Carín León to Perform at Next Year’s Viña del Mar International Song Festival

Carín León is set to perform at Viña del Mar International Song Festival in February.

The 35-year-old Mexican singer-songwriter has been added as part of the lineup for the 64th annual installment alongside Eladio CarriónMorat and Kidd Voodoo.

Carin LeonThey’ll be joining the previously announced stars Marc Anthony, Ha*Ash, Carlos Vives, Miryam Hernández, Duki, Sebastián Yatra and Bacilos.

The event is scheduled to take place February 23-28 at Viña del Mar, Chile.

“We have developed a lineup for the whole family, featuring international artists at their peak for younger audiences, as well as classics and historic performers for the older ones,” Viña del Mar Mayor Macarena Ripamonti said in a press release. “Every night is turning out to be very appealing, which allows those who attend Quinta Vergara and the millions who watch the Festival on television to enjoy a modern event, with the latest technology and full of innovation that we will announce in the coming weeks.”

Hailing from Hermosillo, Sonora, Leon is one of the biggest forces behind the surge of Regional Mexican music globally. He started his musical journey as a teen and rose to prominence after his solo debut in 2018, Amanecida Con Todo y Con Todos. With his recent offering, Boca Chueca, Vol. 1, he debuted on Billboard’s Top Latin Albums and Regional Mexican Albums charts at No. 8 and No. 5, respectively.

Colombian band Morat recently finished their Morat: Los Estadios tour across 25 stadiums in different countries, concluding December 13 at the Estadio GNP Seguros in Mexico City. Members Juan Pablo Isaza, Martín Vargas, Simón Vargas, and Juan Pablo Villamil have gained recognition for their pop-rock sensibility with hits such as “No Se Va,” “Salir Con Vida,” and “Besos en Guerra.”

Latin trap star Carrión, of Puerto Rican descent, broke through in 2018 with certified gold hits like “Me Usaste” and “Si Tú Te Vas.” Earlier this year, he dropped Sol María, dedicated to his mother, which saw him expanding his genre versatility, and a hard-hitting trap EP Porque Puedo. He entered the Billboard Hot 100 chart twice with “Coco Chanel” and “Thunder & Lightning,” alongside Bad Bunny.

Chilean artist and member of the group 4F (Los Cuatro Fantásticos de la Música), Kidd Voodoo enjoys local popularity with hits like “Enrolar”, “Ese Guille” and “Dámelo BB.” He recently released “Satirología,” a single that in less than three weeks garnered over half a million views on YouTube.

Touted as the largest Latin music festival in the world, Viña del Mar spans six days and features a mix of celebrated stars, emerging talents, and local performers competing for the “Gaviotas” awards — silver, gold and platinum — judged by a panel and influenced by viewer feedback.

Since its 1960 inception, the festival takes place at the Quinta Vergara amphitheater, which has a capacity of 15,000 and is located in the Valparaíso region on the central coast.

This year introduces a first-time partnership between Megamedia and Bizarro Live Entertainment. Additionally, Disney+ will livestream the event throughout Latin America, and Billboard is set to provide exclusive global content on the website.

Nicky Jam Named Ambassador of Fat Joe’s Rewind It 10 Beard Dye Brand

Nicky Jam is adding a little color to his resume…

The 43-year-old Puerto Rican and Dominican American urban singer-songwriter has been named the latest ambassador for Fat Joe’s  Rewind It 10 beard dye brand.

Nicky Jam,Nicky Jam’s dark brown beard dye coloring package is now available at CVS, Sally BeautyAmazon and the Rewind It 10 website.  

“I’ve been coloring my beard for years and tried all the other brands, but nothing looks more natural than Rewind It 10,” said Nicky Jam in a statement. “I love Rewind It 10. Thank you to Fat Joe and the whole team at Rewind for the opportunity – let’s go.”

Nicky Jam joins a decorated lineup of Rewind It 10 ambassadors, including Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (who is dating Taylor Swift), DJ Khaled, model Tyson Beckford, Tank, television personality Brody Jenner, MMA fighter Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson and more.

“Nicky Jam is truly a global icon in the music industry. He shattered the mold as a musician and now we’re proud to partner together to break new barriers in the hair and beard coloring industry,” Rewind It 10 co-founder Jeff Aronson added. “He embodies the essence of the product and is a perfect addition to our Rewind It 10 family to ensure we’re continuing to reach a wide-ranging array of consumers.”

Nicky Jam, Rewind It 10,On the music side, Nicky Jam released his Insomnio album in September, featuring Sean Paul, Ryan Castro, Eladio Carrión and more.

“I’m not going to be a singer for the rest of my life,” he told Billboard as part of his September cover story. “I think I’ll probably retire soon … Well, not retire. Singers never retire. You just tone it down.”

Latin Mafia Signs Exclusive Record Deal with Rimas Entertainment

Latin Mafia has a new deal…

The Mexican act – consisting of brothers Milton, Emilio and Mike de la Rosa – has signed an exclusive record deal with Rimas Entertainment.

Latin MafiaThey join the label that’s home to Latin music stars Bad Bunny, Eladio Carrión and Arcángel, among others.

News of the group’s signing comes after they secured slots in global music festivals, including their U.S. debut at CoachellaSueños in Chicago and Summerfest in Milwaukee.

As independent artists, Latin Mafia has grown a dedicated pool of fans with only an eclectic handful of singles that gained traction on Spotify, where they boast nearly seven million monthly listeners.

Based in Mexico, the trio’s sound ranges from R&B, reggaeton and trap, to indie, pop, afrobeats and EDM.

Latin Mafia tells Variety their debut album, which is said to be released later this year, will be “very different” than their previous releases.

“We’re experimenting a lot and changing even more,” the group said jointly. “We could say that on the album everything starts from contrast — of saturation and noise, with the non-existent and almost barely perceptible; of the simple and the exaggerated, as well as the reasonable and the irrelevant.”

The group described signing a deal with Rimas as “synergetic,” adding that “we feel Rimas is a record label with a very young mentality.” They continued, “[Rimas] understands this industry is always changing and that today, the music industry stands for something totally different than it did [before].”

Junior Carabano, vice president of Rimas, said the signing was a “testament to our expansion in Mexico,” adding that the deal took a year to complete. The deal was said to have involved multiple bids from other major labels.

“This amazing achievement is the result of a year of hard work, and I am incredibly grateful to have made it a reality,” said Carbano. “This has been my biggest priority over the past 12 months, and signing Latin Mafia means a lot to me personally. We’re honored to welcome them and appreciate their trust in our work. We’re excited to embark on this adventure, giving them our best to bring their music to expansive new audiences in Mexico and around the world. I can’t wait to write their next chapter together and make history.”

Latin Mafia’s biggest songs include “Patadas de Ahogado,” “Flores,” “Julietota,” “Se Fue La Luz,” and “No Digas Nada.”

The band has already completed dates at Lollapalooza Argentina, Lollapalooza Chile, Costa Rica’s Picnic Festival, Colombia’s Estereo Picnic, Guatemala’s Empire Music Festival, and Justas Festival in Puerto Rico. They’re set to perform for Mexico’s Baja Beach Fest on August 10.

Marcello Hernández to Compete in 2024 MLB All-Star Celebrity Softball Game

Marcello Hernández is ready to play ball…

Major League Baseball (MLB) officials have revealed the names of some of the celebrities who’ll be taking part in the 2024 MLB All-Star Celebrity Softball Game, including the 26-year-old Cuban American stand-up comedian, actor and Saturday Night Live cast member.

Marcello HernandezThe game, which is set to take place on July 13th, is part of the All-Star Saturday festivities taking place at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.

Hernández will be joined by 30-year-old Puerto Rican rapper and singer Myke Towers. Both recently celebrated Latino culture in baseball in a campaign with Remezcla Creative Agency titled “El Béisbol es Otra Cosa.” The campain highlighted the great Latino starss in themajor leagues, as well as the many ways Latino communities relate to them.

Other celebrities who are set to participate in the game include actress Gina Rodriguez, singers Eladio Carrion, Payo Solis & Julian Peña, Jr of Grupo Frontera, TV & radio personality Bobby Bones, reality TV personalities West Wilson and Matt James, country music star Kane Brown and influences Dani Austin and Nicky Cass.

Also participating will be former pitcher Pedro Martínez, and former NFL wider receiver Terrell Owens, as well as former NBA point guard Tyrese Maxey and softball legends Jennie Finch, Natasha Watley, and Lauren Gipson (Chamberlain).

Tickets for the All-Star Saturday festivities are now available at allstargame.com, starting from $35 and include all three events on Saturday, including the 2024 All-Star Futures Game, featuring the top Minor League prospects and the MLB Futures Skills Showcase as well as the 2024 All-Star Celebrity Softball Game.

Eladio Carrión Earns First No. 1 on Billboard’s Latin Airplay Chart with “TQMQA”

Eladio Carrión is celebrating a first…

The 29-year-old Puerto Rican Latin trap and reggaeton rapper and singer has earned his first No. 1 on Billboard‘s Latin Airplay chart as “TQMQA” climbs 4-1 to lead the April 13-dated list.

Eladio CarriónCarrión crosses off a new achievement with the dembow-pop tune — whose title stands for “Te Quiero Más Que Ayer — as it tops the overall Latin radio ranking. “TQMQA” lands at the summit seven weeks after it earned the Latin rapper his maiden champ on any Billboard chart (hit No. 1 on Latin Pop Airplay in March).

“The intention behind ‘TQMQA’ was to give my parents the recognition that they deserve,” Carrión said. “It’s an honor for me that the track landed at No. 1, but when I make music, I’m never thinking about what numbers or awards I’m gonna get. My main intention is always to be authentic to myself and share that with my fans. Everything else that comes after that is just a bonus that I’m extremely grateful for. It never gets old.”

“TQMQA” advances to the lead with a 26% gain in audience impressions, to 9.5 million, earned in the U.S. during the March 29-April 4-tracking week, according to Luminate.

“TQMQA” is the first cut from Carrión’s fifth studio album, Sol María (released via Rimas Entertainment). The 17-track set, an ode to his mother, debuted at Nos. 6 and 3, respectively, on Top Latin Albums and Latin Rhythm Albums (February 3-dated rankings).

“When I first told my parents about the concept for ‘TQMQA,’ they were taken aback by how personal the song and video were,” Carrión shares. “But it was special to us because we pieced together all these old clips from our home movies to make this time capsule of my upbringing. It’s emotional to see how far we’ve come and how they’ve been there for me every step of the way. But none of us were prepared for how many people the song would resonate with.”

Carrión breaks the No. 1 barrier on Latin Airplay as a soloist and on his fourth try.

Plus, he bests his first and only top 10: “Nunca y Pico” with Yandel and Maluma, which took the Puerto Rican-American to No. 6 in November 2022.

Carrión has charted two other times on Latin Airplay: “Alejarme De Ti” with Jay Wheeler (No. 22 in March 2022) and “Coco Chanel” with Bad Bunny (No. 42 in June 2023).

Of the 15 songs that have been No. 1 on Latin Airplay in 2024, a third of them were credited to a singular artist with no accompanied acts, including Carrion’s new No. 1. Here they are:

Peak Date, Title, Artist, Weeks at No. 1
Jan. 27, 2024, “Monaco,” Bad Bunny, one
Feb. 10, 2024, “La Diabla,” Xavi, two
Feb. 24, 2024, “La Falda,” Myke Towers, one
March 30, 2024, “Baccarat,” Ozuna, one
April 13, 2024, “TQMQA,” Eladio Carrión

Elsewhere, “TQMQA” rebounds to its No. 1 high on Latin Pop Airplay for its third week in charge (rising 2-1).

Further, thanks to its radio gain, it re-enters at No. 44 on the multimetric Hot Latin Songs chart, which blends airplay, digital sales, and streaming data.

Eladio Carrión Earns First No. 1 on Any Billboard Chart with “TQMQA”

Eladio Carrión has earned a special first…

Following multiple Top 10s across the Billboard charts, the 29-year-old Puerto Rican rapper and Latin trap singer has attained his first No. 1 on any ranking with “TQMQA,” a song outside of his usual rhythmic realm.

Eladio Carrión“TQMQA,” a Latin pop-tinged song — short for “Te Quiero Más Que Ayer” — rises 2-1 on the Latin Pop Airplay chart dated March 2 with 5.4 million audience impressions, up 9%, earned in the U.S. during the February16-22 tracking week, according to Luminate.

The song is the first single from Carrión’s fifth studio album, Sol María, which debuted and peaked at No. 6 on Top Latin Albums and at No. 3 on Latin Rhythm Albums charts (February 3).

“TQMQA,” released and promoted via Rimas Entertainment, yields Carrion his first Latin Pop Airplay No. 1 with his third chart appearance. His breakthrough Latin Pop Airplay song, “Alejarme De Ti” with Jay Wheeler, earned Carrión his first top 10 on that chart, peaking at No. 9 in March 2022, while “No Puede Ser,” with Mau y Ricky, reached No. 22 a month later, in April 2022.

Prior to its radio impact, “TQMQA” debuted and peaked at No. 39 on the multimetric Hot Latin Songs chart, which blends airplay, digital sales, and streaming activity.

Elsewhere, the song climbs 22-19 on the overall Latin Airplay chart, Carrión’s highest entry since “Nunca y Pico,” with Yandel and Maluma, earned him his first top 10, peaking at No. 6 in November 2022.

Farruko to Perform at This Year’s Billboard Latin Music Awards

Farruko is headed to the Billboard Latin Music Awards

The 32-year-old Puerto Rican rapper and singer has been added to the list of artists who will perform at the awards show, which will take place on Thursday, October 5.

FarrukoThe “Pepas” singer is among a list of new performer additions that includes Banda Carnaval, Eddy Lover, Grupo Frontera, La Factoría, Marc Anthony, Nicki Nicole, Pepe Aguilar, Sky Rompiendo, Sofia ReyesXimena Sariñana and Yng Lvcas. 

On Monday, Billboard and Telemundo announced the second round of performers who will take the stage at the Watsco Center in Coral Gables, Florida. The show will be broadcast live on Telemundo and simultaneously on the Spanish entertainment cable network Universo, on Peacock and on the Telemundo app. Throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, it will be available on Telemundo Internacional.

Among the previously announced performers are Calibre 50ChiquisEl AlfaEladio CarriónJustin QuilesLos Ángeles AzulesManuel TurizoMarshmelloMyke TowersPeso PlumaTini and Yandel.

This year, Mexican music sensation 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. His collaboration with Eslabon Armado, “Ella Baila Sola,” is up for six awards, including Hot Latin Song of the Year, Global 200 Latin Song of the Year and Sales Song of the Year. And his hit with Yng Lvcas, “La Bebe,” competes in five categories, including Hot Latin Song of the Year and Latin Rhythm Song of the Year.

Following Peso Pluma are Bad Bunny and Grupo Frontera with 15 nods each, including four together for their collab “un X100to,” while Karol G has 13, and Shakira and Fuerza Regida have 12 each.

Eladio Carrión to Perform at This Year’s Billboard Latin Music Awards

Eladio Carrión is headed to the Billboard Latin Music Awards.

The 28-year-old Puerto Rican Latin trap and reggaeton singer will perform at this year’s awards show, set to take place on Thursday, October 5.

Eladio CarriónCarrión joins a roster of confirmed performers that includes Calibre 50, ChiquisEl AlfaJustin QuilesLos Ángeles AzulesManuel TurizoMarshmelloMyke TowersPeso PlumaTini and Yandel.

Billboard and Telemundo announced on Tuesday (September 5) the first round of performers who’ll take the stage at the Watsco Center in Coral Gables, Florida. The show will be broadcast live on Telemundo and simultaneously on the Spanish entertainment cable network Universo, on Peacock and on the Telemundo app. Throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, it will be available on Telemundo Internacional.

This year, Mexican music sensation 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. His collaboration with Eslabon Armado, “Ella Baila Sola,” is up for six awards, including Hot Latin Song of the Year, Global 200 Latin Song of the Year and Sales Song of the Year. And his hit with Yng Lvcas, “La Bebe,” competes in five categories, including Hot Latin Song of the Year and Latin Rhythm Song of the Year.

Following Peso Pluma are Bad Bunny and Grupo Frontera with 15 nods each, including four together for their collab “un X100to,” while Karol G has 13, and Shakira and Fuerza Regida 12 each.

Los Ángeles Azules will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Latin Billboard Music Awards 2023, while Ivy Queen will be recognized with the Icon Award.

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

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.

Christian ChávezFollowing 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 CorleoneFeidManuel 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.

Eladio Carrión Teams Up with Anuel AA for New Single “Triste Verano”

Eladio Carrión is preparing for a somber summer

The 28-year-old Puerto Rican rapper and singer has joined voices with Anuel AA to release the new single “Triste Verano” via Rimas Entertainment.

Eladio CarriónTwo Puerto Rican powerhouses, two broken hearts, and one explosive lovelorn banger resulted in “Triste Verano.”

One of the most highly anticipated team-ups of the música urbana game, Latin trap superstars Carrión and Anuel AA spit verses like two forsaken fellows who ain’t too proud to beg against an invigorating interplay between Latin trap and reggaetón.

“Un verano sin ti, me tienes aquí desde junio hasta agosto,” cries Carrión, a slick reference to labelmate Bad Bunny’s last album.

The sad-themed spring song surprises a season too soon because of an unintended leak.

“It’s a song that I accidentally posted as a story. It was only up for like 15 seconds and then I deleted it. So this is probably one of the songs, and collab, that my fans have been waiting for,” Carrión tells Billboard Español.

El tremendo cabrón will be launching his own Sauce Boyz Fest this May, along with a beer line, La H.