ReportWire

Tag: Latin music

  • Sonia De Los Santos cancels Kennedy Center shows, citing unwelcoming climate

    NEW YORK — Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Sonia De Los Santos is the latest performer to cancel an appearance at the Kennedy Center in Washington. She had been scheduled to give two concerts for young people on Feb. 7, followed by a “creative conversation” with the audience.

    De Los Santos, a Mexican American whose 2018 release “¡Alegría!” received a Latin Grammy nomination for best children’s album, cited her background as a reason for calling off the shows.

    “As an artist, I treasure the freedom to create and share my music, and for many years I have used this privilege to uplift the stories of immigrants in this country,” she wrote Thursday on Instagram. “Unfortunately, I do not feel that the current climate at this beloved venue represents a welcoming space for myself, my band, or our audience.”

    In an email to The Associated Press, De Los Santos shared her Instagram statement and said she would have no additional comment. Kennedy Center spokesperson Roma Daravi challenged De Los Santos’ citing of immigration policy.

    “This country was built on legal immigrants and as a first generation American, I find her statement highly offensive,” Daravi wrote in an email. “Refusing to engage with an institution open to everyone is, in fact, a step towards discrimination.”

    Artists ranging from “Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda to rock star Peter Wolf have called off events at the Kennedy Center since President Donald Trump ousted the previous leadership early last year and arranged for himself to head the board of trustees. Trump has highlighted the Kennedy Center in his wide-ranging fight against what he calls “woke” bias at cultural institutions.

    The board’s decision in December to rebrand the venue the Trump-Kennedy Center, a change that scholars say can only be enacted through Congress, led to a new wave of cancellations. Jazz musician Chuck Redd called off a planned Christmas Eve show, and the jazz group The Cookers withdrew from their New Year’s Eve concerts.

    Last week, the Grammy-winning banjo player Bela Fleck announced that he had canceled three scheduled appearances next month with the National Symphony Orchestra, writing on social media that playing at the center had become “charged and political.” Ric Grenell, a diplomat and Trump ally whom the president appointed to lead the center, wrote on X that Fleck had “made it political and caved to the woke mob.”

    Other recent withdrawals include “Wicked” composer Stephen Schwartz, who had been expected to host an opera gala in the spring, and the variety show Asian AF, whose shows in May were listed as canceled on the Kennedy Center website, then removed entirely. Daravi cited a “scheduling conflict.” A representative for Asian AF did not immediately responds to requests for comment.

    Source link

  • 5 Reasons Rosalia’s New Album LUX Deserves A Spot On Your Playlist

    Known for her unusual yet distinctive, memorable, and almost intriguing musical style, Rosalía has been tearing up Spanish, European, and global charts with record-breaking numbers, reaching over 1,000 million streams at her peak over the last five years. Her song ‘Despechá’ hit 1,236 million streams on Spotify in 2022, while her “lowest” popular track, ‘TKN’ (feat. Travis Scott), still climbed to 495 million in 2020.

    This year, beginning in early November, she delighted the audience with her fresh album LUX, which includes 15 digital tracks and 18 on the CD and vinyl editions. The Rosalía’s LUX album advert campaign was loud, sharp, and straight to the point.

    Album cover in Times Square, orchestras on Madrid’s billboards, and songs in 13 languages, it blew up the internet and won new fans worldwide in just hours. The hype for the upcoming album went through the roof.  Social media was buzzing, dropping the playful hint: “Album of the Year?” Considering all this excitement, it’s clear this release is something you definitely don’t want to miss.

    Here, at Honey POP, we picked five non-cliché reasons proving why LUX truly belongs on your Spotify list.

    Catalonian DNA Fuses With Eclectic Rave 

    Born near Barcelona, in Spain’s Catalonia region with its own Catalan language and free-spirited identity, Rosalía grew up surrounded by flamenco rhythms from childhood. Blending those traditional melodies with Latin touches like reggaeton, she shaped a recognisable sound and performance style that feels entirely her own.

    In LUX, Rosalía virtuously places the orchestra at the core of most tracks, adding to each a different mix of pop, rave, and electronic notes, together with striking, loud cues and screams that cut through the sounds of violin and organ.

    The paradox of LUX’s success lies in its screaming infusion of spiritual music and Spanish baroque archaism. The sound itself becomes both the artwork and the instrument to convey the stories, carrying the ideas even without words.

    Unbeatable & Unexpected Collabs

    Yves Tumor, Björk, and even the child choir Escolanía de Montserrat are not the whole list of collaborations LUX offers to the discerning listener.

    Notably, while separate artists like Björk, the Spanish artists Estrella Morente and Sílvia Pérez Cruz performing each in one song, the Escolanía de Montserrat accompanied a full seven tracks, including ‘Magnolias’ and ‘Reliquia, highlighting the divine sense of the last tracks and the whole album’s core, referring to the divine topic as the roots of the world’s birth and natural processes like love, soul tortures and the rebirth theme.

    The most explosive track, ‘Berghain‘, drew the most attention out of all the others.

    The London orchestra, operatic singing, Björk’s deep, enchanting voice, the use of German, Spanish and English, the visual interplay of violence and love combining into a single whole, highlighted by Mike Tyson’s violent quote, “I’ll f*** you ’til you love me” allures strongly, almost forcing the space around the listener to convey the emotional background of the track itself. In the context of LUX, collaboration is not only about performers.

    It masterfully weaves contemporary musical techniques with timeless classical traditions, where the divine choir gives way to words of cruelty and violence that coexist with love and tenderness, equally forming an inseparable part of the human life cycle.

    Rebirth Of History And Spirituality

    The Palau de la Música Chamber Choir, the London Orchestra, Escolanía de Montserrat, and the sounds of the organ are not simply Rosalía’s whims or carefully staged hype to promote LUX.

    Like the album itself, the presence of these different choirs, alongside operatic and baroque elements, points to the central idea of LUX — the question of divinity, where religion is reimagined as much as the human role within it. The Escolanía de Montserrat, a boy’s Catalonian choir, flows with precision and innocence, later replaced in some passages by the adult Palau de la Música Chamber Choir and the London Orchestra. 

    This progression embodies the musical art of LUX, illustrating the natural life cycle: as youth move into adulthood, they remain angelic and almost pure. In ‘Berghain‘, the London Orchestra plays brisk, ascending motifs that capture the essence of the song — love and hatred intertwined as part of the adult world.

    By contrast, in ‘Magnolias’ and ‘Reliquia,’ the parts performed by Escolanía de Montserrat convey tender self-love, untouched by violence or suffering. Here, the children’s choir remains present on the spot, highlighting innocence, purity, and the gentle side of human experience.

    Femininity In Its Strength

    In her interview on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Rosalía mentioned the powerful women in history who inspired her while creating LUX. Among them were Joan of Arc, Saint Olga of Kyiv, Saint Rosalia of Palermo, and Saint Teresa of Ávila.

    However, what is particularly noteworthy is that, unlike how they are usually portrayed in history, these figures are, if not for the first time, presented to the audience not as martyrs but as women whose sanity, forged through suffering, is a source of strength rather than weakness.

    Their resilience resists passive submission to the inevitable course of events. Fighting against a Catholic Church dominated by men, like Saint Teresa of Ávila. Standing up to her husband’s murderers in the name of justice, like Saint Olga of Kyiv. Striving for a kingdom’s unity only to be betrayed by men, like Joan of Arc.

    The strength of these women went far beyond resilience, defying violence and centuries of patriarchal pressure. Nearly 500 years later, LUX pays tribute to their memory, weaving their courage and spirit into its tracks.

    A Multilingual Hymn to Global Cultures

    LUX is the first album ever with 13 tracks, with a couple of them having three or more languages in one.

    Beyond her love for diverse cultures and their histories, Rosalía, fluent in Spanish, Catalan, and Portuguese, revealed that creating a multilingual album reflects her long-standing passion for learning new languages. 

    This daring blend of languages, from Japanese and Ukrainian to French and more, struck a chord with listeners, propelling the album’s popularity to unprecedented heights, even by Rosalía’s already global-star standards. Let us know what is your favorite track from LUX? Don’t keep it to yourself—tweet us your thoughts at  @thehoneypop or on Facebook and Instagram.

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ROSALIA:
    FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | WEBSITE | YOUTUBE

    Share this:

    linnykl

    Source link

  • Bad Bunny wins album of the year at the 2025 Latin Grammys, capping an electric night

    It should come as a shock to no one: The 2025 Latin Grammy Awards were all about Bad Bunny. The Puerto Rican superstar won album of the year for his landmark release “Debí Tirar Más Fotos.” After thanking his family and all those who worked on the album, he ended his speech with “Puerto Rico, I love you, thank you.”

    Those are powerful words honoring a record that doubles as a love letter for his island.

    “I want to dedicate this award to all the children and young people of Latin America, especially those of Puerto Rico. Never stop dreaming, never stop being yourselves, no matter where you come from. Never forget where you come from, but never forget where you are going,” he said. “There are many ways to show patriotism and defend our land: we choose music.”

    The artist born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio was destined to dominate from the jump. He also won the first award of the night, for música urbana album. Halfway through the show, the singer found himself back on stage accepting the música urbana song trophy for “DTmF.” “I never practice my speeches,” he said in Spanish. And then he showed up for a third time: to perform “Weltita” with Chuwi.

    He wasn’t the only one with reason to celebrate: Song of the year went to Karol G, Andrés Jael Correa Ríos and Édgar Barrera for “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido.” And Alejandro Sanz took home record of the year for “¿Y Ahora Qué?”

    Live from Sin City, the 26th annual Latin Grammys were both energetic and eclectic. Take Raphael, the 2025 Person of the Year, who launched into an emotive rendition of “Qué Sabe Nadie” and “Mi Gran Noche,” inviting the crowd to sing along.

    That was after Santana kicked things off — specifically, Maluma singing Santana’s 1970 hit “Oye Como Va” with the guitar legend himself.

    It was just the beginning of a memorable medley, talents of today celebrating Santana — Christian Nodal joining in for “Corazón Espinoza” and Grupo Frontera for their 2025 collaboration with the virtuosic musician, “Me Retiro.”

    Performances hit hard and fast: Aitana brought her dreamy electro-pop, Sanz delivered a medley of “El Vino De Tu Boca” and “Las Guapas,” Rauw Alejandro channeled Puerto Rico in Vegas with “Khé?,” the bachata “Silencio,” “Falsedad” and “Carita Linda.” Then: Danny Lux, Kakalo and Ivan Cornejo brought contemporary Mexicana sounds. Pepe Aguilar followed, with his life-affirming mariachi — “El Cihualteco” into “El Fuereño.”

    Elena Rose slowed things down with “Me Lo Merezco.” Karol G and the legendary Mexican singer Marco Antonio Solís dueted the romantic ballad “Coleccionando Heridas.”

    Two of the biggest groups in regional Mexican music – Grupo Frontera and Fuerza Regida – launched into their joint hit, “Me Jalo,” before the latter took over for “Marlboro Rojo.” That’s a cut from their record-breaking 2025 album “111xpantia.” Carín León’s lovely raspy vocal tone carried throughout “Ahí Estabas Tú”; then he was joined by Kacey Musgraves for “Lost in Translation.” Not long after, León took home the trophy in competitive contemporary Mexican album category for “Palabra De To’s (Seca).”

    Morat brought the pop-rock with “Faltas Tú” and Ca7riel and Paco Amoroso brought a kind of outsider, artistic spirit. Joaquina delivered a full-bodied “Quise Quererte.” Any aspiring artists watching would be wise to take a page out of the Brazilian singer Liniker’s book; “Negona Dos Olhos Terríveis” was one of the night’s most joyful. The same, of course, should be said about norteño band Los Tigres del Norte.

    The coveted best new artist trophy was handed out to Paloma Morphy.

    Traditional tropical album went to Gloria Estefan for “Raíces.” Not long afterward, she hit the stage for “La Vecina” and “Chirriqui Chirri,” joined by Nathy Peluso for the latter.

    Then ranchero/mariachi album went to Christian Nodal for “¿Quién + Como Yo?”

    Most of the evening’s awards were handed out during a pre-televised Premiere Ceremony. That included: Bad Bunny’s “Voy A Llevarte Pa Pr” winning for reggaeton performance. Argentinian duo Ca7riel and Paco Amoroso cleaned house then, too: taking home their first Latin Grammys for short and long form music video, alternative song, as well as alternative music album for “Papota,” and pop song for “El dia del amigo.” That’s five wins, making them the most awarded act at the 2025 show.

    The three-hour award show aired live from Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden Arena. It was hosted by the dynamic duo of Maluma and actor, producer and musician Roselyn Sánchez.

    ___

    This story has been updated to correct that Maluma helped open the Latin Grammys, not Miguel.

    Source link

  • Grammys invites all Latin Grammy voting members to Recording Academy: Why it matters

    NEW YORK — In the last few years, the Grammy Awards have made a concerted effort to diversify its electorate. In 2024, the Recording Academy revealed significant changes to its evolving voting body, saying 66% of voters joined in the previous five years, a number of whom were women and people of color. This year, there’s even more movement: For the first time ever, all Latin Grammy voting members were invited to join the Recording Academy as part of its 2025 new member class.

    The Latin Grammys are a licensee of the Grammys and follow a similar voting process. But while the Grammys focus on the U.S. market, the Latin Grammys have global considerations, according to Latin Recording Academy CEO Manuel Abud. The Recording Academy also has a number of members on the Latin Grammys board.

    The results are notable: There are 3,800 new Recording Academy members in 2025. Half — 50% — are 39 and under, 58% are people of color and 35% identify as women.

    And in that group, there are approximately 2,900 new Grammy voting members. Nearly half, 49%, are 39 and under; 60% are people of color and 30% identify as women.

    Over the last few years, Latin music has been skyrocketing in popularity, routinely celebrated as one of the fastest growing streaming genres in the United States.

    “The addition of many Latin Recording Academy voting members underscores that music has no borders and that our mission to serve music people, regardless of where they are from, is stronger than ever,” Harvey Mason jr., academy president and CEO, wrote in a statement. “I can’t wait for our members’ passion and hard work to shine through in this year’s nominations.”

    Reform at the Record Academy dates back to the creation of a task force focused on inclusion and diversity after a previous CEO, Neil Portnow, made comments belittling women at the height of the #MeToo movement. In the past, the Grammys have been criticized over a lack of diversity — artists of color and women left out of top prizes; rap and contemporary R&B stars ignored.

    In 2024, Mason jr. told The Associated Press that the Recording Academy sought to increase its voting body by reaching out to different, underrepresented communities. “Let’s take the time to understand why those people aren’t engaging with us, figure out how we can fix that,” he said. “And once we fixed it, then let’s invite them or ask them if they would like to be a part of our organization. So, it was a multi-step process.”

    Source link

  • Bad Bunny didn’t miss the Billboard Latin Music Awards, he was the top winner

    MIAMI (AP) — His presence had remained a mystery, but Bad Bunny was there in person Thursday night to receive all the 2025 Billboard Latin Music Awards that were given to him, including the special Billboard Top Latin Artist of the 21st Century Award.

    Puerto Rican star Rita Moreno presented him with the accolade, and flirtatiously noted that the reggaeton singer is “good” and “whole.” Then, in a more serious tone, she told him that she identified with him.

    “Today I see an artist who takes the whole world,” Moreno said of Bad Bunny. “That same strength, that same passion, that helped me to never give up.”

    Taking the stage to his song “BAILE INoLVIDABLE,” Bad Bunny, 31, danced a bit of salsa with Moreno, 93.

    “Thank you very much, you are whole too,” he told the Oscar- and Tony-winning actress. “It is an honor for me to receive this award from her hands.”

    “Every time I hear other artists express themselves in that way of me, it gives me the security of being me and doing the things I do with my heart,” he added.

    Bad Bunny was announced as winner of the Billboard Top Latin Artist of the 21st Century Award but didn’t show up at the red carpet. He had previously skipped other major ceremonies so this presence remained a mystery that ended when he showed up at the beginning of the night to pick up the Top Latin Album of the Year.

    Bad Bunny had broken a record by being a finalist for 27 categories of the Latin Billboards 2025, and became the top winner of the night with 11 awards, including artist of the year; Global 200 Latin Artist of the Year, and “Hot Latin Songs” Male Artist of the Year.

    “I am grateful for these awards, but at the same time I recognize that, just as I deserve it, Rauw, Fuerza Regida, Peso, Karol could win it. I think we are all doing something incredible in music; our music is reaching more and more places,” he said upon receiving the artist of the year award from Olga Tañón. “I think it’s a job that we’re all doing, and that we’re continuing what other artists have been doing for years.”

    Bad Bunny’s hit “DtMF” won three awards, including streaming song of the year. His album “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS” was recognized as Top Latin Album of the year.

    Laura Pausini and Karol G shine

    Karol G was the biggest female winner of the awards broadcast live on Telemundo from the James L. Knight Center in Miami, receiving six awards, including Hot Latin Songs female artist of the year. Her song “Si antes te hubiera conocido” swept for four awards: Global 200 Latin Song of the Year; Latin Airplay Song of the Year; Sales Song of the Year and Tropical Song of the Year.

    “We had an incredible time when we made this song in the studio; That day there was magic, energy. God was in that place,” said Karol G upon receiving the Global 200 Latin Song of the Year award.

    Fuerza Regida won five awards, including Regional Mexican Artist of the Year, Duo or Group. Their hit “Tu boda” with Óscar Maydon was recognized as Regional Mexican Song of the Year, and Hot Latin Song of the Year, Vocal Event. Netón Vega was awarded as the debut artist of the year.

    Laura Pausini received the Billboard Icon Award for her outstanding international career and performed a moving version of “Mi historia entre tus dedos”, originally released in 1995 by Gianluca Grignani.

    “It’s amazing for me to be a part of the history of Latin music,” Pausini said. “I’m going to do something I’ve never done, I’m going to thank this Laura, the hard-working one, the one who is rude, who hasn’t given up when they’ve said no — which have been many times, by the way — who has followed my path honestly,” added pointing towards herself.

    Daddy Yankee returns

    In his long-awaited return to the stage, Daddy Yankee premiered “Sonríele” worldwide. At the end of his presentation, he said that he had a new mission.

    “To tell the world that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life,” he said.

    Peso Pluma was surprised to see that his girlfriend, Kenia Os, would present him with the Billboard Vanguard Award for his innovation and contribution to the growth of Mexican music globally. As soon as she went on stage, the couple gave each other a passionate kiss.

    “This is a crossroads; I didn’t know she was going to give it to me,” he said. “I’m so glad you gave it to me love… this beautiful woman who has made me a better human being, a better boyfriend, a better boss; a better everything.”

    Later, Peso Pluma performed “Apaga la Luz” live.

    Elvis Crespo dedicated his Billboard Hall of Fame Award to his “first female manager.”

    “It was my mother, Irene, who gave me 5 dollars to take my singing lessons every Friday in Río Piedras,” he said. “Irene, this is for you.”

    The Puerto Rican star also thanked his father and his children and ended with an emotional message about music: “I heard somewhere that in the music industry you don’t make friends. That’s a lie, you make friends for life.”

    Shakira won three awards: Tour of the Year; Latin Pop Artist of the Year, Solo, and Latin Pop Song of the Year “Soltera.”

    Óscar Maydon, Netón Vega, Aventura, Baby Rasta & Gringo, Benny Blanco, Elvis Crespo, Kapo, Maná, Romeo Santos, Rubby Pérez and Tito Double P were other winners of the night.

    Olga Tañón kicked off the ceremony with an energetic interpretation of “El Jolgorio”. There were also memorable performances by Beéle, Danny Ocean, Grupo Frontera, Juan Duque, La Arrolladora Banda El Limón de René Camacho, NXNNI and Ozuna.

    Carlos Vives, Emilia, Wisin and Xavi performed “Somos más”, Telemundo’s official anthem for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

    Source link

  • Bad Bunny’s music streams soar since 2026 Super Bowl halftime show news

    NEW YORK — NEW YORK (AP) — Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny’s music catalog has seen a jump in streams since his 2026 Super Bowl halftime performance was announced.

    According to Luminate, an industry data and analytics company, Latin music is primarily consumed via streaming. They found that Bad Bunny saw a 26% increase in on-demand streams in the United States following the Sept. 28 announcement, soaring from 173 million nine days before the announcement to 218.5 million streams in the eight days that followed.

    The singer born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio recently said concerns about the mass deportation of Latinos played into his decision to bypass the mainland U.S. during his residency. He performs in Spanish and will do so at the Super Bowl, further proving that connecting with a U.S. and international audience does not require singing in English.

    Since the NFL, Apple Music and Roc Nation announced Bad Bunny will lead the halftime festivities from Levi’s Stadium on Feb. 8 in Santa Clara, California, the selection has provoked conversation.

    For his fans, Bad Bunny’s booking at the Super Bowl is viewed as a landmark moment for Latino culture. That feeling is no doubt related to his just-concluded, 31-date residency in Puerto Rico that brought approximately half a million people to the island during the slow summer tourism season and generated an estimated $733 million for the island.

    Roc Nation founder Jay-Z said in a statement that what Bad Bunny has “done and continues to do for Puerto Rico is truly inspiring. We are honored to have him on the world’s biggest stage.”

    He is a known global hitmaker who ties his music to Puerto Rican identity, colonial politics and immigrant struggles.

    On Saturday, Bad Bunny hosted the season 51 premiere of “Saturday Night Live” with a few jokes about his forthcoming Super Bowl halftime show.

    He has long been critical of President Donald Trump and backed Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election. Some Trump supporters consider his Super Bowl booking to be a divisive political pick.

    “I’ve never heard of him,” Trump said in an interview on conservative news network Newsmax when asked about Bad Bunny. “I don’t know who he is… I don’t know why they’re doing it. It’s, like, crazy. And then they blame it on some promoter they hired to pick up entertainment. I think it’s absolutely ridiculous.”

    Source link

  • Karol G becomes first Latina named woman of the year at Billboard ceremony honoring global musicians

    Karol G becomes first Latina named woman of the year at Billboard ceremony honoring global musicians

    INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Karol G made history at Wednesday night’s Billboard Women in Music awards ceremony.

    “This is the first time, ever, a Latina is named woman of the year,” Karol G began her acceptance speech after a fiery performance of her reggaetón hit, “Amargura.” And so, in honor of that incredible feat, she delivered the rest of her speech in Spanish.

    The global superstar received the award at the YouTube Theater in Inglewood, California, after a lively introduction from her “Griselda” co-star Sofia Vergara.

    Of course, Karol G is used to making history at this point. Last month, she became the first woman to win in the best música urbana category at the Grammys, a moment that may reflect changing perceptions of reggaetón and Latin hip-hop as exclusively “men’s music.” Last year, her album “Mañana Será Bonito,” one of The Associated Press’ picks for best of the year, became the first ever Spanish-language album by a female artist to hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200. (Not only that, but “Mañana Será Bonito” is the first Latin album — by a Latina — to reach No. 1 on the albums chart since Selena Quintanilla’s posthumous “Dreaming of You,” did in 1995 following her high-profile murder.)

    When Karol G embarked on a stadium tour in support of the release, she became the first Latina to headline at many of the venues where she performed. To call Karol G’s rise meteoric wouldn’t be hyperbole.

    In the crowds above the stage at the YouTube Theater, fans wielded glowing light sticks — official merchandise for the K-pop girl group NewJeans, who attended, performed an animated medley of their viral hits “Super Shy” and “ETA,” and were awarded the title of group of the year.

    Later, the audience lead chants of “Bichota” — an affectionate nickname for Karol G, derived from Puerto Rican slang “bichote,” which refers to a drug dealer, but transformed into a term of empowerment with the feminine “a.” It might’ve temporarily confused host Tracee Ellis Ross, who otherwise masterfully guided the crowd throughout the evening, but it certainly underscored a major theme of the evening: to celebrate women in the music business is to celebrate women globally.

    A new award category heralding performers who are “global forces” were given to women from around the world for their needle-moving contributions to their home countries, including Annalisa representing Italy, Sarah Geronimo from the Philippines and Luísa Sonza from Brazil, who performed and was joined by Demi Lovato for “Penhasco2,” their Portuguese power ballad.

    The second annual producer of the year award was given to PinkPantheress, known for her jungle and UK garage beats woven into songs that avoid easy classification.

    “As a woman of color in electronic music — specifically 2-step, drum and bass, it’s taken a lot for the genre to be recognized on a wider scale — a lot of people don’t expect me to look the way I did, making the music I was making,” she said in her speech. “Even now, people don’t want to take my music seriously. But I’m just happy that I have the opportunity to be recognized in a specific field by the Billboard Women in Music Award.”

    Performers at the ceremony included Maren Morris, Young Miko, Tems, Victoria Monét — all of whom received awards. Charli XCX debuted a new song titled “So I,” about “a person who is no longer with us,” as she explained in her introduction.

    Monét led the night — with a brassy performance of her massive hit “On My Mama.” Immediately afterward, her mother presented her with the rising star award. “She didn’t tell me she was coming, y’all!” Monét exclaimed, clutching Mama Monét, as she attempted to read from a teleprompter. In her acceptance speech, Monét shouted out “women doing the thankless jobs” in addition to those “behind the scenes and in front of the curtain.”

    Across two and a half hours, Ice Spice and Kylie Minogue were some of the other music artists who were recognized at the event, which celebrated the achievements of top female performers and executives in the music industry.

    Presenters included Katy Perry, Coco Jones, Andra Day, Saweetie, Ellie Goulding, GloRilla, Bebe Rexha and Lainey Wilson.

    Michelle Jubelirer, chair and CEO of Capitol Music Group, was awarded executive of the year. She resigned last month, following the ongoing reorganization of Capitol parent Universal Music Group. In some ways, it was an effective reminder that a seat at the table is not guaranteed for women in this industry, but fighting for those positions is crucial to making progress.

    Source link

  • Music streams hit 4 trillion in 2023. Country and global acts — and Taylor Swift — fueled the growth

    Music streams hit 4 trillion in 2023. Country and global acts — and Taylor Swift — fueled the growth

    LOS ANGELES — Listened to more music last year? You’re not alone.

    The global music industry surpassed 4 trillion streams in 2023, a new single-year record, Luminate’s 2023 Year-End Report found.

    Global streams were also up 34% from last year, reflective of an increasingly international music marketplace.

    Stateside, three genres saw the biggest growth in 2023: country (23.7%), Latin (which encompasses all Latin musical genres, up 24.1%) and world (a catchall that includes J-pop, K-pop and Afrobeats, up 26.2%.)

    It seems that more Americans are listening to non-English music. By the end of 2023, Luminate found that Spanish-language music’s share of the top 10,000 songs streamed in the U.S. grew 3.8%, and English-language music’s share dropped 3.8%.

    Under the Latin umbrella, regional Mexican music saw massive growth. The genre term — which encompasses mariachi, banda, corridos, norteño, sierreño and other styles — grew 60% in U.S. on-demand audio streams, accounting for 21.9 billion. Four of the six Latin artists to break 1 billion audio streams in the U.S. were Mexican acts: Peso Pluma, Eslabon Armado, Junior H, and Fuerza Regida, who also placed in the top 125 artists streamed.

    Armado and Peso Pluma’s “Ella Baila Sola” surpassed a billion streams on Spotify in less than a year and became the first regional Mexican Top 10 hit on Billboard’s all-genre Hot 100, peaking at No. 4 — later, Bad Bunny’s collaboration with Grupo Frontera, “Un x100to,” hit No. 5.

    As for the Taylor Swift of it all: Time’s 2023 Person of the Year made up 1.79% of the U.S. market, Luminate found, accounting for 1 in every 78 U.S. on-demand audio streams.

    Her dominance is reflected in Luminate’s 2023 top albums chart, where Swift accounts for five of the top 10 albums in the U.S.

    However, when it comes to overall music consumption in the U.S. — even with the success of Swift and the massive successes of country music and non-English language programming — hip-hop continues to rule, accounting for 25.5% of all streams.

    Maybe it had something to do with hip-hop celebrating its 50-year anniversary in 2023, because streams for current R&B and hip-hop acts dropped 7.1% from 2022, while catalog streams — older material — grew 11.3%.

    Source link

  • Singa Releases Summery and Sultry Single “Dame Tu Amor”

    Singa Releases Summery and Sultry Single “Dame Tu Amor”

    Brooke Forman, now known by the musical moniker Singa, is back and better than ever with her latest single “Dame Tu Amor.”

    The summery single is melodic gold, with tropical synths and dance-inducing beats that perfectly compliment the singer’s smooth and ethereal vocals. “Dame Tu Amor” marks the beginning of a new era and persona in the singer’s career. After a serendipitous series of adventures, involving a soul searching trip to Bali and Paris, Singa found herself in Medellín, Colombia working with acclaimed production team La Compania, who in the past had worked with artists like J Balvin, Kevin Roldan, and Chocquibtown.

    Working with La Compania, comprised producer DJ Maff, vocalist Gotex, and rapper Migue was an example of music being a universal language according to the singer. With the language barrier initially barring the creative process, Singa expressed that there was a moment of clarity where everyone understood each other and the song came together. “I was getting scared that the story wouldn’t make sense in two different languages and then there was this weird, energetic moment that I can’t really explain. It just clicked and we all went to go write our parts, came back together and laid it all out. When it started rolling, everything just organically fell into place so fast.”

    Singa

    According to Singa, “Dame Tu Amor” was inspired by heartbreak and the unexplained emotional disappearance of someone she had a strong connection with. “We spent three weeks together in Paris and as soon as I went back to America I never heard from him again. We had left on good terms and we’re still friends and so I didn’t understand like it says in my lyrics, ‘So why when I dial no reply? Ain’t a girl as good as I.’”

    She goes on to explain that making this track was a part of her healing process. Once Singa was able to put her thoughts and feelings into the music and out into the universe, she was able to “let go of all of the negative feelings” and now she “can’t wait for the moment that that guy hears this song.”

    After the release of “Dame Tu Amor,” Singa shared that she wants to continue being a person of the world and creating more music that represents her journey as a musician and as a person. “I don’t want to limit myself to one country or one genre. I want to do what feels good. The people I’ve shown this track to so far have said to me, ‘Even though you’re not Latin, you’ve made a great Latin record,’ and that’s all I care about. All I care about is making great music and I hope that translates to people.”

    Check out Singa’s single “Dame Tu Amor” below!

    Dame Tu Amor

    Related Articles Around the Web

    Alessandra Rincón

    Source link

  • Carín León and Formula One’s Sergio Pérez discuss their musical collaboration, ‘Por La Familia’

    Carín León and Formula One’s Sergio Pérez discuss their musical collaboration, ‘Por La Familia’

    LOS ANGELES — In the music video for “Por La Familia,” a new track from Carín León and BorderKid, León is whisked away into a surrealist landscape inspired by Mexico. His taxi driver? Formula One’s Sergio “Checo” Pérez.

    It might seem like an unusual pairing on paper, but bringing León and Pérez actually makes a lot of sense: they’re both global icons in their respective fields, bringing Mexican culture to the masses.

    León is a celebrated voice in Mexican music, proving genres like banda, mariachi, norteño and sierreño are international, not “regional Mexican music,” as his work — and the work of his contemporaries like Peso Pluma and Eslabon Armado — is often described.

    Red Bull Racing’s “Checo” Pérez is the sole Mexican Formula One driver on the 2023 grid and the most successful Mexican driver in the motorsport’s history.

    “I’m a very big fan of Checo. I feel like (to) every Mexican right now, he’s our biggest star in sports. We are proud of him for what he is doing for Mexican culture,” León says. “We’re happy to bring the world of music and Formula One together.”

    Bringing BorderKid — the musical moniker of A-list producer Édgar Barrera — into the video was a “merge of our ideas,” says León, brought together by the project’s sponsor, Cash App, to “make something different, make something fresh, and make something very, very Mexican.”

    Appreciation is mutual. “Carín León is very famous and important in our country,” says Pérez. As a fan of his music, he jumped at the opportunity, connecting with the song’s message. “It talks about my story, how everything is done for la familia.”

    He says he’s noticed a deeper intersection between the sport and music — particularly Latin Music, with Maluma performing at the Grand Prix in Miami this year, and J Balvin taking the stage at the first ever Las Vegas race next month. “Latin music is having a great time,” says Pérez. “People are enjoying it and it’s great to have our Latin music all around the world.”

    “It’s great to have that in the F1 community and within the sport,” he adds.

    “For the artist, to have this connection with the sport, it’s like another dream come true,” says León. “I’m very happy with what’s happening with Mexican music.”

    Source link

  • AP PHOTOS: MTV Video Music Awards celebrate music’s global power with hip-hop, K-pop and Latin jams

    AP PHOTOS: MTV Video Music Awards celebrate music’s global power with hip-hop, K-pop and Latin jams

    ByThe Associated Press

    September 14, 2023, 5:45 PM

    Lil Nas X poses in the press room at the MTV Video Music Awards on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023, at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

    The Associated Press

    NEWARK, N.J. — Taylor Swift took home the top prize at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards for her “Anti-Hero” music video on a night full of surprises.

    But as much as Swift dominated, the VMAs centered on music’s global power.

    Colombian icon Shakira received the Video Vanguard Award and performed an incredible bilingual medley of her decades of hits. She also took home the award for best collaboration for “TQG,” her song with reggaetonera Karol G. The duo gave their acceptance speech entirely in Spanish.

    Here are some of the best AP images from the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards

    The selection was curated by AP photo editor Anita Baca in Mexico City.

    Follow AP visual journalism:

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/apnews

    AP Images on Twitter: http://twitter.com/AP_Images

    AP Images blog: http://apimagesblog.com/

    Source link

  • Music streams for 2023 hit 1 trillion in record time. Latin and K-pop artists are big reasons why

    Music streams for 2023 hit 1 trillion in record time. Latin and K-pop artists are big reasons why

    LOS ANGELES (AP) — Is non-English language music the future of the music business? Perhaps.

    The global music industry surpassed 1 trillion streams at the fastest pace, ever, in a calendar year, Luminate’s 2023 Midyear Report has found. The number was reached in three months, a full month faster than 2022.

    Global streams are also up 30.8% from last year, reflective of an increasingly international music marketplace.

    For two nights at the Vermont Hollywood in Los Angeles, the enigmatic pop star Sky Ferreira emerged on stage like no time had passed.

    Puerto Rican musician Rauw Alejandro has always had his eye on the future — taking familiar genres and contorting them into something novel.

    “Beyond the Story: 10-Year Record of BTS” is a 544-page, glossy oral history of the world’s biggest boy band by Myeongseok Kang and BTS for Flatiron Books.

    Taylor Swift’s re-recording of “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version),” is the third album in Swift’s plans to re-record her first six, after her catalog was purchased by music manager Scooter Braun.

    Additionally, Luminate found that two in five — or 40% — of U.S. music listeners enjoy music in a non-English language. And a whopping 69% of U.S. music listeners enjoy music from artists originating outside of the U.S.

    According to the report, Spanish, French, Japanese, Korean, Italian, German, and Arabic are the most popular languages for non-Anglophonic music among U.S. music listeners, with Latin genres and K-pop leading the charge.

    “Specifically, our streaming data shows that Spanish and Korean language music are the most popular when taking a look at the top 10,000 most streamed songs (audio and video combined) during the first half of 2023,” says Jaime Marconette, Luminate’s senior director of music insights and industry relations.

    “Furthermore, Spanish-language music’s share of that top 10,000 has grown 3.6% since 2021, while English-language music’s share has dropped 4.2% in that same time,” he says.

    That is reflected in Luminate’s 2023 Midyear Top Albums chart, where Bad Bunny ‘s spring 2022 album “Un Verano Sin Ti” still breaks the top 10 a year later (the chart factors in a combination of album sales, on-demand audio/visual sales, and digital track sales). When “top albums” are defined by physical and digital sales exclusively, K-pop dominates, taking up six of the top 10 spots.

    “K-pop fans are, unsurprisingly, some of the most enthusiastic fans across physical formats,” Marconette says.

    Luminate found that K-pop fans are 69% more likely to purchase vinyl and 46% more likely to purchase CDs than the average U.S. music listener in the next 12 months. One in four K-pop fans has purchased a cassette in the last 12 months.

    Source link

  • Symon Dice Drops ‘Cacique’ Remix

    Symon Dice Drops ‘Cacique’ Remix

    Press Release


    Nov 18, 2022 15:15 EST

    Latin music artist-producer Symon Dice drops the highly anticipated “Cacique” remix featuring Konshens, Rafa Pabön, and DEEIKEL. The single is now available on all streaming platforms. 

    Produced by Symon Dice himself, alongside Costa Rican artist DEEIKEL, Latin urban star, Rafa Pabön, and Jamaican superstar, Konshens. The track demonstrates the versatility of all four artists, highlighting a new wave of music.

    “This remix has a sound that contributes different sound elements to the urban music scene,” explains Symon. “When I’m in the studio, I like to experiment and get out of my comfort zone. DEEIKEL, Rafa Pabön, and Konshens made it easy, and the vibes just flowed.”

    Stemming from his viral social media collaboration with DEEKIEL and Rafa Pabön, the first version of “Cacique” was released on Sept. 15, which is Costa Rican Independence Day. The music video for this song took fans behind-the-scenes on how these three dynamic artists worked together. With the addition of Konshens, and the remix’s island flavor and smooth rhythm, the song will continue celebrating Costa Rica and solidify Symon Dice as a premier artist-producer with international influence.

    “I am committed to taking music to the next level when it comes to my career and reach,” says Symon Dice. “My goal is to make music for the people to enjoy, and ultimately identify with.”

    With his unique talent, Symon Dice continues to make great strides in his journey supported and led by the independent label RichMusic. The label keeps Symon Dice in rotation by continuing to promote his EP “La Liga,” singles like “Cacique,” and working on his next project scheduled to be released in 2023. 

    LISTEN to Symon Dice’s “Cacique” remix and join in on the conversation via Symon Dice’s social media channels.

    • For management inquiries or other opportunities for Symon Dice, please contact: Josh Mendez at josh@richmusicltd.com
    • For more information, interviews, or other media opportunities, please contact Raquel Gonzalez at raquel@theflolab.com 

    Source: Symon Dice, producer

    Source link

  • Drexler surprises with 6 Latin Grammys; Rosalia best album

    Drexler surprises with 6 Latin Grammys; Rosalia best album

    Uruguay’s Jorge Drexler was nominated for seven Latin Grammys and on Thursday he took home six, surprising those who took Bad Bunny’s triumph for granted. The second surprise was Rosalía winning album of the year for “Motomami (Digital Album).”

    “You have no idea how unexpected all this is for me,” said Drexler as he received the song of the year award for “Tocarte” (Touch you) from his album “Tinta y tiempo” (Ink and Time) that he performs with Spanish urban musician C. Tangana.

    The Uruguayan musician performed “Tocarte” live with British singer Elvis Costello during the ceremony at the Mandalay Bay Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas. Drexler dedicated his award “to all those who make urban music in Spanish.”

    Bad Bunny, who was not present at the ceremony, was the biggest nominee with 10 mentions.

    In the end, he won all the prizes in the urban music section: best fusion/urban performance for “Titi me preguntó” (Titi asked me); best reggaeton performance for “Lo siento BB:/” (I’m sorry BB:/) which he sings with Tainy and Julieta Venegas; best rap/hip hop song for “De museo” (Of museum), best urban song for “Titi me preguntó” (Titi asked me); and best urban music album for “Un verano sin ti” (A summer without you), which was also nominated for a Grammy in the album of the year category, the first album sung in Spanish to achieve this.

    Visibly surprised at winning album of the year at the Latin Grammys, Rosalía said ”‘Motomami’ was the album that she had to fight the most to make, but which “has given me the most joy.”

    Rosalía thanked Latin America, Spain, her team and “the love of my life,” she said looking at the Puerto Rican urban artist Rauw Alejandro, who was in the front row.

    Rosalía, who also won the Latin Grammy for best alternative music album for “Motomami,” performed “Hentai”, “La Fama” and her summer hit “Despechá.”

    Drexler also won Latin Grammys for best pop song for “La guerrilla de la concordia” (Guerrilla of harmony), best alternative song for “El día que estrenaste el mundo” (The day you premiered the world), best singer-songwriter album for “Tinta y tiempo” (Ink and Time) and best song in the Portuguese language for “Vento sardo” with Marisa Monte.

    “This is insane, this is a wonderful exaggeration,” Drexler said.

    For the first in the history of the Latin Grammys a tie was announced in the category of best new artist, with 95-year-old Cuban singer-songwriter Ángela Álvarez sharing the award with 25-year-old Mexican singer-songwriter Silvana Estrada.

    In an emotional moment, the young Mexican singer said the award for best new artist “was already ours” because most of the candidates this year were women and “even more so because I have here this wonderful woman who has brought tears to my eyes ever since I saw her.”

    “What exists is to represent for the girls to come for the generations to know that it is worthwhile dreaming, fighting and working,” she said.

    Álvarez took the stage accompanied by her grandson Carlos Álvarez, who produced her self-titled debut album.

    Christina Aguilera joined Mexico’s Christian Nodal in a powerful interpretation their ranchera song “Cuando me dé la gana” (When I want to) from her album “Aguilera”, which took the award for best traditional pop vocal album.

    The American singer of Ecuadorian origins, whose previous album in Spanish was “Mi reflejo” in 2000, said she had longed to make another album in Spanish since then.

    After tying Drexler for best pop song, Colombian star Sebastián Yatra won the second Latin Grammy of his career for “Dharma” in the category of best pop vocal album.

    “I want to continue inviting composers, young people, all the people who make music to make the music that is always a reflection of their heart,” said Yatra.

    Yatra was recognized in the pop song category for his anthem “Tacones rojo” (Red Heels) whose Spanish and English version he performed with John Legend.

    Mexican singer Angela Aguilar performed “En realidad” (In Reality) while Chiquis won the Latin Grammy for best band music album for “Abeja Reina” (Queen Bee).

    Source link

  • Angela Álvarez makes history at age 95 with Latin Grammy tie win for best new artist | CNN

    Angela Álvarez makes history at age 95 with Latin Grammy tie win for best new artist | CNN



    CNN
     — 

    Angela Álvarez made Latin Grammy history on Thursday by winning the award for best new artist at age 95.

    The singer tied in the category with musician and songwriter Silvana Estrada, but she had already set a record going into the event with her nomination as the oldest musician ever nominated in the category.

    “I want to dedicate this award to God and to my beloved country, Cuba, which I will never be able to forget,” Álvarez said accepting her award on stage at the Latin Grammys in Las Vegas.

    The Cuban-native’s passion for music began in her youth. She was discouraged from pursuing a career in music by her father but found joy performing for her family. The mother of four, grandmother of nine and the great-grandmother of 15 immigrated to the United States in the 1960s, according to Billboard.

    Over the years, she sang for her family about her life and developed a collection of songs she composed. At the encouragement and support of her grandson, she eventually recorded and released collection of her songs in 2021.

    The Latin Grammy nomination came as a surprise to her, Álvarez told CNN en Español last month.

    “I felt very, very proud to be able to tell my story, to touch people who have probably gone through the same or more than what I have gone through. There are people who give up, but I did not give up. I always fought,” she said.

    Álvarez concluded her speech on Thursday with words of inspiration.

    “To those who have not fulfilled their dream, although life is difficult, there is always a way out and with faith and love you can achieve it, I promise you,” Álvarez said. “It’s never too late.”

    Source link

  • Partial list of nominees for the 65th Grammy Awards

    Partial list of nominees for the 65th Grammy Awards

    LOS ANGELES — A partial list of nominees in the top categories at the 65th annual Grammy Awards, announced Tuesday by The Recording Academy.

    — Album of the year: “Voyage,” ABBA; “30,” Adele; “Un Verano Sin Ti,” Bad Bunny; “Renaissance,” Beyoncé; “Good Morning Gorgeous” (Deluxe), Mary J. Blige; “In These Silent Days,” Brandi Carlile; “Music of the Spheres,” Coldplay; “Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers,” Kendrick Lamar; “Special,” Lizzo; “Harry’s House,” Harry Styles.

    — Record of the year: “Don’t Shut Me Down,” ABBA; “Easy on Me,” Adele; “Break My Soul,” Beyoncé; “Good Morning Gorgeous,” Mary J. Blige; “You and Me on the Rock,” Brandi Carlile featuring Lucius; “Woman,” Doja Cat; “Bad Habit,” Steve Lacy; “The Heart Part 5,” Kendrick Lamar; “About Damn Time,” Lizzo; “As It Was,” Harry Styles.

    Song of the year (songwriter’s award): “abcdefu,” Sara Davis, GAYLE and Dave Pittenger; “About Damn Time,” Melissa “Lizzo” Jefferson, Eric Frederic, Blake Slatkin and Theron Makiel Thomas; “All Too Well (10 Minute Version – The Short Film),” Liz Rose and Taylor Swift; “As It Was,” Tyler Johnson, Kid Harpoon and Harry Styles; “Bad Habit,” Matthew Castellanos, Brittany Fousheé, Diana Gordon, John Carroll Kirby and Steve Lacy; “Break My Soul,” Beyoncé, S. Carter, Terius “The Dream” Gesteelde-Diamant and Christopher A. Stewart; “Easy on Me,” Adele Adkins and Greg Kurstin; “God Did,” Tarik Azzouz, E. Blackmon, Khaled Khaled, F. LeBlanc, Shawn Carter, John Stephens, Dwayne Carter, William Roberts and Nicholas Warwar; “The Heart Part 5,” Jake Kosich, Johnny Kosich, Kendrick Lamar and Matt Schaeffer; “Just Like That,” Bonnie Raitt.

    — Best new artist: Best new artist: Anitta; Omar Apollo; DOMi & JD Beck; Muni Long; Samara Joy; Latto; Månekskin; Tobe Nwigwe; Molly Tuttle; Wet Leg.

    — Songwriter of the Year: Amy Allen; Nija Charles; Tobia Jesso Jr.; The-Dream; Laura Veltz

    — Best pop solo performance: “Easy on Me,” Adele; “Moscow Mule,” Bad Bunny; “Woman,” Doja Cat; “Bad Habit,” Steve Lacy; “About Damn Time,” Lizzo; “As It Was,” Harry Styles.

    — Best pop duo/group performance: “Don’t Shut Me Down,” ABBA; “Bam Bam,” Camila Cabello featuring Ed Sheeran; “My Universe,” Coldplay and BTS; “I Like You (A Happier Song),” Post Malone and Doja Cat; “Unholy,” Sam Smith and Kim Petras.

    — Best pop vocal album: “Voyage,” ABBA; “30,” Adele; “Music of the Spheres,” Coldplay; “Special,” Lizzo; “Harry’s House,” Harry Styles.

    — Best traditional pop vocal album: “Higher,” Michael Bublé; “When Christmas Comes Around…,” Kelly Clarkson; “I Dream of Christmas” (Extended), Norah Jones; “Evergreen,” Pentatonix; “Thank You,” Diana Ross.

    — Best dance/electronic album: “Renaissance,” Beyoncé; “Fragments,” Bonobo; “Diplo,” Diplo; “The Last Goodbye,” ODESZA; “Surrender, Rufus Du Sol.

    — Best rock album: “Dropout Boogei,” The Black Keys; “The Boy Named If,” Elvis Costello and the Imposters; “Crawler,” Idles; “Mainstream Sellout,” Machine Gun Kelly; “Patient Number 9,” Ozzy Osbourne; “Lucifer on the Sofa,” Spoon.

    — Best alternative music album: “WE,” Arcade Fire; “Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe You,” Big Thief; “Fossora,” Björk; “Wet Leg,” Wet Leg; “Cool It Down,” Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

    — Best progressive R&B album: “Operation Funk,” Cory Henry; “Gemini Rights,” Steve Lacy”; “Drones,” Terrace Martin; “Starfruit,” Moonchild; “Red Ballon,” Tank and the Bangas.

    — Best R&B album: “Good Morning Gorgeous” (Deluxe, Mary J. Blige; “Breezy” (Deluxe), Chris Brown; “Black Radio III,” Robert Glasper; “Candydrip,” Lucky Daye; “Watch the Sun,” PJ Morton.

    — Best rap album: “God Did,” DJ Khaled; “I Never Liked You,” Future; “Come Home the Kids Miss You,” Jack Harlow; “Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers,” Kendrick Lamar; “It’s Almost Dry,” Pusha T.

    — Best country album: “Growing Up,” Luke Combs; “Palomino,” Miranda Lambert; “Ashley McBryde Presents: Lindeville,” Ashley McBryde; “Humble Quest,” Maren Morris; “A Beautiful Time,” Willie Nelson.

    — Best jazz vocal album: “The Evening: Live at Apparatus,” The Baylor Project; “Linger Awhile,” Samara Joy; “Fade to Black,” Carmen Lundy; “Fifty,” The Manhattan Transfer with the WDR Funkhausorchester; “Ghost Song,” Cécile McLorin Salvant.

    — Best jazz instrumental album: “New Standards Vol. 1,” Terri Lyne Carrington, Kris Davis, Linda May Han Oh, Nicholas Payton and Matthew Stevens; “Live in Italy,” Peter Erskine Trio; “LongGone,” Joshua Redman, Brad Mehidau, Christian McBride and Brian Blade; “Live at the Detroit Jazz Festival,” Wayne Shorter, Terri Lyne Carrington, Leo Genovese and Esperanza Spalding; “Parallel Motion,” Yellowjackets.

    — Best gospel album: “Die to Live,” Maranda Curtis; “Breakthrough: The Exodus (Live),” Ricky Dillard; “Clarity,” DOE; “Kingdom Book One Deluxe,” Maverick City Music and Kirk Franklin; “All things New,” Tye Tribbett

    — Best contemporary Christian music album: “Lion,” Elevation Worship; “Breathe,” Maverick City Music; “Life After Death,” TobyMac; “Always,” Chris Tomlin; “My Jesus,” Anne Wilson.

    — Best Latin pop album: “Aguilera,” Christina Aguilera; “Pasieros,” Rubén Blades and Boca Livre; “De Adentro Pa Afuera,” Camilo; “Viajante,” Fonseca; “Dharma +,” Sebastián Yatra.

    — Best Latin urban album: “Trap Cake, Vol. 2,” Rauw Alejandro; “Un Verano Sin Ti,” Bad Bunny; “Legendaddy,” Daddy Yankee; “La 167,” Farruko; “The Love & Sex Tape,” Maluma.

    — Best Latin rock or alternative album: “El Alimento,” Cimafunk; “Tinta y Tiempo,” Jorge Drexler; “1940 Carmen,” Mon Laferte; “Alegoria,” Gaby Moreno; “Los Años Salvajes,” Fito Paez; “MOTOMAMI,” Rosalía.

    — Best reggae album: “The Kalling,” Kabaka Pyramid; “Gifted,” Koffee; “Scorcha,” Sean Paul; “Third Time’s the Charm,” Protoje; “Come Fly Wid Mi,” Shaggy.

    — Best spoken word poetry album: “Black Men Are Precious,” Ethelbert Miller; “Call Us What We Carry: Poems,” Amanda Gorman; “Hiding in Plain View,” Malcolm-Jamal Warner; “The Poet Who Sat By the Door,” J. Ivy; “You Will be Someone’s Ancestor. Act Accordingly.,” Amir Sulaiman.

    — Best comedy album: “The Closer,” Dave Chappelle; “Comedy Monster,” Jim Gaffigan; “A Little Brains, a Little Talent,” Randy Rainbow; “Sorry,” Louis CK; “We All Scream,” Patton Oswalt.

    — Best compilation soundtrack for visual media: “Elvis”; “Encanto”; “Stranger Things: Soundtrack from the Netflix Series, Season 4 (Vol 2); “Top Gun: Maverick”; West Side Story.”

    — Best song written for visual media: “Be Alive” from “King Richard,” Beyoncé and Darius Scott Dixson; “Carolina” from “Where the Crawdads Sing,” Taylor Swift; “Hold My Hand” from “Top Gun: Maverick,” Bloodpop and Stefani Germanotta; “Keep Rising” from “The Woman King,” Angelique Kidjo, Jeremy Lutito and Jessy Wilson; “Nobody Like U” from “Turning Red,” Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell; “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” from “Encanto,” Lin-Manuel Miranda.

    — Best score soundtrack for visual media: “The Batman,” Michael Giacchino; “Encanto,” Germaine Franco; “No Time to Die,” Hans Zimmer; “The Power of the Dog,” Jonny Greenwood; “Succession: Season 3,” Nicholas Britell.

    — Producer of the year, non-classical: Jack Antonoff; Dan Auerbach; Boi-1da; Dahi; Dernst “D’mile” Emile II.

    — Best music video: “Easy on Me,” Adele; “Yet to Come,” BTS; “Woman,” Doja Cat; “The Heart Part 5,” Kendrick Lamar; “As It Was,” Harry Styles; “All Too Well: The Short Film,” Taylor Swift.

    — Best music film: “Adele One Night Only”; “Our World”; “Billie Eilish Live at the O2”; “Motomami (Rosalía Tiktok Live Performance)”; “Jazz Fest: A New Orleans Story” “A Band A Brotherhood A Barn.”

    — Best score soundtrack for video games and other interactive media: “Aliens: Fireteam Elite,” Austin Wintory; “Assasin’s Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarok,” Stephanie Economou; “Call of Duty: Vanguard,” Bear McCreary; “Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy,” Richard Jacques; “Old World,” Christopher Tin.

    Source link

  • R.E.M., Blondie, Snoop Dogg get nods for Songwriters Hall

    R.E.M., Blondie, Snoop Dogg get nods for Songwriters Hall

    NEW YORK — Bryan Adams, R.E.M., Blondie, Snoop Dogg, Gloria Estefan, Heart and The Doobie Brothers are among the nominees for the 2023 Songwriters Hall of Fame, part of a dazzling list of talented acts who left their mark on country, pop, rap, Broadway, post-punk, Latin and New Jack Swing.

    The ballot includes the musical theater duo of Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, who wrote “Ragtime” and “Anastasia,” as well as soul-jazz vocalist Sade, whose 1980s soft rock hits include “Smooth Operator” and “The Sweetest Taboo.”

    Two veteran rock stars are also nominees: Patti Smith — whose songs include “Because the Night” and “Dancing Barefoot” — and Steve Winwood, whose hits include “Higher Love” and “Roll With It.” Vince Gill is once again a nominee, having first made the ballot in 2018.

    Eligible voting members have until Dec. 28 to turn in ballots with their choices of three nominees from the songwriter category and three from the performing-songwriter category. The Associated Press got an early copy of the list.

    Jeff Lynne of ELO, who penned “Mr. Blue Sky” and “Evil Woman,” faces off against the “Losing My Religion” R.E.M. quartet led by Michael Stipe, as well as sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart, who showed women could rock hard with songs like “Barracuda” and “Crazy On You.”

    Debbie Harry, Chris Stein and Clem Burke are eligible for the hall as Blondie, who gave us the New Wave hits “Call Me” and “Rapture,” and Snoop Dogg would join such rappers as Missy Elliott and Jay-Z should he make the cut. Estefan is credited for popularizing Latin rhythms with such crossover smashes as “Rhythm Is Gonna Get You” and “Let’s Get Loud.”

    Two classic rock icons compete as Adams — with radio staples like “Summer of ’69” and “Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman?” — contends with The Doobie Brothers and their always-in-rotation “Listen to the Music” and “Long Train Running.”

    Nominees who work behind the scenes include Glen Ballard, who helped write Alanis Morissette’s monster 1995 album “Jagged Little Pill” and was involved in the recording and writing of Michael Jackson’s albums “Thriller,” “Bad” and “Dangerous.”

    Veteran songwriter Tom Snow, who worked with Olivia Newton-John, Barbra Streisand, Cher, The Pointer Sisters and co-wrote “Let’s Hear It for the Boy” from the movie “Footloose,” is also eligible. “Footloose” connects another nominee, Dean Pitchford, who collaborated on the score, which went to No. 1 on the Billboard album charts, knocking off “Thriller” in 1984.

    The nominee list includes Teddy Riley, the singer, songwriter, and producer credited with creating New Jack Swing and its top anthems like Bobby Brown’s “My Prerogative” and Keith Sweat’s “I Want Her,” and Liz Rose, who co-wrote many songs with Taylor Swift, including “You Belong with Me,” “Teardrops on My Guitar” and “White Horse.”

    There’s also country songwriter Dean Dillon, who wrote songs with Toby Keith, George Strait and Lee Ann Womack; pop songwriter Franne Golde, behind such hits as Jody Watley’s “Don’t You Want Me” and “Nightshift” by the Commodores; and the duo of Bobby Hart and Tommy Boyce, who penned many of The Monkees’ hits.

    The Songwriters Hall of Fame was established in 1969 to honor those creating the popular music. A songwriter with a notable catalog of songs qualifies for induction 20 years after the first commercial release of a song.

    Some already in the hall include Carole King, Paul Simon, Billy Joel, Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora, Elton John and Bernie Taupin, Brian Wilson, James Taylor, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, Lionel Richie, Bill Withers, Neil Diamond and Phil Collins.

    ———

    Online: http://www.songhall.org

    ———

    Mark Kennedy is at http://twitter.com/KennedyTwits

    Source link

  • Manuel Abud And Enrique Pérez On The Latin Grammys And Their Friendship

    Manuel Abud And Enrique Pérez On The Latin Grammys And Their Friendship

    The Latin Recording Academy — or LARAS — produces the annual Latin Grammy Awards, often called “The Biggest Night in Latin Music.” CEO Manuel Abud stepped into his role at the international nonprofit last year. Now, he’s hired Enrique Pérez as Head of Partnerships & Client Solutions. The two worked together at Telemundo and Azteca.

    The men share thoughts about the explosion in Latin music’s popularity, such as Bad Bunny’s recent #1 worldwide ranking on streaming service Spotify. They also reveal secrets few in the industry know about the other.

    This Q&A has been edited for brevity and clarity.

    The two of you are like something out of a buddy movie, working together at Telemundo, Azteca, and now again at LARAS. How did you meet?

    Enrique Pérez: Manuel was General Manager of KVEA Channel 52 in Los Angeles. I was working in radio but being recruited by Telemundo. They had me go by the Los Angeles station to meet with the Station Group President. Typically, as these things go, he was running late. They said we’d love for you to meet Manuel Abud. I welcomed the opportunity because my wife was working on Manuel’s team and was just raving about him. Like she still does today.

    Manuel Abud: There’s something you don’t know about, Enrique. When I was looking for a head of sales, I said to [Telemundo COO] Alan Sokol, ‘KVEA should have the best salesperson out there. Who’s that?’ Alan said, ‘You can’t afford him because we’re bringing him to run the station group. His name is Enrique Pérez.’ I said, ‘Well, I still want to meet him.’ That was 20 years ago.

    There’s clearly so much trust between the two of you. Was it instantaneous?

    Manuel Abud: No, trust is something that builds over time. You can’t buy it. You can’t design it. It cannot be by decreed. It must be earned—and you can lose it in an instant.

    The two of you have a personal friendship, but also a professional relationship. How do you navigate the two?

    Enrique Pérez: One of the great things in business is that when you are great colleagues, you have each other’s back, and that transcends a business or personal relationship. Manuel will challenge you. He will agree or disagree with you but he will always hear you out. Regardless of whether you agree or disagree with him in the office, when you’re out working in the market—outside of that closed door—you know you have each other’s back. Navigating both comes very naturally, very easily, because you have that trust.

    Manuel Abud: It goes back to trust, right? At the end of the day, when we have these jobs, you have a fiduciary responsibility to your organization. You’re going to do what you have to do, right? We’ve had some very difficult conversations, but because of that trust, we both know there’s nothing personal.

    What’s one thing about the other that few people know?

    Manuel Abud: I always love Enrique’s story about the birth of his radio personality. What’s your professional name in radio, Enrique Pérez?

    Enrique Pérez: Rick Thomas.

    You have a radio name?

    Enrique Pérez: When I was in college at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, I was studying broadcasting. My professor said a local AM radio station was looking for an overnight DJ host. I applied. The station’s owner asked what my name was. I played my audition tape. He said, ‘Well, Enreekee, there’s one thing you’ll have to change if you’re going to work at KFLAG. Your name has to be Rick Thomas.’ I looked at him and I go, ‘Well, this is Rick Thomas, and it’s a pleasure to meet you.’

    That’s awful, but funny.

    Enrique Pérez: Next thing you know, I was working from a eleven in the evening to five in the morning on Friday and Saturday nights. This station was so country, we didn’t have a call-in line. We had a CB radio where the truckers would request song.

    Manuel Abud: Doesn’t that story tell you everything you need to know about Enrique Perez?

    What’s something about Manuel?

    Enrique Pérez: No one realizes that Manuel—with his family—takes the most exotic vacations. Whether he’s going to the Arabian Desert or Vietnam, he meticulously plans it—just like he does his work—from the very beginning to the very end. You really get to see it every year in his holiday cards. He’s also a very good and avid photographer, capturing all those moments exquisitely with his camera.

    Manuel Abud: I really enjoy time with my family and believe in comprehensive experiences. It’s not only the three-star Michelin restaurant, which is great, but also the street food in Vietnam or the bus ride in China with no English signs. I believe in understanding the world through those experiences.

    Changing direction, how do you think that TikTok and new social media channels are affecting Latin music?

    Manuel Abud: We focus on the inspiration and the art. The more ways and platforms that artists have to express themselves and put their craft out there, the better. We should embrace, applaud, and support all sorts of different platforms, whether it’s live performance in a cafe or a TikTok account with a gazillion followers. That’s the beauty of what we do at the Latin Recording Academy. We focus on excellence in music, whether it’s a minute-long TikTok post or a 20-minute album.

    Bad Bunny is Spotify’s number one artist globally. His album “Un Verano Sin Ti” received 10 Latin Grammy nominations, including album of the year. He’s achieved this success performing in Spanish. Does the attention make conversations with brand partners easier?

    Manuel Abud: Absolutely. Latin music has always been around. It’s nothing new. But to the point about Bad Bunny, the Latin Recording Academy focuses on music in Spanish and Portuguese, and therefore, to have these artists being so successful in our language keeps our brand and our presence so relevant.

    Enrique, in your conversations, how are brands reacting to the amazing success of today’s Spanish-language artists?

    Enrique Pérez: One of the conversations I’m having with a lot of brands is that partnering with the Latin Recording Academy shouldn’t be about a sponsorship of the Latin Grammy Awards or the Latin Grammy Week. We should be partnering with brands to make sure Latin music helps them connect with consumers year-round. That conversation isn’t about just sponsoring an event. It’s about using us as part of a brand’s marketing strategy, a very different conversation.

    An example is an initiative called “The Leading Ladies of Entertainment.” It was a brunch that the Academy has done for the last six years, and even kept going virtually when we weren’t doing in-person events in Las Vegas. Moving forward, that initiative will start with the digital series in October. We’ll still have the recognition event in Las Vegas during Latin Grammy Week, but then we hope to continue it all the way through March and wrap it up with Women’s History Month.

    How does today’s social awakening impact the Latin Grammys?

    Enrique Pérez: I’m the guy that just started. My eyes got really wide about the number of diversity, equity, and inclusion programs that we have, especially around our digital content series.

    Manuel Abud: We’re very proud of our Grammy DNA. We are a Grammy brand, but we take it to our community by recognizing Latin music. That makes it very relevant to the Latin artists because they are being recognized by their peers. Having the Grammy brand helps us be very relevant also in the general market side. In a time when Latin music is breaking glass ceilings, having the support of a Grammy recognition is so big, so important to an artist.

    The Latin Recording Academy has been involved in equity and justice work for a long time. With artists like Bad Bunny ruling the music charts, the payoff and exposure has arrived.

    Manuel Abud: This is about opportunity. Bad Bunny is there on his own merit. We’re here to celebrate him but it’s even more important that we provide opportunity to the next Bad Bunny. For Cinco de Mayo, I was at the White House talking to the guy producing all the events. We were talking about producing something with the Latin Grammy brand. He said, ‘Bring your A-listers.’ I told him, ‘Look, you don’t need me for that. If you want a Bad Bunny or Maná, call them. What I can do is bring you the next Maná or the next Bad Bunny.’ Bill Clinton said talent is equally distributed in the universe, but opportunity is not. Now, I have the privilege of working for an organization that focuses on expanding opportunity in the music industry. And that’s beautiful.

    Listen to The Revolución Podcast full episode featuring Latin Recording Artist executives Manuel Abud and Enrique Pérez with co-hosts Kathryn Garcia Castro, Diego Lastra, Linda Lane González, and Court Stroud, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Amazon

    AMZN


    AMZN


    AMZN
    , or by
    clicking here.

    Court Stroud, Contributor

    Source link

  • Award-Winning Singer-Songwriter Elsten Torres Releases ‘Nocturno’ Single From Album of the Same Name

    Award-Winning Singer-Songwriter Elsten Torres Releases ‘Nocturno’ Single From Album of the Same Name

    Video and track for the sixth release from a collection of songs full of emotion and personal reflection now streaming

    Press Release


    Oct 11, 2022

     Last week, Miami-based singer-songwriter Elsten Torres issued a video and streaming track for the single “Nocturno“, from the album of the same name. This represents the sixth single from 2022 full-length, which the artist wrote during the depths of the pandemic. 

    It is well known that nocturnal creatures have a heightened sense of hearing. Given his long and successful career as a singer-songwriter, Torres has now shown an exceptional sense of interpretation. Although his new single is open-ended lyrically, it conveys a wisdom gained through careful listening, and later analysis and expression.  

    “‘Nocturno’ is a song about life and death and our ability to see the big picture,” says the twice-nominated GRAMMY award nominee and two-time BMI award winner Elsten. “It’s also about enjoying the present moment, because it is very fleeting.” Much of the lyrical content includes phrases his elderly mother said to him as he cared for her during the pandemic. 

    Written by Torres, “Nocturno” opens with a distinct Middle Eastern flavor courtesy of the sublime guitar work of Camilo Velandia, giving way to a sparse and moody verse. The chorus picks up with beautifully crafted harmonies and an uptick in feel. The call-and-response guitar solo here recalls some of the finest work by David Gilmour. Produced by Doug Emery, who also contributes bass and keyboards, the song was mixed by legendary Latin pop console master Sebastian Krys.

    The video  – shot, directed, and edited in NY by Manolo Celi – is perfect for Halloween. Suspenseful and set in the late 19th/early 20th century in both aesthetics and costuming, it recalls Stephen King‘s “The Shining“, complete with a creepy set of twin boys, scarce lighting, and Torres cryptically mouthing key parts of the lyric. He emerges from the dark at first, and returns to it in the end, a metaphor for the human experience, especially during the last couple of years. 

    Nocturno is a record that stems from dark, precious, nostalgic, and emotionally profound moments. It represents the artist’s 12th full-length release, his sixth in Spanish, and the songs featured here were written as both Elsten and the world underwent very significant changes. Not only caring for his ailing mother, Torres also lived through the end of an intense romantic relationship. These experiences inspired him to write during the time of the pandemic, not knowing it would result in a new album.

    For more information, please visit Elsten.info

    Source: Elsten Torres – Singer/Songwriter

    Source link

  • Tito Puente’s Memory is Honored by Yolanda Duke – The Voice of the World – & Tito Puente Jr.

    Tito Puente’s Memory is Honored by Yolanda Duke – The Voice of the World – & Tito Puente Jr.

    Yolanda Duke – The Voice of the World – & Tito Puente Jr. honor the memory of The King of Latin Music Tito Puente Sr. with a new single and music video #El Bribon del Aguacero by Amigos Music Co, which hits the airwaves on Dec. 03, 2021.

    Press Release


    Dec 2, 2021

    Amigos Music Co. is pleased to announce Yolanda Duke’s new single release–El Bribon del Aguacero–that she originally recorded with Tito Puente Jr. this past summer for a tribute album honoring her hero and mentor, the late Tito Puente Sr. The album The King and I, which was produced by multi-Grammy winner Marlow Rosado, and released by Doral Music/JN Music, is currently climbing the charts throughout Latin America.

    The overwhelming public response to the album The King and I, and #El Bribon del Aguacero (written by Cuban songwriter Buenaventura Roca Vazquez) in particular, motivated Yolanda to release the song as a single, much to the delight of her growing legion of fans around the world. Her interpretation is a fresh update on the popular song, which was first recorded by Tito Puente Sr. and singer Ismael Miranda in 1991.

    Yolanda Duke recorded El Bribon del Aguacero at Skylight Recording Studio in Union, New Jersey, with renowned multi-Grammy winning engineer Guido Diaz. She breathes new life into the popular song, with an exuberant vocal delivery that perfectly captures the essence of the tune. The tasteful horn arrangements and lively percussion provide a powerful backdrop that serves to captivate the mind in thought and engage the body in dance.

    To enhance the audience of El Bribon de Aguacero, Yolanda and her team filmed a music video that was shot primarily in #Times Square and #Brooklyn NY. The video–directed by her husband/manager Andy Grullon–showcases Yolanda while out on the town and singing in the rain, as a nearby talented dancer #KatherineJimenez_official, expresses her own interpretation of the song. Tito Puente Jr. is also seen throughout, pushing the rhythm with his trademark timbales. The video will be available to be viewed on YouTube and other digital platforms on Dec. 03, 2021.

    The music video will be released on Dec. 03, 2021, via #DeExtremo15 #Telemicro, the most popular daily Hispanic TV Show from the Dominican Republic that covers the South and Northeast USA, from Florida to Massachusetts, Puerto Rico, Curaçao, Aruba, San Martin and the rest of the Antilles. The single is on regular rotation in the USA, Europe Satellite Radio, France, Belgium, Switzerland, Russia, Mauritius, and more than 45 #Telemicro radio stations in the Dominican Republic.

    For more information, contact Andy Grullon at (646) 201-2442 andygrullon@yolandaduke.com.

    Source: Amigos Music Co.

    Source link