Ivy Queen to Make Carnegie Hall Debut as Part of the Iconic Venue’s Nuestros Sonidos Festival

Posted on June 18, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Ivy Queen is preparing to make her Carnegie Hall debut…

The 52-year-old Puerto Rican singer, rapper, songwriter and actress, whose real name is Martha Ivelisse Pesante Rodríguez, has been added to the roster for Carnegie Hall’s Nuestros Sonidos festival.

Ivy Queen, considered one of the pioneers of the reggaeton genre and commonly referred to as the Queen of Reggaeton, will be joined by fellow debutantes Monsieur Periné and Grupo Niche.

They will join Natalia Lafourcade, Cimafunk, Gustavo Dudamel, Quetzal and others for the concert series.

Nuestros Sonidos — which kicks off on October 8 with the festive Opening Night Gala featuring Dudamel leading the Los Angeles Philharmonic and concludes with Cimafunk and La Tribu on May 22, 2025 — will see the three newly announced performers make their debut at the prestigious Manhattan venue.

Ivy Queen, who was honored with the Icon Award at the 2023 Billboard Women in Music event, earned her name as the Queen of Reggaetón for her formidable contributions to the Puerto Rican genre. With hits such as “Quiero Bailar,” “La Vida Es Así” and more recently, “Toma,” her contributions extend beyond the genre she helped pioneer, making a mark in salsa, hip-hop and bachata. She’s scheduled to perform on November 20 at Stern Auditorium’s Perelman Stage, Carnegie’s main hall, which seats more than 2,800 people.

Meanwhile, Bogota-based group Monsieur Periné has been bringing boleros, swing and indie music to the Latin scene. Their most recent album, Bolero Apocalíptico (2023), earned them a Latin Grammy for best alternative album. They are set to perform at Zankel Hall, a smaller venue that seats about 600 people, on February 22.

Grupo Niche will also make its Carnegie Hall debut on April 17 next year on the Stern Auditorium’s Perelman Stage. Hailing from Cali, Colombia, the legendary group founded by Jairo Varela and Alexis Lozano has kept salsa alive and thriving since the late ’70s, releasing iconic songs such as “Cali Pachanguero,” “Una Aventura” and “Gotas de Lluvia.” A Grammy Award-winning band, they are considered one of the most influential and respected bands in the salsa genre.

Carnegie Hall’s Nuestros Sonidos celebrates the “vibrant sounds, pioneering rhythms, diverse traditions, and enormous influence of Latin culture in the United States,” says the press release.

For more information, visit the Carnegie Hall website.

Ivy Queen to Receive Icon Award at This Year’s Billboard Latin Music Awards

Posted on August 31, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Ivy Queen will be living up to her Icon status…

The 51-year-old Puerto Rican singer, rapper, songwriter and actress will receive the Icon Award at the 2023 Billboard Latin Music Awards, Billboard and Telemundo have announced.

The award recognizes Ivy Queen, a pioneer of reggaeton, as an artist who has carved out a career that has remained relevant through time.

“I am beyond thrilled and honored to receive this award,” Ivy Queen said in a statement. “It’s a testament to the hard work and dedication I have put into my music over the years. I am grateful to my fans for their unwavering support throughout my career, and I hope to continue to inspire and empower women through my music for years to come.”

Celebrated globally for achieving both musical and commercial success, Ivy Queen’s career spans nearly 30 years. She earned her first entry on a Billboard chart with “Quiero Bailar,” which peaked at No. 16 on the Tropical Airplay chart in July 2005, and, a few months later, scored her first No. 1 on that tally with “Cuéntale.” She boasts 20 entries on Latin Rhythm Airplay, the third-most among Latina artists; 400 million on-demand official streams in the U.S., according to Luminate; 560,00 albums sold in the U.S.; and 584,000 song downloads.

The special honor will be presented at the awards ceremony — where Ivy Queen is also set to perform — which will be held Thursday, October 5, and will be broadcast live on Telemundo from the Watsco Center in Coral Gables, Fla. The show will air simultaneously on the Hispanic entertainment cable channel Universo, Peacock, the Telemundo App, and throughout Latin America and the Caribbean on Telemundo Internacional.

This year, 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.

Rauw Alejandro Releases Fourth Studio Album “Playa Saturno”

Posted on July 9, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Rauw Alejandro is embracing the sounds of summer…

The 3-0-year-old Puerto Rican singer, songwriter and actor, known as the “King of Modern Reggaeton,” has released his fourth studio album Playa Saturno.

While Alejandro had hinted at dropping the album in the summer, the actual release was a surprise to fans as the artist had never revealed exactly when he planned to put out the project.

Spanning 14 tracks, Playa Saturno is a “spinoff” of Saturno, which was just released in January.

The LP opens with a gentle intro, hearing Alejandro sing softly over simple guitar chords. Things speed up, however, on the ensuing track “CUANDO BAJE EL SOL.”

Playa Saturno also features a lineup of exciting collaborations, including Ñejo y Dálmata, Jowell y Randy and Ivy Queen.

Bizarrap makes a guest appearance on the previously released “Baby Hello,” while other standout features come from Miguel Bose and Junior H.

Shakira to Be Honored as Billboard’s ‘Woman of the Year’ at First-Ever Mujeres Latinas en la Música Gala

Posted on April 24, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

t’s a career-recognizing first for Shakira…

The 46-year-old Colombian global superstar will be honored as Billboard’s Woman of the Year at the first-ever Mujeres Latinas en la Música gala.

The two-hour music special, hosted by Ivy Queen and Jacqueline Bracamontes and honoring Latin women in music, will be taped at the Watsco Center in Miami on May 6 and will air exclusively on Telemundo on May 7 at 9:00 pm ET/8:00 pm CT.

A first of its kind for Latin music, Mujeres Latinas en la Música celebrates Latin female artists, executives and creatives who are proactively working for positive change, inclusion and gender parity in the music industry.

Superstars Ana Gabriel, Emilia, Evaluna, Goyo and Thalia will also receive special awards at the inaugural event presented by Billboard with Telemundo.

Shakira’s honor comes in the wake of an extraordinary year that has seen the superstar break records with the biggest Spanish-language debut of 2022 (“Monotonía” featuring Ozuna). Then, in January 2023, her “Shakira: BZRP Music Sessions #53” debuted at No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, making her the first woman to reach the top 10 on the chart with a song in Spanish.

“Shakira: BZRP Music Sessions #53” also made history as the most-streamed Latin track in 24 hours in Spotify history and the most-viewed Latin track on YouTube in 24 hours with over 63 million views, and it broke 14 Guinness World Records.

“Shakira is the ultimate Woman in Music. Thanks to her, Latin women all over the world have been empowered to write and perform deeply personal music. She created a movement all on her own, and continues to be more relevant than ever today, with grace, a deep tradition of giving back, and enormous talent. She is the definition of a Woman in Music,” said Leila Cobo, Billboard’s chief content officer for Latin/Español.

“Shakira has been pivotal in shaping the vibrant and diverse landscape of Latin music and music in general throughout her career. Her passion, talent and creativity have broken barriers and empowered generations to embrace our identity through music, and we are incredibly proud to recognize her as Woman of the Year in the industry,” said Ronald Day, president of entertainment and content strategy for Telemundo.

Shakira has sold more than 95 million records worldwide, making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time and the top-selling female Latin artist of all time. Her global success as a crossover artist opened doors for other Latin artists to enter international markets. She is the most-viewed Latin female artist, and one of the top 10 artists overall of all time on YouTube with over 20 billion cumulative views, and the most-streamed female Latin artist of all time on Spotify.

Aside from her stellar industry accolades, at the age of 18, Shakira created the Pies Descalzos Foundation, which has built and adapted nine public schools in Cartagena, Barranquilla, Guajira and Quibdó, with six in construction. The foundation has raised over 40 million dollars since inception and impacted more than 150,000 children and nearly 900,000 families.

Ivy Queen to Perform First Concert in Puerto Rico in 15+ Years

Posted on April 17, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Ivy Queen preparing for her long-waited homecoming concert…

The 51-year-old Puerto Rican singer, rapper, songwriter and actress will perform her first concert in Puerto Rico in over 15 years.

She’ll perform some of her most emblematic hits such as “Quiero Bailar,” “Te He Querido, Te He Llorado,” and “La Vida es Así,” to name a few, at her “Killa Queen” concert taking place on September 9 at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico.

“I have beautiful emotions and nostalgia,” expressed Ivy on social media.

Eric Duars of Duars Live said in a statement: “Being responsible for La Diva’s return to the stage is a source of pride and represents a great responsibility for our company. We will work on a production that lives up to what Ivy deserves. She is the most important female figure in the urban genre and her career of more than 20 years proves it.”

For more information, visit www.ticketera.com.

Feid Among the Headlining Acts for This Year’s Sueños Music Festival

Posted on February 4, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Feid is living his sueños…

The 30-year-old Colombian singer and songwriter will be among the headlining acts at the second edition of Sueños Music Festival.

In addition to Feid, headlining acts include Wisin y Yandel, Grupo Firme and Nicky Jam, who will all grace the stage on the weekend of May 27 and 28 in Chicago’s Grant Park.

The exclusively all-Latin music festival — which highlights regional Mexican and urbano powerhouse performers in the same roster — will also host reggaeton icon Ivy Queen, as well as Becky G, Eladio Carrion, Chencho Corleone, Junior H, Gera MX, Ryan Castro, Young Miko, Pao Pao and more.

From the founders of Mexico’s Baja Beach Fest, Sueños made its debut in 2022 with headlining acts J Balvin, Ozuna, and Farruko. Returning acts include Puerto Rican rapper Myke Towers, Dominican dembow purveyor El Alfa, as well as reggaeton pioneers Wisin y Yandel who will be headlining for a second year in a row.

“We’re thrilled to be coming back to Chicago for our second annual Sueños festival,” Aaron Ampudia and Chris Den Uijl, co-founders of Sueños, told Billboard Español in an email. “Last year was such a moment, you could feel the energy and excitement from fans no matter where you were at in the festival. It just felt like we were meant to be there, celebrating Latin music and culture with Chicago’s thriving Latino community – and this year we’re bringing even more.”

Wisin y Yandel kicked off their farewell tour La Última Misión last year, while showcasing their latest 2022 album of the same name. In December, the dynamic duo broke their own record at Coliseo de Puerto Rico José Miguel Agrelot (a.k.a. El Choli) with a series of 14 homecoming shows, which included a New Year’s Eve performance, the first time ever the iconic venue held a show on said date.

Feid, who entered the Billboard 200 chart in October for his successful (and leaked!) LP Feliz Cumpleaños Ferxxo: Te Pirateamos el Álbum, is poised to make an impact in 2023. Late last year, Feid embarked on his first headlining U.S. tour, produced by Live Nation, selling out numerous dates.

The Mexican band Grupo Firme, who has been elevating norteña music to higher grounds, made a splash at last summer at Baja Beach Fest in Rosarito when the group surprised audiences with its performance of “Cada Quien” alongside Medellín superstar Maluma.

“We can’t wait to see what Grupo Firme, Wisin Y Yandel, Feid, Nicky Jam and all the phenomenal artists on the lineup bring to the Sueños stage this Memorial Day Weekend!” added the founders.

For more info, visit SuenosMusicFestival.com.

Becky G to Receive Impact Award at This Year’s Billboard Women in Music Awards

Posted on January 30, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Becky G is being feted for her influence…

The Billboard Women in Music Awards will return on March 1, 2023, with Billboard honoring today’s most influential female powerhouses who are shaping the music landscape, including the 25-year-old Mexican American singer and actress.

Becky G will receive the Impact Award.

But she isn’t the only Latina being honored…

Ivy Queen will be presented with the Icon Award.

Other honorees include Doechii with the Rising Star Award, Kim Petras with the Chartbreaker Award, Latto with the Powerhouse Award, Lainey Wilson with the Rulebreaker Award, Lana Del Rey with the Visionary Award, and TWICE with the Breakthrough Award.

Emmy-winning writer/actress Quinta Brunson will host the 2023 ceremony, which will take place at the YouTube Theater at Hollywood Park in Los Angeles.

More performances and talent — including the 2023 Woman of the Year recipient — will be announced at a later date.

“We’re thrilled to recognize these groundbreaking artists across genres and generations who are defining today’s sound – and paving the way for tomorrow’s women in music,” said Billboard editorial director Hannah Karp. “With the inspiring Quinta Brunson as our host, this year’s Billboard Women in Music Awards is going to be an incredible night.”

Tickets to attend the Women in Music Awards are available to the public.

American Express card members can take part in the ticket presale taking place Tuesday and Wednesday, Jan. 31 and Feb. 1, before the public on-sale Friday, Feb. 3, at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT, at billboardwomeninmusic.com. Prices range from $85 to $275.

The 2023 Women in Music Awards will also stream live with more details about the livestream to be announced soon.

Rosalia Added to Headliners Roster for Los Angeles’ Calibash

Posted on October 24, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Rosalia is Bash-ful…

The 30-year-old Spanish singer/songwriter has been confirmed as a headliner for the annual Calibash, taking place January 21 and 22 at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

In a display of women’s increasing clout in the Latin urban landscape, Rosalia will be joined by Karol G as a headlining act.

They join a previously billed group of headliners that also includes Ozuna, Myke Towers and Farruko.

The Latin urban megafest, widely known as the pioneer and still the most storied in a crowded Latin urban festival landscape, will also feature performances by Ivy Queen and Becky G, as well as Jhayco, Nío García, Zion & Lennox, Blessd, Sech and Feid.

Rosalía and Karol G will both perform one-offs, as their U.S. tours will have concluded by January. Tickets are already on sale.

All told, seven artists will perform per night at Calibash, a departure from the fest’s early years of dozens of acts on the bill, and also a departure from more crowded rosters. It’s part of an effort to more carefully curate Calibash, says Alessandra Alarcón, president of SBS Entertainment, which created and promotes the show.

Alarcón says that when she took over Calibash, “I thought the audience would be OK with there being less acts but more quality sets. I thought if we could edit this down and give the headliners half hour, 45 minutes, I think people would be stoked to see that. And I’m happy to say I was right.”

Last year, Calibash sold out three nights at Crypto.com Arena, even though the shows took place in the midst of a COVID-19 surge.

Calibash was the first Latin music festival devoted to urban music that not only took place consistently every year and always on the West Coast, but also became known for its performances — planned and unplanned — by mainstream artists like French Montana, Cardi B and memorably in 2016, Justin Bieber, in addition to a slew of other stars.

Both Calibash performances will kick-off with a pre-show fan festival that celebrates Latin music and culture at L.A. Live with surprise performances, experiences and more.

Calibash is owned and operated by SBS Entertainment’s parent company, Spanish Broadcasting System, which owns and operates some of Latin music’s top radio stations in the country, including Los Angeles’ KXOL-FM La Mega 96.3, the event’s official station.

Christina Aguilera to Host Intimate ‘Premiere Party’ at Billboard Latin Music Week

Posted on September 3, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Christina Aguilera is throwing a premiere party…

The 41-year-old half-Ecuadorian American singer will take part in this year’s Billboard Latin Music Week, taking place September 26-October 1 at the Faena Forum in Miami.

During the conference, Xtina will be hosting the “Premiere Party with Christina Aguilera,” where she’ll be debut never-before-heard music and answer fan questions in an intimate setting.

But Aguilera isn’t the only new addition to the lineup…

Justin Quiles will take part in an engaging panel about connecting people with music through technology, while Wisin y Yandel will join Nicky Jam for a compelling conversation during The Nicky Jam Rockstar Show Live from Billboard Latin Music Week.

The artists join a star-studded lineup that already includes: Bizarrap, Blessd, Camilo, Chayanne, Cris Chil, Dannylux, Dimelo Flow, Eladio Carrion, Elena Rose, Foreign Teck, Grupo Firme, The Children of Jenni Rivera, Kuinvi, Kunno, Lili Zetina, Luis R Conriquez, Eslabón Armado, Ivy Queen, Maluma, Mariah Angeliq, Ovy On The Drums, Subelo Neo, Tini, Tokischa, Ugly Primo and The King of Bachata Romeo Santos.

More participants will be announced in the weeks leading up to the 2022 Latin Music Week.

Registration is now open here.

Grupo Firme to Take Part in ‘Superstar Panel’ During Billboard Latin Music Week

Posted on August 9, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Grupo Firme will be taking part in this year’s Billboard Latin Music Week.

The Regional Mexican band will take part in one of the various superstar panels during the event, which will take place on September 26-30 at Miami’s Faena Forum.

Founded by Eduin Caz in Tijuana, Mexico, in 2013, Grupo Firme — which straddles the genres of banda and norteño — is comprised of Eduin’s brother Jhonny Caz, Abraham Hernández, Joaquín Ruiz, Christian Gutiérrez, José Rubio and Dylan Camacho.

Touring titans, in 2021, the band secured a historic booking at Los Angeles’ 20,000-capacity Staples Center as the first Latin act to perform the most shows in a single calendar year at the venue with seven sold-out concerts this summer. (The only other artist who has done more in one year is Adele, with eight performances in 2016.)

Grupo Firme joins the already announced star-studded lineup that includes Romeo Santos, Camilo, Chayanne, Ivy Queen, Nicky Jam, Eslabon Armado, Bizarrap, Blessd, Yahritza Y Su Esencia, Luis R. Conriquez, Ovy on the Drums, Kunno, and The Rivera Family.

More participants will be announced in the weeks leading up to the 2022 Latin Music Week. Registration is now open at BillboardLatinMusicWeek.com.

For 30 years, Billboard Latin Music Week has been the longest running and biggest Latin music industry gathering in the world. After a sold-out 2021 edition that featured Q&As with Daddy Yankee and Karol G, as well as show-stopping performances by Anitta, Rauw Alejandro, and Natti Natasha, the event returns, coinciding with Hispanic Heritage Month.

Billboard Latin Music Week will also coincide with the 2022 Billboard Latin Music Awards on Thursday, Sept. 29, in Miami. The Billboard Latin Music Awards will broadcast live on Telemundo, and will also broadcast simultaneously on the Spanish entertainment cable network, Universo, and throughout Latin America and the Caribbean on Telemundo Internacional.

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