HBO Max Renews Leiomy Maldonado’s “Legendary” for Third Season

There are more Legendary moments in Leiomy Maldonado’s future…

HBO has renewed its ballroom competition series Legendary, featuring the 34-year-old transgender Afro-Puerto Rican dancer, instructor, model, activist and ballroom dancer, for a third season.

Leiomy Maldonado

In addition to Maldonado, returning judges include Jameela JamilLaw Roach and Megan Thee Stallion. MC Dashaun Wesley will also return for the series, which hails from Queer Eye producer Scout Productions.

Legendary features a group of voguing houses, each featuring five performers and a leader called the house mother. The teams compete in a competition that documents a themed ball every episode from start to finish. Throughout each episode, we learn more about each house and their performers as they tell us their moving and inspirational backstories.

The first season was shot in New York and the second season featured LA houses. It’s not clear where season three will be shot.

Maldonado recently told Deadline that the series has brought newfound respect to the ballroom community, which has been the inspiration from everything from Madonna’s “Vogue” to Beyoncé.

“This show itself has shown a lot of people and gained a lot of respect for our community,” she said. “I feel like the ballroom community is prepared for competition and the competition they can bring to this show is something that you won’t see anywhere else.”

“We’ve only begun to scratch the surface when it comes to showcasing the beautiful world that is ballroom,” said Jennifer O’Connell, Executive Vice President, Non-Fiction and Live-Action Family Programming, HBO Max. “We are excited to work with our partners at Scout again to take this show to even greater heights in season three and continuing to shine a light on these compelling stories.”

“We are thrilled to return with our friends at HBO Max, as well as our iconic judges and MC Dashaun Wesley, for a third season,” added Rob Eric, Scout Productions’ Chief Creative Officer and executive producer. “We can’t wait for the next season’s talent to set the bar even higher as we continue to showcase the fabulous world of ballroom.”

Alejandro Fernández to Receive Icon Award at Latin American Music Awards

Alejandro Fernández has officially reached icon status…

The 49-year-old Mexican singer will receive the Icon Award during the sixth edition of the Latin American Music Awards, Telemundo has announced.

Alejandro Fernandez

With a career that spans more than four decades, the son of regional Mexican legend Vicente Fernández has sold over over 35 million records and has collaborated with artists like Beyoncé, Plácido DomingoChristina Aguilera and Marc Anthony.

Most recently, his Grammy-nominated 2020 album Hecho En México debuted at No. 1 on Billboard‘s Top Latin Albums chart becoming the first act to achieve No. 1s on the tally in the 1990s, ‘00s, ‘10s, and ‘20s.

The Icon Award is given to an artist who interprets our life in their songs, forms an important part of Latin America’s history, and is considered a musical hero whose name exceeds all generations, according to statement by Telemundo.

“In addition to his immense contribution to Latin music, his service to those most in need, coupled with his constant support for Latino immigrants in the United States, make him worthy of the Latin AMAs Icon Award.”

The Jalisco-born star will also perform at this year’s Latin AMAs, which will take place on April 15 and will be broadcast live from the BB&T Center in Sunrise, Florida.

Fernández joins the previously-announced star-studded lineup that includes Ozuna, Maluma, Banda MS, Camilo, Carlos Vives, Eslabon Armado, Karol G, Los Dos Carnales, José Luis “El Puma” Rodríguez and Piso 21. The ceremony will also include a special tribute to the late regional Mexican singer-songwriter Joan Sebastian.

Following safety protocols to protect the health and safety of all involved, the 2021 awards show will honor some of the most influential Latin artists of today, as voted by fans in 25 categories including pop, urban, tropical, regional Mexican and the newly-added favorite virtual concert.

This year’s top nominees include Karol G and J Balvin with nine nods each, followed by Bad Bunny with eight, Ozuna with seven, and Anuel AA and Camilo with six each.

The 2021 Latin AMAs, hosted by actress Jacqueline Bracamontes, will air at 7:00 pm ET on Thursday, April 15, via Telemundo and will broadcast simultaneously on Universo and throughout the Americas on Telemundo Internacional.

E! Kicking Off “True Hollywood Story” Reboot with Cardi B Episode

Cardi B is kicking off E!’s iconic docuseries…

The entertainment network’s television docuseries True Hollywood Story will officially return on Monday, March 15, starting with an in-depth look at the 28-year-old half-Dominican American Grammy-winning rapper.

Cardi B

The first episode will track how the “Bodak Yellow (Money Moves)” rapper built herself from the ground up, including interviews with television producer Mona Scott-Young (VH1‘s Love & Hip Hop), “Bodak Yellow” music video director Picture Perfect and fellow New York rapper Maino.

The rest of the second season’s episodes will focus on the tragic deaths of Selena and Christina Grimmie at the hands of those obsessed with them (“Death of Innocence” will air March 29); the sisterhood bond that withstands the celebrity spotlight between Beyoncé and Solange KnowlesBritney and Jamie Lynn Spears, and Miley and Noah Cyrus (“Star Sisters” will air on April 10); trail-blazing billionaires like Jay-Z (“Billionaires: Fierce, Fearless & Filthy Rich” will premiere this summer); and Hollywood’s most talked-about and mysterious cases including Whitney Houston‘s death (“Hollywood Mysteries” will premiere in the fall).

Selena’s husband Chris Perez and Grimmie’s brother Marcus will share intimate stories during the “Death of Innocence” special.

Season two of E! True Hollywood Story will debut on Monday, March 15 at 10:00 pm ET.

Cardi B’s “WAP,” Featuring Megan Thee Stallion, Tops Tinder’s 10 Essential Dating Anthems List

Cardi B is the swipe one, baby…

Tinder has released “10 Essential Dating Anthems” of 2020, with the 28-year-old half-Dominican American rap superstar’s chart-topping single “WAP,” featuring Megan Thee Stallion, leading the pack.

Cardi B

With lyrics like “certified freak, seven days a week” it’s no surprise the raunchy song takes the top spot.

Drake‘s Lil Durk collab “Laugh Now Cry Later” follows “WAP,” likely for those moments when a match seems fun at first but then reveals something creepy about themselves.

DaBaby‘s “Rockstar,” Juice WRLD‘s “Wishing Well,” Jack Harlow‘s “Whats Poppin,” Drake‘s “Toosie Slide” and Megan Thee Stallion’s “Savage Remix” featuring Beyoncé also make the list, touching on the emotional rollercoaster that is the dating scene.

Here’s the full list of Tinder’s 2020 dating anthems:

Tinder's 2020 Top Dating Anthems

So which one will you use as your next pickup line.

Christina Aguilera’s Randi Rahm Archive 2007 Pre-Grammy Party Dress Among Gowns Headed to Auction

Here’s your chance to own a little bit of Christina Aguilera fashion history…

Property from the Randi Rahm Archive, an exclusive collection of iconic couture gowns worn by Hollywood‘s elite, including the 39-year-old half-Ecuadorian American Grammy-winning singer, will be up for auction next month.

Christina Aguilera

Julien’s Auctions has announced that the Rahm signature styles that have graced the covers of magazines and waltzed down red carpets will be available for bidding December 2-3, both live from Beverly Hills and online.

The top items featured in the auction include Aguilera’s black satin crepe gown from the 2007 Clive Davis Pre-Grammy Awards party (estimated $2,000 to $4,000), Beyoncé‘s nude fringe embellished dress she wore to first lady Michelle Obama‘s 50th birthday bash in 2014 (estimated $3,000 to $5,000), and Mariah Carey‘s orchid and gray twisted halter silk dress from her 2005 “We Belong Together” music video.

Christina Aguilera

Three more items from Beyoncé’s wardrobe, Carrie Underwood‘s one-shoulder purple satin silk gown from her 2010 CMA Awards performance (estimated $2,000 to $4,000), Katy Perry‘s tie-dye aqua-blue cocktail dress from her 2012 “Katy Perry: Part of Me” Tokyo meet-and-greet (estimated $2,000 to $4,000) and more are also included in Rahm’s collection.

The collection will be available to both bidders and collectors, who must register either in-person at the exhibition or online before the sale here.

The public exhibition at Julien’s Auction is free to the public and open until November 27 (closed on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 26) at 257 N. Canon Dr. in Beverly Hills, Calif.

The auction will take place from Wednesday, December 2, to Thursday, December 3. Interested parties can place their bids in person, online and on their iPhone app, over the phone with an auction house representative, or in advance via absentee bid. Absentee bid forms are available by calling Julien’s Auctions, checking their website and seeing the back of each catalog.

Chrissie Fit & Her “Pitch Perfect” Cast Mates Reunite for Charity A Capella Cover of Beyonce’s “Love On Top”

Chrissie Fit’s back on top

The 36-year-old Cuban American actress/singer has reunited with her Pitch Perfect cast mates for an a cappella rendition of Beyoncé‘s 2011 hit, “Love On Top.”

Chrissie Fit

The Barden Bellas reunion comes nearly years since the last installment of the franchise, Pitch Perfect 3, hit theaters, and they joined voices once again for a reason.

“We are here, again, making music with our mouths for two very important reasons: Beyoncé and a great cause,” Brittany Snow captioned the performance, featuring Fit, who portrayed Florencia “Flo” Fuentes, Hailee Steinfeld, Anna Kendrick, Anna Camp, Rebel Wilson and more delivering the song safely from home.

“There’s nothing perfect about the world we’re living in,” the video description reads. “Families around the globe are suffering from the impact of the #COVID19 pandemic, especially those in Lebanon who are facing crisis after crisis. But we can all pitch in and help.”

“The proceeds raised from the downloads & streams of our rendition of ‘Love on Top’ will go to UNICEF to help children in Lebanon and around the world who need our support right now,” the description continues.

The Bellas’ charitable “Love On Top” performance also includes a fun introduction from Pitch Perfect announcers, John Smith (John Michael Higgins) and Gail Abernathy-McKadden (Elizabeth Banks).

“I’m afraid I have some bad news. The Barden Bellas have gotten back together again,” Higgins says. “It seems like not even a quarantine can prevent them from harassing us with another musical performance.”

Click here to donate to the cause.

Cardi B Teaming Up with Megan Thee Stallion for New Single “WAP”

There’s another high-profile collaboration in Cardi B’s future…

The 27-year-old half-Dominican American Grammy-winning rap superstar is joining voices with Megan Thee Stallion for a scorching new track.

Cardi B

WAP” will be released this Friday, August 7, according to Megan Thee Stallion’s announcement on Instagram, which was accompanied by the song’s cover art.

The image features Meg and Cardi B in matching “WAP” gold hoops, with their hair entangled together into a flowing, curled bun.

“WAP,” Meg captioned the post with a tongue out emoji and a water droplet emoji. “@iamcardib and The Hot Girl Coach this Friday !!!”

Megan Thee Stallion & Cardi B

It’s Cardi B’s first pre-release single of her upcoming second studio album, which is scheduled to be released in late 2020. Her most recent collaborations: Yes,” with Fat Joe and Anuel AA and Please Me with Bruno Mars.

This all-female collab follows Meg’s previous “Savage” remix featuring Beyonce. In May, the song hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, marking the “Hot Girl” rapper’s first-ever topper on the chart, and the seventh for Bey as a solo artist (to go with the four she notched as part of girl group Destiny’s Child). At the time, it was also just the seventh No. 1 in Hot 100 history to credit multiple female artists on its listing.

Miguel to Perform “Coco” Hit on ABC’s “The Disney Family Singalong: Volume II” Special

It’ll be a day of (Disney) remembrance for Miguel

The 34-year-old half-Mexican American singer will take part in ABC’s The Disney Family Singalong: Volume II.

Miguel

Miguel will perform “Remember Me,” the song he recorded for the soundtrack to the Dia de los Muertos-themed animated feature Coco.

Miguel’s version of the song appeared at the end of the film. He also performed a Spanish-English duet of the track with Natalia Lafourcade entitled “Recuérdame.”

“Remember Me” earned a Grammy nomination for Best Song Written for Visual Media.

Shakira, meantime, is set to perform “Try Everything” during the sing-along special. She recorded the Grammy-nominated song for Disney’s Zootopia.

The 43-year-old Colombian superstar voiced the character of Gazellein the film, and her character performed the track in the end credits.

Other artists recruited by Disney for the special, to be broadcast during the Mother’s Day, include Donald Glover, Halsey, Ben Platt and Chloe x Halle.

Audiences will be able to stream The Disney Family Singalong: Volume II on Disney+at a later, unconfirmed date.

The musical special plans to not just celebrate families, but nourish them too by raising awareness for Feeding America’s COVID-19 Response Fund, which supports people across the U.S. facing hunger amid the pandemic.

The first edition of the musical special saw big-time prime-time ratings, with 10.3 million viewers tuning in to Ariana Grande‘s spellbound “I Won’t Say I’m in Love” coverfrom Hercules, Beyoncé‘s surprise heartwarming rendition of “When You Wish Upon a Star“and more.

Ryan Seacrest returns as the host for The Disney Family Singalong: Volume II, which will air on Sunday, May 10, from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. ET on ABC.

Here’s the list of performances (with more to come):

“A Whole New World” – Idina Menzel & Ben Platt
“Almost There”– Chloe x Halle & Anika Noni Rose
“Hakuna Matata” – Seth Rogen & Billy Eichner feat. Donald Glover & Walter Russell III
“Part of Your World” – Halsey
“Poor Unfortunate Souls” – Rebel Wilson
“Remember Me” – Miguel
“Step in Time” and “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” –Derek Hough, Julianne Hough & Hayley Erbert”Try Everything”–Shakira
“When I Am Older” – Josh Gad
“You’ll Be in My Heart” –Disney on Broadway stars Merle Dandridge, Heather Headley, Adam Jacobs, Caissie Levy, Kara Lindsay, Kevin Massey & Josh Strickland”Zero to Hero” – Keke Palmer

Christina Aguilera Gives Stirring Performance of “Ave Maria” at Kobe Bryant Memorial

Christina Aguilera has celebrated the life of Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna.

The 39-year-old half-Ecuadorian American took the stage at Los Angeles’ Staples Center on Monday to deliver an emotional performance of “Ave Maria” at the Celebration of Life ceremony for the late NBA great and his 13-year-old daughter,who tragically died in a helicopter crash nearly a month ago.

Christina Aguilera

Aguilera performed the iconic song in Italian while her backing string arrangement pulled on the heartstrings of the memorial’s star-studded audience, including Beyoncé, who performed the powerful duo of “XO” and “Halo” at the start of the event. 

Aguilera wore a black suit jacket with lace-detailed sleeves and wide-legged trousers while letting her voice fill the arena, Bryant’s home for nearly 20 years as a member of the LA Lakers.

Anuel AA’s Single “China,” with Daddy Yankee, Karol G, J Balvin & Ozuna, Rises to No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs Chart

Anuel AA is back at the top of the charts…

The 26-year-old Puerto Rican rapper and singer’s latest single “China,” featuring Daddy YankeeKarol GOzuna and J Balvin, rises 2-1 in just its third week on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart dated August 17. 

Anuel AA, Karol G. Ozuna, Daddy Yankee

It’s the fastest climb to the top in 2019 and the quickest ascent since Bad Bunny’s “MIA,” featuring Drake, jumped 9-1 in its second week (October 27, 2018).

“I’m extremely happy, blessed and grateful to God and my fans,” Anuel AA tells Billboard. “I thank my colleagues for trusting me, my team for their great work and giving their 200% to make this dream come true.”

“China” is a reimagination of Shaggy’s 2000 hit “It Wasn’t Me.” It was produced by Tainy and co-written by the five artists on the track. 

It opened at No. 2 just three weeks ago, on the August 3-dated list.

“The artists on this track give it an elevated presence right out of the gate given the caliber of each individually and the power they present here collectively,” Ismael Santa Cruz, Vice President, Managing Director Radio Strategy at Univision Communications, tells Billboard. “The fact that the track samples a hit from 19 years ago also helps it build a foundation from which to grow on.”

Despite the song’s decline in streaming activity and digital sales (in the week ending August 8, according to Nielsen Music), “China” moves thanks to 6% boost in audience impressions (to 8 million) earned in the week ending August 11.

The Hot Latin Songs chart ranks the most popular Latin songs of the week, blending streaming, sales and airplay data.

“‘China’ is the strongest song of my career up to date,” Anuel AA told Billboard on July 12. “It’s the mix of different cultures with each of the collaborators contributing with its own flow. I had been looking to revive a classic and when I heard Shaggy’s mix, it hit me.”

“China” is Anuel AA’s third leader, Daddy Yankee’s seventh, Karol G’s second, Ozuna’s fourth, and J Balvin’s sixth. Notably, Karol G becomes the first core Latin female artist to secure a No. 1 on the Hot Latin Songs tally in over a year — since Karol herself led the list. Her first No. 1 arrived on May 12, 2018, with “Dame Tu Cosita,” a co-billed track with Pitbull and El Chombo, featuring Cutty Ranks. It topped the list for two weeks. 

“The inclusion of Karol G helped the track,” Santa Cruz adds. “It was important to include a female artist in the song. This is a great time for female artists in the Latin rhythmic space as they are driving a lot of momentum and bringing a fresh sound.”

Prior to Karol G, the last time a core Latin female artist ranked at No. 1 on Hot Latin Songs was way back in early 2017, when Shakira’s “Chantaje,” featuringMaluma, wrapped up 10 nonconsecutive weeks at No. 1 on the February 11, 2017-dated list.

Since then, three women who traditionally have only charted with English-language recordings have claimed the crown: Selena Gomez and Cardi B (featured on DJ Snake‘s “Taki Taki,” alongside Ozuna; 13 nonconsecutive weeks starting October 13, 2018) and Beyoncé (featured on J Balvin and Willy William‘s “Mi Gente”; 10 consecutive weeks starting October 21, 2017).

Beyond “China’s” coronation on Hot Latin Songs, the tune also climbs to a new high on the Latin Digital Songs Sales and Latin Streaming Songs chart through an equal 2-1 boost.

On the all-genre Billboard Hot 100, “China” lifts 44-43.