Morat Announces 20-Date Latin American Stadium Tour

Morat is preparing for a major trek…

Just as they Colombian Latin pop rock band is wrapping up its U.S. tour dates, Morat has announced plans for its upcoming stadium trek in Latin America.

Morat

After a performance in Madrid on June 21, Morat will begin the 20-date stint in cities like Bogotá, Lima, Buenos Aires and Quito before wrapping up with four shows in Mexico in December.

Dubbed Los Estadios: Antes de Que Amanezca Tour, Morat’s new trek comes on the heels of its touring success with more than 1 million tickets sold in 2023, according to Universal Music Latino, which led to the Colombian band’s upcoming first-ever stadium tour in Latin America.

“We have a wishlist of things we wanted to try to incorporate into the show,” Morat — composed of Juan Pablo Isaza, Juan Pablo Villamil, Martín Vargas and Simón Vargas — tells Billboard. “One thing we do a lot of is also think about the shows as moments so, that each song has something special, some moment, some little thing. And obviously our management team was hysterical because that obviously directly impacts the budget, but we were eager to have every one of the songs have something and at the end we did something that I think is very special. Our motto today is ‘We’re losing money, but let’s go down in history.’”

In 2016, the band, which got its start hand-delivering CDs in its native Bogotá, Colombia, and playing gigs in local bars, released its first album, Solo El Amor Y Sus Efectos Secundarios.

That same year, Morat received a Latin Grammy best new artist nomination.

Morat’s latest album, Si Ayer Fuera Hoy, scored the band its first entry on the Billboard Latin Pop Albums chart, where it peaked at No. 18 on the tally dated Nov. 19, 2022.

Tickets for Los Estadios Tour are set to go on sale soon.

Fans can find more information at moratoficial.com.

Morat Stadium Tour Dates

Gente de Zona Named Kings of Carnaval Miami 2024

Gene de Zona is preparing for a royal Carnaval experience in South Florida.

Kiwanis Club of Little Havana unveiled the official event schedule for Carnaval Miami 2024, with the Cuban reggaeton duo set to participate.

Gente de ZonaJoined by Kiwanis board members and sponsors, the organization’s president Pablo Lau announced during a press conference this week this year’s Kings of Carnaval Miami is the Latin Grammy-winning duo.

The longtime event consists of live music, paintings, crafts, photography and jewelry for a cultural experience.

Carnaval Miami 2024 officially kicks off on February 10 and will wrap a month later with the Calle Ocho Music Festival, which will include a special performance by Gente de Zona.

For the entire Carnaval Miami 2024 schedule, visit www.carnavalmiami.com.

Mana to Headline This Year’s BottleRock Napa Valley Festival

Mana is preparing to (bottle)rock in Napa Valley.

The legendary Mexican Grammy– and Latin Grammy-winning pop-rock will headline this year’s BottleRock Napa Valley, alongside the likes of Pearl Jam, Ed Sheeran and Stevie Nicks.

ManaThe Northern California music and culinary festival will take place May 24-26.

But they aren’t the only Latinx act set to perform…

Columbian pop star Kali Uchis, Latino American singer-songwriter Stephen Sanchez and Colombian musical ensemble Monsieur Periné will also perform at BottleRock..

Other performers include rapper Megan Thee Stallion, desert rock outfit Queens of the Stone Age and The Kid LAROI, along with Dominic Fike, St. VincentNorah JonesThe Offspring and My Morning Jacket.

The BottleRock announcement traditionally serves as a talent preview of what’s ahead for festival bookings.

Co-owned and operated by Live Nation and Napa Vally’s Lattitude 38, the festival has enjoyed tremendous success since it was taken over in 2014 by Lattitude 38 partners David Graham, Justin Dragoo and Jason Scoggins. Napa’s food and wine scene has always been key to the DNA of the festival, but musically, finding BottleRock’s sweet spot has long been a passion of Graham and talent buyer Tom Hoppa.  

Graham often relies on outside advice and suggestions from his partners at Live Nation and spends a lot of time speaking with managers to better understand the artists’ own vision for their career. The result is a lineup highlighting a variety of genres and acts at different points in their career.

BottleRock will take place in the heart of the City of Napa at the Napa Valley Expo on May 24-26, 2024.

Three-day general admission tickets begin at $456 per person — all in pricing — and go on sale at 10am Pacific on Tuesday, January 9 on their website.   

Grupo Firme Announces Plans to Take “La Última Peda” Tour Global

Grupo Firme is preparing for a global trek…

The Latin Grammy-winning Regional Mexican group, based in Tijuana, Mexico, has announced plans to hit the road in 2024 with their La Última Peda tour.

Grupo FirmeWhile the dates and venues are yet to be revealed, Grupo Firme confirmed they’ll be performing in Mexico, the U.S., Latin America and, for the first time, Europe, becoming one of the few Mexican banda groups to tour in European territory.

“You dictate where you want to see Grupo Firme. The most mentioned cities or countries [in the comments] will be where we will be present,” the group shared on Instagram.

Formed in 2014, they have received nominations for a variety of awards, including Premios Juventud and Premio Lo Nuestro, being the winner in 2021 of the latter in five categories.

Christina Aguilera Signs with United Talent Agency for Global Representation

Christina Aguilera has new representation…

The 43-year-old half-Ecuadorian American Grammy-winning singer and pop icon has signed with United Talent Agency (UTA) for worldwide representation.

Christina AguileraThe “Genie in a Bottle” and “What a Girl Wants” singer, a multiple Grammy-winning singer-songwriter renowned for her powerhouse vocals, has to date sold more than 75 million records worldwide. She’s also garnered five No. 1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, making her the third female artist, and fourth overall, to top the list over three consecutive decades.

The winner of seven Grammys, including two Latin Grammys, Aguilera’s most recent recognition at these award shows came in the form of the 2022 Latin Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album on behalf of her second Spanish-language album, Aguilera. After being recognized with the inaugural Music Icon Award at the People’s Choice Awards in 2021, she nabbed the Spirit of Hope Award at the 2022 Billboard Latin Music Awards, going on to receive the Advocate for Change Award at the GLAAD Media Awards the following year.

In addition to her work as a songwriter and recording artist, Aguilera is well known for her efforts as a producer, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. Since 2009, she’s served as a global spokesperson for Yum! BrandsWorld Hunger Relief effort, also helping to raise over $150 million for the World Food Program and other hunger relief agencies, while raising awareness around domestic violence, LGBTQ+ equality and other essential cultural conversations.

Also the co-founder of Playground, a sexual wellness lifestyle brand launched in 2022, Aguilera can currently be found headlining a new show at Volatire at The Venetian Resort in Las Vegas.

She continues to be represented by Roc Nation and imPRint.

Shakira Honored with 20-Foot Bronze Statue in Her Colombian Hometown

Shakira has been immortalized in her hometown of Barranquilla, Colombia..

City officials have unveiled a giant bronze statue of the 46-year-old Colombian superstar known around the world for her catchy tunes and exhilarating moves.

ShakiraThe 20-foot-tall monument depicts the multiple Grammy and Latin Grammy winner in one of her famous belly-dancing outfits, with her hips swaying to her right and her arms raised gracefully toward the sky.

A plaque under the statue says that on February 2, 1977, the town of “Barranquilla and the world witnessed the birth of a heart that composes, hips that don’t lie, a voice that moves masses and a pair of bare feet that walk for the good of children and humanity.”

The statue, located on a recently built promenade along the Magdalena River that runs along the edge of the town, was unveiled in a small ceremony on Tuesday attended by Shakira’s parents and the mayor, Jaime Pumarejo.

Shakira StatueHowever, the bronze giant is not the Caribbean town’s first Shakira statue. In 2006, Barranquilla unveiled a Shakira monument that depicts the pop star in her early days, playing an acoustic guitar and wearing jeans and boots. That statues stands near the entrance of the local soccer stadium.

In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Shakira gave thanks to sculptor Yino Marquez and his students at Barranquilla’s public art academy for the latest statue, which she described as proof of the “enormous talent” of Barranquilla’s citizens.

Shakira won three Latin Grammys earlier this year, and also made headlines in January, when she and Bizarrap collaborated on “Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53,” a fiery rap song about Shakira’s ex-partner Gerard Pique that broke YouTube records.

She also settled a tax-fraud case in Spain with a $7.5 million dollar payment this year, and recently moved to Miami with her two children.

Alicia Villarreal’s Camixes Entertainment Signs Global Distribution Agreement with ADA Worldwide

Alicia Villarreal is hoping for global reach…

The 52-year-old Mexican singer has signed a global distribution agreement with ADA Worldwide and her label Camixes Entertainment.

Alicia Villarreal,The deal marks Villarreal’s return to releasing music after a seven-year hiatus.

Her first independent single, “Ojo Por Ojo,” was released last month, while a new album is expected out next year.

Villarreal participated in different bands in Monterrey, Mexico, before becoming the lead singer for Grupo Límite in 1995.

After nearly eight years of success, Villarreal left the band to pursue a solo career.

She released her first solo album, entitled Soy Lo Prohibido, in 2001.[1]

Villarreal’s work has earned her a Grammy nomination and two Latin Grammy Awards, one from her time with Grupo Límite and one as a solo artist.

Villarreal is booked and managed by Apodaca Group.

Maria Becerra Signs with Wasserman Music for Worldwide Representation

Maria Becerra is expanding her world

The 23-year-old Argentine singer-songwriter has signed with Wasserman Music for representation worldwide (except Latin America).

Maria BecerraShe’ll be represented by agents Juan Toro and Ryan Soroka.

The deal caps off a significant 2023 for Becerra who in May signed a label deal with Warner Music Latina, in a joint venture with 300 Entertainment, followed by an exclusive administration deal with Warner Chappell Music in August.

In May, Becerra received the visionary award at the inaugural Billboard Latin Women in Music gala.

Becerra — known for fusing pop, cumbia villera, bachata and reggaeton — broke in 2019 with her EP 222.

Two years later, she released her debut album, Animal, featuring collaborations with artists such as Cazzu, Becky G and Tiago PZK. The set earned Becerra a Latin Grammy nomination for best urban music album.

Overall, Becerra has scored three entries on the Hot Latin Songs chart, including her J Balvin collaboration “Qué Más Pues?” She’s also claimed three top 10 spots on Latin Airplay, including two No. 1 hits: “Te Espero,” featuring Prince Royce and “Así Es La Vida” with Enrique Iglesias.

Notably, she holds the record for the most entries by a woman on the Billboard Argentina Hot 100 with 43.

Most recently, Becerra sold out her upcoming March 23 show at the River Plate Stadium in her native Argentina in less than 90 minutes, making history in doing so.

Before her show at the fabled venue, which has a capacity of nearly 65,000, Becerra will perform at Viña del Mar in Chile on March 1.

Pitbull Extends Global Publishing Deal with BMG

Pitbull is extending his global deal…

The 42-year-old Cuban American rapper, singer, songwriter, businessman and actor, born Armando Perez, has extended his global publishing deal with BMG.

PitbullPitbull first signed to the company nearly a decade ago, and under the renewed partnership, his back catalog of hits and future songs will be administered by the BMG team.

Pitbull’s feel-good anthem “Give Me Everything,” featuring Ne-Yo, Afrojack and Nayer, hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart dated July 9 for one week in 2011, while “Timber,” his collaboration with Kesha, went to No. 1 on the Hot 100 chart on January 18, 2014, leading for three weeks.

Pitbull has sold more than 25 million studio albums and over 100 million singles worldwide. His music video have over 15 billion views on YouTube.

He has won one Grammy, one Latin Grammy, three Billboard Music Awards and nine Billboard Latin Music Awards.

Juan Luis Guerra Earns 12th No. 1 on Billboard’s Tropical Airplay Chart with “Mambo 23”

Juan Luis Guerra has returned to the top of the charts…

The 66-year-old Dominican Grammy-winning musician, singer, composer and record producer is back at the summit of Billboard’s Tropical Airplay chart as “Mambo 23” advances 3-1 to lead the November 25-dated list.

Juan Luis GuerraThe new champ arrives nine years after he last led through “Tus Besos” in 2014, for one week in charge.

“Mambo 23” climbs to No. 1 with a 9% gain in audience impressions, to 4.45 million, earned during the November 10-16 tracking week, according to Luminate. The song, released September 22 via Rimas, is the first single from Guerra’s recently released EP Radio Güira.

With the new champ, Guerra collects his 12th No. 1 on Tropical Airplay and breaks a tie with India for the eighth-most, a score led by Marc Anthony with 35 champs since the ranking began in 1994.

Here’s the scoreboard:

35, Marc Anthony
29, Victor Manuelle
23, Prince Royce
18, Romeo Santos
14, Elvis Crespo
14, Gilberto Santa Rosa
13, Jerry Rivera
12, Juan Luis Guerra 440
11, India

Guerra last landed at the summit with “Tus Besos” in 2014. (He notched seven hits between “Tus Besos” and “Mambo 23,” including six top 10s.)

The nine-year span becomes the longest between No. 1s since Don Omar took an equal nine years (and eight months) to dominate Tropical Airplay with the one-week ruler “Dutty Love,” featuring Natti Natasha (April 2012) and “Se Menea,” with Nio García, (Dec. 2021).

“Mambo 23” rules the tropical ranking as it ejects Chayanne’s “Bailando Bachata” from its 14-week domination; along with Manuel Turizo’s “La Bachata,” the third-longest run this decade, both with 14 weeks atop.

The pair trail Prince Royce’s “Carita de Inocente” with 29 weeks at No. 1, the most in the 2020’s decade, and Daddy Yankee and Marc Anthony’s “De Vuelta Pa’ La Vuelta” (22 weeks in charge).

Elsewhere, “Mambo 23” lifts 25-21 on the overall Latin Airplay, Guerra’s highest rank since “Muchachita Linda” reached No. 15 in October 2015.