Karol G Named Billboard’s 2024 Woman of the Year

Karol G is a woman on top…

After a year of career-defining moments, including a history-making album, a momentous stadium tour, headlining Lollapalooza and her first Grammy win, the 32-year-old Colombian singer-songwriter has been named Billboard‘s 2024 Woman of the Year.

Karol GKarol G will be honored with the award at the Billboard Women in Music Awards on Wednesday, March 6, at the YouTube Theater at Hollywood Park in Los Angeles, and streaming March 7.

Karol G will also grace the stage for a special performance.

Hosted by award-winning actor and producer Tracee Ellis Ross, the annual event will recognize music’s rising stars and A-List artists, creators and executives for their contributions to the industry and community.

“With her immense talent, Karol G has created a movement for women across the globe due to her empowering lyrics and inspiring confidence,” said Hannah Karp, Billboard’s editorial director. “The release of her groundbreaking album Mañana Será Bonito has proven her a force to be reckoned with in both the English and Spanish charts. We are so excited to honor her as Woman of the Year.”

Over the past few years, Karol G has become a leading force in Latin music. Two years after releasing her breakthrough album KG0516 in 2021, Karol G became the first female artist to top the Billboard 200 with a Spanish-language album thanks to Mañana Será Bonito.

The follow-up album, Mañana Será Bonito (Bichota Season), then debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200. On Sunday, she won her first Grammy, taking home best música urbana album for Mañana Será Bonito.

Last summer, Karol launched her own Bichota Records and inked a distribution deal with Interscope. Additionally, The Con Cora Foundation was established to continue the artist’s social work and mission to support women who lead households, at-risk youth, children facing chronic or disabling diseases, those dealing with teenage pregnancy, women deprived of liberty and post-penalty, as well as low-income women.

Past recipients of Woman of the Year include SZA, Olivia Rodrigo, Cardi B, Billie Eilish, Ariana Grande, Selena Gomez, Madonna, Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift.

Karol G joins the previously announced lineup of powerhouse women set for the 2024 Billboard Women in Music Awards: Kylie Minogue will receive the Icon AwardMaren Morris will receive the Visionary AwardIce Spice will receive the Hitmaker AwardCharli XCX will receive the Powerhouse AwardYoung Miko will receive the Impact AwardVictoria Monét will receive the Rising Star award; NewJeans will receive the Group of the Year AwardTEMS will receive the Breakthrough Award; and Luísa Sonza will receive one of Billboard’s new Global Force Awards.

Tickets to attend the Billboard Women in Music Awards are available to the public. Prices range from $89 – $279. Fans can watch the show on Thurs, March 7 at 5:00 pm PT/8:00 pm ET on billboardwomeninmusic.com; more details about the stream will be announced soon.

Peso Pluma Provides Exclusive Dia de los Muertos-Themed Merchandise for Spotify’s 2023 Capsule Collection

Spotify is embracing Peso Pluma’s style…

The digital music service has announced its 2023 Capsule Collection, featuring exclusive merchandise from artists including the 24-year-old Mexican Regional Mexican artist.

Peso PlumaOther artists with exclusive Spotify merchandise include Daft Punk, Rosalía, Tyler, the Creator and Tems.

Each week, a different artist will release a new merchandise package.

Top streamers identified through Spotify’s Fans First program will get a first chance to buy items from the respective collections.

This week, Spotify kicked off the collections with the release of Peso Pluma’s merch line, which is inspired by Dia de los Muertos.

Spotify, Peso Pluma, 2023 Capsule CollectionFans can access the line through Spotify’s merchandise hub, with an array of items including a hoodie inspired by La Catrina, long- and short-sleeved tees, and a Calavera bandana.

“Spotify has always supported my music, since day one so it made sense to align with them,” Peso Pluma said in a statement provided by Spotify. “I use these capsule items in my day-to-day so I want my fans to have them as well. They have a special meaning to Mexican culture.”

Currently, Spotify users can purchase everything from Taylor Swift vinyl to Janet Jackson tour books on the platform. In October 2021, Spotify threw its hat into the e-commerce ring by partnering with Shopify to allow musicians to list merchandise directly on their profiles.

“I’m thrilled with the launch of our Capsule Collection and thankful to all the amazing artists for partnering with us on this,” said Jeremy Erlich, VP/head of music at Spotify. “We’re excited to provide another avenue for fans to support their favorite artists with unique and high-quality merch. Spotify is already where fans and artists connect, and we’re dedicated to continuing to find new ways to strengthen that bond within our platform’s ecosystem.”

Fabolous to Perform at Atlanta’s ONE Musicfest 2023 This October

Fabolous is ready to become ONE with Atlanta…

The 45-year-old Afro-Dominican American rapper will perform at this year’s ONE Musicfest 2023.

FabolousThe festival, presented in partnership with Live Nation Urban, will take place October 28-29 at Piedmont Park in Atlanta.

Fabolous is part of a lineup that includes El Debarge, Jadakiss, Bryson Tiller and The-Dream.

Kendrick Lamar, Janet Jackson, Brent Faiyaz and Megan Thee Stallion will headline the festival.

Among the additional performers who will be featured during the two-day concert are Tems, Kodak Black, Coi Leray, Coco Jones, and Jozzy along with surprise special guests.

There will also be a special salute to the 50th  anniversary of hip-hop. Helming that celebration will be Nelly, KRS-One, Killer Mike, 8Ball & MJG, DJ Quik, DJ Drama,

In a release announcing the lineup, ONE Musicfest founder J. Carter said, “We are beyond excited about the 14th annual ONE Musicfest. To have the opportunity to host Kendrick Lamar, Janet Jackson, Megan Thee Stallion, Brent Faiyaz, and other iconic artists in the middle of Piedmont Park is a dream come true, especially on the 50th anniversary of hip-hop. It doesn’t get any better than this. It will be a premium experience for the artists, the attendees, and our partners. We look forward to our new home in Piedmont Park and delivering an elevated experience to our many fans.”

ONE Musicfest tickets are available here; for additional details, visit ONE Musicfest’s website.  

Robert Trujillo & His Metallica Band Mates to Host Helping Hands Benefit Concert for Third Year

Robert Trujillo is offering a helping hand 

The 57-year-old half-Mexican American musician and his Metallica band mates are bringing their Helping Hands benefit concert back for a third year, the band has announced.

MetallicaOn behalf of the rockers’ All Within My Hands foundation, the 2022 edition of the Helping Hands Concert and Auction will make its Southern California debut on December 16, when Metallica will hit the stage at L.A.’s Microsoft Theater with a number of yet-to-be-revealed special guests.

Tickets for the special event will go on sale to the general public starting Friday, September 23 at 10:00 am local time. Customers will have two-ticket limit per person — with 100 percent of proceeds going directly to Metallica’s non-profit organization, which aims to create “sustainable communities by tackling issues including hunger and workforce education.”

The band’s last Helping Hands Concert and Auction took place in November 2020 with a livestream that ultimately raised more than $1.8 million for work with partners including Feeding America, the American Association of Community Colleges and a number of COVID-19 and disaster-relief funds.

For more information on the upcoming concert as well as access to two different pre-sales, visit the event’s AXS site.

This weekend, Metallica is headed to New York City to headline the 10th annual Global Citizen Festival along with the likes of Mariah Carey, the Jonas Brothers, Charlie Puth, Måneskin, Rosalía and Mickey Guyton and host Priyanka Chopra. A parallel show will also take place in Accra, Ghana, featuring Usher, Stormzy, H.E.R., Tems, Uncle Waffles and others to commemorate the 65th anniversary of Ghana’s independence and the 20th anniversary of the African Union.

Rosalia to Perform at This Year’s Global Citizen Festival

Rosalia is taking the global stage…

The 29-year-old Spanish singer and songwriter will take part in this year’s Global Citizen Festival, which is set for Saturday, September 24 with twin shows in New York City and Accra, Ghana.

RosaliaRosalia will be part of the U.S. leg alongside Metallica, Charlie Puth, Jonas Brothers, Måneskin, Mariah Carey and Mickey Guyton.

Other New York City performers include Angélique Kidjo and Billy Porter.

Bollywood star and Global Citizen ambassador Priyanka Chopra Jonas will host Global Citizen Festival: NYC, to be staged in Central Park.

For its 10th anniversary edition, Global Citizen expands its program with a show at Ghana’s Black Star Square, featuring performances by Usher, SZA, Stormzy, Gyakie, H.E.R., Sarkodie, Stonebwoy, Tems, and Uncle Waffles.

That show will mark the 65th anniversary of Ghana’s independence and the 20th anniversary of the African Union.

The annual concert-with-a-cause will call on world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly and ahead of the G20 and COP27 this November to invest in the future, and to end global hunger.

The international advocacy organization and its supporters want to action, not words.

Among its list of requests, an investment of $600 million into the future of women and girls; close the annual $10 billion climate financing shortfall; $500 million to help African farmers respond to the global food crisis; and provide urgent relief from crushing debts to end extreme poverty.

The health crisis has pushed nearly 100 million more people into extreme poverty and is “reversing recent trends of shrinking inequality, leading to the loss of at least three years of progress,” reads a statement. “Without urgent action now this backsliding will only worsen.”

Also, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has “aggravated the situation further, with as many as 323 million people now facing acute hunger, and 1.2 billion people now live in nations experiencing a perfect storm of food, energy, and financial crises. If we don’t take action now, as many as 200 million more people may be plunged into extreme poverty by November.”

The 2022 Global Citizen Festival will be broadcast and streamed on ABC, ABC News Live, FX, Hulu, iHeartRadio, TimesLIVE, Twitter, YouTube, and more.

ABC will also broadcast a primetime special Global Citizen Festival: Take Action NOW, on Sunday, September 25 at 7:00 pm ET. Additional tune-in details will follow in the weeks ahead.

Tickets to the festivals are free and can be earned by downloading the Global Citizen app or visiting www.globalcitizen.org to participate in its campaigns.

For each “action” taken, users earn points that can be redeemed for tickets.

More performers and special guests will be announced in due course.

Natanael Cano Named to YouTube Music’s Foundry Class of 2020

Natanael Cano is the head of the class…

YouTube Music has announced its first foundry class of 2020, highlighting 12 emerging artists who are creating a buzz in the music scene, including the 19-year-old Mexican corridos singer.

Natanael Cano

Foundry is YouTube’s global artist development program that “helps independent artists use music and storytelling to engage fans across borders and build careers with a vision they uniquely define on their own.”

In addition to Cano, a trailblazer in the Mexican corridos genre and beyond, this year’s inaugural class includes Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter Adam Melchor, Puerto Rican trap star Eladio Carrion, Brooklyn-based multifaceted artist Gabriel Garzon-Montano, Birmingham grime artist and actor Jaykae, Glasgow R&B singer Joesef, Japanese indie-rock band Novelbright, Sydney pop-rock brothers Lime Cordiale, Mumbai DJ/producer duo Lost Stories, Korean-American multitalented REI AMI, Nigerian singer and producer Tems and avant-garde French pop-rap artist TESSÆ.

Since its inception in 2015, the YouTube program has helped over 120 rising acts in more than 13 countries, providing them with marketing, promotion, and development support and tools to help set them up for long-term success.

“YouTube is a platform that thrives on discovery and at its core, that is what Foundry is all about. We are so proud to bring this diverse group of artists together to help share their music and creative visions with new fans from around the world,” said Vivien Lewit, YouTube’s Global Head of Artist Relations in a statement.

Naomi Zeichner, YouTube Artist Partnerships Lead added: “This year, we’re all navigating a new industry, and the artists in this Foundry class are finding new ways to create content and stay connected. These artist’s journeys are a snapshot of today’s music landscape, and worth watching for anyone interested in the future of music and culture. We’re grateful to support them as they grow and build lasting relationships with their fans.”

The inaugural class of 2020 joins previous Foundry alumni like Dua LipaRosaliaCuco,Omar Apollo and Arlo Parks, to name a few.