Alejandro Sanz to Make Special Appearance at This Year’s Billboard Latin Music Week

Alejandro Sanz has achieved Icon status…

The 55-year-old Spanish Grammy-winning singer and songwriter will take part in this year’s Billboard Latin Music Week.

Alejandro SanzSanz, a four-time Grammy and 22-time Latin Grammy winner, will sit down for an exclusive Icon Q&A.

Sanz joins a star-studded lineup for the five-day event, featuring exclusive panels, conversations and performances by Latin music’s biggest stars.

Previously announced participants include Bad Gyal, Belinda, Camila Fernández, Chiquis, DANNA, Danny Ocean, Dei V, Domelipa, Eslabon Armado, Fat Joe, Gloria Estefan, J Balvin, JOP, Keityn, Kunno, Lele Pons, Luis Alfonso, Lupita Infante, Majo Aguilar, María Becerra, Marko, Mau y Ricky, Mon Laferte, N.O.R.E., Omar Courtz, Paola Jara, Peso Pluma, Pipe Bueno, Sophia Talamas, Yahritza y Su Esencia, Yeison Jiménez, Yeri Mua and Zhamira Zambrano, with more to be announced in the coming weeks.

“It’s an honor to welcome Alejandro as he prepares to release new music,” says Leila CoboBillboard’s Chief Content Officer for Latin and Español, in a press release. “We pride ourselves in being a home for artists where they can speak creatively and openly, and we can’t wait to hear what Alejandro has to say.”

Sanz’s Icon Q&A marks his return to Latin Music Week after he sat for an exclusive conversation in 2003.

From his debut in 1991 with Viviendo Deprisa to his album of the year Latin Grammy-nominated latest studio album SANZ, released in December 2021, Sanz has established himself as one of the most well-known and influential artists around the world.

With more than 25 million records sold, all his albums have obtained multi-platinum status in Spain, Latin America and the United States.

Throughout his career, Sanz has collaborated with renowned artists from all over the world, from Alicia Keys to Shakira, Destiny’s Child, Laura Pausini, Ivete Sangalo, Juanes, Juan Luis Guerra, Marc Anthony and many more.

Among his latest releases are “NASA” with Camilo; “La Despedida,” included in the soundtrack of the movie Bullet Train; and “Yo Soy” with Eros Ramazzotti.

He recently obtained his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and was honored by his hometown of Andalucía with the city’s highest distinction, a medal with the title of “Favorite Son.”

Celebrating its 35th anniversary, Billboard Latin Music Week will take place October 14-18 at The Fillmore Miami Beach at the Jackie Gleason Theater. Tickets are available for purchase here.

Belinda To Participate in This Year’s Billboard Latin Music Week

Belinda is preparing to highlight Latina power at this year’s Billboard Latin Music Week event.

The 35-year-old Spanish-Mexican singer and actress will participate in Billboard Latin Music Week 2024, Billboard announced on Monday.

BelindaBelinda is among a roster of new conference participants that includes Camila Fernández, Chiquis, Dei V, Eslabón Armado, Kunno, Lupita Infante, Majo Aguilar, Omar Courtz, Yahritza y Su Esencia and Zhamira Zambrano will participate in

These artists join previously announced participants including Bad Gyal, DANNA, Danny Ocean, Domelipa, Fat Joe, Gloria Estefan, J Balvin, JOP, Keityn, Lele Pons, Luis Alfonso, Maria Becerra, Mau y Ricky, Mon Laferte, N.O.R.E., Paola Jara, Peso Pluma, Pipe Bueno, Sophia Talamas, Yeison Jiménez and Yeri Mua.

Celebrating its 35th anniversary, Billboard Latin Music Week will take place October 14-18 at The Fillmore Miami Beach at the Jackie Gleason Theater. Tickets are already available for purchase here.

“Miami Beach is a global destination for arts and entertainment, and this is a perfect example, hosting Billboard Latin Music Week,” said Miami Beach mayor Steven Meiner. “And just like Latin music is the heartbeat of many communities, the Billboard Latin Music Week is becoming the heartbeat of Miami Beach. We are really proud to have that partnership.”

Panelists include Venezuelan content creator Marko, who’ll speak on the panel “From Viral Hits to Billboard Charts: The Power of Content Creators.”

“Us content creators have become a must to take music to the masses,” said Marko at the press conference. “We’re doing work that began a few years ago basically with no credibility. Today, we have the possibility and blessing to have an important brand like Billboard give us our own panel to display our work and accomplishments with music. It’s a fact that content creators are the new DJs.”

Mau and Ricky will speak at the panel titled “Venezuela Rising,” where Venezuelan artists will discuss the global impact of Venezuelan artists and also, their role in their country’s current political climate.

Speaking at Billboard Latin Music Week “Provides us a platform to continue speaking about our country and what’s happening there now,” said Mau. “Thanks for giving us the opportunity to speak about Venezuelan talent and also about what things need to change in Venezuela. And thanks for the opportunity to speak to a new generation. It’s so important to me to give them the tools not many of us had when we started.”

Other newly added speakers include Belinda and Zhamira Zambrano, who will participate in The Women’s Panel, Global Rising: A Conversation with Female Stars from Around the Globe, shining a spotlight on the diverse talent and voices of trailblazing Latina artists.

The highly anticipated Legacies panel will bring together Chiquis, Majo Aguilar, Camila Fernández and Lupita Infante to discuss how, by building on their remarkable dynasties, they have crafted their own careers while honoring their family names and the evolution of Latin music.

Dei V and Omar Courtz will be part of Next Gen Reggaeton: An Evening Curated by J Balvin.

Meanwhile, the panel Families Who Work Together will feature Yahritza y Su Esencia, whose sister manages the group, and Eslabon Armado, whose mother serves as their manager, highlighting the unique dynamics of family partnerships in music.

Kunno will lend his expertise as the moderator of the From YouTube to Charts panel with chart-topping artists that started their careers on social media.

Billboard Latin Music Week will coincide with the Billboard Latin Music Awards, which will air on Telemundo. Latin Music Week tickets will not include access to the awards show this year. Instead, Billboard will host a special 35th-year anniversary celebration on the evening of October 18, where INSIDER badge holders will receive exclusive invitations to this star-studded event.

J Balvin to Headline This Year’s Billboard Latin Music Week

J Balvin is helping celebrate Latin music…

The 39-year-old Colombian singer will headline the 2024 Billboard Latin Music Week.

J BalvinThis year’s 35th annual event will take place from October 14-18 at The Fillmore Miami Beach at the Jackie Gleason Theater. 

Known for his massive influence on Colombian reggaetón and global Latin music, the Medellín superstar — who is fresh off releasing his sixth solo studio album Rayo — will host a special night titled “Next Gen Reggaetón: An Evening Curated by J Balvin” during the week.

The event promises an exciting lineup of surprise performances and guests, all chosen by Balvin himself.

The global superstar and entrepreneur is a highly decorated and critically acclaimed cultural icon who has won multiple Billboard Music Awards and plenty of chart accolades, including nine No. 1 tracks on the Hot Latin Songs chart like “Mi Gente” with Beyoncé, “Ginza,” “RITMO (Bad Boys For Life)” with Black Eyed Peas) and a No. 1 on the Hot 100 (“I Like It” with Cardi B and Bad Bunny).

Apart from his curation, Balvin will engage in an exclusive Superstar Q&A moderated by Leila Cobo, chief content officer for Latin/Español at Billboard, providing deeper insights into his music and influence. The session aims to foster intimate and enlightening discussions.

“Latin music is living its most successful and globally recognized moment ever this year. But Billboard has been proudly at its side for over 35 years as the main flagbearer, supporter and ultimate opinion maker for Latin music around the world,” said Cobo in a press release. “During a year when Latin music is dominating the charts and the cultural zeitgeist, we are thrilled to return to Miami Beach, the global capital of Latin music, for this exciting week-long event.”

The announcement also highlighted the expansive lineup for this legacy event, featuring a blend of established stars and emerging talents including Bad Gyal, DANNA, Danny Ocean, Domelipa, Fat Joe, Gloria Estefan, JOP, Keityn, Lele Pons, Luis Alfonso, Maria Becerra, Mau y Ricky, Mon LaFerte, N.O.R.E., Paola Jara, Peso Pluma, Pipe Bueno, Sophia Talamas, Yeison Jiménez, and Yeri Mua, with more to be announced in the coming months.

Tickets are now available here.

Fuerza Regida & Grupo Frontera Both Earn First No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs Chart with “Bebe Dame”

Fuerza Regida and Grupo Frontera are both celebrating a special first…

The two Regional Mexican groups are celebrating their respective first No. 1 single on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart as “Bebe Dame,” their second collaboration, powers from 3-1 on the January 21-dated ranking.

Fuerza Regida & Grupo Frontera “We were aiming for a hit, but we didn’t know it’d be this big,” Fuerza Regida’s lead singer JOP tells Billboard.

“Bebe Dame” rises to the summit in its fourth week on the multi-metric tally — which blends airplay, streaming data and digital sales — with gains across all metrics, and takes home the Greatest Gainer/Sales & Streaming trophy for registering the biggest gains of the week.

Streaming contributes the most to the song’s ranking, with a robust 26% increase, to 14.1 million official U.S. streams earned in the week ending January 12, according to Luminate. The sum yields a 20-11 surge on the all-genre Streaming Songs list and a second week at No. 1 on Latin Streaming Songs.

While sales rise with a 17% gain, to 2,000 downloads in the same period, “Bebe Dame” is pushed down 1-2 on Latin Digital Songs, as Bizarrap and Shakira’s “Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53” debuts atop with a little over 2,000 sales.

Fuerza Regida’s new No. 1 song arrives a week after scoring a dual achievement: the group’s latest albums Pa Que Hablen and Sigan Hablando launched in the top 10 on Top Latin Albums and Regional Mexican Albums charts (dated January 14).

“Bebe Dame” from Sigan Hablando, and which debuted at No. 3 on the same chart week on Hot Latin Songs, earns both Fuerza Regida and Grupo Frontera its first champ there.

“It was definitely challenging,” JOP adds about working with Grupo Frontera. “We went out of our comfort zone with this track, but the energy, the vibe, was always there. It was recorded in one take!”

Elsewhere, “Bebe Dame” earns Fuerza Regida its first entry on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 chart. Grupo Frontera, meanwhile, secures its highest ranking as the song bows at No. 31.

Further, Grupo Frontera claims its highest ranking on the Global 200 list as “Bebe Dame” jumps 46-22 in its second week. Previously, the group reached a No. 31 high with “No Se Va” in Oct. 2022. On the Global Excl. U.S. chart, the track rockets 102-45 in its second week.

Fuerza Regida Signs Record Deal with Sony Music Latin via Partnership with Rancho Humilde Records

Fuerza Regida has a new deal…

The Mexican-American musical group has signed a record deal with Sony Music Latin through a partnership with Rancho Humilde Records.

Fuerza RegidaThe San Bernardino-based band — composed of Jesús Ortiz Paz a.k.a. JOP (lead singer), José García (tuba), Samuel Jaimez (requinto), Khrystian Ramos (guitar) and Moisés López (tololoche) — officially became a group in March 2015, starting off as a local cover band who added East L.A. flavor to their music.

They have since helped push forward the urban corrido movement with their raw penmanship about street life and edgy fusions inspired by Adriel CamachoHijos de Barron and Metallica.

Their name derives from the words “strength” and “govern.”

“We feel very good because by signing with Sony Music Latin, this partnership will allow us to do bigger things,” Fuerza Regida’s JOP said in a statement. “To be able to count on the support of a company of this caliber is incredible and a great opportunity. We are very happy to start this new chapter. Pura Fuerza Regida!”

On the Billboard charts, the Mexican-American group has placed 11 entries on Hot Latin Songs, five entries on Latin Airplay, seven entries on Regional Mexican Airplay, five entries on Top Latin Albums and six entries on Regional Mexican Albums, including two No. 1s: Del Barrio Hasta Aqui (2019) and Aqui (2020).

“Fuerza Regida represents the future of music,” noted a Rancho Humilde Records spokesperson. “Their perfect mix of traditional sounds and contemporary lyrics make them unique in their genre. It is an honor to be able to share their music with the world through a multinational label such as Sony. The best is yet to come!”

Sony Music US Latin’s president, Alex Gallardo, added: “Fuerza Regida represents a new generation of Mexican music. Adding them to our roster of artists, only continues our mission to push the future of music forward. We are excited to see where we go with the group.”

Up next, Fuerza Regida will become the first urban Mexican music group to perform as part of the Made in America festival lineup set for Sept. 3 and 4 at Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.