL)
Chugg Entertainment
Frontier Touring
T4F

TOP AGENCY
Creative Artists Agency
Paradigm Agency
William Morris
Endeavor Entertainment

TOP MANAGER
Bon Jovi Management
Jon Landau Management
RDWM/Roger Davies

LEGEND OF LIVE
George Strait

Shell Rotella HAUL OF FAME
Bon Jovi
Brad Paisley
Dave Matthews Band
Kenny Chesney
Rascal Flatts
The Rolling Stones
Tim McGraw
Toby Keith
U2
Vans Warped Tour (HAULER OF THE DECADE)

CONCERT MARKETING & PROMOTION AWARD
Beyonce Mrs. Carter World Tour/Pepsi
Bud Light 50|50|1
One Direction North American Tour/Nabisco
Scooter Brown Projects/ConAgra
Taylor Swift Red Tour/Keds-Elizabeth Arden-Diet Coke
The Rolling Stones 50 & Counting Tour/Citi
Zac Brown Band/Landshark

Eventful FANS’ CHOICE AWARD
Beyonce
Blake Shelton
Bon Jovi
Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band
Bruno Mars
Dave Matthews Band
Depeche Mode
Fleetwood Mac
George Strait
Jason Aldean
Jay-Z
Justin Bieber
Kenny Chesney
Kid Rock
Luke Bryan
Maroon 5
Miranda Lambert
New Kids On The Block
One Direction
P!nk
Rascal Flatts
Rihanna
The Rolling Stones
Taylor Swift
Tim McGraw

Arbos the Last Man Standing on “American Idol”

Lazaro Arbos isn’t only the last Latino standing on American Idol… He’s also the last man standing!

The 21-year-old Cuban American singer is the only male contestant left on Fox’s reality singing competition after Burnell Taylor was sent packing on Thursday’s results show.

Lazaro Arbos

Taylor is the fourth guy in a row to get the boot, following the eliminations of Curtis Finch Jr., Paul Jolley and Devin Velez.

Idol mentor Jimmy Iovine had predicted Taylor would be in the bottom two for his performance of Bon Jovi’s “You Give Love a Bad Name,” along with Arbos.

Surprisingly, Lazaro whom Jimmy thought would be sent home was one of the week’s top three vote-getters along with Angie Miller and Kree Harrison. Even more shocking, Janelle Arthur landed in the bottom two along with Burnell despite her solid performance.

Shakira to Perform at This Year’s iHeartRadio Music Festival

Shakira is a “loca, loca, loca”… And now she’ll be demonstrating her locaness in Las Vegas.

The 35-year-old Colombian singing sensation will be performing at this fall’s iHeartRadio Music Festival, which spans all genres, including pop, rock and country.

Shakira

But Shakira isn’t the only Latin artist scheduled to take the stage during the two-day festival…

Shakira’s “Get It Started” collaborator Pitbull and Enrique Iglesias have also been confirmed as performers.  Other acts scheduled to appear include headliners Taylor Swift, Rihanna, Usher and Bon Jovi.

This year’s concert, which will be hosted by Ryan Seacrest, will take place on September 21-22 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Tickets for iHeartRadio Fest go on sale July 14, and the show will be broadcast live on iHeartRadio, Yahoo! and Xbox.

Last year’s inaugural music festival, hosted by the Clear Channel station, featured performances by Jennifer Lopez, Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga and Nicki Minajand more. The event, intended to celebrate the launch of the new iHeartRadio, sold out 10 minutes after tickets were put on sale to the general public.

Boneta Featured in First “Rock of Ages” Clip

It’s no wonder Diego Boneta received CinemaCon’s Rising Star of 2012 Award, especially after the release of the first clip of his highly anticipated musical Rock of Ages

Aimed at building buzz for the U.S. release of the film, Warner Bros. Pictures released the snippet, which shows the 21-year-old Mexican singer/actor and his co-star Julianne Hough shopping for vinyl at a record store before breaking into a head-banging rendition of Foreigner‘s “Jukebox Hero.”

Diego Boneta

Rock of Ages, an adaptation of the hit Broadway musical, centers on small town girl Sherrie (Hough) and city boy Drew (Boneta) ,who meet on the Sunset Strip while pursuing their Hollywood dreams. Their rock ‘n’ roll romance is told through the classic hits of Def Leppard, Joan Jett, Journey, Bon Jovi, Night Ranger, REO Speedwagon, Pat Benatar, Twisted Sister, Poison, Whitesnake and more.

Along with Hough and Boneta, Rock of Ages stars Tom Cruise as rock star Stacee Jaxx, Sherrie and Drew’s idol. Other members of the ensemble include  Malin Akerman, Russell Brand, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Alec Baldwin, Mary J. Blige, Paul Giamatti and Bryan Cranston.

Directed by Adam Shankman, Rock of Ages will open in theaters nationwide on June 15.