Bruno Mars’ Silk Sonic-Single “Love’s Train” Reaches No. 1 on Billboard’s Adult R&B Airplay Chart

Posted on April 21, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Bruno Mars has choo-choo’ed his to the top of the R&B charts…

The 36-year-old part-Puerto Rican singer/songwriter and Anderson .Paak’s duo Silk Sonic has earned another No. 1 on Billboard’s Adult R&B Airplay chart with their single “Love’s Train” on the chart dated April 23.

The track advances after a strong 31% gain in plays to become the most-played song on U.S. monitored adult R&B stations in the week ending April 17, according to Luminate, formerly MRC Data.

The new champ, released earlier this year on Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14), is a cover of a 1983 tune by Con Funk Shun, who racked up 26 hits on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart from 1977-97. Eight of them reached the top 10, with “Ffun” topping the list for two weeks in 1978.

“Love’s Train” gives Silk Sonic its third No. 1 among four career appearances.

The duo’s first offering, “Leave the Door Open,” topped the list for 13 weeks in 2021, while third single “Smokin’ out the Window” ruled for one week in January.

Between the champs, second release “Skate” peaked at No. 4.

All four tracks are on the duo’s An Evening With Silk Sonic album; “Love’s Train” was added to the digital and streaming editions of the set in February.

As Silk Sonic achievements also contribute to the individual ledgers for Mars and .Paak, “Love’s Train” yields a third Adult R&B Airplay for .Paak – all from Silk Sonic hits. Outside the group, his best result was a No. 2 peak for “Make It Better,” featuring Smokey Robinson, in 2019.

Mars, meanwhile, collects his seventh No. 1 and moves to within one more chart-topper for the most among male artists in Adult R&B Airplay chart history. Kem, Maxwell and Charlie Wilson each own eight No. 1s, with Mars and R. Kelly – both with seven – just below.

Elsewhere, “Love’s Train” keeps rolling on the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart, which measures songs’ audience reach among U.S. monitored adult R&B and mainstream R&B/hip-hop radio stations. There, “Love’s Train” speeds 15-9 after it gained 54% in weekly audience to 10.6 million in the week ending April 17. The improvement of 3.7 million gives the song Greatest Gainer honors for the biggest increase among the chart’s 50 titles.

The “Love’s Train” gains just add to Silk Sonic’s recent spell of good fortune.

Earlier this month, the duo, as .Paak informed viewers, completed “a clean sweep” at the Grammy Awards by winning all four of its nominations – record of the year, song of the year, best R&B song, and – in a tie – best R&B performance, all for “Leave the Door Open.”

The pair also opened the ceremony with a performance of “777.”

Maxwell Makes History While Earning 8th No. 1 Single on Billboard’s Adult R&B Airplay Chart with “Off”

Posted on April 1, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Maxwell has earned a spot in R&B chart history…

The 48-year-old half-Puerto Rican artist’s current single “Off” has risen to the top spot om Billboard’s Adult R&B Airplay chart dates April 2, making Maxwell only the second man to land eight No. 1s in the 29-year history of Billboard’s Adult R&B Airplay chart.

The track advances from No. 3 after it saw a 10% improvement in plays to become the most played song on U.S. monitored adult R&B radio stations in the week ending March 27, according to Luminate, formerly MRC Data.

Eight No. 1s ties Maxwell with Charlie Wilson for the most among any male act since the list began in 1993.

On the overall count, the pair trail only Alicia Keys (12) and Toni Braxton (11).

As “Off” joins the chart-toppers club, here’s a recap at Maxwell’s eight champs:

“Fortunate,” No. 1 for 18 weeks, beginning May 22, 1999
“Lifetime,” 15, Sept. 29, 2001
“Pretty Wings,” 12, July 4, 2009
“Bad Habits,” nine, Oct. 10, 2009
“Fistful of Tears,” two, April 17, 2010
“Fire We Make,” with Alicia Keys, June 22, 2013
“Lake by the Ocean,” 10, June 18, 2016
“Off,” one (to date), April 2, 2022

With “Off,” Maxwell also becomes the first man to log No. 1s on Adult R&B Airplay in the 1990s, 2000s, 2010s and 2020s. Fellow R&B legends Toni Braxton and Mary J. Blige also have achieved the feat, with Braxton inaugurating the group in 2020 and Blige attaining membership in February.

In addition to its Adult R&B Airplay coronation, “Off” holds at No. 22 of the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart, which ranks by audience listenership across both adult and mainstream R&B/hip-hop stations.

There, the single repeats in rank but adds 3% in audience to reach 5.7 million in the week ending March 27. “Off” previously had climbed to No. 20 to clinch Maxwell’s 12th top 10 on the list. The stretch began with his breakout hit, “Ascension (Don’t Ever Wonder),” which soared to No. 7 in 1996, and includes two No. 1s, “Fortunate” and “Pretty Wings.”

“Off” is expected to appear on Maxwell’s forthcoming album, blacksummers’NIGHT, the third and final installment of his album trilogy.

The first chapter, BLACKsummers’night, premiered in 2009, while the follow-up, blackSUMMERS’night, arrived in 2016. Both projects debuted at No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, with the former ruling for four weeks and the latter on top for two frames.

Kehlani Teams Up with Justin Bieber for New Single “Up At Night”

Posted on March 30, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Kehlani’s stayin’ up with a special guest…

The 26-year-old part-Mexican American singer-songwriter has joined voices with Justin Bieber for the stunning new single “Up At Night.”

The grooving R&B jam, with Bieber stopping in for a guest verse, is the second single the pair has collaborated on, following their 2020 duet “Get Me” off of Bieber’s Changes.

At the onset, “Up At Night” sounds like many of Kehlani’s recent singles leading up to her new album — ethereal, smooth, and sultry. But by the time it reaches the chorus, the song ratchets up, with a kicked-back beat and some slick guitars bringing a vibe-driven dance feel to the track.

Once Kehlani’s finished letting their vocals shine on the infectious chorus, Bieber takes over, crooning about his romantic obsession, his energy perfectly matching Kehlani’s. “You’rе the light of my life, you’re my mеanin’/ Girl, you got what I want, what I needed,” Bieber sings.

In a statement, Kehlani gave fans some insight on the song’s meaning, while also offering props to Bieber for joining her on the single. “It’s about having a healthily obsessed relationship. You’re telling someone, ‘I love you so much it keeps me awake at night,’” she said. “I love what Justin did, and it’s such a fun one to dance to.”

“Up All Night” is the latest single off of Blue Water Road, Kehlani’s hotly anticipated third studio album.

Last week, the star announced that the album would drop April 29 via Atlantic Records, and shared that the album would be an “emotional journey, a sexual journey, and a spiritual journey.”

Kehlani Releases Stunning New Single “Little Story”

Posted on February 27, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

It’s story time for Kehlani.

The 26-year-old part-Mexican American Grammy-nominated singer has released the stunning new single “Little Story.”

The minimalist production — paired with Kehlani’s crystal-clear voice — offers a taste of simplicity from the R&B star, but the songwriting employed throughout showcases Kehlani’s prowess as a wordsmith.

Told from her perspective singing to a lost love, Kehlani urges them to “pick up the pen and write me into your story,” while the sound twists and shifts throughout the stunning song.

“Little Story” is just another example of why Kehlani is currently at the top of her game.

Tommy Castro Earns Five Blues Music Awards Nominations

Posted on February 12, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Tommy Castro’s got the blues for days…

The 66-year-old Latino blues, R&B and rock guitarist, singer and songwriter is the top nominee for the 2022 Blues Music Awards, with five nominations.

Castro is nominated for the B.B. King entertainer of the year award, album of the year, band of the year (with The Painkillers), contemporary blues album, and blues rock artist.

This is Castro’s fourth nomination for the entertainer of the year award, which he won in 2008 and 2010.

Curtis Salgado has earned three nominations, including Contemporary blues album for Damage Control.

Hector Anchondo is nominated in the Acoustic blues album category for his acclaimed album Let Loose These Chains.

Laura Chavez is nominated in the Instrumentalist – guitar category.

The awards, presented by the Blues Foundation, are in their 43rd year.

The awards will be presented on May 5 at Memphis’ Renasant Convention Center.

The Blues Foundation’s Blues Hall of Fame induction ceremony is set to take place on May 4 at Memphis’ Halloran Centre at the Orpheum. The 2022 class of inductees will be announced in the coming weeks.

The complete list of Blues Music Award nominees can be found below and on The Blues Foundation’s website — www.blues.org. The ballot will be open to current Blues Foundation members until 11:59 pm CST on March 18.

Founded in 1980, the Blues Foundation has approximately 4,000 individual members and 173 affiliated blues societies representing another 50,000 fans and professionals worldwide.

Here’s a full list of nominees for the 2022 Blues Music Awards:

B.B. King Entertainer of the Year
Tommy Castro
Eric Gales
Mr. Sipp (Castro Coleman)
J.P. Soars
Sugaray Rayford

Album of the year
Holler If You Hear Me, Altered Five Blues Band
Not In My Lifetime, Wee Willie Walker & The Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra
Pinky’s Blues, Sue Foley
Raisin’ Cain, Chris Cain
Tommy Castro Presents A Bluesman Came To Town, Tommy Castro

Band of the year
Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra
J.P. Soars and the Red Hots
Lil’ Ed & the Blues Imperials
Sugaray Rayford Band
Tommy Castro & The Painkillers

Song of the year
“Fragile Peace and Certain War” — written & performed by Carolyn Wonderland
“Holler If You Hear Me” — written by Jeff Schroedl, Mark Solveson; performed by Altered Five Blues Band
“I’d Climb Mountains” — written & performed by Selwyn Birchwood
“Real Good Lie” — written by Christine Vitale, Larry Batiste, Anthony Paule; performed by Wee Willie Walker & The Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra
“Somewhere” — co-written by Tommy Castro & Tom Hambridge; performed by Tommy Castro & The Painkillers

Best emerging artist album
GA-20 Does Hound Dog Taylor: Try It… You Might Like It!, GA-20
Just Say The Word, Gabe Stillman
Live On Beale Street: A Tribute To Bobby “Blue” Bland, Rodd Bland and the Members Only Band
Welcome To The Land, Memphissippi Sounds
You Ain’t Unlucky, Veronica Lewis

Acoustic blues album
Dear America, Eric Bibb
Land of the Sky, Catfish Keith
Let’s Get Happy Together, Maria Muldaur
Let Loose These Chains, Hector Anchondo
The Trio Sessions, EG Kight

Blues rock album
Alafia Moon, Damon Fowler
Dance Songs For Hard Times, The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band
Resurrection, Mike Zito
Tinfoil Hat, Popa Chubby
Unemployed Highly Annoyed, Jeremiah Johnson

Contemporary blues album
662, Kingfish
Damage Control, Curtis Salgado
Holler If You Hear Me, Altered Five Blues Band
Raisin’ Cain, Chris Cain
Tommy Castro Presents A Bluesman Came To Town, Tommy Castro

Soul blues album
Let’s Have A Party, Gerald McClendon
Long As I Got My Guitar, Zac Harmon
Not In My Lifetime, Wee Willie Walker & The Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra
You Get What You Give: Duets, Dave Keller
You Gotta Have It, Tia Carroll

Traditional blues album
Be Ready When I Call You, Guy Davis
Bob Corritore & Friends: Spider In My Stew, Bob Corritore
Boogie w/ R.L. Boyce (Live), R.L. Boyce
Little Black Flies, Eddie 9V
Pinky’s Blues, Sue Foley

Acoustic blues artist
Eric Bibb
Kevin Burt
Guy Davis
Doug MacLeod
Keb’ Mo’

Blues rock artist
Albert Castiglia
Tommy Castro
Tinsley Ellis
Ana Popovic
Joanne Shaw Taylor

Contemporary blues female artist
Vanessa Collier
Thornetta Davis
Ruthie Foster
Danielle Nicole
Carolyn Wonderland

Contemporary blues male artist
Selwyn Birchwood
Chris Cain
Christone “Kingfish” Ingram
Kenny Neal
Mr. Sipp (Castro Coleman)

Soul blues female artist
Annika Chambers
Trudy Lynn
Terrie Odabi
Kat Riggins
Vaneese Thomas

Soul blues male artist
William Bell
Don Bryant
John Nemeth
Johnny Rawls
Curtis Salgado

Traditional blues female artist (Koko Taylor Award)
Rory Block
Sue Foley
Rhiannon Giddens
Diunna Greenleaf
EG Kight

Traditional blues male artist
Cedric Burnside
Super Chikan
Taj Mahal
Sugar Ray Norcia
Jontavious Willis

Instrumentalist – bass
Willie J. Campbell
Larry Fulcher
Jerry Jemmott
Scot Sutherland
Danielle Nicole

Instrumentalist – drums
Danny Banks
June Core
Tom Hambridge
Derrick D’Mar Martin
Chris Peet

Instrumentalist – guitar
Christoffer “Kid” Andersen
Chris Cain
Laura Chavez
Anson Funderburgh
Eric Gales
J.P. Soars

Instrumentalist – harmonica
Billy Branch
Bob Corritore
Jason Ricci
Brandon Santini
Kim Wilson

Instrumentalist – horn
Mindi Abair
Jimmy Carpenter
Marc Franklin
Regi Oliver
Nancy Wright

Instrumentalist – piano (Pinetop Perkins Piano Player Award)
Eden Brent
Mike Finnigan
Dave Keyes
Veronica Lewis
Jim Pugh

Instrumentalist – vocals
Thornetta Davis
Ruthie Foster
John Nemeth
Sugaray Rayford
Curtis Salgado

Emilia Teams Up with Tiago PZK for Hot New Single “Rápido Lento”

Posted on September 30, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Emilia is taking is fast and slow…

The 24-year-old Argentine singer/songwriter, whose name is Emilia Mernes, has joined voices with Tiago PZK for the new single “Rápido Lento.”

Known for her uptempo urban-pop tracks, Emilia, this month’s Billboard Latin Artist on the Rise, shows fans a new side to her in this sultry collaboration, where Tiago adds his refreshing rap verses.

“Rápido Lento” is a chill, R&B song fused with hip-hop and alternative rock undertones.

“Get close/ I need to understand why every time we see each other time stops,” Emilia sings in the sexy chorus. “We’re breaking the law but not the one of attraction,” Tiago chants in the lyrics about two people who continue to have chemistry despite the distance and years.

Directed by Facundo Ballve, the music video was filmed in a castle-like setting with a black-and-white aesthetic that’s both classy and provocative. The storyline? A couple that signs a contract and enjoys their intimacy in the castle. Both Emilia and Tiago are seen performing the song in the rain and in the elegant gardens.

Emilia and Tiago PZK are considered two of Argentina’s most promising newcomers.

Paula Cendejas Releases New EP “Contragolpe”

Posted on July 4, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Paula Cendejas is making a counter-attack…

The Spanish pop singer, considered one of Spain’s most promising acts, has released her new EP Contragolpe.

Cendejas, who gained attention through her covers on social media, has lately collaborated with Latin music’s edgiest stars including C.Tangana, Piso 21, Feid and Jesse Baéz, to name a few.

Her musical proposal and crisp vocals shine on the new EP, which is home to seven gems including sultry R&B fusions (“803”), flamenco undertones (“Nada Lo Cambia”), futuristic boleros (“Diferente”) and more.

A standout track is focus single “Nosotras,” a pop-reggaeton meshed with mesmerizing acoustic guitars.

Contragolpe, according to Cendejas, was born after discovering herself during the pandemic.

“It’s a rebellion,” she expressed in a statement. “All last year and part of this one I was in an internal struggle with myself, looking for help to feel better. All the bad things that I had inside I brought out in the form of a song.”

DaniLeigh Embraces Her Latin Roots with Assist on Tainy’s New Single “Falta,” Featuring Kris Floyd

Posted on November 13, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

DaniLeigh is getting back to her Latin roots…

After making a name for herself in the music industry, teaming up with artists like Chris Brown, G-Eazy and DaBaby, the 25-year-old Dominican American singer/songwriter returns to her roots in Tainy’s latest song, “Falta.”

Also teaming up with up-and-coming artist Kris Floyd, the three artists lace their unique sound to bring a mellow, captivating fusion between R&B, reggaeton, and hip-hop.

“Falta was inspired by my desire to merge R&B with reggaeton and to find that feeling with the melodies,” the Latin Grammy-winning producer said in a press release. “Kris and Dani’s tones combined with those reggaeton beats came full circle.”

On the track, DaniLeigh flaunts her Spanish-singing skills for the first time, singing about an old flame who cheated on her.

“No haces falta, por eso no te he escrito / Lo hiciste con otra y no fue tan rico / Baby, tú ni has sido mi favorito / Ahora sé que perdí el tiempo contigo,” she sings.

Floyd then shares his side of the story, accepting his errors and trying to win her back.

In true DaniLeigh fashion, the artist shows off her killer dance moves in the music video directed by Michael Garcia and featuring all three artists.

Hispanically Yours

Celebrating the Latino Influence

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