Rita Moreno to Star in the Feature Film “The Prank”

Posted on August 13, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Rita Moreno is pranking around…

The 89-year-old Puerto Rican actress, singer and dancer, an EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar & Tony Award winner) has landed a starring role in the feature film The Prank, which will be directed by Maureen Bharoocha.

Moreno will star opposite Connor Kalopsis and Ramona Young.

The Prank follows two high school students who play a prank on their physics teacher, Mrs. Wheeler, played by Moreno. When she fails them on a test; they teach the imperious, demanding, insulting instructor a lesson by falsely accusing her of the murder of a missing student.

Other cast in The Prank includes Keith David, Meredith Salenger, Jonathan Kimmel, Nathan Janak and Kate Flannery.

Filming begins this month in and around Los Angeles.

The dark comedy is written by Rebecca Flinn-White & Zak White.

“Rita Moreno is a force of nature and an icon who continues to redefine herself,” said Bharoocha. “Her brilliant comedic mind lends itself to the perfect ‘Mrs. Wheeler’, a character we have never seen her play, and one that will no doubt surprise audiences.”

Moreno has won an Oscar (West Side Story), a Tony (The Ritz), two Emmys (for her turns respectively in 1977 and 1978 on The Muppet Show and Rockford Files), and a Grammy (Best Children’s Album for The Electric Company).

Moreno has starred on Broadway and London’s West End, appeared in more than 40 feature films and has performed in numerous regional theaters, including her one-woman show, Life Without Makeup, at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre. She recently co-starred in the critically acclaimed Latinx reimagining of Norman Lear’s classic sitcom One Day At A Time.

Her documentary, Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go For It, produced by Lear, Lin Manuel Miranda and Brent Miller had its world debut at the Sundance Film Festival this year. The film, which was met with acclaim from critics and audiences alike, will have its television debut on PBS’ American Masters nationwide on October 5.

Moreno also co-stars and is an executive producer of the Steven Spielberg remake of West Side Story, set to open on December 10.

The recipient of the Peabody Career Achievement Award and the Kennedy Center Honor for her lifetime contributions to American culture, she was also honored by her peers as the 50th recipient of the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award.

Moreno’s all-Spanish-language album, Una Vez Más, was produced by her good friend Emilio Estefan, and she is a New York Times bestselling author with her first book, Rita Moreno: A Memoir. Moreno has received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George W. Bush and the National Medal of Arts from President Barack Obama.

Leslie Grace Teams Up with Meek Mill for Bacardi’s Remake of Gloria Estefan’s Iconic Song “Conga”

Posted on January 30, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Leslie Grace is letting her body do the conga…

The 26-year-old Dominican American singer-songwriter has joined voiced with rapper Meek Mill to release a reimagining of Gloria Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine’s smash hit single “Conga.”

The new version, which gives the ‘80s party banger a rhythmic-pop-urban twist, is part of Bacardi‘s “Conga Feat. You” campaign that launched in November.

“Bacardi presented this amazing plan, where they wanted me to recreate ‘Conga,’” Leslie Grace tells Billboard. “I couldn’t believe it was possible but they assured me that both Gloria and Emilio [Estefan] were on board. They wanted to entrust me with this project and I couldn’t pass on the opportunity.”

Calling the process “innovative,” Grace explained that the project originally began at the end of 2019 but was put on pause because of the Coronavirus pandemic.

“I went into the studio pre-Covid with Boi-1da. We immediately hit it off. I had written the first verse and the pre onto a loop he had sent me,” she notes. “Everything else was basically done remotely. Meek Mill jumped on the track later on after listening to the structure we built.”

The Estefans were also part of the process “every step of the way.”

Grace adds: “Everyone was really focused on maintaining the essence of this iconic track. Having their support and suggestions was beautiful. They approved every single thing on the project. This was really a labor of love and really intentional every step of the way with the original creators involved.”

“Conga” was the first Billboard Hot 100 hit for Gloria and Miami Sound Machine, peaking at No. 10 in February 1986. The song also hit No. 1 on Dance Singles Sales for one week in November 1985, and No. 7 on Dance Club Songs. The new version, at the helm of Grace, Mill, and Boi-1da, marks the first and only official remake of the original Latin dance classic in over 30 years.

“I’m a nineties baby, my generation grew up with ‘Conga’ and I grew up listening and dancing to the song in my living room,” Grace recounts. “Gloria is an inspiration to me. She’s one of the first artists I saw singing in both languages. I feel so honored and blessed to do this with Boi-1da and Meek Mill.”

Edward James Olmos to Take Part in Biden Inaugural Committee’s “Latino Inaugural 2021: Inheritance, Resilience, and Promise” Event

Posted on January 18, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Edward James Olmos is preparing to celebrate the resilience and promise of the Latino community in the United States…

President-elect Joe Biden’s inaugural committee has announced a Tuesday night event, featuring the 73-year-old Mexican American actor, director, producer, and activist, that shines a spotlight on the Latino community.

Entitled Latino Inaugural 2021: Inheritance, Resilience, and Promise, the event will be hosted by Eva Longoria.

It will feature appearances by Olmos, Lin-Manuel Miranda, John Leguizamo, Rita Moreno, Ivy Queen and Becky G.

There also will be performances from Gilberto Santa Rosa and Gaby Moreno, featuring David Garza, Emilio Estefan and All-Star Tejanos United – Stefani Montiel, Jose Posada, Shelly Lares, DJ Kane and Mariachi Nuevo Santander from Roma High School.

Emilio Estefan produced a performance of One World, One Prayer by the Wailers, featuring Skip Marley, Farruko, Shaggy and Cedella Marley.

The event will take palace on Tuesday, January 19 at 9:30 pm ET

It’s part of a series of events that will highlight the nation’s diversity, including the AAPI Inaugural Ball: Breaking Barriers, celebrating the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities; and We Are One, celebrating Black Americans.

Juanes to Finance Latin Grammy Cultural Foundation’s Next Prodigy Scholarship to Berklee School of Music

Posted on December 16, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Juanes is supporting the Latin industry’s next musical prodigy…

The Latin Grammy Cultural Foundation has revealed that the 48-year-old Colombian musician and singer-songwriter is set to finance the next four-year Prodigy Scholarship that will fully fund a student’s bachelor’s degree in music at Berklee School of Music starting in the Fall 2021.

“When the Latin Recording Academy reached out with this opportunity, I felt great joy,” said Juanes. “It took me back to when I was just getting out of high school and I was obsessed with music but I didn’t have the money to study music. Actually, studying music wasn’t even a thing and back then, I didn’t really think studying music would do anything for my future. But now I understand the importance of a music education and that’s why it’s so beautiful to be able to give back.”

The scholarship, created six years ago, holds a maximum value of $200,000 and the application period will be open from December 14 through April 10, 2021. It’s traditionally awarded to an outstanding music student between the ages of 17-24, who demonstrate a passion for Latin music but face severe financial hardships while pursuing a college education.

“This next musical prodigy should be exceptional and I don’t mean that they have to extremely virtuoso but they should have special something,” Juanes adds. “But most importantly they have to love music and be passionate about the craft. Whether you’re studying, practicing, wiring songs, you have to be dedicated 100 percent.”

In addition to the Juanes scholarship there will be 43 other scholarships; three Gifted Tuition scholarships and and 40 Tuition Assistance scholarships for music students admitted to universities of their choice.

In previous years, the Prodigy Scholarship has been co-sponsored by Latin stars including Enrique Iglesias, Juan Luis Guerra, Miguel Bosé, Carlos Vives, Emilio and Gloria Estefan, and Julio Iglesias.

Gloria Estefan to Perform at ‘Nurse Heroes Live’ Benefit Virtual Concert on Thanksgiving

Posted on November 10, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Gloria Estefan is giving special thanks to some of our frontliners…

The 63-year-old Cuban singer will be among the entertainers honoring nurses in a star-studded benefit virtual concert on Thanksgiving.

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Nurse Heroes has announced that the concert called Nurse Heroes Live will stream on the organization’s YouTube and Facebook pages along with LiveXLive on November 26 at 7:00 pm EST.

The benefit will provide money for a variety of programs including scholarships for nurses and their children.

Estefan joins a lineup of performers that include Stevie Wonder, Celine Dion, Josh Groban, Black Eyed Peas, Pitbull, The Wailers, Carole King, Maluma and Andrea Bocelli.

Whoopi Goldberg will host the concert with special appearances by Oprah Winfrey and Billy Crystal.

Taylor Swift will donate a signed collectible edition “Folklore” guitar, which will be auctioned for the benefit of the Nurses Heroes Foundation.

The nurses of New York’s Northwell Health will be the first beneficiaries of the concert. The event will also showcase 50 nurses from the hospital in an ensemble performance with several celebrities.

The concert will be produced by Emilio Estefan and Times Square Live Media.

Gloria Estefan Releases Samba-Flavored Album “Brazil305,” Featuring 14 Reimagined Classics

Posted on August 15, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Gloria Estefan’s changing things up…

The 62-year-old Cuban Grammy-winning singer has released her first album in seven years, the vibrant, samba-flavored Brazil305.

The 18-track Sony Music Latin release will transport listeners not only to the South American country, while giving them a trip to the past.

The album, an homage to Brazil and samba instrumentation, features 14 reimagined versions of Estefan’s classic songs, including a new rendition of her hit “Mi Tierra,” a song dedicated to her native Cuba and to immigrants the world over coping with departing from their homeland.

BRAZIL305, bringing together Brazil and Miami’s 305 area code, the set kicks off with a bang with a new version, titled “Samba,” of her global, seminal 1985 hit “Conga,” which takes a life of its own now with Brazilian rhythms.

Other re-imagined versions of Estefan’s timeless hits included in the concept album are “Get On Your Feet” and “Ayer.”

The first single from the album, “Cuando Hay Amor,” penned by Nicolás Tovar, Emilio Estefan and Andrea López, stands out with a message of unity and a celebration of love.

“I really wanted an original song as the first single,” Estefan previously told Billboard.

BRAZIL305 was produced by Estefan, Emilio and Afo Verde, chairman and CEO of Sony Music Latin Iberia, and was recorded between Brazil and Miami.

Gloria Estefan Featured in Hip Hop Public Health’s Bilingual COVID-19 Health Awareness Campaign “20 Segundos o Más”

Posted on July 6, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Gloria Estefan is promoting proper hygiene during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic…

While more and more U.S. states lift the quarantine orders and open up businesses, the 62-year-old Cuban singer has joined forces with fellow Latin artists to remind everyone COVID-19 is still a serious problem. You can Check this out to know how to be safe and avoid COVID-19 or any health issue.

Estefan and other artists are taking part in the Hip Hop Public Health’s“20 Segundo o Más” campaign, a new bilingual PSA song and video by Doug E. Fresh, producer DJ TedSmooth, Dose, Leisley, Toby Love and Fabián.

It’s the follow up to the HHPH’s successful “20 Seconds or More” education and awareness campaign launched in Spring.

Set to the beat of Willie Colon and Hector Lavoe’s classic salsa track “La Murga,” the song fuses Latin rhythms and hip hop beats, encouraging the Latin community throughout the U.S. to follow the hand-washing and other protocols necessary to stop the spread of COVID-19.

“DJ TedSmooth and I purposely selected the song’s universally loved Latin hook, the big horns backing the classic Willie Colón and Héctor Lavoe masterpiece, ‘La Murga.’ This catchy hook combined with the information in the song will definitely get people to dance and hopefully adhere to our message of hope, vitality and taking care of themselves and each other,” Doug E. Fresh said in an official statement. “Once again, Hip Hop Public Health is bringing together art, science and social media innovation to help fight the COVID-19 health pandemic.” If you had any fitness related issue then visit to our Helath Blog and get all the details. Naturopathic medicine, оr naturopathy, іѕ аn alternative type оf medicine thаt hаѕ bееn аrоund fоr hundreds оf years. Based оn thе principle оf using thе healing powers оf nature, naturopathic practitioners work tо heal ailments оr illnesses bу understanding a person аѕ a whоlе. Thіѕ аrtісlе describes the uѕеѕ аnd lіmіtаtіоnѕ оf three types оf ultrаѕоund including abdominal ultrаѕоund, vascular ultrasound and Sоnоhуѕtеrоgrарhу. What is Abdominal Ultrasound? that you get it here. Thе lіѕt оf оrgаnѕ and соndіtіоnѕ ѕuіtаblе fоr іnvеѕtіgаtіоn by аbdоmіnаl ultrasound іѕ еxtеnѕіvе. Thіѕ means thаt thеу dо nоt work оn just curing a person оr relieving thеm оf thеіr symptoms; thеу work tо understand thе mind, bоdу аnd spirit оf a person іn order tо fіnd оut exactly thе right remedy fоr whаt thеу need. You can visit homepage for more about the naturotherapy treatments.

Dominican DJ TedSmooth (Teddy Rafael Mendez) added: “It was an honor to collaborate with Hip Hop Public Health and my old friend Doug E. Fresh on this track for mi gente. Latino roots and culture run deep, and to have legends like Lisa Lisa, DJ Camilo and Greg Lamond with some of the new voices out here coming together to protect our people against the coronavirus is an incredibly meaningful experience. I know we can make a difference together.”

While the campaign is focusing on communities in the U.S. most impacted by COVID-19, HHPH is also conducting outreach and sharing the video and education campaign components in communities across Latin America, including Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Colombia and Peru, among others.

The four-minute music video features guest appearances by more than 30 community influencers and activists committed to making a difference through creative expression, civic duty and medicine, including Gloria and Emilio Estefan, N.O.R.E., Lisa Lisa, Chris Tucker, DJ Envy, Amara La Negra and many more.

The video reinforces proper hand-washing techniques and other safety protocols like social distancing and wearing a mask.

Gloria Estefan Returns to Billboard’s Tropical Airplay Chart with “Cuando Hay Amor”

Posted on June 18, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Gloria Estefan is back in familiar territory after a long hiatus…

The 62-year-old Cuban superstar’s latest single “Cuando Hay Amor” debuts at No. 25 on Billboard’s Tropical Airplay chart dated June 20.

It’s the lead single off her forthcoming 13th album Brazil305, her first in over seven years.

“Cuando Hay Amor” was released on June 12 via Sony Music Latin.

It arrives on the chart with only three days of tracking activity and earns Estefan her 20th entry on the Tropical Airplay chart.

She last visited the chart with “Hotel Nacional” which debuted at No. 1 in January 2012.

The new song was produced by Emilio Estefan, Nicolás Tovar and Andrea López and is one of four unreleased songs to be featured on the album.

Leila Cobo to Release New Book Offering Inside Look into the Latin Music Industry

Posted on December 23, 2019 by Tom Castaneda

Leila Cobo is doing some decoding…

The Colombian journalist/writer, a vice president at Billboard, will release a new book next year with Penguin Random House titled Decoding Latino: The Real Story of Latin Music.

The book will offer an insider’s view into the Latin music industry, tracking the stories behind 15 of the biggest hits of the past 50 years featuring some of the biggest names in music, including Emilioand Gloria Estefan, Enrique Iglesias, J Balvinand Luis Fonsi, among others.

“Bringing to life these stories and these songs is an honor and a pleasure,” said Cobo, who is also a classically trained pianist. “We’ve had so much fun reliving the making of these landmark songs.”

Decoding Latino will also explore areas such as the birth of Salsa, which was bred on the streets of Spanish Harlem, as well as Puerto Rican reggaetonand the bilingual chart-toppers making history.

It will be published in English and Spanish, and will also be available as an audio book.

Cobo, who has previously written four books in addition to co-writing the 2017 memoir Una Vida with recording artist Ednita Nazario, is Billboard‘s chief Latin music expert, writer and editor who has secured some of the magazine’s most iconic cover stories highlighting names like pop star Jennifer Lopez, urban king Ozuna and the recent cover story featuring Spain’s flamenco-inspired hip-hip artist Rosalía, who this month was celebrated at Billboard’s 14th annual Women in Music event for her contributions to female empowerment.

Previously, Cobo published two novels with Grand Central Publishing/Hatchette Book Group, which were translated to German, Italian and have won multiple awards. The Second Time We Met, Cobo’s 2012 novel, won the Latino Book Award for best popular fiction and was chosen as one of the top summer reads by MSN and Latina.

Cobo’s biography on the late Jenni Rivera (Penguin Random House) stayed on the U.S. top 10 list of most-sold books in Spanish for more than 25 consecutive weeks. The book on the Diva of Banda music was named a top-read by several publications, including People en Español.

Miguel to Perform for the First-Time at the Latin Grammys

Posted on November 12, 2019 by Tom Castaneda

Miguel is preparing for Latin music’s biggest night…

The 34-year-old Mexican American R&B singer, songwriter, who released the Spanish EP Te Lo Dije earlier this year, is set to perform at this year’s Latin Grammys, according to The Latin Recording Academy.

Miguel is part ofthe final wave of performers and presenters joining the star-studded 2019 Latin Grammys lineup.

In addition to Miguel, who performed “Remember Me” with Natalia Lafourcade on the soundtrack to Disney’s Dia de los Muertos-themed animated film Coco, new additions to the performers roster include Alicia Keys, Farruko, Ozuna, Residente, Beto Cuevas, Calibre 50, Leonel García, Fito Páez, Milly Quezada, Tony Succar, Carlos Rivera, and Prince Royce.

Plus, Ángela Aguilar, Eduardo “Visitante” Cabra,Sofia Carson, Emilio Estefan, Mon Laferte, William Levy, Rudy Mancuso,,Luis Gerardo Méndez, Michael Peña, and Dayanara Torres join as presenters.

Nominees Camilo, De La Ghetto, Paula Fernandes, Kany García, Christian Nodal and Tommy Torres were previously announced as presenters.

Coined as “the biggest night in Latin Music,” the awards show will kick off with a never-before-seen tribute honoring the 20th Anniversary of the Latin Grammys. A group of 20 artists, who’ll perform together for the first time, will interpret multiple iconic songs spanning various genres of Latin music while commemorating the past 20 years of excellence.

The final roster of performers join already confirmed artists Aitana, Anitta, Pedro Capó, Julio Reyes Copello, Darell, Dimelo Flow, Fonseca, Luis Fonsi, Greeicy, Intocable, Nella, Reik, Rosalía, and Alejandro Sanz, who’s this year’s top nominee.

The awards show will also include performances by Pepe Aguilar and Los Angeles Azules, Paula Arenas, Bad Bunny, Alessia Cara, Draco Rosa, Ximena Sariñana, Sech, Sebastián Yatra, Natalia Jiménez, Olga Tañón and Juanes, who as the 2019 Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year will perform a medley of his biggest hits.

Vicente, Alejandro, and Alex Fernandezwill also take the stage, becoming the first time all three generations of the Fernandez family will perform at the show. They’ll be joined by Mariachi Sol de Mexico.

The 20th annual Latin Grammys, which will be co-hosted by Ricky Martin and actresses Roselyn Sánchez and Paz Vega, will air live Nov. 14 from the MGM Grand Garden Arenain Las Vegas via Univision.

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