Justice to Perform at Dream Halloween Benefit

Call it a Halloween treat… Victoria Justice is set to perform at a holiday themed event in the Los Angeles area aimed at helping children affected by HIV and AIDS.

The 19-year-old half-Puerto Rican singer/actress and Nickelodeon star, who will star in the Halloween-themed film Fun Size later this month, will perform at the 19th annual Dream Halloween Los Angeles event.

Victoria Justice

Taking place at the Barker Hanger in Santa Monica, the event will bring together more than 2,000 parents and children in support of children and families affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa and India.

Justice, who was recently named to Billboard.com’s 21 Under 21 list, will be debuting new songs during her special performance, as well as taking part in meet-and-greets with her fans.

Since its inception in 1994, the Dream Halloween events have raised more than $15.5 million.

Lovato Partners with Secret for Anti-Bullying Campaign

Demi Lovato has seen her star power increase since taking a seat at the X Factor judges’ tableAnd now’s she’s using that higher profile to continue her fight against bullies.

The 20-year-old part Mexican singer/actress, who was recently named to Billboard.com’s 21 Under 21 list, has partnered with Secret deodorant to launch the “Mean Stinks” campaign to end bullying.

Demi_Lovato

“I had a really tough time when I was in middle school,” says Lovato, who offered her support to a victim of bullying during a recent episode of The X Factor.  “People would write ‘hate petitions’ [about me] and send them around to be signed. They’d have CD-bashing parties of my demos. They’d come to my house, stand across the street and yell things. I was a very emotional time for me, and all I wanted to do was get away.”

Following a short stretch in rehab to treat bulimia and cutting nearly two years ago, Lovato has been vocal in her stance against teenage bullying. On Thursday, the pop star surprised students at New York City’s Young Women’s Leadership School to discuss the program and encourage them to “gang up for good.”

Lovato asked girls to pledge to have a “Drama Free School Year” by painting blue nail polish on their pinky fingers – a symbolic pinky swear.

“I’ll definitely be wearing [the nail polish] starting soon,” said Lovato, who was recognized last December with a Do Something Award for her commitment to community service. “It’s a conversation starter: ‘Hey, why is your pinky blue?’‘This is a pinky promise that I’m not going to bully people, that me and my friends are ganging up for good.’”

Secret is donating $1 (up to $150,000) from each purchase of the company’s Mean Sinks Clinical Strength deodorant to the cause as part of the initiative.

More information on the program can be found via Secret’s Facebook Page.

Lovato: The Top-Ranking Latweeno on Billboard.com’s 21 Under 21

Billboard.com is back with its list of this year’s hottest minors in music, with five Latweeno artists/groups making the cut… And Demi Lovato isn’t only the highest ranking Hispanic artist, she’s also the top-ranking female…

The 20-year-old part Mexican singer/actress, who ranked at No. 7 last year, moved up four spots on Billboard.com’s latest 21 Under 21 installment, which ranks the most powerful minors in music.

Here’s a look at the Latweenos making the grade this year:

No. 3: Demi Lovato
Following the personal problems that threatened to derail her career two years ago, Lovato has come back Unbroken, which happens to be name of the album she released last year. It’s an album that’s still garnering attention. The album’s first track Skyscraper” recently picked up an MTV Video Music Award, while follow up single “Give Your Heart a Break” has resulted in Lovato’s first-ever No. 1 on the Billboard charts.

But that’s not all… Lovato scored a high-profile primetime television gig by joining Fox’s The X Factor, where she’s currently judging other aspiring artists alongside Simon Cowell and Britney Spears.

Throw in a popular summer tour with Hot Chelle Rae and hosting gigs at the Teen Choice Awards and MTV’s live New Year’s Eve Special, and 2012 is proving to be the year the former Disney Channel star is reaching new heights in her already impressive career.

Scotty McCreery

No. 4: Scotty McCreery
Scotty McCreery is holding steady on the 21 Under 21 list, coming in at No. 4 once again. That’s probably because the 18-year-old part-Puerto Rican country singer’s career has been going full steam ahead since he won American Idol in 2011. McCreery, who graduated from high school this year, saw his debut album Clear as Day reach No. 1 on the Billboard charts.

Even though he hasn’t placed a single in the top 10 on the country charts, McCreery has developed a very loyal fan base at a young age. Clear as Day helped him claim prizes from the American Country Awards, the Academy of Country Music Awards and the CMT Music Awards.

McCreery even toured with Brad Paisley and performed on the CW’s Hart of Dixie.

McCreery is following up his debut album, which was certified platinum, with a holiday set, Christmas with Scotty McCreery, will hit stores on October 16.

No. 6: Selena Gomez
She may have dropped three spots on the 21 Under 21 list, to No. 6, but Selena Gomez has not fallen off the radar. In the last year, she’s released another hugely popular album (When the Sun Goes Down), which spawned the hit singles “Who Says” and “Love You Like a Love Song,” which earned Gomez her first-ever MTV Video Music Award nod. And the 20-year-old half-Mexican American singer/actress performed the album’s third single, Hit The Lights, on Dancing with the Stars.

And Gomez has broadened her appeal while taking a break from recording music. This spring, she launched a brand new fragrance and focused on her film career. Her voice will be heard in the animated film Hotel Transylvania, and she’s set to appear in two films that could help shatter her Disney image: Spring Breakers with James Franco and the crime drama Getaway.

And she’s currently dating the No. 1 on the 21 Under 21 list, Justin Bieber, which has resulted in countless tabloid placements. Selena Gomez and the Scene will hopefully be back soon, but in the meantime, she continues to leave her indelible imprint on pop culture.

3BallMTY

No. 17: 3BallMTY
3BallMTY may not be huge in the United States, but they could be very soon. The Mexican DJ collective, comprised of 19-year-old Erick Rincón, 19-year-old Alberto Presenda (DJ Otto) and 20-year-old Sergio Zavala (DJ Sheeqo Beat), have managed to turn their hobby into a huge business that’s reached a global audience thanks to their signature “tribal guarachero” sound. They’ve achieved success via radio airplay and synch deals with brands like Pepsi. And they recently dominated the list of finalists for the upcoming Billboard Mexican Music Awards. Despite their newfound fame, 3BallMTY has kept a cool and down-to-earth attitude about the group’s ascent in the music business. This past summer they opened up for Justin Bieber in a special concert at the famous Zócalo, the main square in the heart of historic Mexico City in front of about 200,000 music fans. “It was a bit nerve-wrecking,” says Rincón, “but once we were out on stage it was an amazing experience that we will never forget.”

Victoria Justice

No. 21: Victoria Justice
Victoria Justice has taken a tumble on the 21 Under 21 list, dropping from No. 10 to No. 21. But that has nothing to do with the 19-year-old half-Puerto Rican singer/actress’ talent. The star of had a relatively quiet recording year. She’s the breakout star of the Nickelodeon hit show, even while co-stars like Ariana Grande are seeing their stock rise. The release of the show’s latest soundtrack, Victorious 2.0, coincided with the release of Justice’s recent solo single, “Make It In America,” and in August Justice embarked on her first solo tour in support of the pop tune.

With Victorious ending it’s run on cable, Justice will be setting her sights elsewhere. She has a new film Fun Size coming out this October; and she plans to release a solo album shortly after that.

Click here to see this year’s complete list of music’s hottest minors.

3Ball MTY Receives 12 Billboard Mexican Music Award Nominations

The three members of 3Ball MTY are probably blowing Besos al Aire to their fans after earning the most Billboard Mexican Music Award nominations.  

3Ball MTY

The Mexican DJ collective, which is comprised of Erick Rincon, Sergio Zavala (Dj Sheeqo Beat) and Alberto Presenda (Dj Otto), earned nods in 12 categories. 3Ball MTY’s mix of cumbia and electronica is currently at the forefront of the new tribal music movement.

3BallMTY, who had its national television debut at last year’s Mexican Music Awards, broke ground with their infectious single “Inténtalo,” a finalist in the Song of the Year, Song of the Year-Vocal Event and Duranguense/Grupero/Cumbia Song of the Year categories.

Following right behind 3Ball MTY: hard-hitting corrido singer/songwriter Gerardo Ortiz, a finalist in 11 categories, and eclectic singer/songwriter Espinoza Paz, with 11 nods in 10 categories (he competes against himself in the Banda Album of the Year category).

Other leading finalists include perennial hitmakers La Arrolladora Banda el Limón de René Camacho, competing for nine awards, including Artist of the Year and Songs Artist of the Year. La Arrolladora’s hit “Llamada de mi Ex” is also a finalist for Song of the Year and Banda Song of the Year. La Arrolladora’s director, Fernando Camacho Tirado is also a finalist in the Producer of the year category, an award he won in 2011.

Meanwhile, Julión Alvarez y Su Norteño Banda received six nods-including Artist of the year-Duo or Troup and Airplay Artist of the Year– and América Sierra, the featured vocalist in 3BallMTY’s hit “Inténtalo” with five. Alvarez is also a finalist for Producer of the Year.

Finalists up for four awards include Jenni Rivera, Shaila Durcal, Vicente Fernandez and Joan Sebastian. Those up for three awards include Banda el Recodo de Cruz Lizarraga, El Bebeto and Tierra Cali.

The second annual Billboard Mexican Music Awards will be broadcast live from Los Angeles’ Shrine Auditorium on Telemundo Oct. 18.

The Billboard Mexican Music Awards are the only nationally televised awards that exclusively honor regional Mexican music. Finalists and winners of the 33 awards are determined by chart performance as chronicled in Billboard Magazine and on Billboard.com. Award categories are based on album and digital track sales data provided by Nielsen SoundScan and radio airplay monitored by Nielsen BDS.

Lovato to Mentor the Tweens on “The X Factor”

She’s a former Disney star with plenty of experience as a tween sensation… And, now Demi Lovato will be sharing her knowledge to help other potential artists realize their tweenage dreams

In her new role as a judge on Fox’s The X Factor, the 20-year-old part-Mexican American singer/actress will serve as a mentor to solo singers between the ages of 12 and 16.

Demi Lovato

And Lovato, who ranked as one of Billboard.com’s 21 Under 21 last year, will be getting an assist from her former Camp Rock co-star, Nick Jonas. He’ll mentor Lovato’s team during the judges’ house round, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

During this phase, the judges will mentor 32 acts who are divided into four different categories (8 acts in each category).

Along with Lovato handling the solo singers ages 12 to 16, Britney Spears will mentor singers ages 17 to 24, L.A. Reid will guide contestants ages 25 and over, and Simon Cowell taking on the groups.

The second season of The X Factor will premiere Wednesday, September 12 at 8:00 pm on Fox.

Five La-Tweenos On Billboard.com’s 21 Under 21 List

What do Miguelito, Victoria Justice, Demi Lovato, Scotty McCreery and Selena Gomez have in common? They’re all tweenage Latino artists who’ve made the cut to be placed on Billboard.com’s latest installment of 21 Under 21, the website’s annual ranking of music’s most influential minors.

Here’s a closer look at the “Fantastic Five,” fresh-faced Latino stars who’ve made this year’s “Teenage Dream” list:

Selena Gomez
It’s no surprise that Gomez is the highest-ranking Latino/a on the list. In the last year, the Mexican-American’s star has shined brighter than ever. Along with the buzz surrounding her romance with the Justin Bieber, the 19-year-old singer/actress released her third album with her band the Scene, “When the Sun Goes Down.” Released this summer, the dancetastic album debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200, fueled by the hit singles “Who Says” and “Love You Like a Love Song.” Gomez ended her run on the Disney Channel’s “Wizards of Waverly Place” and hit the big screen with a starring role in “Monte Carlo.” She hosted the pre-show portion of MTV’s Video Music Awards and she’ll host the 2011 MTV Europe Awards in November. But wait, there’s more! She also launched her own clothing line, Dream Out Loud, and she’s set to debut her own fragrance line next spring.

Scotty McCreery
Last year, McCreery wasn’t even a 21 Under 21 contender. Now he ranks at No. 4 on the list. So what changed in a year? Two words… “American Idol,” the hit show that has forever changed his life. The part-Puerto Rican McCreery first captured the attention of the judges with his bombastic baritone voice at the Milwaukee auditions for “American Idol” season 10. And the North Carolina teen stole the hearts of millions of viewers, mainly young girls who instantly fell for his boyish good looks, as the season progressed. After being named “Idol” champ, McCreery signed with Mercury Nashville and released his first smash single, “I Love You This Big.” He’s now readying for the release of his debut album, “Clear as Day,” next week.

Demi Lovato
Coming in a No. 7 is the part-Mexican actress/singer who saw her star rise after starring roles in the Disney Channel’s “Sonny with a Chance” and “Camp Rock.” After dropping out as the opening act on the Jonas Brothers tour last fall and entering a treatment facility for an eating disorder and self-injury, 18-year-old Demi Lovato is back and better than ever after what she calls “the darkest time” of her life. Earlier this month, Lovato returned to the spotlight from with a new album, “Unbroken,” which features collaborations with Missy Elliott and Timbaland. Her lead single, “Skyscraper,” debuted in the Top 10 of the Hot 100.

Victoria Justice
The 18-year-old star of Nickelodeon’s hit show “Victorious” ranks at No. 10 on this year’s list of 21 Under 21. The half-Puerto Rican singer/actress may be most recognized for her role as Tori Vega on “Victorious,” but she’s starting to make a real name for herself as a musician as well. Earlier this summer the “Victorious” soundtrack, which features the Hollywood, Florida native on nearly every track, debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 album chart. She’s now hard at work on her first solo album and will be re-recording the love theme from the original “Footloose” film with rising country star Hunter Hayes for the soundtrack to the 2011 remake of the movie.

Miguelito
Coming in at No. 20, rising reggaetón star Miguelito. He may only be 12-years-old, but the pint-sized Puerto Rican singer has already won a Latin Grammy—the youngest person to win the award. Mentored by reggaetón star Daddy Yankee, Miguelito launched his recording career at the age of 7. And he’s been making chart-topping music ever since. He’s currently preparing to release his fifth album, “Nadie Sabe lo que Tiene,” next month, and he’s starring in his first feature film of the same name. But that’s not all; he’s also launched several products, including a video game, a line of party goods, a clothing line, hair gel, children’s vitamins, a summer camp and a Christmas cruise.

Click here to check out the complete list of musicians making up Billboard.com’s 21 Under 21.