Alejandro Fernández Earns Seventh No. 1 on Billboard’s Regional Mexican Airplay Chart with “Difícil Tu Caso”

Posted on November 15, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Alejandro Fernández’s difficulties are paying off…

The 52-year-old Mexican singer has earned his seventh No. 1 on Billboard’s Regional Mexican Airplay chart as “Difícil Tu Caso” advances from No. 3 to lead the November 18-dated ranking.

The ranchera ballad checks into the penthouse as the Greatest Gainer for the week with a 28% boost in audience impressions, to 7.85 million, earned in the U.S. in the week ending November 9, according to Luminate.

“Dificil Tu Caso” unseats Maná and Eden Muñoz’s “Amor Clandestino,” after the song’s one week in command. It drops 1-5 with 4.8 million impressions, down 28%.

“Difícil Tu Caso,” composed by Edgar Barrera, Luis Mejía and Iván Gámez, grants Fernández his seventh champ, the second-most for a male soloist in the 2020s decade. The song was released September 1 and hits No. 1 on Regional Mexican Airplay in its 10th week.

Here’s the list of all artists with the most champs on Regional Mexican Airplay this decade where Calibre 50 paces the race:

10, Calibre 50
9, Grupo Firme
8, Banda MS de Sergio Lizárraga
8, Christian Nodal
7, Alejandro Fernández
5, Grupo Frontera

“Difícil Tu Caso” follows one other No. 1 in 2023, “No Es Que Me Quiera,” which likely topped Regional Mexican Airplay for one week in August. Here are all of Fernández’s No. 1s since his first in 2020:

Peak, Title, Artist, Weeks at No. 1
Jan. 11, 2020, “Caballero,” 1
April 25, 2020, “Te Olvidá,” 2
Oct. 24, 2020, “Decepciones,” with Calibre 50, 1
April 24, 2021, “Duele,” with Christian Nodal, 1
Sept. 17, 2022, “Nunca Dudes En Llamarme,” with La Arrolladora Banda El Limón De Rene Camacho, 1
Aug. 5, 2023, “No Es Que Me Quiera Ir,” 1
Nov. 18, 2023, “Difícil Tu Caso,” 1

“Difícil” also continues its successful rise on the all-Latin genre Latin Airplay tally, with a 9-5 jump, its second week in the top 10.

Ice Spice Earns Four Grammy Award Nominations, Including Best New Artist Nod

Posted on November 10, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Ice Spice is celebrating her first-ever Grammy nominations…

The 23-year-old half-Dominican American rapper/singer-songwriter has earned four Grammy Award nods, including one for the coveted Best New Artist award.

Ice Spice, the most nominated Latinx artist this year, is up for Best Rap Song and Best Song Written for Visual Media for her Barbie collaboration with Nicki Minaj featuring Aqua, “Barbie World,” which appears on Barbie The Album.

Her fourth nod comes in the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for the remix to Taylor Swift’s “Karma.”

Robert Trujillo is up for three Grammys.

The 59-year-old half-Mexican American musician and his Metallica band mates are up for Best Rock Performance for “Lux Æterna,” Best Metal Performance for “72 Seasons” and Best Rock Album for 72 Seasons.

Adrian Quesada and the 46-year-old Mexican American musician, producer and songwriter’s Black Pumas group mate, Eric Burton, have earned a nod in the Best Rock Performance for their single “More Than a Love Song.”

Mexican American Latin Grammy darling Edgar Barrera is nominated for Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical. He’s the first Latino songwriter to earn a nod in the category, which was launched at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards.

Peso Pluma, who was snubbed for Best New Artist, earned his first Grammy nod. The 24-year-old Mexican Regional Mexican Artist earned the nod in the Best Musica Mexicana Album (including Tejano) for Genesis.

Kirstin Maldonado and her Pentatonix a capella group mates, three-time Grammy winners, have earned a nod in the Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album category for their album Holidays Around the World.

Esperanza Spalding, who previously beat out Justin Bieber for Best New Artist, has earned a nod in the Best Jazz Performance category alongside Fred Hersch for “But Not for Me.”

Other Latinx nominees include Vince Mendoza, Pablo Alborán, Maluma, Pedro Capó, Karol G, Juanes and Lila Downs.

The ceremony takes place on Sunday, February 4, 2024, at Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena, and will broadcast on CBS and Paramount+. The annual Grammy Awards Premiere Ceremony precedes the event.

Here’s a look at the categories with Latinx artists.

Best New Artist
Coco Jones
Gracie Abrams
Fred Again…
Ice Spice
Jelly Roll
Noah Kahan
Victoria Monét
The War and Treaty

Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical
Edgar Barrera
Jessie Jo Dillon
Justin Tranter
Shane McAnally
Theron Thomas

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
Labrinth Featuring Billie Eilish – Never Felt So Alone
Lana Del Rey Featuring Jon Batiste – Candy Necklace
Miley Cyrus Featuring Brandi Carlile – Thousand Miles
SZA Featuring Phoebe Bridgers – Ghost in the Machine
Taylor Swift Featuring Ice Spice – Karma

Best Rock Performance
Arctic Monkeys – Sculptures of Anything Goes
Black Pumas – More Than a Love Song
Boygenius – Not Strong Enough
Foo Fighters – Rescued
Metallica – Lux Æterna

Best Metal Performance
Disturbed – Bad Man
Ghost – Phantom of the Opera
Metallica – 72 Seasons
Slipknot – Hive Mind
Spiritbox – Jaded

Best Rock Album
Foo Fighters – But Here We Are
Greta Van Fleet – Starcatcher
Metallica – 72 Seasons
Paramore – This Is Why
Queens of the Stone Age – In Times New Roman…

Best Rap Song
Doja Cat – Attention
Drake & 21 Savage – Rich Flex
Killer Mike Featuring André 3000, Future and Eryn Allen Kane – Scientists & Engineers
Lil Uzi Vert – Just Wanna Rock
Nicki Minaj & Ice Spice Featuring Aqua – Barbie World [From Barbie the Album]

Best Jazz Performance
Adam Blackstone Featuring The Baylor Project & Russell Ferranté – Vulnerable (Live)
Fred Hersch & Esperanza Spalding – But Not for Me
Jon Batiste – Movement 18’ (Heroes)
Lakecia Benjamin – Basquiat
Samara Joy – Tight

Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album
ADDA Simfònica, Josep Vicent, Emilio Solla – The Chick Corea Symphony Tribute – Ritmo
The Count Basie Orchestra Directed by Scotty Barnhart – Basie Swings the Blues
Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society – Dynamic Maximum Tension
Mingus Big Band – The Charles Mingus Centennial Sessions
Vince Mendoza & Metropole Orkest – Olympians

Best Latin Jazz Album
Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band – Vox Humana
Eliane Elias – Quietude
Ivan Lins With the Tblisi Symphony Orchestra – My Heart Speaks
Luciana Souza & Trio Corrente – Cometa
Miguel Zenón & Luis Perdomo – El Arte del Bolero Vol. 2

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
Bruce Springsteen – Only the Strong Survive
Laufey – Bewitched
Liz Callaway – To Steve With Love: Liz Callaway Celebrates Sondheim
Pentatonix – Holidays Around the World
Rickie Lee Jones – Pieces of Treasure
Various – Sondheim Unplugged (The NYC Sessions), Vol. 3

Best Latin Pop Album
AleMor – Beautiful Humans, Vol. 1
Gaby Moreno – X Mi (Vol. 1)
Maluma – Don Juan
Pablo Alborán – La Cuarta Hoja
Paula Arenas – A Ciegas
Pedro Capó – La Neta

Best Música Urbana Album
Karol G – Mañana Será Bonito
Rauw Alejandro – Saturno
Tainy – Data

Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album
Cabra – Martínez
Diamante Eléctrico – Leche de Tigre
Fito Paez – EADDA9223
Juanes – Vida Cotidiana
Natalia Lafourcade – De Todas las Flores

Best Música Mexicana Album (Including Tejano)
Ana Bárbara – Bordado a Mano
Flor de Toloache – Motherflower
Lila Downs – La Sánchez
Lupita Infante – Amor Como en las Películas de Antes
Peso Pluma – Génesis

Best Tropical Latin Album
Carlos Vives – Escalona Nunca Se Había Grabado Así
Grupo Niche y Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Colombia – Niche Sinfónico
Luis Figueroa – Voy a Ti
Omara Portuondo – Vida
Rubén Blades con Roberto Delgado & Orquesta – Siembra: 45° Aniversario (En Vivo en el Coliseo de Puerto Rico, 14 de Mayo 2022)
Tony Succar, Mimy Succar – Mimy & Tony

Best Global Music Performance
Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer & Shahzad Ismaily – Shadow Forces
Béla Fleck, Edgar Meyer & Zakir Hussain Featuring Rakesh Chaurasia – Pashto
Burna Boy – Alone
Davido – Feel
Falu & Gaurav Shah (Featuring PM Narendra Modi) – Abundance in Millets
Ibrahim Maalouf Featuring Cimafunk & Tank and the Bangas – Todo Colores
Silvana Estrada – Milagro y Disastre

Best Global Music Album
Bokanté – History
Burna Boy – I Told Them…
Davido – Timeless
Shakti – This Moment
Susana Baca- Epifanías

Best Children’s Music Album
Andrew & Polly – Ahhhhh!
DJ Willy Wow! – Hip Hope for Kids!
Pierce Freelon & Nnenna Freelon – Ancestars
Uncle Jumbo – Taste the Sky
123 Andrés – We Grow Together Preschool Songs

Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media
Daisy Jones & the Six – Aurora
Various Artists – Barbie The Album
Various Artists – Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – Music From and Inspired By
Various Artists – Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3: Awesome Mix, Vol. 3
“Weird Al” Yankovic – Weird: The Al Yankovic Story

Best Song Written for for Visual Media
Billie Eilish – What Was I Made For? [From the Motion Picture “Barbie”]
Dua Lipa – Dance the Night (From Barbie the Album)
Nicki Minaj & Ice Spice Featuring Aqua – Barbie World [From Barbie the Album]
Rihanna – Lift Me Up (From Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – Music From and Inspired By)
Ryan Gosling – I’m Just Ken [From “Barbie the Album”]

Best Engineered Album, Classical
Gustavo Dudamel, Anne Akiko Meyers, Gustavo Castillo & Los Angeles Philharmonic – Fandango
Manfred Honeck & Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra – Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5 & Schulhoff: Five Pieces
Mehmet Ali Sanlikol, George Lernis & A Far Cry – Sanlikol: A Gentleman of Istanbul – Symphony for Strings, Percussion, Piano, Oud, Ney & Tenor
Riccardo Muti & Chicago Symphony Orchestra – Contemporary American Composers
Shara Nova & A Far Cry – The Blue Hour

Best Remixed Recording
Depeche Mode – Wagging Tongue (Wet Leg Remix)
Gorillaz Featuring Tame Impala & Bootie Brown – New Gold (Dom Dolla Remix)
Lane 8 – Reviver (Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs Remix)
Mariah Carey – Workin’ Hard (Terry Hunter Remix)
Turnstile & BadBadNotGood Featuring Blood Orange – Alien Love Call

Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella
Hilario Duran and His Latin Jazz Big Band Featuring Paquito D’Rivera – I Remember Mingus
Just 6 – Angels We Have Heard on High
Ludwig Göransson – Can You Hear the Music
The String Revolution Featuring Tommy Emmanuel – Folsom Prison Blues
Wednesday Addams – Paint It Black

Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals
Cécile McLorin Salvant – Fenestra
Maria Mendes Featuring John Beasley & Metropole Orkest – Com Que Voz (Live)
Patti Austin Featuring Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band – April in Paris
Säje Featuring Jacob Collier – In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning
Samara Joy – Lush Life

Best Orchestral Performance
Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra – Scriabin: Symphony No. 2; The Poem of Ecstasy
Los Angeles Philharmonic – Adès: Dante
Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra – Bartók: Concerto for Orchestra; Four Pieces
The Philadelphia Orchestra – Price: Symphony No. 4; Dawson: Negro Folk Symphony
San Francisco Symphony – Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring

Maluma to Perform at This Year’s Latin Grammy Awards Show

Posted on November 9, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Maluma will be feelin’ the FIBES…

The 29-year-old Colombian singer-songwriter will perform at this year’s Latin Grammy Awards.

The “Felices Los 4” singer joins a roster of recently added performers that includes Milo J, Rosalia, Shakira, Sebastian Yatra, Andrea Bocelli and DJ Premier.

They’ll perform at the upcoming ceremony, which will broadcast from FIBES in Seville, Spain, on Thursday, November 16.

The newly announced artists join previously unveiled performers, including Maria Becerra, Bizarrap, Feid, Kany García, Carin León, Christian Nodal, Rauw Alejandro, Alejandro Sanz, Pablo Alborán, Edgar Barrera, Camilo, Manuel Carrasco, Iza, Juanes, Ozuna, Eslabon Armado and Peso Pluma.

Additionally, Majo Aguilar, Anitta, Pedro Capó, Jorge Drexler, Luis Figueroa, Fonseca, Tiago Iorc, Mon Laferte, Natalia Lafourcade, John Leguizamo, Nicki Nicole, Carlos Ponce, Carlos Vives and Yandel join as presenters throughout the ceremony.

For the first time held outside the United States, the annual Latin Grammys will be broadcast from the Conference and Exhibition Centre in Seville, Spain. It will air November 16 on Univision starting at 8:00 pm ET, UniMás and Galavisión in the U.S., and at 10:30 pm CET on Radiotelevisión Española (RTVE) in Spain.

Danna Paola, Yatra, Roselyn Sánchez and Paz Vega will serve as co-hosts.

This year, Mexican hitmaker Edgar Barrera leads the list of nominees with 13 nods, including songwriter of the year, producer of the year and song of the year. Barrera is followed by Colombian stars Camilo, Karol G, Shakira and composer Kevyn Mauricio Cruz (also known as Keityn), each with seven nominations.

Maria Becerra to Perform at This Year’s Latin Grammy Awards Show

Posted on October 17, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Maria Becerra is preparing to hit the Latin Grammys stage…

The 23-year-old Argentine singer and former YouTube content creator will perform at the 24th annual Latin Grammy awards show.

Becerra is among a roster of A-list performers that includes Bizarrap, Feid, Kany García, Carin León, Christian Nodal, Rauw Alejandro and Alejandro Sanz.

The Latin Recording Academy announced the first round of performers on Tuesday, October 17 for the upcoming ceremony, which will broadcast from FIBES in Seville, Spain, on Thursday, November 16.

Four-time nominee Becerra is nominated in categories including song of the year and best reggaeton performance.

Meanwhile, Bizarrap is nominated in six categories, including producer of the year.

Feid is a five-time nominee with entries in best urban music album and best rap/hip-hop song.

García is nominated for best regional song.

León is in the running for best norteño album.

Nodal is up for best ranchero/mariachi album and best regional song.

Alejandro is a best urban music album nominee, and Sanz is nominated in record of the year and song of the year.

This year, Mexican hitmaker Edgar Barrera leads the list of nominees with 13 nods, including songwriter of the year, producer of the year and song of the year. Barrera is followed by Colombian stars Camilo, Karol G, Shakira and composer Kevyn Mauricio Cruz (also known as Keityn), each with seven nominations.

The Latin Grammy Week will include the person of the year gala — honoring Laura Pausini — and the special awards ceremony, the leading ladies of entertainment luncheon, the best new artist showcase and a reception for the nominees, among other events.

The 24th annual Latin Grammys will be broadcast on November 16 on Univision starting at 8:00 pm ET, UniMás and Galavisión in the U.S., and at 10:30 pm CET on Radiotelevisión Española (RTVE) in Spain. Additional international broadcasting partners and local airings will be available soon.

Christian Chávez to Make Special Appearance During This Year’s Billboard Latin Music Week

Posted on August 17, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Christian Chávez will be making a special appearance at this year’s Billboard Latin Music Week…

The 40-year-old Mexican singer, songwriter and actor and his recently reunited RBD group mates Maite Perroni and Christopher von Uckermann have been confirmed for the 2023 Billboard Latin Music Week, set to take place on October 2-6 at the Faena Forum in Miami.

Following their reunion tour announcement after a 14-year hiatus, the three RBD members will take center stage at Latin Music Week to share how their reunion tour came to fruition. This RBD marquee appearance follows another first as this month, all five members — Anahí, Dulce María, Perroni, Chávez and von Uckermann — will sit down with Billboard and Billboard Español for their first interview as a group.

Additionally, Chencho Corleone, Feid, Manuel Turizo and Myke Towers are also set to be part of the five-day legacy event.

Colombian superstar Feid, will bring together his creative and management team for a blow-by-blow panel on how his passion translated to success.

Hitmaker Myke Towers will participate in the “Deja tu Huella” panel presented by Cheetos. During the panel, the “LALA” singer will share the stage with fellow creatives from different fields who have also brought together success in conjunction with social responsibility.

Puerto Rican singer-songwriter and producer Corleone will be part of a panel conversation with Vico C. And, Manuel Turizo will grace the stage for a one-on-one conversation.

The aforementioned artists join a star-studded Billboard Latin Music Week that will feature exclusive panels and conversations with hitmakers throughout the week.

Previously announced participants include Shakira, Arcángel, Edgar Barrera, Maria Becerra, Eladio Carrión, Fonseca, GALE, Grupo Frontera, Natanael Cano, Nathy Peluso, Nicki Nicole, Peso Pluma, Santa Fe Klan, Sebastián Yatra, Vico C, Yng Lvcas, and Young Miko, with more to be revealed.

With 30 years of events, Billboard Latin Music Week is the longest running and biggest Latin music industry gathering in the world. After a sold-out 2022 edition that featured star Q&As with Maluma, Ivy Queen, Chayanne, Romeo Santos andChristina Aguilera, to name a few, the event returns, coinciding with Hispanic Heritage Month.

Billboard Latin Music Week will also coincide with the 2023 Billboard Latin Music Awards on Thursday, October 5, at the Watsco Center in Miami, and will broadcast live on Telemundo. The awards show will broadcast simultaneously on Spanish entertainment cable network Universo, and throughout Latin America and the Caribbean on Telemundo Internacional.

Registration for the 2023 Billboard Latin Music Week is now open at BillboardLatinMusicWeek.com.

Becky G Teams Up with Gabito Ballesteros to Release New Single “La Nena”

Posted on July 2, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Becky G is that girl…

The 26-year-old Mexican American singer, rapper and actress has joined voices with Mexican newcomer Gabito Ballesteros to release “La Nena,” the latest single from her upcoming regional Mexican album.

Her new corrido single navigates from trumpets to strings, resulting in an enticing rhythm complemented by the harmonizing voices of Becky and Gabito to create a new female anthem.

Co-written and co-produced by Edgar Barrera and Ballesteros, the lyrics in “La Nena” tell the story of an empowered woman who chooses to continue dancing through life despite having her heart broken.

“She dances alone, but if she only knew how beautiful she looks single,” goes the chorus.

Bad Bunny Earns 60th Top 10 on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs Chart with Grupo Frontera-Collab “un x100to”

Posted on April 26, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Make that an even 60 for Bad Bunny…

The 29-year-old Puerto Rican Grammy-winning superstar’s Grupo Frontera-collaboration “un x100to” debuts at No. 3 on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart, giving el Conejo Malo his 60th top 10 on the chart, extending his record among all acts.

It’s the highest debut on the chart for Grupo Frontera and the band’s fourth top 10 single.

“Un x100to” was released on April 17 via Rimas Entertainment, a surprise not only for fans, but for Grupo Frontera as well.

Bad Bunny’s vocals were incorporated as Edgar Barrera, composer of the song, revealed his participation as a surprise the day the norteño group shot the music video.

“We did not hear Bad Bunny’s part in the song until the day of the video,” Adelaido “Payo” Solis III, lead vocalist, shared during an interview with Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1. “So when that part comes out and we were shooting the video, I froze. Having a song with Bad Bunny is just something that… It’s unexplainable.”

“Un x100to” starts at No. 3 on Hot Latin Songs, largely due to its surge in streams.

As mentioned, because the song came with the track’s music video on April 17, it joins the upper region of the multimetric ranking with only four days of activity for its chart debut. According to Luminate, it generated 20 million official U.S. streams during the April 14-20 tracking week.

That opening sum yields a No. 7 on the overall Streaming Songs chart, a first top 10 for Grupo Frontera there, and an equal No. 3 debut on Latin Streaming Songs.

“Un x100to” also registered 4,000 downloads in the same period, prompting a No. 1 launch on Latin Digital Song Sales. There, it becomes the third champ for Grupo Frontera and Bad Bunny’s 13th chart topper.

Over on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 chart, Grupo Frontera’s new single makes its top 20 debut, at No. 15, the highest ranking for the Rio Grande Valley-based group. For Bad Bunny, it becomes his highest chart appearance since “Moscow Mule” debuted and peaked at No. 4 in May 2022.

Back on Hot Latin Songs, “un x100to” marks Grupo Frontera’s fourth top 10. It follows “Bebe Dame,” with Fuerza Regida, which led for two weeks (January 21 and March 4-dated lists).

Elsewhere, Grupo Frontera also earns career highs on both global charts. “Un x100to” bows at No. 5 on the Billboard Global 200 with 67 million streams, while it shoots to a No. 4 start on the Global Excl. U.S. with 48 million earned during the same period.

The news of the collaboration’s debut across Billboard charts arrives on the heels of Grupo Frontera’s El Comienzo Tour, which kicked off in San Antonio, Texas, on April 20 and will take the sextet through the U.S. with its last stop on Nov. 25 in Los Angeles.

Grupo Frontera Teams Up with Bad Bunny on New Single “un x100to”

Posted on April 17, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Grupo Frontera has found it’s one percent…

The Regional Mexican group has joined voices with Bad Bunny to release the single “un x100to” on Monday, April 17, marking the first collaboration between the two acts, and a new twist for el Conejo Malo.

Produced and composed by Latin hitmakers Edgar Barrera and MAG, the romantic cumbia–norteño narrates the story of a person who misses their ex and makes an important phone call with one percent of battery left on their phone.

The Spanish-language ballad’s lyrics translate to: “I have only 1% left, and I’ll use it to say I’m so sorry/ If they’ve seen me in the disco with someone else, it’s just wasting my time/ Baby, I can’t lie to you; That story that they saw me all happy, that’s not true/ Nothing makes me laugh anymore, only when I see the photos and videos I see of you.”

The official music video shows the group and Bad Bunny performing the song in front of an isolated ranch in a desert.

Born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, Bad Bunny first teased the track on his TikTok account on Sunday, April 16, where he’s seen singing part of the nostalgic lyrics and flaunting his cumbia-dancing skills.

Although he’s a longtime fan of Regional Mexican music, his new track with Grupo Frontera is only his second regional Mexican collab.

Prior to this, he worked with Natanael Cano for a remix of “Soy el Diablo,” a corrido.

Over the weekend, after he headlined Coachella, he also posted a video singing along to Cano’s “AMG” in collaboration with Peso Pluma and Gabito Ballesteros.

Ana Bárbara Becomes First Regional Mexican Songwriter to Receive BMI Icon Award

Posted on March 22, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Ana Bárbara is celebrating a history-making win…

The 52-year-old Mexican singer, actress, television personality and model became the first regional Mexican songwriter to ever receive a BMI Icon Award.

Ana Barbara received the award at the BMI Latin Awards, which took place on March 21 at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Los Angeles.

“As an iconic female Regional Mexican artist, whose body of work continues to be an indomitable inspiration for the creative community, we’re thrilled to name Ana Bárbara a BMI Icon,” Gonzalez said in a statement. “Dubbed as La Reina Grupera, she has forged a career that spans decades. Her artistic achievements have paved the way for the next generation of female songwriters in the genre and earned the respect of the industry at large as one of the most groundbreaking songwriters of all time. For that, we salute Ana as a true icon and look forward to celebrating all our top music creators behind some of today’s most-performed Latin songs.”

The “Bandido” singer joins an elite group of artists who have received BMI’s highest honor including Carlos Santana, Gloria Estefan, Juan Luis Guerra, Los Tigres Del Norte and Los Lobos, among others. Throughout her 30-year career — which she kicked off in the early ’90s with her self-titled debut album in 1994 — Ana Bárbara has a total of 16 entries on Billboard‘s Hot Latin Songs, four of those are top 10 hits including “La Trampa” and “Me Asusta Pero Me Gusta.” On the Regional Mexican Airplay tally, she’s entered 21 songs, five of which hit the top 10.

Edgar Barrera, the prolific songwriter who seamlessly navigates between genres, was given the first ever Impact award for his remarkable presence and influence across the charts of many genres.

The evening — hosted by BMI President/CEO Mike O’Neill and BMI Vice President, Creative, Latin Jesus Gonzalez — was also evening of encores. Tainy won the contemporary songwriter of the year award for the second year in a row, and Horacio Palencia also repeated his regional Mexican songwriter of the year award, this time tying with Barrera.

Sony Music Publishing, home to Tainy and Barrera, took home the contemporary Latin publisher of the year award, marking the seventh time in 10 years that it does so.

Universal Music Publishing Group won Regional Mexican publisher of the year, and the smash “Pepas” — performed by Farruko and written by Víctor Cardenas VIIC, IAMCHINO, Axel Quezada “Ghetto” and Keriel K4G Quiróz — was named contemporary Latin song of the year. “Jugaste y Sufrí” by Daniel Balderrama Espinoza won the Regional Mexican song of the year.

But the belle of the ball was undoubtedly Aba Bárbara. The Mexican singer, resplendent in a shimmering dress with a pink feathered skirt, delivered a set of her own compositions, backed by a her band and ending with “Lo Busqué,” during which she accompanied herself on guitar. The performance was a reminder of just how prolific Ana Bárbara has been in her 30-year career, placing 16 hits on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart and 14 on the Regional Mexican Airplay chart.

“Songwriting was something I didn’t always speak about,” Bárbara told Billboard earlier. “I was always shy about my songwriting, from the time I wrote [her first major hit] ‘Quise Olvidar,’ because composing wasn’t common among women. Now, I believe in all my songs, and I believe they’re all for me.”

Her inspirations, said Ana Bárbara, were the greats of Mexican music, including José Alfredo Jiménez; Joan Sebastian and Marco Antonio Solís, who both mentored her; and Ana Gabriel, also a singer and composer.

Now, Gabriel is also inspiring a new generation, as evidenced by the opening number of the night, a tribute to her music performed by young Mexican singers Adriana Ríos, Alisun Solís, Angélica Gallegos and Lupita Infante.

Maluma Teams Up with Marc Anthony for New Single “La Fórmula”

Posted on February 3, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Maluma is trying a new formula… And, he’s calling on a Latin Music legend for an assist.

The 29-year-old Colombian singer/songwriter has joined voices with Marc Anthony to release the new single “La Fórmula.”

The track opens up with a subtle pop-reggaetón rhythm against a glimmering melody, as Maluma yearnfully croons about love lost.

Then suddenly, “La Fórmula” transforms into an ebullient salsa banger, complete with blaring horns, anchored by the passionate wail of Marc Anthony, the top selling tropical salsa artist of all time.

Produced by the two singers, as well as Edgar Barrera, Rude Boyz and Sergio George, the duet chronicles how no such formula exists for securing love and devotion with a certain someone — but there’s always that hope.

The music video captures the two superstars recording their single at The Hit Factory in Miami.

Hispanically Yours

Celebrating the Latino Influence

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