Los Ángeles Azules to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award at Billboard Latin Music Awards

Los Ángeles Azules have earned an extra special honor…

The Mexican cumbia group will be honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2023 Billboard Latin Music Awards.

 Los Ángeles AzulesThe band, known for songs like “El Listón de Tu Pelo,” “Cómo Te Voy a Olvidar” and “Mi Niña Mujer,” among many other cumbia anthems, will be recognized for their enduring, exceptional career that has expanded the reach of Latin music worldwide.

The award will be presented at the 2023 Billboard Latin Music Awards, where they will also hit the stage with a special performance.

The ceremony will be held Thursday, October 5, and will be broadcast live on Telemundo from the Watsco Center in Coral Gables, Fla.

“We are very honored to receive this award,” the group — led by the Mejía-Avante brothers — said in a statement. “It is a recognition to our music, which we have shared with our audiences throughout all these years.”

With a 40-year musical career, Los Ángeles Azules have achieved great success, including 14 entries on Billboard‘s Hot Latin Songs chart, with three songs in the top 10. They also have 16 entries on Latin Airplay, of which six reached the top 10, including “Nunca es Suficiente,” with Natalia Lafourcade, which peaked at No. 3 in 2019. Their 2020 album De Buenos Aires Para El Mundo debuted at No. 8 on the Regional Mexican Albums chart, making it the band’s 12th album to reach the top 10 on the tally.

Past recipients of the Billboard Lifetime Achievement Award include Raphael, Paquita la del Barrio, Armando Manzanero, Miguel Bosé, Los Temerarios, Intocable, José José, Marco Antonio Solís, Ricardo Arjona and Maná, among others.

Besides airing live on Telemundo, the Billboard Latin Music Awards will air simultaneously on the Hispanic entertainment cable channel, Universo, Peacock, the Telemundo App, and throughout Latin America and the Caribbean on Telemundo Internacional.

Peso Pluma leads the list of finalists with 21 nods across 15 categories including artist of the year, songwriter of the year, Global 200 Latin artist of the year, and Top Latin Album of the year.

Los Angeles Azules Announce “De Iztapalapa Para El Mundo” Tour Across the U.S.

Los Angeles Azules are preparing to hit the U.S. in a big way…

The six-sibling Mexican cumbia troupe, which found unlikely international success after 40 years together, is launching its biggest U.S. tour to date.

Los Angeles AzulesThe De Iztapalapa Para El Mundo tour, so named after their Mexican hometown, will feature 34 dates across 33 cities, beginning in Denver, Colorado on August 26, and ending in New Orleans on April 1, 2023.

Tickets for De Iztapalapa Para El Mundo go on sale beginning on Friday, April 22 at 10:00 am local time through www.losangelesazules.com.mx.

The tour is presented by Live Nation Entertainment.

While music from Mexico is increasingly gaining mainstream fans, both Latin and non-Latin, the continued popularity of Los Angeles Azules is one of the most remarkable success stories in Latin music in recent years.

Officially founded in 1980 by the Mejia Avante siblings, the group early on opted to sing its own version of Colombian cumbia, giving it a Mexican twist. Popular at home, Los Angeles Azules were thrust into the international spotlight in 1997, when their heartfelt cumbia “Como Te Voy a Olvidar,” landed the group for the first time ever on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs and Latin Airplay charts, peaking at No. 7 on the February 22, 1997-dated charts.

Three years later, “El Liston de tu Pelo” reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Regional Mexican Airplay chart. It would take 19 years for Los Angeles to go to No. 1 again, this time with on the Regional Mexican Airplay chart with “Nunca Es Suficiente,” featuring Natalia Lafourcade.

It was one of many collaborations with artists of other genres that have increasingly raised the group’s profile. In 2018, Los Angeles played Coachella, and last month, the group sold out five nights in Buenos Aires’ legendary Luna Park theater, making them perhaps the first-ever Mexican cumbia group to achieve that level of success in Argentina.

In the U.S., the De Iztapalapa para el Mundo tour marks the culmination of almost a decade of steady touring. In 2013, Los Angeles were averaging a gross of $82,700 per tour stop, selling an average of 4,000 tickets at an average price of $20. Last year, their average gross was $270,000 with an average of over 7,000 tickets sold per stop.

All told, the group sold out 25 U.S. dates in their last tour, including shows in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, Chicago and two in Los Angeles.

This time around, their trek is even more ambitious, with first-time stops in cities like New Orleans and Miami, where Mexican cumbia is not popular.

Here are the tour dates:

Los Angeles Azules’ 2022 De Iztapalapa Para El Mundo:
Aug. 26 – Denver, CO – Bellco Theatre
Aug. 27– Salt Lake City, UT – Maverik Center
Sept. 9 – Anaheim, CA – The Theatre Honda Center
Sept. 10 – San Diego, CA – Viejas Arena
Sept. 11 – Fresno, CA – Save Mart Center
Sept. 16 – San Jose, CA – SAP Center
Sept. 17 – Las Vegas, NV – Michelob ULTRA Arena
Sept. 23 – Los Angeles, CA – YouTube Theater
Sept. 24 – Los Angeles, CA – YouTube Theater
Sept. 30– Rancho Mirage, CA – Agua Caliente Casino
Oct. 1 – Phoenix, AZ – Arizona Federal Theatre
Oct. 7 – Laredo, TX – Sames Auto Arena
Oct. 8 – Edinburg, TX – Bert Ogden Arena
Oct. 9 – Houston, TX – Smart Financial Center
Oct. 13 – Austin, TX – HEB Center at Cedar Park
Oct. 14– San Antonio, TX– Freeman Coliseum
Oct. 15 – Dallas, TX – The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
Oct. 21 – El Paso, TX – UTEP Don Haskins Center
Oct. 22 – Albuquerque, NM – Kiva Auditorium
Oct. 23 – Dodge City, KS – United Wireless Arena
Nov. 18 – Atlanta, GA – Gas South Arena
Nov. 19 – Miami, FL – FPL Solar Amphitheater
Nov. 23 – Greensboro, NC – Greensboro, Coliseum
Nov. 25– Boston, MA – Orpheum Theatre
Nov. 26 – New York, NY – Hulu Theater
Nov. 27 – Fairfax, VA– EagleBank Arena

2023
March 12 – Reno, NV – Grand Sierra Resort & Casino
March 17 – Kennewick, WA – Toyota Center
March 18 – Seattle, WA – WAMU Theater
March 19 – Portland, OR – Veterans Memorial Coliseum
March 24 – Minneapolis, MN – Orpheum Theatre
March 25– Chicago, IL – Allstate Arena
March 31 – Orlando, FL – Dr. Phillips Center for Performing Arts
April 1 – New Orleans, LA – Saenger Theater

Los Angeles Azules to Celebrate 40-Year Career with U.S. Leg of “40 Años Tour”

Los Angeles Azules are celebrating a major milestone with a bang…

The Mexican musical group, who reeled in a new wave of fans after a revamped sound, a Coachella set and a viral Justin Bieber, will celebrate 40 years in music with a U.S. tour.

Los Angeles Azules

Los Angeles Azules, formed by siblings of the Mejia Avante family — Elías, Alfredo, José Hilario, Jorge, Cristina and Guadalupe — in the early ‘80s, will kick off the 40 Años Tour on August. 26 in Corpus Christi, Texas’ Selena Auditorium and is slated to wrap up on Nov. 27 at Reno Events Center in Nevada.

The group will then continue in 2022 with three confirmed dates to take place in March in Chicago, Milwaukee and Indianapolis.

With their catchy cumbia sonidera sound, Los Angeles Azules are known for hits like “Como Te Voy a Olvidar” and “El Liston de tu Pelo.” In 2019, the group landed their first No. 1 in 19 years on the Regional Mexican Airplay chart (dated Jan. 26) with their Natalia Lafourcade-assisted single “Nunca es Suficiente.”

“Keeping cumbia alive has been very challenging,” Dr. Elias previously told Billboard. “The group has had its up and downs, but the most important part of all is taking cumbia to all parts of the world and that’s what’s happening.”

Tickets for the “40 Años Tour” will be available for presale at 10:00 am local time on Thursday with code LAA40. They officially go on sale starting at 10:00 am local time on Friday via Ticketmaster or the official Los Angeles Azules website.

Here are the complete U.S. tour dates:

2021
8/26 – Corpus Christi, TX @ Selena Auditorium
8/27 – McAllen, TX @ Payne Arena
8/28 – Laredo, TX @ Sames Auto Arena
8/29 – Austin, TX @ HEB Center
9/2 – El Paso, TX @ El Paso County Coliseum
9/3 – San Antonio, TX @ Freeman Coliseum
9/4 – Houston, TX @ Smart Financial Centre
9/5 – Dallas, TX @ The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
9/9 – Bakersfield, CA @ Mechanics Arena
9/10 – San Jose, CA @ SAP Center
9/11 – Los Angeles, CA @ Performance Venue at Hollywood Park
9/12 – Las Vegas, NV @ Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood
10/8 – Paso Robles, CA @ Vina Robles Amphitheatre
10/9 – Sacramento, CA @ Papa Murphy’s Park
11/5 – Greensboro, NC @ Greensboro Coliseum
11/6 – Duluth, GA @ Infinite Energy Arena
11/7 – Fort Myers @ Hertz Arena
11/11 – Washington, DC @ MGM National Harbor
11/12 – New York, NY @ United Palace
11/19 – Albuquerque, NM @ Kiva Auditorium
11/20 – Phoenix, AZ @ Arizona Federal Theatre
11/21 – San Diego, CA @ Viejas Arena
11/24 – Ontario, CA @ Toyota Arena
11/26 – Oakland, CA @ Paramount Theatre
11/27 – Reno, NV @ Reno Events Center

2022
3/18 – Chicago, IL @ Allstate Arena
3/19 – Milwaukee, WI @ Miller High Life Theatre
3/20 – Indianapolis, IN @ Egyptian Room

Los Angeles Azules Bringing Their ‘Todos Somos Cumbia’ Tour to the U.S.

Los Angeles Azules are ready to cumbianorth of the border…

The Mexican musical group will bring all of their classics to the U.S. with their Todos Somos Cumbia tour, adding 21 dates for a total of 27 shows in the states. 

Los Angeles Azules

In support of Gran Centenario Tequila, the tour will kick off February 21 in Ft. Myers, Florida, with gigs to follow in West Palm Beach and Auburndale, marking the Mexican group’s first-ever concerts in the Sunshine State. 

From late February to late April, Los Angeles will make stops in cities like Houston, New York, Washington, and Chicago. The group will retake the tour in September and November, visiting their fans in the West Coast and Canada. Additional dates will be announced. 

Ximena Sariñana and Jay de la Cueva will be the special guests in select cities.

Formed by siblings of the Mejia Avante family — Elías, Alfredo, José Hilario, Jorge, Cristina and Guadalupe in 1983 — the group is known for their catchy cumbia soniderasound, including Billboard chart hits like “Como Te Voy a Olvidar” and “Nunca es Suficiente” featuring Natalia Lafourcade, which landed the group their first No. 1 in 19 years on the Regional Mexican Airplay chart (dated Jan. 26, 2019).

Their latest single “Amor a Primera Vista,” in collaboration with BelindaHoracio Palencia, and Lalo Ebratt, jumped 11-4 on the Regional Mexican Airplay chart-dated August 17, 2019, nabbing the group their eighth top 10. 

Tickets for the Todos Somos Cumbia tour are currently on sale to the general public via Ticketmasterand Live Nation.

Todos Somos Cumbia U.S. tour dates:
*with special guests Ximena Sariñana and Jay de La Cueva
2/21 — Fort Myers, FL  @ Lee Civic Center
2/22 — West Palm Beach, FL @ South Florida Fairgrounds
2/23 — Auburndale, FL @ International Market World
2/28 — Laredo, TX @ Sames Auto Arena *
2/29 — Corpus Christi, TX @ Selena Auditorium *
3/1 — Houston, TX @ Smart Financial Centre *
3/12 — New York, NY @ United Palace 
3/13 — Washington, D.C @ MGM National Harbor
4/16 — Dallas, TX @ Toyota Music Factory
4/17 — San Antonio, TX @ Freeman Coliseum
4/18 — Hidalgo, TX @ Payne Arena
4/19  — Austin, TX @ HEB Center 
4/24 — Milwaukee, WI @ Riverside Theatre 
4/25 — Chicago, IL @ Allstate Arena
4/26 — Indianapolis, IN @ Egyptian Room 
9/11 — Bakersfield, CA @ Mechanics Arena
9/12 — Temecula, CA @ Pechanga Summit 
9/13 — Las Vegas, NV @ Mandalay Bay Events Center
9/17 — El Paso, TX @ El Paso County Coliseum
9/18 — Phoenix, AZ @ Arizona Federal Theatre 
9/26 — San Diego, CA @ Viejas Arena
9/27 — Los Angeles, CA @ The Forum
11/13 — Duluth, GA @  Infinite Energy Arena
11/14 — Greensboro, NC @ Greensboro Coliseum 
11/19 — Sacramento, CA @ Golden 1 Center
11/20 — San Jose, CA @ SAP Center
11/21 — Ontario, CA @ Toyota Arena