Grupo Frontera Signs Management Deal with Habibi

Posted on November 21, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Grupo Frontera is under new management…

The Regional Mexican group has signed a management deal with Habibi, Noah Assad’s management firm.

Raymond Acosta, director of talent management at the company — which also includes Karol G on its roster — will lead Grupo Frontera’s management team.

The deal comes seven months after Grupo Frontera and Bad Bunny‘s massive cumbia/norteña track, “Un x100to,” peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was also up for song of the year at this year’s Latin Grammys.

Over the past two years, Grupo Frontera — previously managed by Victor Ruiz — went from local McAllen, Texas, band to a música mexicana global force. Composed of Adelaido “Payo” Solis III, Juan Javier Cantú, Julian Peña Jr., Alberto Acosta, Carlos Guerrero and Brian Ortega, the group broke out last year thanks to its Tejano spin on Morat‘s 2019 single, “No Se Va.” The inventive cover scored the norteño group its first entry on any Billboard chart, ultimately peaking at No. 3 on the Hot Latin Songs tally dated November 12, 2022.

According to Raymond Acosta, Habibi was approached by Mexican hitmaker Edgar Barrera — who’s penned and produced for Grupo Frontera — and Alberto (of Frontera) after seeing the impact “Un x100to” had.

“I asked Noah for an opportunity to get to know and study Mexican culture,” Acosta explains. “Because for me, identities are very important. One of my role models is Mr. Angelo Medina, he was the manager of José José and Emmanuel. He was the one who taught me [that] when you’re going to cross the pond, you have to know where you’re going.”

In August, Grupo Frontera released its debut album, El Comienzo, via Barrera’s BorderKid Records label. The set bowed and peaked at No. 3 on the Top Latin Albums chart. In the past year alone, the group has placed eight songs on the Billboard Hot 100 — including “Que Vuelvas” with Carin Leon, “Bebe Dame” with Fuerza Regida and “Frágil” with Yahritza y Su Esencia. They have a distribution deal with Believe and own their masters.

“If you want to be the number one manager, your artists have to be number one,” adds Acosta. “I’m fulfilling my dreams by fulfilling the dreams of others. I think that’s the beauty of the management part. [At Habibi,] we don’t copy-paste marketing plans. That’s why when you see all the projects, none of them look alike. And seeing everything that is behind Frontera, the personality of each one and what they are doing, motivates us a lot.”

Maná to Make Long-Awaited Debut at Mexico’s Vive Latino Festival

Posted on November 13, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Maná is preparing for a special festival debut…

The legendary Mexican Grammy-winning Latin rock band will headline the 2024 Vive Latino Festival, the group’s debut at the emblematic rock festival.

The “Oye Mi Amor” band will co-headline the festival with Belanova, marking the group’s long-awaited return to the Mexican stages.

The varied Vive Latino lineup also includes Scorpions, Jorge Drexler, Silvana Estrada, Paramore, Greta Van Fleet, Fito Páez, Hombres G and Babasónico.

Taking place March 16 and 17, and held for the first time at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City (headquarters of Formula 1 and the Corona Capital Festival), the official announcement was made on Sunday, November 12 by OCESA via social media and the official Vive Latino page, where Internet users discovered who was part of the lineup through an interactive online game.

Bad Religion, James, Semisonic, Gogol Bordello, Mexican Institute of Sound, Los Lobos, Portugal. the Man, Junior H, The Warning and San Pascualito Rey are also part of the festival’s lineup, which will gather ’80s rock, ska, Balkan music, reggae, punk and metal bands.

Although Vive Latino has opened its doors to genres such as regional Mexican and cumbia, the music festival is one of the largest and longest running festivals dedicated to Latin rock, and currently the one with the longest tradition in Mexico with 24 editions held. Given its history, the presence of Maná for the first time was a pending issue.

“CDMX, see you soon,” expressed the quartet from Guadalajara, Jalisco, on its X account, in which the group shared the festival poster.

Belanova, on the other hand, will make its comeback to the Vive Latino stage after an almost six-year hiatus. Vocalist Denisse Guerrero, keyboardist Édgar Huerta and bassist Ricardo Arreola will arrive at Mexico City after their participation in the Bésame Mucho festival, in Austin, Texas, on March 2.

In its 2024 edition, Vive Latino joined forces with Amazon, which is already preparing several innovations for the festival through its technology and multiple services. Ticket presale for Citibanamex cardholders will take place at 2:00 pm (Central Mexico time) on Wednesday, November 15 through Ticketmaster Mexico.

Paramount+ to Premiere Nick Barili’s New Docuseries “De La Calle” in November

Posted on October 7, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Nick Barili is hittin’ the calle next month…

Paramount+ will premiere the 44-year-old Argentinian-American award-winning journalist, executive producer, director and writer’s new docuseries De La Calle in the U.S. and Canada on Tuesday, November 7.

Across 8 episodes, Barili explores Latino urban music from the U.S. to Panama, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, Spain and beyond.

The series takes a journey into the Latine diaspora to map the evolution of Urbano music and cultures that ignited the musical revolution of Rap, Reggaeton, Bachata, Latin trap, Cumbia and other sounds that influence music and culture worldwide.

Interviewees include Fat Joe, NORE, Residente, Mala Rodriguez, Nicky Jam, Nicki Nicole, Villano Antillano, Sech, Goyo, Nathy Peluso, Santa Fe Klan, Jessie Reyes, Feid, Aleman and Gente De Zona, among others.

“As a first-generation immigrant who learned how to speak English through Hip Hop at Malcolm X Elementary, I grew up straddling two worlds, speaking English at school and Spanish at home,” Barili, the project’s co-creator, executive producer and host, shared in a statement.

He continued, “I was influenced by El General and Calle 13 as much as E-40 and Outkast. De La Calle was created to explore how the seeds from the street that inspired Hip Hop are also present throughout Latin America and Spain. Going to the neighborhoods where El Movimiento was created, talking to the pioneers who were actually there and sharing the origin stories of superstars of today and tomorrow. I’m thrilled to have MTV Studios and Paramount+ as partners to bring De La Calle to the world.”

Bad Bunny Releases New Single “Un Preview”

Posted on September 26, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Bad Bunny is offering a preview…

The 29-year-old Puerto Rican Grammy-winning superstar has released his new single, the reggaetón banger “Un Preview.”

On the track, Bad Bunny is smitten, singing about a girl that has him head over heels.

“Baby, I’m no longer scared of tasting you and falling in love again … we’re crazy at the club, I get closer to you dancing, and I kiss your neck, with you, I’ll deal with fire.”

At the beginning of the music video, which has a cowboy aesthetic, Bad Bunny explains that this song, as its name would suggest, is just a preview of what’s to come. “Ven acá,” he begins. “I’ll give you a preview of what will come after.” He expanded on that message on his WhatsApp channel where he wrote: “This is possibly the last song I release this year. It’s a little preview of what’s to come next year.”

Bad Bunny officially confirmed the release date of his new song on Sunday, when he posted a 17-second snippet and wrote in Spanish, “In case you like it and are interested to know, [the song] comes out tomorrow Monday at 8 p.m. Puerto Rico time.”

“Un Preview,” produced by Tainy and La Paciencia, comes on the heels of Bunny’s “Where She Goes,” which he released in May. The Jersey Club-inspired beat (a hybrid of house and hip-hop) reached No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200 and Latin Airplay charts.

Earlier this year, Bunny also teamed up with Grupo Frontera on “un x100to,” which marked his first time dipping his toes in the norteño-cumbia realm. The song earned Grupo Frontera its highest debut on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart, entering at No. 3 on the April 29-dated ranking, and later hitting No. 1 on both the Latin Airplay chart and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart.

Bad Bunny is a 15-time finalist at the 2023 Billboard Latin Music Awards, which are set to take place on Thursday, October 5. He is up for artist of the year, tour of the year, Global 200 Latin artist of the year and Global 200 Latin song of the year for “Titi Me Preguntó.”

Los Ángeles Azules to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award at Billboard Latin Music Awards

Posted on August 29, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Los Ángeles Azules have earned an extra special honor…

The Mexican cumbia group will be honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2023 Billboard Latin Music Awards.

The band, known for songs like “El Listón de Tu Pelo,” “Cómo Te Voy a Olvidar” and “Mi Niña Mujer,” among many other cumbia anthems, will be recognized for their enduring, exceptional career that has expanded the reach of Latin music worldwide.

The award will be presented at the 2023 Billboard Latin Music Awards, where they will also hit the stage with a special performance.

The ceremony will be held Thursday, October 5, and will be broadcast live on Telemundo from the Watsco Center in Coral Gables, Fla.

“We are very honored to receive this award,” the group — led by the Mejía-Avante brothers — said in a statement. “It is a recognition to our music, which we have shared with our audiences throughout all these years.”

With a 40-year musical career, Los Ángeles Azules have achieved great success, including 14 entries on Billboard‘s Hot Latin Songs chart, with three songs in the top 10. They also have 16 entries on Latin Airplay, of which six reached the top 10, including “Nunca es Suficiente,” with Natalia Lafourcade, which peaked at No. 3 in 2019. Their 2020 album De Buenos Aires Para El Mundo debuted at No. 8 on the Regional Mexican Albums chart, making it the band’s 12th album to reach the top 10 on the tally.

Past recipients of the Billboard Lifetime Achievement Award include Raphael, Paquita la del Barrio, Armando Manzanero, Miguel Bosé, Los Temerarios, Intocable, José José, Marco Antonio Solís, Ricardo Arjona and Maná, among others.

Besides airing live on Telemundo, the Billboard Latin Music Awards will air simultaneously on the Hispanic entertainment cable channel, Universo, Peacock, the Telemundo App, and throughout Latin America and the Caribbean on Telemundo Internacional.

Peso Pluma leads the list of finalists with 21 nods across 15 categories including artist of the year, songwriter of the year, Global 200 Latin artist of the year, and Top Latin Album of the year.

Bad Bunny Releases New ‘Jersey Club’ Single “Where She Goes”

Posted on May 18, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Bad Bunny is going where…

Following his smash cumbia-norteña hit collaboration “un x100to” with Grupo Frontera, the 29-year-old Puerto Rican Grammy-winning singer/songwriter has just-released the Jersey club cut “Where She Goes.”

The English-titled, Spanish-language song sees Bad Bunny playing with dynamism with a subtle dembow rhythm, courtesy of super producer MAG.

Looking like a swaggering frontiersman armed with a cowboy buckle to boot, Bad Bunny rides around in a vintage Rolls-Royce in the Stillz-directed music video. He then appears on top of a tree amid the desert, and there’s also a scene that projects a Burning Man vibe with a tribe of people surrounding a massing bonfire.

Special guests include Brazilian soccer legend Ronaldinho, Frank Ocean, Lil Uzi Vert, Dominic Fike, Sabrina Lada and more.

Lil Uzi Vert, who is also featured doing his famous TikTok dance, is an appropriate guest, as the “Just Wanna Rock” hitmaker helped spark Jersey club’s rise in 2022, a genre that is permeating the New York drill scene.

Bad Bunny is the first artist in Latin music to embrace the East Coast sound. Jersey club first originated in Newark, New Jersey, in the early new millennium.

“Baby, tell me the truth if you forgot about me/ I know it was only one night, that we’re not going to repeat,” Bunny croons in the opening verse against a dramatic, ominous electronic sound. “In you I wanted to find what I lost in someone else/ Your pride doesn’t want to speak to me, so we’re going to compete.”

Two days before the song’s arrival, Bad Bunny teased the new track on social media, introducing its first 42 seconds.

Although he mentioned a possible break in last December’s cover story, Bad Bunny proceeds to be at the forefront of pop culture. This year, he became the first Spanish-speaking artist to headline Coachella and made waves at the Met Gala. He also continues to churn out a bevy of No. 1 hits on Billboard‘s charts.

5-18

Bad Bunny Teases New EDM-Tinged Single on TikTok

Posted on May 16, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Bad Bunny is switching genres again…

In a one-minute video posted on his TikTok account Monday, May 15, the 29-year-old Puerto Rican Grammy-winning artist is in a vibrant room, rocking an all-black leather outfit and his natural curls as he shares a clip of new EDM-tinged single.

“Check this out,” he says in Spanish before pressing play.

A dramatic melody then begins, backed by Bad Bunny’s signature deep vocals.

“Baby, tell me the truth if you forgot about me/ I know it was only one night, that we’re not going to repeat/ In you I wanted to find what I lost in someone else/ Your pride doesn’t want to speak to me, so we’re going to compete,” he passionately chants in the opening verse.

Then, the rhythm transitions to a Jersey Club-inspired beat (a hybrid of house and hip-hop), where he continues, “I don’t like to lose, tell me what you’re doing to do.”

In the caption, he asked his over 31 million followers, “Tell me if you like it and I’ll send it to you via WhatsApp :)”

The upcoming single comes on the heels of his collaboration on Grupo Frontera hit “un x100to,” which marked his first time dipping his toes in the norteño-cumbia realm. The song earned Grupo Frontera its highest debut on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart, entering at No. 3 on the April 29-dated ranking, and later hitting No. 1 on both the Latin Airplay chart and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart.

Last year, the artist born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio told Billboard his plans of taking a break in 2023, but would still release music.

“I’m taking a break. 2023 is for me, for my physical health, my emotional health to breathe, enjoy my achievements,” he said. “We’re going to celebrate. Let’s go here, let’s go there, let’s go on the boat. I have a couple of sporadic commitments, and I’ll go to the studio, but there’s no pressure. Remember yourself, cabrón. You’ve worked your a– off.”

@badbunny

dime si te gusta y te la envio por whatsapp 🙂

♬ original sound – Bad Bunny

Grupo Frontera Teams Up with Bad Bunny on New Single “un x100to”

Posted on April 17, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Grupo Frontera has found it’s one percent…

The Regional Mexican group has joined voices with Bad Bunny to release the single “un x100to” on Monday, April 17, marking the first collaboration between the two acts, and a new twist for el Conejo Malo.

Produced and composed by Latin hitmakers Edgar Barrera and MAG, the romantic cumbia–norteño narrates the story of a person who misses their ex and makes an important phone call with one percent of battery left on their phone.

The Spanish-language ballad’s lyrics translate to: “I have only 1% left, and I’ll use it to say I’m so sorry/ If they’ve seen me in the disco with someone else, it’s just wasting my time/ Baby, I can’t lie to you; That story that they saw me all happy, that’s not true/ Nothing makes me laugh anymore, only when I see the photos and videos I see of you.”

The official music video shows the group and Bad Bunny performing the song in front of an isolated ranch in a desert.

Born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, Bad Bunny first teased the track on his TikTok account on Sunday, April 16, where he’s seen singing part of the nostalgic lyrics and flaunting his cumbia-dancing skills.

Although he’s a longtime fan of Regional Mexican music, his new track with Grupo Frontera is only his second regional Mexican collab.

Prior to this, he worked with Natanael Cano for a remix of “Soy el Diablo,” a corrido.

Over the weekend, after he headlined Coachella, he also posted a video singing along to Cano’s “AMG” in collaboration with Peso Pluma and Gabito Ballesteros.

TINI Partners with La Joaqui & Steve Aoki for New Single “Muñecas”

Posted on January 13, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

TINI is all dolled up…

The 25-year-old Argentine singer, songwriter and actress has joined voices with emerging Argentine rapper La Joaqui and world renowned DJ Steve Aoki to release the new single “Muñecas” via Hollywood Records.

After releasing back-to-back cumbias with “Miénteme” alongside María Becerra and the L-Gante-assisted “Bar” last year, TINI kicks off the new year with an equally danceable track fused with electronic beats.

The irresistible electronic cumbia track is a breath of fresh air, perfectly combining TINI’s vocal talent, La Joaqui’s lyricism, and Steve Aoki’s signature sound and extraordinary creative touch.

Chiquis Releases New Album “Abeja Reina”

Posted on May 13, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Chiquis is ready to rule the charts…

The 36-year-old Mexican American singer has released Abeja Reina.

Chiquis’ new album, not for the faint of heart, discusses topics of love, heartbreak and female empowerment, with lyrics that (warning) can and will sting.

She opens her ultra-personal 18-track set — which includes five interludes — with a bilingual attitude-heavy intro. “There were many that didn’t believe and maybe they’ll never believe. But the difference is that today, I don’t give a f—. And today, I believe in myself. Welcome to the Abeja Reina experience.” That experience she refers to is a roller coaster of emotions as the regional singer narrates her own journey that’s filled with ups and downs. Chiquis is vulnerable yet gutsy. She’s heartbroken but optimistic.

A mostly banda album, her core sound, Chiquis also steps outside her comfort zone experimenting with cumbia, R&B and rap, which showcases her versatility.

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