Alejandro Sanz Receives All-Star Welcome to His New Label, Sony Music Latin-Iberia

Posted on November 16, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Alejandro Sanz is getting an all-star welcome at Sony Music Latin-Iberia.

The 54-year-old Spanish award-winning singer-songwriter was serenaded by Kany García, Camilo and Evaluna, among other artists, serenaded at an event hosted by Sony Music during Latin Grammy Week in Sevilla, Spain, officially welcoming Sanz to his new label.

Producer Javier Limón, a close friend of Sanz’s, hosted the event along with Afo Verde, Chairman and CEO of Sony Music Latin-Iberia, and José María Barbat, president of Sony Music Iberia.

“We’re here on an unforgettable night because we have the opportunity to celebrate the arrival of Alejandro Sanz to our great Sony Music family,” said Verde, who signed Sanz to Sony this past June.

”We know the extraordinary artist that’s inside you. We know of your drive and passion for your work, your curiosity for new artists, the support you give those who are starting off, your generosity with your colleagues, your commitment to causes of fairness and the value of your friendship,” added Barbat.

Camilo, Evaluna, Niña Pastori, Kany García, J·Noa, Darumas, Yerai Cortés and Montse Cortés performed some of Sanz’s emblematic songs, including “Amiga Mía” (J Noa), “Cuando nadie me ve” (Kany García) and “Desde cuando” (Camilo y Evaluna). The honoree enjoyed the evening from a table set in a semi private area, from which he could see the performances.

Other artists, including Malú, Ana Mena, Arde Bogotá, Omar Montes, Reik, Nicki Nicole, Kenia OS and María José Llergo, were also at the event ,which took place in Hacienda Azahares.

This year, Sanz is nominated for a Latin Grammy for song of the year for “Nasa” alongside Camilo, and record of the year for “Correcaminos” with Danny Ocean.

Sanz thanked his “Dear Sony family” for the warm welcome. “It’s been a beautiful night to get together again and begin this new stage, in addition to a prelude to a week where we’ll celebrate music. Let’s enjoy and celebrate!” he said.

Niña Pastori Releases New Album “Camino”

Posted on April 29, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Niña Pastori is back with new music…

The 45-year-old Spanish singer-songwriter — and one of the greatest exponents of flamenco — has released her new album Camino.

The 10-song collection is a mix of rhythms in which Pastori flaunts her vocal versatility and undeniable experimental essence — fusing, once again, her deeply rooted flamenco with other Latin musical genres.

It includes everything from the more commercial pop of “Bon dia,” going through cheerful gypsy salsas like “Regoleta” and “Osú qué niña” (the first single released of the album), to bulerías like “De Repente” — full of cante, jaleo and roll of palms.

Camino is full of emotions, embodied in positive and optimistic songs like “Bon dia,” soundtracks to getting off on the right foot in the morning. Her voice is passionate, intense and emotional in each of her tracks. But it is not the only thing that stands out from the new project. In the San Fernando, Cadíz, Andalusia native’s lyrics, she also includes life reflections — as in “Caminante,” in which she talks about social realities such as homelessness and childhood famine, and invites you with her song to be part of the change: “Come leave your mark with love… This will be a better world.”

Alejandro Sanz Agrees to New Unorthodox Management Deal

Posted on September 2, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Alejandro Sanz has a new unconventional management agreement…

The 53-year-old Spanish Grammy-winning singer/songwriter, one of the most iconic and influential artists in Latin music, is starting a new phase in his career with an unorthodox management agreement.

Sanz, who hasn’t had formal management in place since 2016, will now work with two separate executives, each of them focused on a different area of his career.

On the one hand, Alex Mizrahi, who heads management and promotion company OCESA-Seitrack, will now oversee Sanz’s international management and business. And Iñigo Zabala, the former president of Warner Music Iberia and Latin America, will oversee his recording career and creative output.

“There is strength in numbers,” said Sanz, explaining his decision to work with two separate entities. “I’m excited about this partnership with Álex Mizrahi and Íñigo Zabala. The three of us believe artists should develop in an ideal environment for creation, and I feel this connection between us will result in an evolved management model, where each of us brings his knowledge and experience to reach our common goals.”

With a 25-year trajectory under his belt that includes Spain’s two top-selling albums of all time, Sanz, signed to Universal Music, continues to be a touring and recording powerhouse.

“It’s hard to imagine anyone who hasn’t fallen in love, laughed or cried to an Alejandro Sanz song. The enormous power of his music goes beyond borders, ages and languages,” says Mizrahi, whose company – OCESA-Seitrack — is a subsidiary of Seitrack Management and live event giant OCESA.

On his end, Zabala’s ties to Sanz are tight; as a Warner executive, he signed Sanz to his first major record label deal over 20 years ago, and remained his friend even after Sanz moved to Universal.

“It’s an honor to collaborate again with Alejandro Sanz, whom I consider one of the best composers of all time. His influence on what is Latin music today can be felt everywhere,” said Zabala.

A four-time Grammy winner and 25-time Latin Grammy winner who was also the Latin Academy’s Person of the Year in 2017, Sanz is one of Latin music’s most celebrated and influential artists, both at a musical and political level.

Sanz was long-managed by Spanish manager Rosa Lagarrigue, but the two parted ways in 2016 in a split that ended up in a legal dispute.

Since then, Sanz has not had formal management, but had his own offices and management firm, MOW, which handles Spanish artists Nina Pastori and Pol Granch. Now, Seitrak will also have a hand in their management as well.

Santana to Release Live CD/DVD Package for His Hit Spanish Project “Corazón”

Posted on August 16, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Santana is bringing his corazón to live…

Following the success of his first-ever all Spanish-language album Corazón, the 67-year-old Mexican musician and 10-time Grammy-winner is set to release a live CD/DVD package titled Corazón, Live From Mexico: Live It to Believe It.

From RCA Records/Sony Latin Iberia, the package will be released on September 9 and include a live CD and DVD, plus a documentary film shot in different Mexican locales.

The track listing for Corazón Live From Mexico includes many of the artists featured in Santana’s original Corazón, including Juanes, Gloria Estefan, Miguel, Romeo Santos, Lila Downs, Diego Torres and Niña Pastori.

But it has also been expanded considerably to include new versions of his standards like “Black Magic Woman” and “Smooth” and collabs like “Corazón Espinado,” featuring Fher Olvera (lead singer of Maná) and Cindy Blackman Santana.

The set will be available for digital download and in three different physical packages: DVD, DVD/CD and Blu-Ray/CD.

Corazón debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart in April and spent six weeks at the top of the chart. It’s currently No. 6 on the chart and was the third top-selling Latin album for the first six months of the year, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

But the upcoming live version was conceived from the onset as part of the overall Corazón project. The album, with all its featured artists, was recorded in the studio and released last April, but a live component was always part of the proposal.

With sponsorship from Mexico’s Tourism Board, the live show was taped in December 2013 in Santana’s home state of Gaudalajara, a documentary was filmed in different locales and a special aired on HBO Latino both in the U.S. and Latin America in the spring.

Corazón was a seminal project on many fronts. The HBO airing marked the first time ever that HBO Latino (which operates in the U.S.) and HBO Latin America joined forces to premiere a concert event.

HBO Latino to Air Two Specials Dedicated to Santana’s ‘Corazon’

Posted on April 2, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Carlos Santana is preparing to celebrate his Mexican heritage on television…

HBO Latino will celebrate the legendary career of the 66-year-old Mexican American musician and guitar legend, a 10-time Grammy award winner, and his forthcoming first-ever Latin music album entitled Corazon, through a two-part event: a special called Santana: De Corazon and the airing of his mega concert and documentary Santana-Corazon: Live From Mexico, Live It To Believe It.

The Santana: De Corazon special will be broadcast in Spanish with English subtitles on Monday, April 21 at 9:30 pm ET, exclusively on HBO Latino.

The Santana-Corazon: Live from Mexico: Live It to Believe It concert and documentary will air exclusively in the U.S. on HBO Latino on Saturday, May 3, at 8:00 pm ET. It will also be simulcast in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Cited by Rolling Stone as #15 on the magazine’s list of “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time,” Santana will entertain Hispanic and mainstream audiences in HBO Latino’s airing of the once-in-a-lifetime tribute concert that took place at a sold out Arena VFG in Guadalajara, Mexico this past December.

Santana-Corazon: Live from Mexico: Live It to Believe It presented a star-studded concert to music lovers who enjoyed Santana’s electrifying sound, along with performances by musicians and friends.

Lila Downs, Gloria Estefan, Juanes, Nina Pastori, Romeo Santos, Soledad and Diego Torres were among the Latin music stars who accompanied Santana during his performance, most of whose collaborations have been recorded on Santana’s first ever Latin Music album entitled Corazon, set for release May 6 via RCA/Sony Latin Iberia.

The Santana: De Corazon half-hour special spotlights the iconic music legend through a collection of interviews by his musical peers, fellow Santana-Corazon: Live from Mexico: Live It to Believe It concert performers, mixed with touching insights from members of his most intimate circles.

Corazon, the concert and album project brings Carlos back to Guadalajara near his birthplace, and celebrates Carlos’ love of his musical heritage, as well as showcases Carlos’ own personal influence on Latin music and on today’s generation of Latin superstars. Many genres of Latin music are represented in these collaborations including pop, rock, salsa, hip-hop, R&B, reggae, and more.

Santana Releases Cover Art for New Collaborations Album “Corazon”

Posted on March 2, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Carlos Santana is demonstrating his corazon…

The 66-year-old Mexican musician, heralded as one of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time, has released the artwork for his latest album Corazon, which will be released on May 6.

It’s the first Spanish-language disc that Santana has ever recorded, with more than a dozen Latin artists, including Pitbull, Juanes, Romeo Santos and Gloria Estefan, lending their voices to the album.

The new collaborative recording is being called a return to Santana’s Spanish-speaking childhood, having been born in the town of Autlan de Navarro in the Mexican state of Jalisco.

The colorful album cover, which shows Santana’s face with figures that appear to be Indians, was created by Boa Mistura, a Madrid-based artists’ collective that works principally on pieces of public art.

Corazon, produced by Lester Mendez, recalls the artist’s Hispanic roots and features the additional participation of the Fabulosos Cadillacs (Argentina), Ziggy Marley (Jamaica), Miguel (United States), Niña Pastori (Spain), Samuel Rosa de Skank (Brazil), Chocquibtown (Colombia), Lila Downs (Mexico) and Diego Torres (Argentina.

“All the artists, men and women, who have taken part bring their own light, their talent, their spirit, they want to work with me…I’ve surrounded myself with artists who see the invisible and do the impossible,” Santana told Efe in an interview in late 2013.

The album includes numbers like “La Flaca” by Jarabe de Palo, sung by Juanes, which was the first single from the album to be released from the album.

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