Tag Archives: Juliana Velasquez

Juliana Velásquez Signs Distribution Deal with Warner Music México in Alliance with MUN Entertainment

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Juliana Velásquez has a new deal…

The 25-year-old Colombian singer-songwriter, a Best New Artist Latin Grammy winner, has signed a distribution deal with Warner Music México in alliance with MUN Entertainment.

Juliana VelásquezThe partnership is aimed at broadening Velásquez’s reach.

The Colombian singer-songwriter — one of Billboard’s Latin Artists to Watch in 2022 — will continue to have creative control over her project.

“I greatly admire Juliana. Her talent and creativity are impressive,” said Warner Music Andes MD Daniel Mora in a statement. “I have witnessed her incredible evolution as an artist and the connection she establishes with both her fans and with the general public. Her voice is simply captivating and has the power to win over everyone who listens to it. We are extremely excited to be a part of her journey and continue to witness how her art continues to flourish.”

Warner Music Mexico GM of artist strategy Alejandro Mejia added: “We are very happy that Juliana and her team have trusted Warner Music at this stage of their career. We are proud to be able to help them reap the successes they have been working on for years in Colombia and to be a fundamental part of those that will sow in other territories, where we are sure that he will continue to captivate with his enormous talent and charisma.”

Velásquez has released two studio albums: Juliana (2021) and Dos, Dos, Dos (2022). In 2021, she won the coveted best new artist award at the Latin Grammys, where she was one of 10 newcomers in the hard-to-predict category that also included Paloma Mami, Bizarrap, Boza and María Becerra. 

“My acting and singing career began when I was very little. I was four years old when I entered a theater academy in Colombia […] That academy became my home,” Velásquez previously told Billboard. “Officially, I began singing and acting when I was seven years old and since then I haven’t stopped. I learned to write songs because when we were practicing for our musicals, I heard the lyrics and thought it was magical that you could tell stories via music. So, I’d go home after rehearsals and write my own version of the songs we had rehearsed.”

Velásquez is currently making the rounds with “Cuando Te Encuentre,” her debut single under the new signing which is part of her forthcoming studio album Mar Adentro.

Juliana Velasquez Defeats Ilima-Lei Macfarlane by Unanimous Decision to Claim Bellator Women’s Flyweight Title

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Juliana Velasquez is Bellator’s new flyweight queen.

The 34-year-old Brazilian mixed martial artist beat Ilima-Lei Macfarlane via unanimous decision (48-47, 49-46, 48-47) to win the Bellator women’s flyweight title Thursday night in the main event of Bellator 254 at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut.

Juliana Velasquez

Macfarlane had been the only women’s flyweight champion the promotion had known until now, after winning the belt in November 2017. Both women came in undefeated.

“To me, this is like a gold medal,” Velasquez said through an interpreter in her postfight interview.

ESPN had Macfarlane ranked No. 2 in the world at women’s flyweight coming in, just below UFC women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko.

 

Velasquez started off strong, though the first two rounds were close. A southpaw who was a Brazilian national-team-level judoka, she was able to keep Macfarlane at the end of her punches, particularly a nice straight left. Macfarlane attempted to blitz in for combinations and takedown attempts, but was mostly unsuccessful. At the end of the second, Macfarlane attempted a sacrifice throw against the cage, but it didn’t work — Velasquez ended up in top position on the ground.

Things started to pick up in Round 3. Macfarlane caught a Velasquez kick, starting a scramble. But Macfarlane fell head first against the cage, and it looked as though the fence opened up a cut across the top of her right eye area, just under her eyebrow. Velasquez then bloodied Macfarlane’s nose and mouth at the end of the round, connecting on a jumping knee.

Macfarlane was game, though. She was finally able to land a takedown on Velasquez late in the fourth round, where she delivered a nice volume of ground-and-pound. In the fifth, Macfarlane was not able to duplicate the feat. Velasquez stayed on her feet and once again took top position on a Macfarlane throw attempt. At the final bell, Velasquez landed a beautiful judo throw to seal it.

“At the end of the day, she just outperformed me,” Macfarlane said. “I think it was more like I didn’t find my groove until that [fourth-round] takedown. … Her game plan was spot on, though. She’s the champion, she deserves it.”

Judge Mike Bell scored the first, second, third and fifth rounds for Velasquez. Judge Sal D’Amato had Velasquez winning the first, third and fifth, and judge Bryan Minor had Velasquez winning the first, second and third.

Velasquez (11-0) has won all six of her Bellator fights. She was actually the slight favorite coming in, though she was the challenger.

Macfarlane (11-1) had won all 10 of her Bellator fights coming in. The Hawaii native, who lives and trains in California, had four title defenses, and if she had won Thursday she would have set Bellator’s title-defense record. Macfarlane, 30, had not been to a decision since 2016.