Shakira to Perform at This Year’s iHeartRadio Music Festival

Shakira is a “loca, loca, loca”… And now she’ll be demonstrating her locaness in Las Vegas.

The 35-year-old Colombian singing sensation will be performing at this fall’s iHeartRadio Music Festival, which spans all genres, including pop, rock and country.

Shakira

But Shakira isn’t the only Latin artist scheduled to take the stage during the two-day festival…

Shakira’s “Get It Started” collaborator Pitbull and Enrique Iglesias have also been confirmed as performers.  Other acts scheduled to appear include headliners Taylor Swift, Rihanna, Usher and Bon Jovi.

This year’s concert, which will be hosted by Ryan Seacrest, will take place on September 21-22 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Tickets for iHeartRadio Fest go on sale July 14, and the show will be broadcast live on iHeartRadio, Yahoo! and Xbox.

Last year’s inaugural music festival, hosted by the Clear Channel station, featured performances by Jennifer Lopez, Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga and Nicki Minajand more. The event, intended to celebrate the launch of the new iHeartRadio, sold out 10 minutes after tickets were put on sale to the general public.

Caitlin Gutiérrez: Country Music’s Next Big Thing?

There aren’t many Latino artists in country music… But that could all change with the arrival of Caitlin Gutiérrez.

The Latweena country singer who hails from Georgia is a rising star in the world of country music. And, she’s garnering support from big name artists in the industry like The Band Perry.

Caitlin Gutierrez

“I’m not just a normal 14-year-old, I’m a 14-year-old who knows what she wants to do in her career and will do anything for it,” says Gutiérrez, who started singing at the age of 6.

Caitlin is currently working with famed voice coach Jan Smith, who has helped train Usher and Justin Bieber’s vocal pipes. And, she seems destined for stardom. After all, she hails from a small Georgia town that’s big on talent –Leesburg. It just happens to be the home of recent American Idol winner Phillip Phillips.

“I mean there’s something in the water in Leesburg going on because there’s a lot of talent in Leesburg,” exclaims Gutiérrez. “But his success is just a blessing and I know that he is so proud of himself and everyone here is proud of him.”

But Gutiérrez is determined to make her own mark in the world… She’s already wowing audiences all over the country; and she’s even released her first music video for the catchy single “Country Air.” But that’s not all… She recently opened for The Band Perry and there’s talk of a sitcom and a possible reality show.

No matter Gutiérrez’s next path, she’s got a great head on her shoulders and a strong team behind her. Her mother serves as her hair and makeup artist while her dad also helps out. And, there’s also her manager and her sister who helps her stay on pitch.

“They’ve been helping me through everything. They’ve been supporting me, they’ve been driving me places. They’re just amazing and it’s a real blessing to have them in my life,” says Gutiérrez.

Gutiérrez, who also enjoys acting and modeling, says she loves singing the most and hopes to one day sell out Madison Square Garden.

Miguel Receives Three 2012 BET Awards Nominations

The nominations for the 2012 BET Awards have been unveiled… And, rising star Miguel leads the Latino pack of nominees with three nods.

The 25-year-old half-Mexican R&B singer/songwriter has received a nomination in the Best Male R&B Artist category. He’ll face off against fellow Latino singer Bruno Mars, as well as Chris Brown, Trey Songz and Usher.

Miguel

In addition, Miguel has been nominated in the Best Collaboration category with Wale for their song Lotus Flower Bomb.” Other nominees include Beyonce f/ J. Cole – “Party,” Big Sean f/ Kanye West & Roscoe Dash – “Marvin & Chardonnay,” DJ Khaled f/ Drake, Rick Ross & Lil Wayne – “I’m On One,” Drake f/ Lil Wayne & Tyga – “The Motto,” The Throne (Jay-Z & Kanye West) f/ Otis Redding – “Otis.”

Miguel’s final nod comes in the Coca-Cola Viewer’s Choice Award category for his same collaboration with Wale on “Lotus Flower Bomb.” The pair will face off against Beyonce – “Love On Top,” Chris Brown – “Turn Up the Music,” Drake f/ Lil Wayne & Tyga – “The Motto,” Mindless Behavior – and “Hello,” The Throne (Jay-Z & Kanye West) f/ Otis Redding – “Otis.”

But Miguel and Bruno Mars aren’t the only Latino artists getting nominations… Zoe Saldana received a nod in the Best Actress category, while New York Giants’ star Victor Cruz was nominated in the Subway Sportsman of the Year category.

The 2012 BET Awards, which will be hosted by Samuel L. Jackson, will be held on July 1 at Los Angeles’ Shrine Auditorium. Last year’s awards show drew 7.7 million viewers on BET.

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Pitbull Added to Today’s Summer Concert Series Lineup

Prepare to dance! Pitbull is bringing his hip-shaking music to  morning television next month…

The 31-year-old Cuban American rap superstar will be taking part in the Today show’s 17th annual Summer Concert Series, the NBC morning show’s weekly morning live concerts. Pitbull is scheduled to take the outdoor Today stage on Friday, May 25.

In addition to Mr. Worldwide, this summer’s concert series will include appearances by Justin Bieber, Usher, Chris Brown, Hot Chelle Rae, Maroon 5 and Train.

Fans can catch the concerts for free on a first-come, first-serve basis outside Today‘s window-on-the-world studio, located at 49th Street and Rockefeller Plaza in New York City. Fans should arrive by 6 a.m. for best viewing, according to MSNBC.

And this year, Today is partnering with Pandora to extend the life of the concert series beyond the Plaza and into the web. Pandora will create three Today Summer Concert Series stations: NBC Today Rock, NBC Today Country and NBC Today Pop, featuring each of the artists appearing in the series throughout the summer.

Here’s the full line-up so far:

May 18: Usher

May 25: Pitbull

May 31: American Idol winner and runner-up (special Thursday performance)
June 1: The Band Perry
June 8: Chris Brown
June 15: Justin Bieber
June 22: Kenny Chesney
June 29: Maroon 5
July 
6: Flo Rida
July 13: Zac Brown Band
July 20: Hot Chelle Rae
August
24: Train
August 31: Jason Mraz with special guest Christina Perri  

More acts and guest appearances are expected to be announced throughout the season.

 

Santos Ready for World Domination…

Romeo Santos isn’t afraid to blend, especially if it means expanding his musical sound to reach new audiences…

The 30-year-old Dominican-American singer, who recently released his debut solo album at the top of the Billboard Latin Albums chart, says he’s hoping to partner with Mexican singer Alejandro Fernandez to blend ranchera music with bachata.

Romeo Santos

During a recent press conference in Mexico, the former Aventura front man confessed that his greatest “challenge” is the ability to spread his music and share it with other artists of different genres and countries.

“I would like to collaborate with Alejandro Fernandez to be able to mix genre,” said Santos, who admits to listening to Canadian crooner Michael Buble and legendary Mexican singers Vicente Fernandez and Juan Gabriel. “It would be interesting to mix bachata with rancheras.”

Santos’ new solo album “Formula Vol. 1” already includes collaborations with well-known artists like Mexico’s Mario Domm from the group Camila; Spaniards La Mala Rodriguez and Tomati and American singers Usher, Lil Wayne and Pitbull.

Santos expressed his desire to bring his culture and music to the entire world and said he’s ready to push forward as a solo artist to “conquer” hearts in the European and Asian markets.

“My intent is to exceed expectations and conquer the public in Spain, Japan and Brazil,” said Santos, who will begin his world tour in the United States in February 2012.

Santos’ First Solo Album Records Strong Sales Numbers…

It seems Romeo Santos has found the formula for success in his new aventura as a solo artist…

The former Aventura frontman’s debut album has posted the biggest first sales week of any Latin album in four years.

Romeo Santos

The 30-year-old Dominican-American singer’s “Formula, Vol. 1” bowed at No. 9 on the Billboard 200 chart, with Nielsen SoundScan reporting the album sold 62,000 copies.

It’s the largest first-week sales posting for a Latin album since June 23, 2007, when Daddy Yankee’s “El Cartel: the Big Boss” sold 82,000.

In addition to a landing in the Top 10 on the Billboard 200, “Formula” is the new No. 1 on Billboard’s Latin Albums chart.

“Formula Vol. 1” features 15 songs in English and Spanish, including the hit “Promise,” Santos’ bilingual duet with Usher that reached No. 1 on the Latin Songs chart well before before they performed the song at last week’s Latin Grammys.

It seems Santos—who recently signed on to star in an ABC sitcom—is successfully transitioning to a solo career after a decade with his multiplatinum-selling bachata group.

“In a lot of ways, it’s a continuation of what I was doing in the group, where I was spending 20 hours in the studio on a song,” Santos told the New York Daily News. “I am still making the same decisions, but I get very nostalgic when I’m on stage without them, and I have to remind myself, okay, it’s Romeo, not Aventura.”

Santos is currently on the road promoting the album throughout the country.

Santos Lands First Acting Stint…

Romeo Santos is getting ready for a new “adventure”… The lead singer of bachata group Aventura will star in a new ABC comedy series.

Produced by Will Smith, the still-untitled project centers on a single Dominican-American man trying to please his harsh immigrant father while pursuing his own American dreams.

 “The show is about the different beliefs and how we think,” said Romeo during a Q&A session at the Association of Hispanic Advertising Agencies (AHAA)conference in Miami on Wednesday. “It’s a show about the difference between how we think and how our parents think.”

Even though this will be the 30-year-old Dominican-American singer’s first acting stint, Santos isn’t ending his music career.

The Bronx, New York native is set to release his first solo album, “Formula Vol. 1” on November 8. It’ll feature collaborations with Lil Wayne, Usher and Pitbull among others, and include tracks in English and Spanish.