Ricardo Chavira to Guest Star on Season 3 of Apple TV+’s Series “Truth Be Told”

Posted on April 2, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Ricardo Chavira is dealing with the Truth…

The 50-year-old Mexican American actor has been cast in Season 3 of Apple TV+’s series Truth Be Told as a recurring guest star.

Descending into the world of true-crime podcasts, Truth Be Told stars Octavia Spencer as podcaster Poppy Scoville, who risks everything—including her life—to pursue truth and justice.

Based on the novel by Kathleen Barber, the series provides a unique glimpse into America’s obsession with true crime podcasts and challenges its viewers to consider the consequences when the pursuit of justice is placed on a public stage.

The upcoming season will see Poppy focus on a new case with newly added Gabrielle Union starring as Eva, an outspoken high school principal who becomes embroiled in a problematic incident.

With Spencer’s Poppy as the thread through the anthology series and a core cast around Spencer also staying on, each season tells a different story and features new stars opposite her.

The NAACP Image Award-winning series is created and executive produced by Nichelle Tramble Spellman. Season 3 is helmed by showrunner Maisha Closson, who also serves as executive producer.

In addition to starring, Spencer serves as executive producer alongside producing partner Brian Clisham via her company, Orit Entertainment. The series is produced for Apple TV+ by Hello Sunshine, Chernin Entertainment, and Endeavor Content.

Chavira most recently appeared in the Netflix series Selena as a series regular. He is best known for his portrayal of Carlos Solis on ABC’s hit series Desperate Housewives.

His other credits include Kevin Can Wait, Jane the Virgin, The Santa Clarita Diet and Scandal.

Amazon Acquires Jennifer Lopez-Produced Skydance TV Series “Backwards in Heels”

Posted on March 29, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a moment of heels-ing for Jennifer Lopez.

Amazon has acquired the Skydance TV series Backwards in Heels, produced by the 52-year-old Puerto Rican superstar, off the table.

The series will be written and directed by Richard LaGravenese and follows the aspirational and timeless story about the glamorous women living at the Barbizon Hotel in post-WWII New York City.

Lopez, Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas, and Benny Medina will produce under their Nuyorican Productions. Julie Goldstein is also producing.

The Barbizon Hotel, located at 140 East 63rd St. on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, was for several decades a female-only residential hotel for young women who came to NYC for professional opportunities.

Built in 1927, the 23-story hotel was a blend of Italian Renaissance and late Gothic revival and Islamic decorative elements.

No men were allowed above the ground floor, and strict dress and conduct rules were enforced. Men began to be admitted as guests in 1981.

Famous guests and residents throughout its history included Lauren Bacall, Betty Buckley, Joan Crawford, Rita Hayworth and Grace Kelly, among several others.

Lopez was honored with the Icon Award at the iHeartRadio Music Awards last week. She recently celebrated the 25th anniversary of her breakout movie Selena, in which she played the Tejano legend.

The actress’ recent romantic comedy feature Marry Me was one of the most viewed movies ever on NBCUniversal’s Peacock streaming service, approaching 6M accounts. Before the pandemic, her crime caper feature Hustlers ranked as her highest-grossing live-action movie of her career at the domestic B.O. with $105M, and her biggest opening ever with $33M.

Lopez and her Nuyorican Productions are teaming with Skydance and Concord to develop a slate of original projects based on the latter’s catalog of musicals, which includes the works of Broadway icons Rodgers & Hammerstein.

She next is starring and producing the Netflix movies The Mother and Atlas.

Francisca Valenzuela Releases New Single “Como La Flor”

Posted on February 12, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Francisca Valenzuela is blossoming with new music…

The 34-year-old Chilean American singer-songwriter has released the new single “Como La Flor.”

In the pop-ballad track, Valenzuela delivers a message of resistance that touches on thriving in a world that tears you down over and over again.

“We are the flower in the middle of war, the light that will illuminate sadness… we are love, always love,” she sings evocatively.

Produced by Ali Stone and Sebastian Krys, the single is an homage to Selena’s 1992 heartbreak anthem.

“When I wrote this song during the pandemic, at a difficult time for all of us, I felt like my idols and artists that I love would keep me company. They would contain me, be my friends,” Valenzuela said.

Library of Congress Selects Gregory Nava’s “Selena” Among 25 Films for National Film Registry for 2021

Posted on December 19, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Gregory Nava’s ode to la Reina de la Musica Tejana is being celebrated as an influential film…

The Library of Congress has unveiled its annual list of 25 films to make the cut for the National Film Registry, with the 72-year-old Mexican/Spanish American filmmaker’s Selena among this year’s selections.

This year’s list, considered among America’s most influential motion pictures, features titles spanning from 1902-2008.

The movies have been selected for their cultural, historic or aesthetic importance to preserve the nation’s film heritage.

Several, including Nava’s Selena, explore stories from diverse communities that often carry universal themes.

Selena, the 1997 biographical film of Tejano Music star Selena Quintanilla-Pérez starred Jennifer Lopez in her first major movie role.

Co-star Edward James Olmos told the Library of Congress that Selena “will stand the test of time… (It’s) a masterpiece because it allows people to learn about themselves by watching other peoples’ culture.”

Sylvia Morales’ 1979 film Chicana was also selected to be part of the registry this year.

The film traces the history of Chicana and Mexican women from pre-Columbian times to the present. It covers women’s role in Aztec society, their participation in the 1810 struggle for Mexican independence, their involvement in the US labor strikes in 1872, their contributions to the 1910 Mexican revolution and their leadership in contemporary civil rights causes. Using murals, engravings and historical footage, Chicana shows how women, despite their poverty, have become an active and vocal part of the political and work life in both Mexico and the United States

Three films on this year’s list directly addressed one of the most pressing issues of the day: racially-motivated violence against people of color. The Murder Of Fred Hampton (1971), Who Killed Vincent Chin? (1987) and Requiem-29 (1970) told stories of violence against Black, Asian and Hispanic Americans, respectively.

Requiem-29 documents the chilling inhuman treatment of 50,000 Chicanos by police and the death of L.A. Times journalist Ruben Salazar.

The 2021 roster of titles brings the total number in the registry to 825.

Said Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden, “Films help reflect our cultural history and creativity — and show us new ways of looking at ourselves — though movies haven’t always been deemed worthy of preservation. The National Film Registry will preserve our cinematic heritage, and we are proud to add 25 more films this year. The Library of Congress will work with our partners in the film community to ensure these films are preserved for generations to come.”

Select titles from 30 years of the National Film Registry are freely available online in the National Screening Room.

Films Selected for the 2021 National Film Registry (chronological order)

Ringling Brothers Parade Film (1902)
Jubilo (1919)
The Flying Ace (1926)
Hellbound Train (1930)
Flowers and Trees (1932)
Strangers on a Train (1951)
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962)
Evergreen (1965)
Requiem-29 (1970)
The Murder of Fred Hampton (1971)
Pink Flamingos (1972)
Sounder (1972)
The Long Goodbye (1973)
Cooley High (1975)
Richard Pryor: Live in Concert (1979)
Chicana (1979)
The Wobblies (1979)
Star Wars Episode VI — Return of the Jedi (1983)
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
Stop Making Sense (1984)
Who Killed Vincent Chin? (1987)
The Watermelon Woman (1996)
Selena (1997)
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
WALL-E (2008)

Karol G to Make Acting Debut on Netflix Series

Posted on November 22, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Karol G is ready to make her acting debut…

The 30-year-old Colombian reggaeton singer will be starring soon in a Netflix series, she revealed a day after winning a Latin Grammy for best reggaeton performance for “Bichota.”

“I have a lot of things that I want to do in my life,” she told Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show. “I want to push myself as a woman and see how far I can go in everything.”

During the interview, Karol G teased her forthcoming onscreen venture.

“I’m going to act,” she spilled. “I have a surprise for my people in January. I’m going to start shooting a series for Netflix. It’s not about my life. I’m acting. I have a character, so I’m preparing myself for that.”

She’s already hired an acting coach and enrolled in business classes because she thinks of herself as not just an artist, but a brand.

“Artists aren’t really idols anymore,” she previously said to Billboard for its Latin issue in September. “Now it’s all about moments. If your song is a hit, they’ll talk about you, but because the industry is so saturated, they’ll forget about you when a new artist comes along. Selena died more than 20 years ago, but her albums are still charting, she’s still getting awards. That’s a legacy. My goal now is to create a product that will connect with many people and for people to remember me.”

Karol’s new Latin Grammy for best reggaeton performance is her second award from the Latin Recording Academy, after taking home best new artist in 2018.

Marco Antonio Solis Earns Eighth No. 1 on Billboard’s Regional Mexican Airplay Chart with “Se Veía Venir”

Posted on September 30, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Marco Antonio Solis is finally back on top…

The 61-year-old Mexican musician, singer, composer and record producer has returned to the top of Billboard’s Regional Mexican Airplay chart for the first time in over two decades as “Se Veía Venir” climbs 6-1 on the ranking dated October 2.

It’s his first leader at the radio format since “El Peor de Mis Fracasos” topped the chart for one week on the September 11, 1999-dated list.

“Se Veía Venir” takes over at the summit after being boosted by a 67% increase in audience impressions, to 8 million, in the U.S. in the week ending September 26, according to MRC Data.

The mariachi-powered “Se Veía Venir” grants Solis his eighth No. 1 on Regional Mexican Airplay, the third-most among soloists since the chart began in 1994. Among all acts, the group Calibre 50 continues to lead with 20 No. 1s.

After the chart’s launch in 1994, Solis became the first male solo act to achieve a No. 1 on the now-26-year-old survey with the two-week champ “Una Mujer Como Tú” in 1995, alongside Los Bukis. Selena was the first solo act to hit No. 1, with “No Me Queda Mas,” on December 3, 1994.

Between his trips to the summit with “Una Mujer” and “Se Veía Venir,” Solis conquered six other times the top of the ranking. Among them, a pair of two-digit week leaders: “Que Pena Me Das” (10 consecutive weeks atop in 1996) and “La Venía Bendita” (ruler for 13 consecutive weeks between 1997 and 1998).

Elsewhere on the Latin charts, “Se Veía” also reaches the top 10 on the all-genre Latin Airplay tally with an 18-5 surge and becomes the Greatest Gainer of the week. With the move, Solis earns his 27th top 10 and ties with Marc Anthony for the sixth-most behind Daddy Yankee (42), Enrique Iglesias (41), J Balvin (36), Shakira (32) and Ozuna (30). He continues to have the most top 10s among all Regional Mexican acts, ahead of Calibre 50’s 23 top 10s since the chart’s inception in 1994.

Enrique Iglesias Reclaims Record for Most No. 1s on Billboard Latin Airplay Chart with “Me Pasé,” Featuring Farruko

Posted on September 29, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Enrique Iglesias is back in the lead…

The 46-year-old Spanish singer, songwriter, record producer, philanthropist and actor has recaptured his record for the most No. 1s on Billboard’s Latin Airplay chart as “Me Pasé,” featuring Farruko, ascends 4-1 on the October 2-dated survey.

With 32 No. 1s on the almost 27-year list, Iglesias pushes ahead of J Balvin for the most leaders. The latter notched his 31st leader as he locked up the No. 1 spot with “In Da Getto,” with Skrillex, on the September 11-dated tally.

“Me Pasé” takes over atop Latin Airplay thanks to a 26% boost in audience impressions, to 11.3 million, in the U.S. in the week ending September 26, according to MRC Data.

Notably, Iglesias has held the record for the most No. 1s on the Latin Airplay chart almost continuously since 1996, when he achieved his fifth No. 1, then passing Selena (who had a leading four No. 1s at that point).

The Latin Airplay chart began only two years earlier, in 1994. Since then, Iglesias has held the most No. 1s on the list except for a brief time earlier this year, when J Balvin tied with him for the most, when the former notched his 31st No. 1 on the September 11 chart with “In Da Getto.”

With “Me Pasé” at the summit, Farruko reaches his highest Latin Airplay ranking in 2021 as he’s scored two No. 3 high tracks (“Perfecta,” with Luis Fonsi, January 2; and “Pepas,” September 25).

Besides conquering Latin Airplay, Iglesias and Farruko also rule Latin Pop Airplay as “Me Pasé” lifts 2-1. Iglesias improves his career total to 25 No. 1s, extending his lead far ahead of second-place Shakira, with 19. Farruko captures his sixth leader.

Meanwhile, Final (Vol. 1), Iglesias’ 11th studio album, debuts at No. 2 on Latin Pop Albums. It’s his first studio effort since 2014’s No. 1 Sex and Love, and it earns him a 12th top 10. In between, Iglesias secured a No. 2 high with a Greatest Hits (2019) set, which has remained steady in the tally’s top 10 during all but one week of its 103-week run.

The 11-track Final (Vol. 1) includes five tracks that were originally released between 2015 and 2018 but were not previously released on an Iglesias album. Among them are a pair of No. 1s on Hot Latin Songs: “El Perdón,” with Nicky Jam, and “Duele El Corazón,” with Wisin.

“I took a pause in between albums because I was touring and because I wanted to enjoy the success of my previous album,” Iglesias tells Billboard. “I have never stopped writing and going to the studio though. The plan was to release the album at the beginning of last year, but once COVID hit, it delayed everything, obviously.”

Final, released September 17 via Sony Music Latin, starts with 4,000 equivalent album units earned in the week ending Sept. 23rd. Out of the 11-track set’s opening sum, 3,000 derive from streaming activity, which equates to 5 million U.S. streams of the set’s tracks. The remaining 1,000-unit sum stems from album sales and track equivalent album units.

“The biggest challenge was not being able to have everyone in the same studio and trying to follow all the precautions,” Iglesias continues. “We were trying to finish all the production aspects of the songs, which we managed to do being careful. Everyone involved wanted to see this bulk of work out and we managed to finish the process during COVID to have it ready so we could put it out now.”

On the overall Top Latin Albums chart, Final arrives at No. 12, also the Spaniard’s first appearance with a studio set since 2014. “When I work on an album, I start with 50 songs!” Iglesias adds. “Then it becomes 30, 20…so on. So, through the process, I relate to every single one in a way. I always say that if I’m going to put any music out, it must be something that I like and be willing to sing every single night, for years if needed. It’s hard to handpick just one, but I really enjoy ‘Chasing the Sun.’ It talks about staying young and staying positive. It’s a song that always puts me in a good mood.”

As Final arrives, one track launches on the all-metric Hot Latin Songs chart: “Pendejo” at No. 33. The set, however, was preceded by five songs, one of which ruled the tally for 30 weeks in 2015. Here’s the recap:

Title, Artist (if other than Iglesias), Peak Date, Peak Position
“El Perdón,” with Nicky Jam, March 21, 2015, No. 1 (30 weeks atop)
“Duele El Corazón,” with Wisin, May 14, 2016, No. 1 (14-week lead)
“Súbeme La Radio,” featuring Zion & Lennox and Descemer Bueno, April 22, 2017, No. 2
“El Baño,” featuring Bad Bunny, Jan. 27, 2018, No. 8
“Me Pasé,” featuring Farruko, Oct. 2, No. 15

Ally Brooke Recording First-Ever Spanish-Language Album

Posted on August 16, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Ally Brooke is switching tongues…

The 28-year-old Mexican American singer and former Fifth Harmony member is currently recording her first Spanish-language album.

Ally Brooke, who appeared on Dancing With the Stars and launched a 2020 U.S. tour, has signed a joint record deal with indie labels Duars Entertainment, founded by Eric Duars, and with AMSI, launched by entertainment attorney Simran A. Singh, becoming the first female artist signed to either company.

Brooke is working with producers Luny Tunes, Dimelo Flow and Mr. NaisGai, among others on the album, which will feature collaborations with Latin and mainstream artists.

The San Antonio native met Singh –who also reps Daddy Yankee, Ozuna and Anuel AA, among others—through mutual friend Suzette Quintanilla, Selena’s sister.

Singh, who initially came onboard as her attorney, was impressed with both Ally Brooke’s personality and her voice.

“We began working and I said, ‘What do you think about doing a Spanish album?'” says Singh. “She said she’d love to and we instantly clicked.”

Singh reached out to Duars, another longtime client and friend, and they decided to jointly sign Ally Brooke to an unusual joint label deal instead of shopping her to another label.

“Eric and I know this business very well and we have the capital. So rather than knock on doors, we’re going to build it up ourselves,” Singh told Billboard.

Ally Brooke is the latest mainstream female artist to record in Spanish in the past year. Selena Gomez released her first Spanish-language EP earlier this year and Camila Cabello has forayed into Spanish in singles as well.

Fans will get a first listen to Ally Brooke’s new music during a showcase hosted by Duars Entertainment and slated to take place during Billboard Latin Music Week in Miami the week of September 20 with a line-up that will also includes Rauw Alejandro. Singh says he plans to release a first single immediately after.

No stranger to the charts, Ally Brooke has scored previous hits alongside collaborators like Tyga and Afrojack.

Anitta Getting Her Own Wax Figure at Madame Tussauds in New York City’s Times Square

Posted on August 15, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Anitta is waxin’ nostalgic…

The 28-year-old Brazilian singer/songwriter will soon get her own wax figure at Madame Tussauds in New York City’s Times Square.

Anitta shared the news to her more than 55 million followers via Instagram, stating: “I’m so honored! Can’t wait to have my wax figure at @MadameTussaudsUSA, in NYC!”

A short video preview shows the “Girl From Rio” singer rocking ripped jeans, a bedazzled thong, and a cutout top as artists get her exact measurements, hair color, eye color, and skin tone.

Anitta’s wax figure — which will take nearly six months and 20 studio artists in London to create — will soon arrive at Madame Tussauds New York.

This week, the museum revealed behind-the-scenes photos of Colombian superstar Maluma also posing for his own wax figure, which will arrive at Madame Tussauds in Orlando.

Anitta and Maluma join other Latin music stars to get their own wax figures, including Selena, Romeo Santos, Shakira and Jennifer Lopez, to name a few.

Maluma Getting Own Wax Figure at Orlando’s Madame Tussauds

Posted on August 13, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Maluma is getting waxed…

The 27-year-old Colombian superstar will have his own wax figure at Madame Tussauds in Orlando.

Maluma, who’s currently making the rounds with his heartfelt pop-reggaeton single “Sobrio,” shared the exciting news on NBC’s Today show by sharing images and videos of his wax figure in the making.

In true “waxed” fashion, studio artists took hundreds of measurements and captured photographs from every angle, and color-matched all the singer’s features.

The singer/songwriter was decked out in an all-white Versace double-breasted jacket and black Bottega Veneta shoes for his session.

“I’m a big dreamer,” he said in an official statement. “I remember when I was in high school saying that I wanted to be here at the museum and everything is happening; nothing is too big to make it happen.”

Maluma’s wax figure — which will take nearly six months and 20 studio artists in London to create — will arrive at Madame Tussauds Orlando in 2022.

He now joins other Latin music stars to be “waxed” including Selena and Romeo Santos.

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