Gente de Zona Earns First No. 1 in Five Years on Billboard Tropical Airplay Chart with “Soy Yo,” Featuring Wisin & Don Omar

Gente de Zona has made a triumphant return to the top of the Billboard Tropical Airplay chart…

Soy Yo,” the first collaboration between the Cuban reggaeton duo comprised of musicians Alexander Delgado and Randy Malcom, Wisin and Don Omar, has reached the summit of the Tropical Airplay chart dated July 9.

Gente de Zona“Soy Yo” tops the list with a 17% increase in audience impressions, to 8.03 million, earned in the U.S. in the week ending July 3, according to Luminate (rising 2-1).

It trades places with Prince Royce and Maria Becerra’s “Te Espero” after its four-nonconsecutive-week reign (with 5.8 million impressions and a 24% dip).

“Soy Yo” becomes the first No. 1 for Gente de Zona in over five years, since “La Mala y La Buena,” with Alex Sensation, placed the Cubans in the penthouse in February 2017 for two weeks.

In between, the duo scored 20 entries — among those, a collection of 10 top 10s — including “A Mi Manera,” with Dale Pututi, Jacob Forever, featuring Baby Lores, Eddy K, Los 4, El Chacal, El Micha, El Chulo, which debuts at No. 24 on the current chart.

Don Omar and Wisin, meanwhile, clock their 10th and fifth champ, respectively.

For Don Omar, “Soy Yo” grants him a second No. 1 via his new label Saban Music after a more than eight-year hiatus on the chart. Prior to the nine-week champ “Se Menea,” with Nio García (December 2021), Don Omar scored eight chart-toppers, his last one in April 2021 (“Dutty Love,” with Natti Natasha).

Here’s a recap of Don Omar’s No. 1s on Tropical Airplay:

Peak Date, Title, Artists (if other than Don Omar)

Aug. 20, 2005, “Reggaetón Latino”
Sept. 10, 2005, “Ella y Yo,” Aventura featuring Don Omar (two weeks atop)
July 1, 2006, “Angelito VI” (two weeks)
Dec. 16, 2006, “Los Hombres Tienen La Culpa,” with Gilberto Santa Rosa (two weeks)
May 5, 2007, “Nunca Había Llorado Así,” with Victor Manuelle
Nov. 13, 2010, “Danza Kuduro,” Don Omar & Lucenzo (18 weeks at No. 1)
July 23, 2011, “Taboo” (three weeks)
April 7, 2012, “Dutty Love,” featuring Natti Natasha
Dec. 25, 2021, “Se Menea,” with Nio García (nine weeks)
July 9, “Soy Yo,” with Wisin & Gente de Zona

“Soy Yo’s” coronation returns Saban Music to the top of Tropical Airplay. As previously mentioned, the label’s first win through Don Omar, arrived with “Se Menea’s” nine-week reign starting Dec. 25, 2021. The tribute to the late Celia Cruz, “El Carnaval de Celia: A Tribute (La Vida Es Un Carnaval/ La Negra Tiene…)” by Kyen?Es? saw the label at the summit for the first time in September 2020.

Elsewhere, “Soy Yo” continues forward progress on the all-genre Latin Airplay chart through a 7-4 climb; the highest Gente de Zona has ranked since its featured role in Chyno Miranda’s “Quédate Conmigo,” which also features Wisin (No. 7 high, 2017).

Ricardo Arjona to Perform During Upcoming Vegas Latin Summer Beach Fest

Life’s a beach (bash) for Ricardo Arjona.

The 58-year-old Guatemalan singer-songwriter will be among the artists taking part in the first-ever edition of Vegas Latin Summer Beach Fest, presented by 360 Worldwide Entertainment.

Ricardo ArjonaThe festival will offer a “one-of-a-kind” experience in Las Vegas throughout the spring and summer, according to the company

The concept, dubbed the “Caribbean Edition,” is a concert series composed of 11 shows: nine three-day beach festivals at the Mandalay Bay Beach, and two concerts at the T-Mobile Arena.

“As the company that established the Latin music festival format, we are proud to innovate the live music experience once again,” said Lucas Piña, founder, 360 Worldwide Entertainment. “After an exhausting pandemic, we are again the first to advocate and support our Latin culture in general, providing the city of Las Vegas with a truly enriching cultural experience for its community and tourism,” added the former SBS Entertainment executive who helped conceptualize the company’s marquee events such as Calibash and Miamibash.

The Vegas Latin Summer Beach Fest: Caribbean Edition will “transport you to the beautiful islands of the Caribbean: Cuba, Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico through an impressive cultural display,” according to a press release.

The weekend-long festivals at the Mandalay Bay will kick off with Havana Nights (April 15-17) — headlined by YotuelJacob Forever and Osmani García — followed by Dominican Republic Carnaval Nights (May 20-22) and Noches de San Juan (June 17-19).

Artists set to perform at Carnaval and Noches de San Juan will be announced in the upcoming weeks.

The two concerts at the T-Mobile Arena include Arjona — who’ll make a stop there as part of his Blanco y Negro Tour on April 23 — and the July 16 show that will wrap up the series which will “feature 21 artists and special guests.”

“We have been working tirelessly for a long time on this concept, and the vision of offering something different, far from scaring us, invigorates us,” said Camilo Gonzalez, 360 Worldwide Entertainment’s president. “Back in 2007, when the industry said it was impossible to create a rotating stage, Lucas Piña challenged them. Now, we are returning the focus to Latin music genres that also deserve recognition, such as salsa, merengue, bachata, and urban music.”

For more info on the concert series visit www.vlsfest.com.

Garcia to Perform at This Year’s ASCAP Latin Music Awards

Kany Garcia is preparing for her great ASCAP

The 34-year-old Puerto Rican singer-songwriter will perform at the 25th annual ASCAP Latin Music Awards.

Kany Garcia

Garcia, a two-time Latin Grammy winner, including Best New Artist in 2008, joins a lineup of confirmed performers that includes Jacob Forever, Noel Schajris, Joss Favela and Silverio Lozada.

The awards ceremony will take place at the Vanderbilt Hotel in Condado in Puerto Rico on March 15.

This year, the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers will honor iconic salsa group El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico and singer/songwriter Vico C during the ceremony hosted by José Santana.

El Gran Combo will be honored with the ASCAP Latin Heritage Award in recognition of their “unique and enduring contributions to Latin music” while urban music pioneer Vico C will receive the ASCAP Vanguard Award.

ASCAP will also present accolades to songwriter of the year, singer/songwriter of the year, publisher of the year, independent publisher of the year and Latin song of the year.

Last year, the annual awards show was hosted at the Ritz Carlton in South Beach, Miami, with standout performances by Natalia Lafourcade, Favela, who became the youngest-ever songwriter of the year winner, and Gente de Zona.