Farruko Teams Up with Marshmello to Release New Single “Esta Vida”

It’s a celebration of life for Farruko

The 31-year-old Puerto Rican rapper and singer has joined voices with Marshmello to release the new single “Esta Vida” via Sony Music Latin.

FarrukoFollowing his hit “El Merengue,” DJ Marsmello is venturing back into the Spanish-language music market to release this latest Latin collaboration with Farruko.

The track maintains Farruko’s trademark electronic sound, which has seen him reach the top of Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs and Hot Dance/Electronic Songs charts in the past, but the American DJ takes it a step further with an electro-house mix that elevates it with synths and a danceable beat.

The lyrics convey a different message that reflects his newly found life path and the video only adds to it, showing Farruko living two parallel but contrasting lives, as a homeless man and as a wealthy celebrity.

“Let them talk, let them say, live your life, I live mine/ I got tired of the lies, from so much falsehood of the same system/ I found a way out of my problems/ Now that I’ve changed for the better, don’t take it the wrong way,” he sings.

The song had its live debut during the DJ’s Ultra Music Festival headlining set on March 26th — and you can’t please everyone, as they mention in the chorus, but they will undoubtedly please many with this collaboration.

Manuel Turizo Teams Up with Marshmello for Cross-Genre Single “El Merengue”

Manuel Turizo has called on an unlikely collaborator to help him get over his ex…

The 22-year-old Colombian singer has teamed up with Marshmello for the duo’s first cross-genre collaboration titled “El Merengue.”

Manuel Turizo, MarshmelloTurizo and Marshmello released the track and music video that puts a fresh spin on merengue with layered electro beats and Turizo’s rich baritone vocals.

The video, directed by Chadrick Preuss and Sandeep Vadlamudi, follows a lovestruck Turizo who is hung up on an ex-flame that he casually runs into one night at a crowded nightclub. In the heat of the moment, the Colombian singer and his ex sway to the rhythms of the sultry merengue beat. Overtaken by rekindled emotions — and liquid courage — Turizo ends up retching into the nightclub’s toilet while an unmasked Marshmello listens from the next stall over.

“I drunkenly told you I had forgotten you, but I didn’t,” Turizo admits over a vibrating beat that’s reminiscent of the booming merengue anthems of the early 2000s.

The video then turns into a dream-like, spell-binding sequence that returns to the first scene of the video where Turizo is looking at a photo of him and his ex. The song lyrically touches on the same themes and was written by the duo along with the much sought-after producer Edgar Barrera and Puerto Rican artist Gale, among others.

The collaboration between the two artists was first unveiled on February 24 when Turizo appeared wearing Marshmello’s emblematic white helmet amongst the bustling madness of New York City’s Times Square. Fans crowded around Turizo while the city’s famed neon billboards displayed the announcement of “El Merengue.”

No stranger to Latin collaborations, Marshmello previously released the pulsating EDM and trap-infused “Estilazo” with Dominican star Tokischa last April and during his EDC Mexico headlining set last week, the DJ debuted an unreleased track featuring regional Mexican artists Fuerza Regida and Peso Pluma. Dubbed an electro corrido, the track has been making its rounds on social media and Latin outlets, while fans patiently await the song’s official release.

Meanwhile, Marshmello has been teasing the release of his next full-length record — what will be his first since 2021’s Shockwave — via socials. He has already released a slate of singles this year including “Party Jumpin’,” “Unity,” “Eternal,” and “Again.”

Turizo entered the limelight back in 2016 with his sweet love song “Una Lady Como Tú,” and has since become a global favorite with the releases of hit singles like “Culpables,” a collaboration with Ozuna, and “La Bachata” — the first single from his forthcoming new album, 2000.

Bad Bunny to Perform on the MTV Video Music Awards from Yankee Stadium

Bad Bunny will be pulling double duty this weekend… 

The 28-year-old Puerto Rican superstar will perform on the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards live from his tour stop at Yankee Stadium on Sunday, August 28.

Bad BunnyThe tour stop is part of Bad Bunny: World’s Hottest Tour.

The 2022 VMAs are set to air from Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. at 8:00 pm ET/PT.

This will mark Bad Bunny’s second VMAs appearance. His first, three years ago, was a joint performance with J Balvin of “Que Pretendes.”

The VMAs have a long history of remote performances, dating back to the very first show in 1984 when David Bowie performed his hit “Blue Jean” live from London.

There have even been performances from stadiums before, such as Guns N’ Roses performing their hit cover of Wings’ “Live and Let Die” live from Wembley Stadium in London on the 1991 VMAs and Michael Jackson performing “Black or White” from his “Dangerous World Tour” stop at Wembley on the 1992 VMAs.

Bad Bunny is nominated for four VMAs this year, including artist of the year and album of the year. He would be the first non-English-language artist to win in either of those marquee categories.

His other nominations this year are for best Latin (“Tití Me Preguntó”) and song of the summer (“Me Porto Bonito,” his collaboration with Chencho Corleone).

Bad Bunny’s Un Verano Sin Ti has topped the Billboard 200 for eight non-consecutive weeks. This year’s other nominees for album of the year are Adele’s 30, Billie Eilish’s Happier Than Ever, Drake’s Certified Lover Boy and Harry Styles’ Harry’s House.

Last week, Bad Bunny received 23 nominations for the 2022 Billboard Latin Music Awards. That put him with a tie with Ozuna for the most nods in the show’s history. Ozuna hit that mark three years ago.

Other artists set to perform on the show are Lizzo, BLACKPINK,  Måneskin, Anitta, J Balvin, Marshmello x Khalid, Panic! At The Disco and Kane Brown.

Anitta to Make Main Stage Performance Debut at This Year’s MTV Video Music Awards

Anitta is ready for a special first…

MTV has revealed the first batch of performers for this year’s MTV Video Music Awards, with the 29-year-old Brazilian singer/ songwriter among those set to take the stage.

AnittaIt will be Anitta’s VMAs main stage debut, And she will perform her latest hit single, “Envolver,” for the first-time on television.

“Envolver” recently earned the Brazilian superstar a Guinness Book of World Records certification as the first solo Latin artist to hit No. 1 at Spotify.

Anitta also is up for her first VMA in the Best Latin category, making her the first Brazilian artist to be nominated for a Moon Person.

But Anitta isn’t the only Latinx artist set to perform.

J Balvin will take the stage

The 37-year-old Colombian superstar will return to the show for the television/world premiere of “Nivel de Perreo” with Ryan Castro, back for the first time since his epic on-stage collaboration with Bad Bunny for “Que Pretendes” in 2019.

The 13-time nominee with five wins also is looking to take his sixth Moon Person for Best Latin (“In Da Getto” with Skrillex), which would crown him as the most awarded Latin artist in VMAs history.

Other performers include Marshmello x Khalid and Panic! at the Disco.

The MTV VMAs will take place on August 28, live from the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ.

Kendrick Lamar, Jack Harlow & Lil Nas X are coming into the show tied for the nominations lead with seven apiece. Next up are Doja Cat and Harry Styles with six each and Billie Eilish, Drake, Dua Lipa, Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift and The Weeknd with five.

The 2022 VMAs will air at 8:00 pm ET/PT on Sunday, August 28, across MTV’s global linear and digital platforms in more than 170 countries. For the third straight year, the VMAs will simulcast on the CW, in addition to BET, BET Her, CMT, Comedy Central, Logo, MTV2, Nickelodeon, Paramount Network, Pop, TVLand and VH1.

Here are MTV’s mini-bios of the performers set so far:

Anitta
The charismatic global pop sensation is slated to make her VMAs main stage debut with a first-time TV performance of her newest hit single, “Envolver,” which recently earned the Brazilian superstar Guinness Book of World Records certification as the first solo Latin artist to hit No. 1 at Spotify. Anitta also is up for her first VMA in the Best Latin category, making her the first Brazilian artist to be nominated for a Moon Person.

J Balvin
Colombian global star J Balvin returns with a TV/world premiere of “Nivel de Perreo” with Ryan Castro, back for the first time since his epic on-stage collaboration with Bad Bunny for “Que Pretendes” in 2019. The 13-time nominee with five wins also is looking to take his sixth Moon Person for Best Latin (“In Da Getto” with Skrillex), which would crown him as the most awarded Latin artist in VMAs history.

Marshmello x Khalid
Together, Marshmello and Khalid are set to take over the MTV stage for a world premiere TV performance of new chart climbing collaboration “Numb.” Marshmello — a five-time VMAs nominee — will make his main stage debut this year. Khalid returns to the VMAs stage for the first time since his 2017 debut with Logic and Alessia Cara for “1-800-273-8255,” where he also took home Best New Artist.

Panic! at the Disco
Panic! At The Disco returns to the VMAs stage for the first time since 2018 to world premiere new single “Middle of a Breakup,” from the forthcoming album Viva Las Vengeance. The nine-time nominee, who first won in 2006 for Video of the Year, also looks to take home a win for Alternative Video, its first nomination in this category.

Camila Cabello to Perform at UEFA Champions League Opening Ceremony

Camila Cabello is in a (Champions) League of her own…

The 25-year-old Mexican and Cuban singer is set to headline the Opening Ceremony of the 2022 UEFA Champions League final.

Camila CabelloCabello announced the news with a colorful video in which she sings her 2017 smash “Havana” in a colorful, blossoming AI universe. In it, she struts across a stage before spinning around as her blue dress transforms into a flowing pink gown, and she transitions into her recent single “Bam Bam” as a virtual version of the champion’s cup floats high above her.

“I’m excited to announce that I’ll be performing at the UEFA @championsleague Final Opening Ceremony presented by @pepsiglobal #PepsiShow. I’ve got lots of surprises in store for you,” Cabello wrote in a message to fans. The showdown between Liverpool and Real Madrid will take place at Stade de France on May 28.

Marshmello headlined last year’s opening ceremony with a mind-bending six-minute virtual performance that was two years in the making.

On May 5, Cabello was honored at Variety’s Power of Women event for her work with the Movement Voter Fund to launch the Healing Justice Project, and used her time on the floor to discuss the Supreme Court’s leaked draft opinion that experts suspect could lead to an overturning of the seminal 1973 Roe v. Wade case that has guaranteed women the right to an abortion.

“It’s atrocious,” the 25-year-old singer said during her speech in which she also encouraged people to get involved by voting on the local level and donating to relevant causes. “Obviously it’s going to affect poor women the most, because women that have resources — even like me — will be able to handle things if if they’re needed. The idea of having one moment transform the course of a woman’s life is tragic. And it’s tragic [that] the people affected are not having a say.”

Bruno Mars’ Silk Sonic Bringing Their Music & Retro Style to Fortnite

It’s a Fortnite to remember for Bruno Mars

The part-Puerto Rican Grammy-winning singer/songwriter and Anderson .Paak’s Silk Sonic have joined the world of Fortnite by announcing that they’ve signed a deal to bring their smooth stylings to the virtual universe.

Bruno Mars, Silk Sonic, FortniteThe partnership between Atlantic Records and Fornite on the latest “Icon Series” will include in-game outfits for players, a new in-game “Icon Radio” station and an upcoming “Silk Sonic Cup” player tournament.

“When Fortnite asked me if I wanted to create an outfit for the game, I asked, ‘Are CGI muscles off the table?’ They said ‘no.’ I said ‘deal.’ I”ll see you on the Island,” Mars said in a statement, with .Paak cheekily adding, “When Fortnite agreed to give Bruno CGI muscles, I said, ‘I’m in. He could use the help, so I support it.’ And it makes me cool. Win, win.”

Bruno Mars, Silk Sonic, FortniteThe first “Icon Radio” station launched this week, allowing players to listen to all the songs on the duo’s debut, An Evening With Silk Sonic, in their cars, along with solo tracks from Mars and .Paak. Legendary funk bassist Bootsy Collins serves as the radio station’s host.

The official “Silk Sonic Set” outfits — players can choose between a digitally jacked Mars or .Paak — are slated to launch on February 10 at 7:00 pm ET. They include signature accessories like Mars’ Sound Scepter Pickaxe, which can be worn as Back Bling, and .Paak’s Sonic Snare Back Bling and Boom Bap Pickaxe; Fortnite users can get early access to the new outfits and the pair’s signature “Silk Sonic Spray” by competing in the Silk Sonic Cup tournament, which kicks off on February 7.

Both performers are familiar to Fortnite users; .Paak performed a “Spotlight Concert Series” in the game in September 2020 and Mars’ “Leave the Door Open Emote” debuted in-game in April 2021.

The Icon Series skin line has previously featured collaborations with Ariana Grande and Marshmello, among others.

J Balvin Earns 30th No. 1 on Billboard’s Latin Airplay Chart with “Otra Noche Sin Ti”

J Balvin is back on top…

The 36-year-old Colombian singer’s latest single “Otra Noche Sin Ti,” featuring Khalid, has landed at No. 1 on BillboardLatin Airplay chart dated July 10.

J Balvin

“Otra Noche Sin Ti” rises 5-1 with 9.7 million in audience impressions, a 43% gain, earned in the week ending July 4, according to MRC Data. For Khalid, it’s his first chart appearance since 2018 when Marshmello’s “Silence,” on which he is featured, debuted and peaked at No. 50. J Balvin, meanwhile, picks up his 30th No. 1 dating back to his first, “6 AM,” featuring Farruko in 2014.

Khalid, meanwhile, earns his first No. 1 on any Latin chart.

With the song’s ascent, Balvin gets closer to beating Enrique Iglesias’ all-time record of 31 leaders since the chart’s inception in 1994.

Here are the Latin Airplay winners:

31, Enrique Iglesias
30, J Balvin
24, Daddy Yankee
24, Ozuna
20, Maluma
19, Wisin
19, Romeo Santos

Beyond its Latin Airplay coronation, “Otra Noche Sin Ti” pushes up Hot Latin Songs with a 20-17 jump and takes the Greatest Gainer/ Airplay honors. It concurrently grants Khalid his first Latin Rhythm Airplay No. 1 as the song lifts 4-1.

Demi Lovato to Take Part in iHeartMedia & P&G’s “Can’t Cancel Pride” Virtual Benefit Concert

Demi Lovato is celebrating Pride in a big way…

The 28-year-old half-Mexican American singer/actor will be taking part in iHeartMedia and P&G’s second annual “Can’t Cancel Pride,” a virtual benefit concert featuring some of the biggest LGBTQ names in music appearing to offer special performances, while also raising funds for nonprofit organizations dedicated to helping LGBTQ people around the world.

Demi Lovato

Hosted by Elvis Duran and Bebe Rexha, the event will take place on June 4, and will feature appearances and performances from Lovato, Lil Nas X, Troye Sivan, Rexha, Brothers Osborne, Busy Phillips, Hayley Kiyoko, Jennifer Hudson, JoJo Siwa, Marshmello, MJ Rodriguez, Nina West, P!nk, Ricky Martin, Regard and Tate McRae.

Along with putting on a good show, iHeartMedia and P&G are also partnering with Greater Cincinatti Foundation to help distribute the funds raised from the event to six organizations supporting the LGBTQ community in 2021, including GLAAD, SAGE, The Trevor Project, the National Black Justice Coalition, CenterLink, and OutRight Action International.

“As the country is returning back to normal and we are slowly starting to gather again, LGBTQ+ communities around the world are still feeling the devastating effects of COVID-19,”  iHeartMedia’s chief  marketing officer Gayle Troberman said in a statement. “We look forward to once again celebrating the incredible voices and allies of the LGBTQ+ community with an amazing night of music that will honor Pride and the communities’ fight for equal rights, all while benefiting six remarkable nonprofits that make an everyday positive impact.”

“Can’t Cancel Pride” will take place on June 4th at 9:00 p.m. ET on iHeartRadio’s TikTok, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram TV pages, PrideRadio.com and Revry, while also being broadcast on iHeartMedia radio stations nationwide and on the iHeartRadio App.

Learn more about the upcoming event here.

Demi Lovato Releases Deluxe Edition of New Album “Dancing With the Devil… The Art of Starting Over”

Demi Lovato is livin’ the de(luxe) life…

The 28-year-old half-Mexican American singer/actress has unveiled the deluxe edition of her seventh album Dancing With the Devil… The Art of Starting Over.

Demi Lovato

The deluxe LP includes four additional tracks, one bonus track titled “Sunset,” and three live acoustic versions of the first three “prelude” songs of the album, “Anyone,” “Dancing With the Devil” and “ICU (Madison’s Lullabye).”

The live acoustic songs were recorded during the drive-in premiere of her four-part YouTube Originals docuseries Demi Lovato: Dancing With the Devil, where she also premiered “Dancing With the Devil” and “ICU.”

“Sunset,” a gospel-tinged love ballad, was revealed to be a part of the album during the SXSW premiere of the doc, as well as another track titled “Say a Prayer” that’s not included in the deluxe version.

The pop superstar released Dancing With the Devil on April 2 with 19 tracks, including collaborations with Sam FischerAriana Grande, Saweetie and Noah Cyrus. The expanded edition digital bonus tracks of her seventh LP include her previously released top 20 hit “I Love Me,” “I’m Ready” featuring Sam Smith, and “OK Not to Be OK” with Marshmello.

Demi Lovato to Host This Year’s People’s Choice Awards

Demi Lovato is the People’s host…

The 28-year-old half-Mexican American singer/actress is set to host the 2020 E!’s People’s Choice Awards, which will air on November 15 live from Barker Hangar in Santa Monica.

Demi Lovato

The news was revealed Tuesday during a Twitter conversation between the Grammy-nominated singer and the cable network.

Lovato, who has won five People’s Choice Awards in 12 nominations, has had a busy 2020, with performances at the Grammys and the Super Bowl (where she sang the national anthem) and the release of singles “Anyone,” “I Love You” and “I’m Ready,” the latter in a duet with Sam Smith.

Recent singles include “OK No to Be OK” with Marshmello and “Commander in Chief.” On screen, her recent credits including a role on the final season of NBC’s Will & Grace and in Netflix’s Eurovision.

She now will emcee a hybrid People’s Choice ceremony that will present awards in 44 categories across entertainment and pop culture.

Tyler Perry and Jennifer Lopez will receive special honors during the ceremony, which will air from 9:00 -11:00 p.m. ET/PT.