Jennifer Lopez to Perform at Calibash 2018

Jennifer Lopez will be bashful next year…

The 48-year-old Puerto Rican superstar will perform at the 11th annual mega concert Calibash when it returns to the Staples Center on January 20, 2018, as announced by Los Angeles party station Mega 96.3FM.

Jennifer Lopez

Touted as the largest Latin concert in LA, Calibash celebrates the best in hip-hop, urban, tropical, pop and R&B with some of the industry’s top performers and recording artists.

Previous showstoppers include Chris BrownDon OmarDaddy YankeeJustin Bieber and Pitbull. This year’s star-studded lineup promises to continue a tradition of bringing down the house, combining a bevy of veteran entertainers and freshmen heavy hitters.

In addition to Lopez, the 2018 Calibash lineup includes J Balvin, Wisin y YandelBad BunnyOzunaBecky GNatti Natasha and French Montana.

“The 2018 Calibash is a one-of-a-kind celebration that showcases the wide variety of Latin Urban music we play every day on our top Hispanic millennial station in Los Angeles Mega 96.3FM,” Alessandra Alarcón SBS West Coast said in a statement. “In 11 years, the festival has exceeded even our own expectations. We’re thrilled to be returning to the Staples Center for the 2018 Calibash. It promises to be a can’t-miss night.”

Tickets are officially on sale. For more information, visit here.

 

Prince Royce to Perform at This Year’s Latin American Music Awards

Prince Royce is ready to take the international stage…

The 28-year-old Dominican American bachata singer has been added to the list of superstars set to perform at 2017 Latin American Music Awards 2017, according to Telemundo.

Prince Royce

Prince Royce, the reigning Favorite Tropical Artist, joins a list of performers that includes Chris Brown, Gente de Zona, Natalia Jimenez, Banda MS, Alejandra Guzmán, Gloria Trevi, hip hop legend Spiff TV, Pablo Alborán and Jesse & Joy.

The list of performers also includes upcoming acts like Spanish pop singer Abraham Mateo, Cuban pop music group Angeles, Puerto Rican “trap” singer Bad Bunny, regional Mexican singer Christian Nodal and Colombian singer/songwriter Manuel Medrano.

The “Latin AMAs” honors artists in the genres of Pop/Rock, Regional Mexican, Urban and Tropical, as well as categories for Favorite Crossover Artist, Favorite Collaboration, New Artist of the Year, Artist of the Year and Album of the Year, among others.

This year, Colombian superstars Shakira and Maluma top the list of nominees for the third annual awards show. Nominees are based on key fan interactions with music, including, but not limited to, sales, airplay, streaming and social activity tracked by Billboard through its data partners Nielsen Music and Next Big Sound.

The ceremony will be broadcast live from the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, CA, at 9:00 pm ET on Thursday, October 26. The show is produced by Telemundo and Somos Productions.

Luis Fonsi Receives Star on Walk of Fame in Ayia Napa, Cyprus

Luis Fonsi is making his mark in the Mediterranean…

The 39-year-old Puerto Rican singer has been honored with a star on the Walk of Fame in Ayia Napa, Cyprus.

Luis Fonsi

“Honored to leave a small footprint here,” he wrote on Instagram of his star, which is located in Ayia Napa’s Celebrity Square.

Yiannis Karousos, the city’s mayor, gave Fonsi a miniature replica of the original as a memento.

Fonsi, whose song “Despacito,” has more than six billion hits on YouTube, was also named as an ambassador of Ayia Napa tourism.

Ayia Napa’s Celebrity Square also hosts plaques with the names of Chris Brown and Snoop Dogg.

Fonsi continues to take the world by storm, is currently wrapping up his Europe tour.

Next month he’ll take over the U.S. with the Love & Dance World Tour.

Juanes Writes First English Song “Goodbye for Now”

Juanes is switching tongues…

The 44-year-old Colombian superstar has written his first English song, “Goodbye for Now,” with the help of PooBear.

Juanes

The track is part of his anticipated visual album, Mis planes son amarte, to be released in the next few months.

“Four or five years ago I started recording in English, but honestly I find it very difficult,” Juanes told The Associated Press in a recent presentation of his new production in New York.

“I did a few experiments and they didn’t come out very well, until finally this time, after several years living here in this country and knowing the language better, I felt more comfortable doing it,” he said.

Last May, Juanes posted on Instagram a black-and-white photo of him with PooBear seemingly working in Los Angeles. “Making magic,” he wrote.

PooBear, the writer behind R&B hits like Usher‘s “Caught Up” and Chris Brown‘s “She Ain’t You, “is an incredible songwriter,” Juanes said. “We sat there and talked about feelings and things and he would choose the right words.”

“To me this is something very hard to do in English,” he said, “but I really had the desire to try.”

The result is “Goodbye For Now,” a piece that fits in the album’s story line about a time traveler astronaut who lands in present time in search of an indigenous goddess who is the love of his life.

“Let’s say goodbye for now/ And go our separate ways/ It hurts down to my soul watching us go/ It will hurt more if we stay,” Juanes sings in his distinctive mix of Colombian rhythms. “Doesn’t mean I don’t love you/ Doesn’t mean you lose my security/ Doesn’t mean you can’t love me/ Doesn’t mean we will never speak.”

Juanes has sung in English in concert – often something by Bob Marley – and at special events like the Eagles tribute (“Hotel California“) and John Lennon‘s 75th Birthday Concert (“Woman“). He also sang in English with Tony Bennett in a duet of “The Shadow of Your Smile” and included the words “It’s Time to Change” in his hit’s “Odio por amor” title and refrain. But “Goodbye For Now” is his first original song recorded entirely in English.

It’s the only English song in Mis planes son amarte, which also features his singles “Fuego” and “Hermosa ingrata.”

Prince Royce’s “Five” Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Latin Albums Chart

Prince Royce is reigning supreme…

The 27-year-old Dominican American singer crowns Billboard’s Top Latin Albums chart (dated March 18) four a fourth time, as his latest studio album, Five, arrives with 19,000 album equivalent units earned in the tracking week ending March 2, according to Nielsen Music.

Prince Royce

Prince Royce’s set bows at No. 25 on the all-genre Billboard 200.

Of that sum, 16,000 were in traditional album sales, which is the biggest sales frame for a Latin album since Gerardo Ortiz’s Hoy Mas Fuerta bowed at No. 1 with 20,000 sold on the June 6, 2015-dated list.

Five marks Royce’s first Spanish-language arrival since Soy El Mismo topped the chart for two weeks in 2013 — and follows his previous English-language release, Double Vision, which landed at No. 21 on the Billboard 200 on the August 15, 2015 chart.

Elsewhere, Five’s current single “Deja Vu,” featuring Shakira, hops 18-13 on Hot Latin Songs in its second charting frame, aided in part by a 17 percent increase in sales (to 3,000 downloads). The rise bumps the track 2-1 on the Tropical Digital Song Sales chart, notching Royce his fifth chart-topper.

A music video for “Deja Vu” was recently shot and is expected to be released sometime in March. Five also includes features by Chris Brown, Zendaya and Farruko, among others.

Prince Royce Earns 21st Top 20 on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs Chart with “Deja Vu”

Prince Royce is turning 21…

The 27-year-old Dominican American singer earns the Hot Shot Debut on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart as “Deja Vu,” his duet with Shakira, arrives at No. 18 on the March 11-dated tally.

Prince Royce

The entrance marks Royce’s 21st career chart hit and highest entrance since 2013 when “Darte Un Beso” bowed at No. 2. The debut gives Shakira her 36th chart entry.

The new single, from Prince Royce’s latest studio album, Five (released on February 24), enters with 588,000 streams and 2,000 downloads sold in the week ending February 23, according to Nielsen Music. There is currently no music video for the song, but an audio and lyric video on Prince Royce’s YouTube channel have accumulated over 5.5 million global views to date.

Airplay is the debut’s main driver, with 8.5 million audience impressions reported in the week ending February 26, spurring a No. 2 start on Tropical Airplay. Tropical station WLZL, Washington backed the song with the most weekly spins, playing the duet 91 times.

Five is expected to debut at No. 1 on the March 18-dated Top Latin Albums chart (published on Billboard’s websites on March 7). In addition to the collaboration with Shakira, the set includes songs with Chris Brown, Zendaya, and Farruko, among others.

“Deja Vu” follows three previous singles prior to the new album: “Culpa Al Corazon,” “La Carretera,” “Moneda,” featuring Gerardo Ortiz.

Fabolous Joining Chris Brown’s Upcoming Party Tour

Fabolous is throwing a party

The 39-year-old half-Dominican hip-hop singer has joined the line-up of Chris Brown’s upcoming Party tour.

Fabolous

Set to kickoff March 31 in Baltimore, Fabolous will join Brown, 50 CentO.T. Genasis, and Kap G for the two-month trek.

The tour will touch down in notable cities including New York, Washington, D.C., Miami and Las Vegas.

See the image below for the upcoming tour dates:

Chris Brown Party Tour

Spiff TV to Release Urban Compilation Album “The Union”

Spiff TV has entered into a perfect Union

The Latino music producer and video director, whose real name is Carlos Suarez, will be releasing his forthcoming urban compilation album The Union as part of a new deal with Sony Latin Music.

Spiff TV

The producer/director/A&R — known for spearheading visuals like French Montana’s “No Shopping” video featuring Drake and working alongside rap heavyweights like Diddy and Rick Ross — will curate The Union, a project that will blend hip-hop, bachata, R&B and reggaeton.

“Throughout my journey with this album and singles, not everyone understood my vision or just found it complicated,” Spiff TV tells Billboard in a statement. “But Sony Latin Music understood it from the moment I walked into their offices and their entire team became passionate of bringing what we currently are as a merged culture.  The Union will be a music model of infusing culture diversity.”

Adds Sony Latin president Nir Seroussi: “There have been many attempts to bring the two worlds together but no one has come close to what Spiff has accomplished. He’s a true visionary and we’re thrilled that he has chosen us as his partner on this groundbreaking project.”

In anticipation for the album, Spiff TV released his latest single “Just As I Am” on Tuesday featuring Prince Royce and Chris Brown. Fusing R&B and bachata, the track will be available on Prince Royce’s new record FIVE, dropping on Friday, Feb. 24.

A release date for The Union is yet to be announced.

Prince Royce Previews Collaborations with Zendaya, Chris Brown & More on New Album “Five”

Prince Royce is breaking out the big guns for his next album…

The 27-year-old Dominican American singer has already released “Deja Vu,” his new single featuring Shakira.

Prince Royce

But it’s not the only great collaboration on Prince Royce’s upcoming fifth album, Five, which will be released on February 24.

Prince Royce himself took Billboard through his album highlights at his studio.

Here’s a sneak peek of his tracks with Zendaya, Chris Brown and Farruko, among others.

Fabolous Releases “Summertime Shootout” Mixtape

Fabolous fans have reason to give thanks this holiday weekend…

The 38-year-old half-Dominican American hip hop artist has delivered his first holiday offering with the Summertime Shootout mixtape.

Fabolous

The Thanksgiving release finds the Brooklyn rapper serving remixes and vivid bars that match the pop art theme of the project’s artwork.

Here, Loso flips recent hits like The Weeknd‘s “Tell Your Friends” and Drake‘s “Hotline Bling” (he remixes the names to “Tell Ya Friends” and “Trapline Bling,” respectively) as well as ’90s classics. On the Nicki Minaj and Trey Songz collaboration “Doin’ It Well,” producers Cardiak and Critical sample the 1995 LL Cool J slow jam “Doin’ It.”

Fabolous' Summertime Shootout

Fab has been on a steady grind the past year since releasing last year’s Young OG Project the ’90s-inspired, Christmas LP that hosted the tracks “She Wildin’” featuring Chris Brown and “We Good.”

He also rolled out a series of Friday Night Freestyles in May.

In an interview with Billboard in January, the social media whiz said that sales weren’t his priority with Young OG. “With this project, I’m not looking at numbers or thinking that you got to have singles,” he said. “It’s a different time in music. All the conventional ways of doing things are old, and you don’t need to do anything that way again. You need to find new ways to spark people’s interest.”

Loso maintains that same attitude with Summertime Shootout by accompanying the mixtape with a visual trailer. His work is not done, though — he will also roll out the Young OG Project 2due this Christmas (Dec. 25).