J Balvin Signs Management Deal with Roc Nation

J Balvin has new management…

The 38-year-old Colombian singer has officially joined Roc Nation as a management client, where he will be overseen directly by Jay Brown and Chris Knight.

J BalvinBalvin was previously managed by Fabio Acosta and Scooter Braun’s SB Projects. He parted ways with the latter on June 30, 2022, after nearly three years together.

He continued working with Acosta and his company, Akela Family Music, through March. Acosta had managed or co-managed Balvin in some capacity for the past decade. Sources say the two parted on amicable terms.

Balvin, one of the biggest Latin stars in the world, has had a series of management shifts over the past five years. In 2019, he parted ways with manager Rebeca León, who had managed him since the onset of his career in the United States, and signed with Braun.

Throughout both deals, Acosta remained part of his management team and worked in partnership with SB Projects, helping bring in groundbreaking deals and partnerships. These included his celebrity menu collaboration with McDonald’s — a first for a Latin act.
7/14 – Tenerife, Spain – Ritmo del Mundo
7/15 – Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal – Meo Mares Vivas Festival
7/21 – Byron Bay, Australia – Splendour in the Grass
7/23 – Melbourne – Margaret Court
7/25 – Sydney – Hordern Pavillion

Bianca Del Rio Signs with Creative Artists Agency (CAA)

Bianca Del Rio has new representation…

The 47-year-old Cuban & Honduran American drag queen, comedian, actor and former RuPaul’s Drag Race winner, whose real name is Roy Haylock, has signed with CAA for representation.

Bianca Del RioNamed on New York Magazine’s list of “most powerful drag queens in America,” Del Rio is best known as the winner of Season 6 of RuPaul’s Drag Race, when she was crowned America’s Next Drag Superstar.

As an actor, Del Rio starred in Matt Kugelman’s 2016 feature film Hurricane Bianca, and its sequel, 2018’s, Hurricane Bianca: From Russia With Hate. That same year, she published her first book, Blame It On Bianca Del Rio: The Expert on Nothing With An Opinion on Everything.

In 2019, she made her West End debut in the hit musical Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, where she played the role of Hugo/Loco Chanelle.

Del Rio made history during her 2019 “It’s a Jester Joke” tour, becoming the first drag queen to ever headline sold-out shows at both Wembley Arena in London and Carnegie Hall in New York City.

Last fall, she completed her fifth global stand-up comedy tour, Unsanitized, performing in 99 cities and 27 countries across five continents.

Chencho Corleone Signs Global Record Deal with Sony Music Latin

Chencho Corleone is entering a new musical phase…

The 44-year-old Puerto Rican singer, songwriter and record producer has launched a “new musical phase” by signing a global record deal with Sony Music Latin, the company tells Billboard.  

Chencho Corleone,The agreement comes on the heels of Chencho’s upcoming debut album as a solo artist; he was previously one-half of the duo Plan B, who rose to fame in the early 2000s.

“I’m very happy with what we’ve been creating and what’s coming up,” said the Puerto Rican hitmaker in a statement. “I’m sure my fans will enjoy this new musical phase, adding another milestone in my career.”

Corleone is set to release the first single from the set, “Un Cigarrillo,” on Thursday (May 4) along with a music video directed by Jessy Terrero. “I had the opportunity to sit down with production and the team to create a visual concept that projects and marks the new solo path at the beginning,” Chencho added in his statement.

The deal comes amid a career spike for Corleone. Last year, he scored his first No. 1 on Billboard‘s Hot Latin Songs chart thanks to “Me Porto Bonito” with Bad Bunny, which ruled the tally for 20 weeks. He also notched his first No. 1 on Billboard‘s Latin Airplay chart with his feature on Rauw Alejandro‘s “Desesperados.”

About the signing, Sony Music U.S. Latin president Alex Gallardo, added, “We’re extremely happy to welcome Chencho Corleone to the Sony Music family. Chencho has proved to be one of the leaders in his genre with his distinctive style and powerhouse collaborations, reaffirming his position worldwide. We are committed alongside his team to take his career to new levels and establish him as one of the biggest names in the music.”

Freddie Prinze Jr. Signs with A3 Artists Agency for Representation

Freddie Prinze Jr. has new representation…

The 47-year-old part-Puerto Rican actor has signed with A3 Artists Agency for representation.

Freddie Prinze Jr. Prinze is best known for starring in such films as the Miramax rom-com She’s All That with Rachael Leigh Cook, Columbia Pictures’ slasher hit I Know What You Did Last Summer and sequel I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, which had him sharing the screen with Jennifer Love Hewitt, and Warner Bros’ Scooby-Doo films of the early 2000s.

Prinze most recently starred opposite Lucifer‘s Aimee Garcia in the Netflix holiday rom-com Christmas with You, which last year spent two weeks on Netflix’s Global Top 10 list for English-Language Films.

He’s also in recent years lent his voice to video games and family-friendly animated series like Disney XD’s Star Wars Rebels, which had him voicing Kanan Jarrus, one of the last surviving Jedi Knights.

His additional television credits include Peacock’s recent Punky Brewster revival and 24.

Prinze has also expanded of late into the podcast space, co-hosting Wrestling with Freddie on iHeartMedia’s My Cultura Network with Jeff Dye and That Was Pretty Scary, a film podcast co-hosted by Jon Lee Brody, which has the pair discussing their favorite iconic horror films.

Prinze and Hewitt entered talks to star in a new I Know What You Did Last Summer sequel for Sony earlier this year. Jennifer Kaytin Robinson is attached to direct from a script by Leah McKendrick, with producer Neal H. Moritz in talks to return, as well.

Anitta Signs with Republic Records

Anitta is joining the republic…

The 30-year-old Brazilian superstar has signed with Republic Records, according to Billboard.

AnittaThe news comes just weeks after Anitta and Warner Music Group agreed to part ways. The two parties released a joint statement to social media on April 4 announcing the news.

“After eleven years of successful partnership, we’ve agreed to go our separate ways,” the post read. “Anitta would like to thank the Warner Music team for all their support. And the Warner team wishes Anitta all the best in the future.”

Anitta signed with Warner Records in the United States in 2020 after previously linking with Warner Music Brazil in 2013. She had long voiced concerns about her relationship with WMG, from the label refusing to produce a video for an underperforming song to advising young artists to pay closer attention to what they sign.

During an Instagram livestream last May, Anitta said Warner only invested in her work “after it pays off on the internet. Unfortunately, there are things I can’t get, that’s why I don’t buy millionaire cars, because when I want to do something, I pay for it.” She added that Warner “is very tied to TikTok, to what goes viral, and if they don’t get a hit right away, they say ‘later.’”

The singer followed that with a tweet thread last month in which she blasted Warner, saying she regretted signing with the label and would have “auctioned off her organs” in order to be released from her contract.

During her run at Warner, Anitta scored a global breakthrough with her trilingual album, Versions of Me, which last year hit No. 1 on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart with its TikTok-driven single, “Envolver.” The song’s music video won in the category of Best Latin at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards. That same year, she also performed at Coachella and the Latin Grammy Awards.

Anitta will now join a superstar roster at Republic that includes Taylor SwiftAriana GrandeThe WeekndNicki Minaj and more. Sources say Jesús López, chairman/CEO of Universal Music Latin America and Iberian Peninsula, and Paulo Lima, president of Universal Music Group Brazil, will work closely with the artist.

Anitta is managed by S10’s Brandon Silverstein globally.

Ozuna Partners with Coors Light to Release “Chill Conmigo” for Brand’s Newest Ritmo Chill Campaign

Ozuna is ready to chill

The 31-year-old Puerto Rican singer, songwriter and rapper has teamed up with Coors Light to kick off the beer brand’s newest campaign Ritmo Chill.

OzunaIn the spirit of Coors Light’s slogan “Made To Chill” — which is on par with Coors Light’s aesthetic of the Rocky Mountains — Ozuna heads towards the icy route but gives his newest song some heat with the tropical-laden single, “Chill Conmigo,” written and produced by the artist himself.

The visual follows Ozuna in an office setting as he’s ready to break free from work and go on a quest for chiller moments. So he climbs to the peak of the Rocky Mountains and discovers a loaded Coors Light cooler.

“Yo solo busco un ambiente para vacilar con mi gente,” he sings against a joyous mix of Afrobeats and calypso pop. “I’m just looking for an environment to hang out with my people.” Then the scene transitions to the Ozuna enjoying himself at a spring break-styled pool party.

“Ritmo Chill is a musical program focused on helping consumers eliminate daily pressures by relaxing with good music and a cold Coors Light,” said consumer excellence senior manager, LatAm, Yaidi Clery in a statement. “The collab with Ozuna is a dream partnership because they both embody that spirit of taking things easy and letting go with good vibes. Just like Ozuna, Coors Light is ‘made to chill’.”

Although Coors Light Latin America soft launched Ritmo Chill last year, which also includes a series of five playlists on Spotify titled “Chill with Friends,” “After Work,” “Beach Chill,” “Pool Time,” and “Chill Vibes,” it’s the first time the division launches an original song and video with a Latin powerhouse performer for their campaign.

Ozuna, a global reggaeton and Latin trap hitmaker, is a five-time No. 1 chart-topper on Hot Latin Songs. He has landed on the Top Latin Albums with all of his five albums, including two No. 1s, and has reached the Billboard Hot 100 twenty times to date with hits like  “Taki Taki,” “Te Boté,” “Monotonía,” “Criminal,” and more.

In December, Ozuna performed live at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 closing ceremony.

Anya Taylor-Joy’s “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” Towers Over Global Box Office Charts with $366 Million in Ticket Sales

Everything’s peachy for Anya Taylor-Joy

The Super Mario Bros. Movie, starring the 26-year-old Argentine American Golden Globe-winning actress, towered over box office charts with $377 million in global ticket sales, taking the title for the biggest worldwide debut of the year from Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania ($225.3 million).

Anya Taylor-Joy, Princess Peach, Super Mario Bros MovieThe animated film — a collaboration between Illumination, Nintendo and Universal — crushed already-high expectations, igniting to $173 million internationally and $204 million in its first five days at the domestic box office.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie opened in 70 overseas territories, including Mexico ($27.4 million), the U.K. and Ireland ($19.6 million), Germany ($14 million), China ($12 million), France ($10.4 million), Spain ($8.6 million) and Australia ($8.3 million).

With those ticket sales, The Super Mario Bros. Movie landed several overseas records, including the best international debut of the year and second-biggest animated opening of all time (behind Frozen 2 with $228.2 million). It also scored the biggest animated opening in 11 individual markets, as well as the best start for a video game adaptation in 42 individual markets.

“It’s a phenomenal number all around,” says Veronika Kwan Vandenberg, president of distribution for Universal Pictures International. “The film is based on incredible IP, which is beloved by people of different generations– young and old. This is great news for the industry.”

In addition to brand recognition and nostalgia for the popular video game, the film benefitted from positive word-of-mouth, premium theatrical formats and a months-long lack of movies targeted at family audiences.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie particularly delivered in Imax, bringing in $5 million overseas and $21.6 million globally. Those ticket sales rank as the highest animated debut ever for the company in 22 markets, including Ireland and the UK, Germany, Sweden and Netherlands.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie features the voices of Chris Pratt as Mario, Charlie Day as Luigi, Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach and Jack Black as Bowser.

Directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic, the story follows the mustachioed plumber and friends as they prepare to stop the all-powerful King Koopa from world domination.

Pipe Bueno Signs Management Deal with Business Manager JB & OCESA Seitrack

Pipe Bueno is under new management…

The 31-year-old Colombian singer/songwriter has signed a management deal with Business Manager JB, helmed by artist manager Juan Ballesteros, and OCESA Seitrack.

Pipe BuenoWith the new signing, JB & OCESA will develop Pipe’s career at a musical and commercial level in Mexico with the mission of taking his 15-year-long trajectory to an international level.   

“We are sure that we signed the best representative of the genre in Colombia, and as an artist, he can transcend,” Ballesteros, who also manages Mike Bahía, Greeicy and Annasofia, tells Billboard. “I think we have a new ballad, mariachi, and pop star that comes with a lot of music and collaborations. We are happy to have this new challenge with Pipe Bueno and I hope that everyone receives it with the same joy and enthusiasm that we do.”

Pipe Bueno Born Andrés Felipe Giraldo Bueno, the artist launched his self-titled debut album in 2008, and has since risen to pioneer “la música popular Colombiana,” a musical genre that fuses traditional folk music from the Paisa Region with Regional Mexican elements, such as mariachi and ranchera. The genre is also locally known as “música de cantina” and is played at every parranda, parties that feature local music and food.

He has laced the genre with urban and pop rhythms by teaming up with artists such as Wisin, Zion and Darrel, to name a few. Pipe has collaborated twice with his good friend and colleague Maluma on the tracks “La Invitación” (2014) and “Tequila” (2020). The former entered the Billboard Latin Rhythm Airplay chart in 2016.

Erika Ender Sells Song Catalog to Hipgnosis Song Management

Erika Ender is cashing in…

Hipgnosis Song Management has acquired the song catalog of the 48-year-old Panamanian-American singer and songwriter, who co-wrote the 2017 smash hit “Despacito” alongside Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee.

Erika EnderAccording to the company, Hipgnosis has acquired a 100% interest in Ender’s publishing copyrights — including the writer’s share of performance — in all songs in her catalogue published, released or utilized through her Sony Music Publishing deal from 2007 through 2019, which includes more than 25 No. 1 songs.

“Despacito,” originally released in January 2017 and later in a bilingual version with Justin Bieber, spearheaded a global Latin movement made possible by streaming. The remix peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 — where it ruled for 16 weeks — and spent 56 weeks at No. 1 on Billboard‘Hot Latin Songs chart.

To date, the original version has more than 8 billion views on YouTube. It also won three Latin Grammy awards, including song and record of the year. The Bieber-assisted version received nominations for both song and record of the year at the 2018 Grammys.

Ender has also penned songs for other artists like Los Tigres del NorteChayanneGloria Trevi and Prince Royce.

In 2017, Ender became the youngest person to be inducted into the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame.

The amount paid for Ender’s catalog was not disclosed but it further highlights the interest in Latin or Spanish-language music catalogs.

“Erika Ender has defined Latin music for the last 30 years,” Merck Mercuriadis, chief executive and founder of Hipgnosis Song Management, said in a statement. “Her more than 40 Number 1 singles have made her one of the most successful and influential songwriters of all time. Over the last 5 years Despacito has ruled the airwaves and helped to drive the new LATAM domination going to Number 1 in 47 countries, but Erika is so much more than that one song with a rich catalogue of many incredible songs. I’m delighted to welcome her to the Hipgnosis Family!”

“I am very excited about this partnership with Hipgnosis. I’ve always believed that music is eternal,” added Ender. “I’m confident my songs are in good hands with Merck and his team, and they will do their best to keep my catalogue active, present and alive, as they honor and recognize that the songs are the seeds to the entire music industry, the message that touches and marks people’s lives and where it all begins.”

MAG Renews Publishing Agreement with Warner Chappell Music

It’s a big renewal for MAG.

The half-Puerto Rican, half-Dominican Grammy-winning producer, whose real name is Marcos Borrero, has renewed his publishing agreement with Warner Chappell Music.

MAG, Marcos Borrero, MAG, a frequent collaborator of Bad Bunny, MAG earned the No. 5 spot on Billboard’s all-genre Year-End Hot 100 Producers chart in 2022.

Raised in Brooklyn, New York but residing in Los Angeles, MAG has also previously worked with Nicky Jam and Rauw Alejandro.

MAG is short for “magnificent.”