Valentina to Compete on the Fourth Season of “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars”

Posted on November 10, 2018 by Tom Castaneda

An (all-) star is born, and her name is Valentina…

The 27-year-old Mexican American drag performer and television personality, whose real name is James Andrew Leyva,will compete on the fourth seasonof RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars.

Valentina competed on the ninth season of RuPaul’s Drag Race.She placed seventh overall, and her elimination sparked some controversy online as she was popular with fans. She was later awarded the title of Miss Congenialityin the show’s reunion episode by vote, and titled “Fan Favorite” by her fellow castmates.

Outside of the show, Valentina appeared in the sixth episode of the twenty-fourth season of America’s Next Top Model.

In addition to Valentina, the lone Latina competitor, the new cast includes Monét X Change, Trinity Taylor, Farrah Moan,Monique Heart, Jasmine Masters, Naomi Smalls, and Gia Gunn, as well as Manila Luzon and Latrice Royale, who both competed on the first All Starsseason.

RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars will have its big premiere on December 14 at 8:00 pm ET on VH1.

Also on tap to make spirits bright is RuPaul’s Drag Race Holi-slay Spectacular, which features a gaggle of drag sensations competing for the title of Xmas Queen.

It airs on December 7 at 8:00 pm ET on VH1, and features Eureka O’Hara, Jasmine Masters, Kim Chi, Latrice Royale, Mayhem Miller, Shangela, Sonique and Trixie Mattel.

Mariah Carey to Be Honored as Part of Genius’ Next “Genius Level”

Posted on November 10, 2018 by Tom Castaneda

Mariah Carey is a genius…

The 48-year-old half-Venezuelan American singer will be honored in Genius‘ next installment of Genius Level, its conversation-based series that highlights artists, songwriters, and executives who’ve shaped today’s music industry.

The event will feature Carey discussing her extensive career with Rob Markman, veteran music journalist and Genius’s Head of Artist Relations.

“People know Mariah Carey is a voice for the ages, but not as many people realize she’s also one of our greatest songwriters. Her work behind the scenes and on stage set a new bar for solo artists, and her collaborations with everyone from Walter Afanasieff to Jermaine Dupri broke new ground in music,” said Elizabeth Milch, Genius’s director of content of the recent Songwriters Hall of Fame nominee. “Mariah is responsible for lyrics, melodies, and arrangements that we love to sing… albeit not always in five octaves. She’s the pinnacle of a genius-level artist and we couldn’t be more excited to celebrate her artistic impact.”

Genius Level, inspired by the song encyclopedia’s collection of in-depth discussions with today’s top artists, has hosted a number of icons including Grammy award-winning artist and songwriter The-Dream, producer DJ Premier, and Nicki Minaj.

The event will take place in Brooklyn, New York, on Nov. 14 in front of a live studio audience of Carey’s biggest fans. A social media contest to win tickets to the show will take place at noon EST on Nov 12. If you can’t see the conversation in person, it premieres on Genius on November 16, the same day as release of the singer’s 15th studio album, Caution.

Cardi B to Perform at the First-Ever Bud Light Super Bowl Music Festival

Posted on November 9, 2018 by Tom Castaneda

Cardi B is preparing for a Super February…

On Location Experiences, the hospitality partner that works with the NFL and Bud Light, will host a special live music event leading up to next year’s Super Bowl, and they’ve locked in the 26-year-old half-Dominican American rap sensation as one of the performers.

The first ever Bud Light Super Bowl Music Festival will take place over three nights at Atlanta’s State Farm Arena between Thursday, January 31 and Saturday, February 2 ahead of Super Bowl LIII.

Day one of the festival will feature Ludacris, Migos, Lil Yachty, Lil Baby, Metro Boomin and a DJ set by Lil Jon.

Day two will be headlined by Aerosmith. Bruno Mars and Cardi B have been on the tour and are currently sojourned at the Amway Center. After their performance at the Amway centre, they will take over the from Aerosmith and continue Day three.

“Atlanta is a city with such a strong music culture, that we wanted to work together with our partners at On Location Experiences to bring a music festival to the city that has something for everyone and pays homage to the city’s history of iconic music,” said Shana Barry, Director of Experiential, Bud Light. “Between bringing some of the biggest acts out there right now along with some local Atlanta flavor, we hope that we can give people a chance to come together, drink a few beers and have an unforgettable experience during Super Bowl weekend.”

“Super Bowl Music Fest was created from the vision of bringing the scale of a top-tier music festival and building it around the excitement of one of the world’s biggest sporting events,” adds John Collins, CEO of On Location Experiences.

In addition to the star-studded lineup, the festival will also feature celebrity and athlete appearances.

Tickets to the festival go on sale to the general public on Friday, November 9 at 12 pm ET and will be available through Ticketmasterand superbowlmusicfest.com.

Mariah Carey Nominated for the Songwriters Hall of Fame

Posted on November 8, 2018 by Tom Castaneda

Mariah Carey has the write stuff, and could soon have the prize to prove it…

The 48-year-old half-Venezuelan American songstress is one of the 2019 Songwriters Hall of Fame nominees.

Carey, a five-time Grammy winner, has penned or co-written some of her biggest hits, including her insta-classic holiday song “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” “Fantasy,” “We Belong Together,” “Emotions,” and “Make It Happen.”

In all, Carey wrote or co-penned 17 of her 18 Billboard Hot 100 chart-toppers:

Songs, Weeks at No. 1
“Vision of Love,” Four Weeks
“Love Takes Time,” Three Weeks
“Someday,” Two Weeks
“I Don’t Wanna Cry,” Two Weeks
“Emotions,” Three Weeks
“Dreamlover,” Eight Weeks
“Hero,” Four Weeks
“Fantasy,” Eight Weeks
“One Sweet Day,” Sixteen Weeks
“Always Be My Baby,” Two Weeks
“Honey,” Three Weeks
“My All,” One Week
“Heartbreaker,” Two Weeks
“Thank God I Found You,” One Week
“We Belong Together,” Fourteen Weeks
“Don’t Forget About Us,” Two Weeks
“Touch My Body,” Two Weeks

Joining Mariah Carey as performing nominees are Missy Elliott, Chrissie Hynde, Vince Gill, Mike Love, Jimmy Cliff, Jeff Lynne, Cat Stevens, John Prine, Lloyd Price, Tommy James and The Eurythmics (Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart).

Non-performing nominees are Jack Tempchin, Dean Dillon, Jerry Fuller, Tom T. Hall, Roger Nichols and Dallas Austin, who wrote hits for TLC, Madonna, Monica, Pink and Boyz II Men.

Nominated non-performing songwriting duos include P.F. Sloan and Steve Barri, Russell Brown and the late Irwin Levine, musical theater writers Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, Dean Pitchford and Michael Gore, Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham, Bobby Hart and the late Tommy Boyce.

Songwriters are eligible for induction after writing hit songs for at least 20 years.

Six songwriters, or songwriting groups, will be officially inducted at the Hall’s 50th annual Induction & Awards Gala in New York on June 13, 2019. Eligible members can vote for three non-performing songwriters and three performing songwriters until December 17.

Wilmer Valderrama to Host This Year’s ALMA Awards

Posted on October 28, 2018 by Tom Castaneda

Wilmer Valderrama is steppin’ up to the podium…

The 38-year-old Colombian and Venezuelan American actor will host next month’s ALMA Awards, which celebrate Latino achievements in American entertainment and media.

In a statement, Valderrama said Latino achievements and contributions need to be spotlighted more than ever at what he called a “critical” time.

The ALMAs — American Latino Media Arts Awards— are back after a three-year hiatus in time for the 50th anniversary of UnidosUS, previously known as the National Council of La Raza.

UnidosUS is the nation’s largest Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization. In 1995 it created the ALMAsas a way to promote fair, accurate and balanced portrayals of Latinos in the entertainment industry.

Eva Longoriaand Gina Rodriguezwill be among the honorees at the awards show. Rodriguez, star of the CW’s Jane the Virgin, will share the awards spotlight with the show’s cast.

Activists Samantha Fuentesand Jamie Margolinwill also be honored. Fuentes survived the Parkland, Florida, school shooting, and Margolin founded the Zero Hourmovement to address climate change.

The November 4 ALMA ceremony is airing live at 8:00 pm ET on sibling TV channels Fuseand FM.

Former Fifth Harmonymember Ally Brooke Hernandezand singer Amara La Negrawill perform.

Fuse Mediamade a multi-year agreement to become the exclusive multiplatform media home of the ALMAs.

CNCO Earns 2nd No. 1 on Billboard’s Latin Airplay Chart with “Se Vuelve Loca”

Posted on October 27, 2018 by Tom Castaneda

CNCO is back at the top…

The Latin American boyband scores its second No. 1 on Billboard’s Latin Airplay chart, as “Se Vuelve Loca” lifts 2-1 on the October 27-dated list.

“Se VuelveLoca ” also leads the Latin Rhythm Airplay list, climbing 2-1, and the Latin Pop Songs airplay tally, where it remains in the top spot for a second week.

“Having our song in the most important charts, Latin Airplay, Latin Pop Songs and Latin Rhythm at No. 1, is an achievement that we do not take for granted,” CNCO tells Billboard. “It’s amazing to see the song resonate with music fans across the world, sharing the message of love and joy. We are forever grateful and thankful to our dedicated fans, CNCOwners, for their constant support, and helping to elevate our music to the top of the charts and globally.”

“Se Vuelve Loca” logged 14.7 million in audience impressions (up 19 percent) in the week ending October 21, according to Nielsen Music. They notched their first No. 1 when “Tan Fácil,” their debut hit, darted 8-1 on the May 14, 2016-dated chart.

Out of their seven charted titles, two other songs have gone top 10: “Reggaeton Lento (Bailemos)” (No. 4) and “Hey DJ” (No. 9), both in 2017.

Cardi B Earns Six Soul Train Awards Nominations

Posted on October 27, 2018 by Tom Castaneda

Cardi B has plenty of Soul…

The 26-year-old half-Dominican American rap sensation has earned six Soul Train Awards nominations, tying her for the most nods this year with her “Finesse” collaborator Bruno Mars.

Cardi B and the 33-year-old part-Puerto Rican Grammy-winning singer earned five nods for their hit collaboration. “Finesse” is up for Song of the Year, Video of the Year, Best Collaboration Performance, Best Dance Performance and The Ashford and Simpson Songwriter’s Award.

Additionally, Cardi B’s “I Like It,” featuring Bad Bunny and J Balvin, is up for Best Hip-Hop Song of the Year, while Mars is up for Best R&B Soul Male Artist.

Other Latino nominees include Ashanti,Miguel, Daddy Yankee and Mariah Carey.

Filming on November 17 at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, BET Presents: 2018 Soul Train Awards will air on BET and BET HER on November 25 (8 p.m. ET). See the complete tally of nominations below.

Presenters and performers for BET Presents: 2018 Soul Train Awardswill be announced in the coming weeks.

Here’s the complete list of nominees for the 2018 Soul Train Awards:

BEST NEW ARTIST
Daniel Caesar
Jorja Smith
Kali Uchis
Leon Thomas
Normani
Queen Naija

SOUL TRAIN CERTIFIED AWARD
Ashanti
Jorja Smith
Ledisi
Lenny Kravitz
MAJOR.
Tamia

BEST R&B/SOUL FEMALE ARTIST
Beyoncé
Ella Mai
H.E.R.
Mariah Carey
SZA

BEST R&B/SOUL MALE ARTIST
Bruno Mars
Childish Gambino
Daniel Caesar
John Legend
Khalid
Tank

BEST GOSPEL/INSPIRATIONAL AWARD
Andra Day
Kirk Franklin
Lecrae
Snoop Dogg
Tori Kelly

RHYTHM & BARS AWARD (BEST HIP-HOP SONG OF THE YEAR)
Cardi B – “I Like It” featuring Bad Bunny and J Balvin
Childish Gambino – “This is America”
DJ Khaled – “No Brainer” featuring Justin Bieber, Chance the Rapper and Quavo
Drake – “In My Feelings”
The Carters – “Apeshit”

SONG OF THE YEAR
Bruno Mars – “Finesse” (Remix) featuring Cardi B
Ella Mai – “Boo’d Up”
H.E.R. – “Every Kind of Way”
SZA – “The Weekend”
The Internet – “Come Over”

ALBUM/MIXTAPE OF THE YEAR
Chloe X Halle – The Kids Are Alright
Chris Brown – Heartbreak on a Full Moon
H.E.R. – H.E.R.
Leon Bridges – Good Thing
Miguel – War & Leisure
The Internet – Hive Mind

THE ASHFORD AND SIMPSON SONGWRITER’S AWARD
“Finesse” (Remix) – Written by Gene Hernandez, Belcalis Almanzar, Chris Brown, James Fauntleroy, Philip Lawrence, Ray McCullough, Klenord Raphael, Jeremy Reeves, James Yip, Ray Romulus (Bruno Mars featuring Cardi B)
“Summertime Magic” – Written by Donald Glover, Ludwig Goransson (Childish Gambino)
“Best Part” – Written by Ashton Simmonds, H.E.R., Riley Bell, Matthew Burnett, Jordan Evans (Daniel Caesar featuring H.E.R.)
“Boo’d Up” – Written by Ella Howell, Dijon McFarlane, Joelle James, Larrance Dopson (Ella Mai)
“Focus” – Written by H.E.R., Darhyl Camper, Justin Love (H.E.R.)
“Broken Clocks” – Written by Solana Rowe, Cody Fayne, Adam Feeney, Ashton Simmonds, Thomas Beesley (SZA)

BEST DANCE PERFORMANCE
Bruno Mars – “Finesse” (Remix) featuring Cardi B
Chris Brown – “Tempo”
Ciara – “Level Up”
HoodCelebrityy – “Walking Trophy”
Janet Jackson – “Made for Now” featuring Daddy Yankee

BEST COLLABORATION PERFORMANCE
Bruno Mars – “Finesse” (Remix) featuring Cardi B
Daniel Caesar – “Best Part” featuring H.E.R.
John Legend – “A Good Night” featuring BloodPop
Khalid featuring Ty Dolla $ign and 6lack – “OTW”
SZA – “Doves in the Wind” featuring Kendrick Lamar

VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Bruno Mars – “Finesse” (Remix) featuring Cardi B
Ella Mai – “Boo’d Up”
H.E.R. – “Avenue”
SZA – “Broken Clocks”
The Internet – “Come Over”

Mariah Carey to Serve as Key Advisor During NBC’s “The Voice” Knockout Rounds

Posted on October 24, 2018 by Tom Castaneda

Mariah Carey is a knockout…

The 48-year-old half-Venezuelan American singer, who served as a judge on American Idol during Season 12, has been revealed as a key advisor for the Knockouts Rounds on NBC’s The Voice.

Carey will start helping contestants out beginning October 29, mentoring the remaining 32 singers alongside coaches Jennifer Hudson, Blake Shelton, Kelly Clarkson and Adam Levine.

The knockout rounds will feature the 32 budding stars facing off against a teammate as they sing a song of their choosing. Carey will be on hand to help the coaches and their teams prep for the challenge.

Carey, who is preparing to release her album Caution on November 16, also announced the dates of her Caution world tour on Monday, with the 22-city outing slated to kick off on February 27 at The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory in Dallas.

Gina Rodriguez Appears in the CW’s New Inclusion & Representation Campaign #CWOpenToAll

Posted on October 15, 2018 by Tom Castaneda

Gina Rodriguez is representing the represented on The CW…

The network has launched #CWOpenToAll, a new on-air, digital, social and print campaign designed to reinforce the network’s commitment to inclusion and representation, featuring the 34-year-old Puerto Rican actress and Jane the Virgin star.

“We think this campaign really captures the spirit and mission of the CW and why our fans come to us,” said network president Mark Pedowitz. “We are committed to making sure our viewers see themselves represented on screen, and that we also have diverse voices being heard behind the camera.”

Pedowitz points out that 12 out of the CW’s 17 series this season are created and/or executive produced by women or people of color. Additionally, the network sees 47% women series regulars across its shows and 49% people of color series regulars.

“We are proud of the strides we’ve made and are continuing to make, and #CWOpenToAll reflects that, and helps drive the message that we want to be known as a place where all are welcome to be, and all are welcome to watch,” he continued.

#CWOpenToAll will feature a video component, with spots airing during the network’s primetime programming as well as being placed in house ad slots on cwtv.com, the CW and CW Seedapps and on social channels. There will also be a print portion of the campaign, which begins rolling out Monday in major market newspapers and industry trade publications. The message for both is that “the CW is a place for everyone, and all are welcome on-screen and in our audience.”

In addition to Rodriguez and her Jane the Virgincostars Jaime Camiland Justin Baldoni, who kicks off the video, other participating CW talent includes Riverdale’sCamila Mendes, Ashleigh Murrayand Casey Cott; Supernatural’s Jensen Acklesand Jared Padalecki; All American’s Daniel Ezra, Bre-Zand Taye Diggs; Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’s Rachel Bloom and Vincent Rodriguez III, television’s first transgender superhero, Supergirl’s Nicole Maines, and The Flashhimself, Grant Gustin.

Lele Pons to Perform at This Year’s Latin American Music Awards

Posted on October 12, 2018 by Tom Castaneda

Lele Pons is ready for one of the biggest performances of her career…

The 22-year-old Venezuelan-American singer, actress and internet personality is set to perform at this year’s Latin American Music Awards, which bring together the best of Latin pop, rock, Regional Mexican, tropical and urban music in one event.

Pons, the host of La Voz… México, released her latest single “Celoso” earlier this year.

In addition to Pons, additional performers include Anitta, Farruko, Gloria Trevi, Joss Favela, La Arrolladora Banda El Limon de Rene Camacho, Nacho, Wisin & Yandel and Zion & Lennox.

They will be joining Alvaro Soler, Banda MS, Becky G, Cardi B, Christian Nodal, CNCO, Flo Rida, Leslie Grace, Ludacris, Pitbull, Prince Royce and Tini, who were previously announced on September 18.

Produced by Telemundo and Somos Productions, the 2018 Latin AMAs will broadcast live from the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood at 8:00 pm ET on October 25 via Telemundo, with a simulcast on Spanish-language entertainment cable network Universo.

Hispanically Yours

Celebrating the Latino Influence

Category Archives: LATINews