Disney+ Renews Frankie A. Rodriguez’s “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series” for a Third Season

Frankie A. Rodriguez is preparing for an encore…

Disney+ has renewed the acclaimed original series High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, starring the 22-year-old Mexican American actor/singer, for a third season.

Frankie Rodriguez

Created and executive-produced by Tim Federle, season three will follow the Wildcats as they leave the hallways of East High for the ultimate summer at sleepaway camp, complete with campfires, summer romances and curfew-less nights.

Production for the third season will relocate from Salt Lake City to Los Angeles and begin later this year.

“We are overjoyed to be heading to the great outdoors for season three, and grateful to our partners and friends at Disney+ for their continued support of our next-generation Wildcats,” said Federle.

Seasons one and two are set at East High School, the setting and filming location of the original movies. In season one, the series follows members of the drama club and their faculty advisors as they work their way to opening night of their school’s first-ever production of High School Musical: The Musical. 

Season two culminates in a performance of Beauty and the Beast.

The soundtracks for High School Musical: The Musical: The Series season one, season two, and High School Musical: The Musical: The Holiday Special have drawn 1 billion, 438 million combined streams to date.

Seasons one and two of the GLAAD Media Award-winning series are currently available on Disney+.

In addition to Rodriguez, who plays Carlos Rodriguez, the series also stars Olivia Rodrigo, Joshua Bassett, Matt Cornett and Sofia Wylie.

Camila Cabello Performs Cumbia-fied Cover of Olivia Rodrigo’s “Good 4 U”

Camila Cabello is offering the world a cumbia-fied Good (4 U) time…

The 24-year-old Cuban and Mexican singer/actress covered Olivia Rodrigo’s Billboard Hot 100 chart-topping single “Good 4 U” during an appearance on BBC‘s Radio 1 Live Lounge, giving the track a major Latin vibe.

Camila Cabello

Just before performing the track, Cabello talked about how much she enjoys Rodrigo’s music, which is why she selected “Good 4 U” as one of the covers for the set.

“[I’m] So excited to perform this. I love that song,” Cabello explained. “I think she’s a really amazing artist and I love so many of the songs that she’s released, so yeah I’m happy to do this song in a new way. We were really inspired by, obviously, Latin music and making it kind of like a cumbia version.”

“I feel like she’s such an incredible vocalist, Cabello continued. “This song was a challenging song to practice. It’s really high and demands a lot of breath, and I was excited to do it because I like her punk rock vibe.”

 

This isn’t the first time that Cabello has gushed over Rodrigo’s talent. In May, the “Havana” singer shared on her Instagram Stories that she was listening to Sour, and wrote a message to Rodrigo.

“This album is truly gorgeous. So honest, so vulnerable! I’m inspired @oliviarodrigo, ” she wrote. “This one [‘Jealousy, Jealousy‘] and ‘Favorite Crime‘ are my favorites.”

In addition to covering “Good 4 U,” Cabello performed her new song, “Don’t Go Yet,” from her upcoming third album, Familia, during her BBC 1 set.

Cardi B Makes History on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Chart with “Up”

Cardi B is makin’ history on the Billboard charts…

The 28-year-old half-Dominican American rap superstar’s “Up” knocks down every current challenger on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart as the single debuts at No. 1 on the list dated February 20.

Cardi B

With the start, Cardi B posts consecutive chart-topping debuts while she also claims a feat unseen on the Billboard Hot 100 in over 20 years.

With “Up,” Cardi B lands consecutive No. 1 debuts on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, after “WAP,” featuring Megan Thee Stallion, likewise opened on top last August as it began a 10-week domination.

The combo makes Cardi B the first artist to post two straight No. 1 debuts on the chart as a lead artist, and second overall performer after Drake, whose consecutive starts came from a feature spot on Rihanna’s “Work” and his own single “Summer Sixteen” in 2016.

In all, “Up” is Cardi B’s sixth No. 1 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, notably with at least one in each of the last five years. Here’s the full collection:

Song Title, Artist (if other than Cardi B), Weeks at No. 1, Date Reached No. 1
“Bodak Yellow (Money Moves),” six, Sept. 16, 2017
“Finesse,” with Bruno Mars, one, Jan. 20, 2018
“I Like It,” with Bad Bunny & J Balvin, one, July 7, 2018
“Please Me,” with Bruno Mars, one, March 16, 2019
“WAP,” featuring Megan Thee Stallion, 10, Aug. 22, 2020
“Up,” one (to date), Feb. 20, 2021

Elsewhere, “Up” begins at No. 2 on the all-genre Hot 100, behind Olivia Rodrigo’s “Drivers License.” Still, the song’s arrival makes for a Hot 100 achievement that hadn’t happened in more than two decades.

Until “Up,” no woman had debuted higher on the Hot 100 with a song with no other billed artists that also made Billboard‘s Hot Rap Songs chart since Lauryn Hill‘s “Doo Wop (That Thing)” in 1998, the only other single in the club.

As implied in the prior stat, “Up” also debuts at No. 1 on the Hot Rap Songs chart.

“Up” arrives with, no surprise, a high streaming sum. The track, released February 5, registered 31.2 million U.S. streams in the week ending February 11, according to MRC Data. The total allows for a No. 1 start on the R&B/Hip-Hop Streaming Songs chart, where it becomes Cardi B’s fifth leader of her career.

The No. 1 debuts keep coming as “Up” launches as Cardi B’s seventh song to reach the summit on the R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Song Sales chart thanks to 34,000 downloads sold in the week ending February 20.

For the final metric that contributes to the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, radio airplay, “Up” is not No. 1 – no song is this early in its arc – but does establish some personal bests for Cardi B’s career. The track’s No. 24 debut last week (on the chart dated Feb. 13) marked her highest entrance among 20 singles on the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart, while its 24-18 increase on the current chart ties “Motorsport,” her collaboration with Migos and Nicki Minaj, as her best second-week rank of those entries. “Up” ascends as it registers 8.7 million in audience impressions in its first full tracking week on the radio format, which wrapped on February 14.

Elsewhere, “Up” rallies 17-9 on Rap Airplay in its second chart week and flies 31-17 on Rhythmic Airplay.

Disney+ to Release Frankie Rodriguez’s “High School Musical: The Musical: The Holiday Special” on December 11

Frankie Rodriguez is hopin’ to spread a little holiday magic this year…

Disney+ is set to release High School Musical: The Musical: The Holiday Special, starring the 21-year-old Mexican American actor, on December 11.

Frankie Rodriguez

Cast members Olivia Rodrigo, Joshua Bassett, Matt Cornett, Sofia Wylie, Larry Saperstein, Julia Lester, Dara Reneé, Rodriguez, who portrays Carlos Rodriguez on High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, Joe Serafini, Mark St. Cyr and Kate Reinders will perform their favorite ChristmasHanukkah and New Year’s songs and recall their favorite holiday memories during the 45-minute special.

Bassett, who portrays Ricky Bowen, will debut an acoustic version of his original song for a sneak peek performance from the series’ highly anticipated second season.

“The holidays remind us of the universal importance of family and loved ones,” said Tim Federle, executive producer and director of High School Musical: The Musical: The Holiday Special, in a press release. “The cast of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series is its own kind of family, and we are delighted to have the opportunity to share their favorite holiday music and traditions with our viewers.”

High School Musical: The Musical: The Holiday Special: The Soundtrack will highlight the holiday songs from the special. It’ll be available on November 20 on all digital and streaming platforms.

Rodrigo Starring in Disney Channel’s Live Action Comedy Series “Bizaardvark”

Olivia Rodrigo is one BIZ-y bee…

The Latina Hollywood newcomer is starring in the Disney Channel’s new live action comedy series Bizaardvark.

 Olivia Rodrigo

The series centers on best friends Paige and Frankie who take the video blogging world by storm with their quirky online comedy channel.

Rodrigo (American Girl’s Grace Stirs Up Success) and Madison Hu (Best Friends Whenever) star as Paige and Frankie, respectively. Also starring are Vine sensation Jake Paul (YouTube Red’s Dance Camp) as the loveable and wild Dirk Mann, DeVore Ledridge as Southern DIY diva Amelia Duckworth, and Ethan Wacker as the overly confident Bernard “Bernie” Schotz.

Guest stars include Calum Worthy (Austin & Ally), popular YouTuber Meredith Foster, Vine sensation Logan Paul and Instagram star JiffPom.

Bizaardvark will premiere on the Disney Channel on Friday, June 24 at 9:45 pm ET.