Tag Archives: Nelson Albareda

Christian Alicea Signs Exclusive Booking Agreement with Loud and Live

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Christian Alicea has a new deal…

The Puerto Rican artist and developing salsa star has signed an exclusive booking agreement with Nelson Albareda’s Loud and Live.

Christian Alicea

Albareda has always carried tropical music in general and salsa in particular, deep inside him. A die-hard fan of Cuban salsero Willy Chirino, he also worked closely with salsa queen Celia Cruz and, through Loud and Live, represents the Celia Cruz estate today.

Now, Albareda is on a quest to elevate and grow the music with which he started his career. As he’s been saying for months, tropical music is having a moment. This week, via his powerhouse promotion and entertainment company, Albareda signed Alicea.

Loud and Live already books major tropical music names like Carlos Vives and Juan Luis Guerra. But the Alicea deal is different in that in addition to booking Alicea’s concerts, Loud and Live will also work in partnership with his management team to support marketing and promotional endeavors surrounding the artist and his music.

Although Alicea has just one album under his belt — Yo, released this past May — he has already placed two tracks in the Top 25 of Billboard’s Tropical Airplay chart. This week, a third single, “Aroma,” is at No. 15 on the list.

“Christian is an exceptionally talented young man who, because of his humility, charisma and spectacular and unique voice, we are confident that he will conquer and lead the tropical genre worldwide for many years to come,” said Albareda in a statement.

The partnership, says Alicea’s producer, Urales ‘Dj Buddha’ Vargas, is “the icing on the cake. For us, having someone like Nelson see the vision and the potential of Christian means a lot.”

As Latin music’s focus has slowly shifted from solely reggaetón in the past year, other genres are beginning to rise on the charts. While regional Mexican music undoubtedly leads the fray, pop is also seeing a resurgence, and tropical music — long focused on legacy acts — is finally seeing a smattering of new names, including Luis Figueroa, teenager Luis Vazquez, and, Alicea.

Ricardo Arjona to Launch 25-City North American “Blanco y Negro” Tour

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Ricardo Arjona is ready to hit the road…

Mere months after his “Hecho a la Antigua” livestream concert from the historic city of Antigua in his native Guatemala, and with 30-plus musicians and more than 5,000 candles, the 57-year-old Guatemalan singer-songwriter has announced his return to touring.

Ricardo Arjona

Named after his recent album Blanco y Negro, recorded at the emblematic Abbey Road studios in London, Arjona will kick off his 25-date North America tour on March 24 at the Kiva Auditorium in Albuquerque.

He will then make pit stops Texas, California, Florida, and New York, to name a few.

Arjona will wrap up his tour, presented by Loud and Live, on June 11 at the emblematic Coliseo de Puerto Rico in San Juan.

“Although the term ‘legendary’ is often overused in our business, it is definitely appropriate when describing Ricardo Arjona,” Nelson Albareda, CEO and founder of Loud and Live, said in a statement. “From his iconic lyrics to his distinctive voice, this true Renaissance man has transcended the borders of his native Guatemala to become a universal music icon. We are beyond proud to be spotlighting his talents in the Blanco y Negro tour next year across the United States, Puerto Rico, and Canada.”

Tickets for Blanco y Negro tour go on sale on October 8, 2021, via ricardoarjona.com.

Willy Chirino Recruits Fellow Cuban Artists to Release New Version of Cuban Protest Single “Que Se Vayan Ya”

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Willy Chirino is expressing his solidarity with the people of Cuba through music…

The 74-year-old Cuban musician has released a new version of his single “Que Se Vayan Ya,” 13 years after its original release.

Willy Chirino, Que Se Vayan Ya

The award-winning salsa artist recruited Cuban artists Lenier, El Micha, Chacal, Osmani Garcia, and Srta. Dayana to show solidarity with the Cuban community through the powerful protest anthem and its continuous chant for “Viva Cuba, libre!”

“Que Se Vayan Ya,” which appeared on Chirino’s 2008 album Pa’ Lante, was co-produced by Chirino, Nelson Albareda, Nelson Martínez, Lenier, and Mauro Bertrán, giving this extended version a Cubaton twist while keeping its tropical essence.

“It is our duty as citizens of the world to support the movement that arose on the island to achieve Cuba’s freedom,” Albareda, producer and CEO of Loud and Live, said in a statement. “What better way to do it than with a new anthem that inspires those brave people on the island to continue with this fight? With that objective in mind, I turned to Willy, with whom I’ve been friends with and shared projects for many years, to make this musical production with other notable artists in a cry for freedom.”

“Que Se Vayan Ya” comes almost two months after the social unrest in the island due to the power outages, and food and medicine shortages as COVID-19 cases are on the rise.

The July rallies, which ended with several arrests, were in part set off by Cuba’s deteriorating economic situation that was intensified by the pandemic that’s cut off tourism dollars and has left people unable to work because of the COVID-imposed lockdown.

“The events of July 11 have given us hope that the end of this totalitarian regime is coming,” Chirino added. “It’s important that this flame is not extinguished and that the whole world becomes aware of the crimes that are committed daily on ‘Prison Island.’ United for this purpose, we are raising our voices to demand once and for all that they [the government] leave!”