Alejandro Sanz Notches 11th Top 10 Album on Billboard’s Top Latin Albums Chart 

Make that 11 hit albums for Alejandro Sanz

The 49-year-old Spanish singer-songwriter’s new live effort, +ES+: El Concierto, debuts at No. 7 on Billboard’s Top Latin Albums chart (dated December 30) with 3,000 equivalent album units earned in the week ending December 14, according to Nielsen Music.

Alejandro Sanz

Most of that total is driven by traditional album sales, bolstered by an edition of the album that comes with a DVD of a live concert. The arrival gives Sanz his 11th top 10-charting set.

The live album — released December 8 via Universal Music Latino — is his 13th set to chart and features a bevy of guest stars. Among them: Juan Luis GuerraJuanes and Laura Pausini.

The new live album celebrates the 20th anniversary of his fifth studio effort, Mas, which was released in 1997 and peaked at No. 5 the following year. It was his first album to reach Billboard‘s charts.

Further, Sanz collects his eighth top five on the Latin Pop Albums chart as the new set opens at No. 2. He’s notched three No. 1s on the list: Sirope (2015, one week at No. 1), La Musica No Se Toca (2012, five weeks at No. 1) and Paraíso Express (2009, one week at No. 1).

The new release follows his Latin Grammys  performance (November 16), where he was honored as person of the year 2017.

Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee Win Four Latin Grammys for “Despacito”

Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee proved to be the night’s brightest stars at this year’s Latin Grammy Awards.

The 39-year-old Puerto Rican singer and the 40-year-old reggaeton star, the artists behind this year’s global smash single “Despacito,” picked up four awards from the Latin Recording Academy, including two of the biggest prizes.

Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee

Fonsi and Daddy Yankee won Record of the Year and Song of the Year for “Despacito,” while their remix of the song featuring Justin Bieber was named Best Urban Fusion/Performance.

Not far behind, Vicente Garcia.

The 34-year-old Dominican singer, songwriter and composer picked up three awards, including Best New Artist. He also received the Best Tropical Song prize for his single “Bachata en Kingston,” as well as Best Singer-Songwriter Album for A La Mar.

Latin music veteran Ruben Blades, who won two awards, took home the night’s biggest honor Album of the Year for his album, Salsa Big Band, with Roberto Delgado & Orquesta.

It’s the second Album of the Year trophy for the 69-year-old Panamanian singer-songwriter. He previously took home the award in 2014 for his album Tangos.

Natalia Lafourcade, a Latin Grammy darling, added two more awards to her collection.

The 33-year-old Mexican singer-songwriter won the Best Folk Album award for her album Musas, which was produced in collaboration with the acoustic guitar duo Los Macorinos. The album is a homage to Latin American folk music, coand contains original songs as well as cover versions of other artists’ songs.

Shakira, who is currently on vocal rest and absent from the ceremony, won Best Contemporary Pop Vocal Album for her latest record, El Dorado.

The 2017 Latin Grammy Awards were held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Thursday night. The three-hour show, hosted by Roselyn Sanchez and Jaime Camil, included performances by Fonsi, Steve Aoki, Alessia Cara, J Balvin, Maluma and Person of the Year Alejandro Sanz, among others.

Lin-Manuel Miranda was also honored with the President’s Merit Award for his outstanding and numerous contributions to the Latin community, including his relief efforts for Puerto Rico following the devastation of Hurricane Maria. Upon taking the stage, the Hamilton creator thanked his team and his wife, Vanessa Nadal.

“My people! Thank you, it’s an honor to be here,” Miranda began his Spanglish speech. “No one gets here alone,” he added before expressing how proud he was of the Latino community and dedicating the award to Puerto Rico.

“I know I’m a weird theater kid here, with a weird accent,” he continued. “But let’s keep collaborating and show the world that Latinos can change the world when we collaborate.

Here’s the complete list of winners:

Album of the Year: Salsa Big Band — Rubén Blades con Roberto Delgado & Orquesta
Record of the Year: “Despacito” — Luis Fonsi featuring Daddy Yankee
Song of the Year (A Songwriter’s Award): “Despacito” — Daddy Yankee, Erika Ender and Luis Fonsi, songwriters (Luis Fonsi featuring Daddy Yankee)
Best New Artist: Vicente García
Best Contemporary Pop Vocal Album: El Dorado, Shakira
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album: Salón, Lágrimas Y Deseo, Lila Downs
Best Urban Fusion/Performance: Despacito (Remix) Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee featuring Justin Bieber
Best Urban Music Album: Residente, Residente
Best Urban Song: Somos Anormales, Rafael Arcaute, Igor Koshkendey & Residente, Songwriters (Residente)
Best Rock Album: La Gran Oscilación, Diamante Eléctrico
Best Pop/Rock Album: Mis Planes Son Amarte, Juanes
Best Rock Song: Déjala Rodar, Juan Galeano, Songwriter (Diamante Eléctrico) & La Noche, Andrés Calamaro, Songwriter (Andrés Calamaro) [Tie]
Best Alternative Music Album: Jei Beibi, Café Tacvba
Best Alternative Song: Amárrame, Mon Laferte, Songwriter (Mon Laferte featuring Juanes)
Best Salsa Album: Salsa Big Band, Rubén Blades Con Roberto Delgado & Orquesta
Best Cumbia/Vallenato Album:
Ni Un Paso Atrás, Jorge Celedón y Sergio Luis Rodríguez
Best Contemporary Tropical Album: Bidimensional,
Guaco
Best Traditional Tropical Album:
To Beny Moré With Love, Jon Secada Featuring The Charlie Sepúlveda Big Band
Best Tropical Fusion Album:
Olga Tañón Y Punto., Olga Tañón
Best Tropical Song:
Bachata En Kingston, Vicente García, Songwriter (Vicente García)
Best Singer-Songwriter Album:
A La Mar, Vicente García
Best Ranchero/Mariachi Album:
Las Caras Lindas, Flor De Toloache
Best Banda Album:
Ayer Y Hoy, Banda El Recodo De Cruz Lizárraga
Best Norteño Album:
Piénsalo, Los Palominos
Best Regional Song:
Siempre Es Así, Juan Treviño, Songwriter (Juan Treviño Featuring Aj Castillo)
Best Instrumental Album: Spain Forever, Michel Camilo & Tomatito
Best Folk Album: Musas (Un Homenaje Al Folclore Latinoamericano En Manos De Los Macorinos, Vol. 1), Natalia Lafourcade
Best Tango Album: Solo Buenos Aires, Fernando Otero
Best Flamenco Album: Memoria De Los Sentidos, Vicente Amigo
Best Latin Jazz/Jazz Album: Dance Of Time, Eliane Elias
Best Christian Album (Spanish Language): Momentos, Alex Campos
Best Portuguese Language Christian Album: Acenda A Sua Luz, Aline Barros
Best Portuguese Language Contemporary Pop Album: Troco Likes Ao Vivo: Um Filme De Tiago Iorc, Tiago Iorc
Best Portuguese Language Rock Or Alternative Album: Jardim – Pomar, Nando Reis
Best Samba/Pagode Album: + Misturado, Mart’nália
Best Mpb (Musica Popular Brasileira) Album: Dos Navegantes, Edu Lobo, Romero Lubambo, Mauro Senise
Best Sertaneja Music Album: Daniel, Daniel
Best Brazilian Roots Album: Ao Vivo – Melodias Do Sertão, Bruna Viola
Best Portuguese Language Song: Trevo (Tu), Ana Caetano & Tiago Iorc, Songwriters (Anavitória Featuring Tiago Iorc)
Best Latin Children’s Album: Marc Anthony For Babies, Varios artistas
Best Classical Album: Música De Compositores Costarricenses Vol. 2, Eddie Mora, Directing The Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional De Costa Rica; Winnie Camila Berg, Solista; Carlos Chaves, Album Producer
Best Classical Contemporary Composition: Sonata Del Decamerón Negro, Leo Brouwer, Composer (Mabel Millán)
Best Recording Package: El Orisha De La Rosa, Carlos Dussán, Juliana Jaramillo, Juan Felipe Martínez & Claudio Roncoli, Art Directors (Magín Díaz)
Best Engineered Album: Mis Planes Son Amarte, Josh Gudwin, Mixer; Tom Coyne, Mastering Engineer (Juanes)
Producer Of The Year: Eduardo Cabra [A La Mar (Vicente García) (A), La Fortuna (Diana Fuentes Featuring Tommy Torres) (S), La Lucha (La Vida Bohème) (A), Sofá (Silvina Moreno) (A), Somos (Swing Original Monks) (A)]
Best Short Form Music Video: Despacito, Luis Fonsi Featuring Daddy Yankee, Carlos R. Perez, Video Director; Joanna Egozcue & Roxy Quiñones, Video Producers
Best Long Form Music Video: Musas, El Documental, Natalia Lafourcade, Bruno Bancalari, Video Director; Juan Pablo López Fonseca, Video Producer

Boneta to Serve as a Presenter at the Latin Grammys

Diego Boneta is heading to the Latin Grammys

The 24-year-old Mexican singer/actor will join Zoe Saldaña, Rita Moreno, Miguel Bose, Yandel, Julieta Venegas, Leslie Grace, Victor Manuelle, current nominees including René Camacho, Pedro Capó and Aída Cuevas and over a dozen other Latin personalities in presenting awards at the Latin Grammys on Thursday night.

Diego Boneta

A total of 22 well-known presenters will cross the stage at the 16th annual Latin Grammy Awards, joining 32 performers, including Fifth Harmony, Latin chart-topping artists Nicky Jam and J Balvin, OMI of “Cheerleader” fame, Ricky Martin, regional Mexican star Espinoza Paz, urban sensation Maluma and six-time Grammy winners Banda el Recodo. Will Smith is set to appear with Colombian duo Bomba Estereo, and Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year Roberto Carlos will also perform.

The show will be broadcast live on the Univision Network Thursday night (Nov. 19) at 8 p.m. ET/PT from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Actress Roselyn Sanchez and model and Univison presenter Jacqueline Bracamontes will host the awards.

Fifth Harmony to Perform at This Year’s Latin Grammy Awards Show

Ally Brooke Hernandez, Camila Cabello and Lauren Jauregui are ready to make their Latin Grammys debut.

Fifth Harmony

The Latina singers and their fellow Fifth Harmony members have been added to the performance lineup for this year’s awards show.

No word on what song the all-girl group, named to this year’s Billboard 21 Under 21 list, will perform, but the ladies did release a Spanish version of their hit single “Worth It.” Entitled “(Worth It) Dame Esta Noche,” was released earlier this summer.

In addition to Fifth Harmony, the Latin Recording Academy has booked OMIRicky MartinEspinoza PazMaluma and Banda el Recodo to take the stage at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas on November 19 for Latin music’s biggest night.

Six-time Grammy winners Banda El Recodo, Latin urban phenom Maluma and regional Mexican star  Paz each received one nomination this year — best banda album for Mi Vicio Más Grande, best urban performance for “El Tiki,” and best regional song for “Perdí La Pose,” respectively.

 

Pop idol Martin is also among this year’s nominees, having scored three nods: record of the year and song of the year for “Disparo Al Corazón” and best contemporary pop vocal album for A Quien Quiera Escuchar.

Previously announced performers include Julión ÁlvarezBomba Estéreo with Will SmithJ BalvinChoc Quib TownSilvestre DangondNicky JamNatalia JiménezNatalia LafourcadeJuan Luis GuerraMajor Lazer and mØ, Matisse, and Raquel Sofía.

Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year Roberto Carlos will also grace the stage for a special performance.

Lafourcade to Perform at This Year’s Latin Grammy Awards Show

Natalia Lafourcade is certain to take the stage at this year’s Latin Grammys.

The 31-year-old Mexican pop-rock singer-songwriter, a five-time nominee for this year’s awards show, including nods for Album of the Year, Song of the Year and Record of the Year, has joined the list of performers at the Latin Grammys on November 19.

Natalia Lafourcade

Lafourcade, a three-time Latin Grammy winner and two-time Grammy nominee, will take the stage of the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. There’s no word on what song she’ll perform.

She joins a growing roster of performers that includes Julión ÁlvarezSilvestre Dangond and Nicky Jam, along with a special performance by this year’s Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year Roberto Carlos.

Julión Álvarez y Su Norteño Banda and Silvestre Dangond each received one nomination. In the best banda album category, Julión Álvarez y Su Norteño Banda are nominated for El Aferrado. Dangond is nominated with Lucas Dangond in the best cumbia/vallenato album category for Sigo Invicto.

Nicky Jam has two nominations for best urban performance: “Una Cita (Remix)” with Alkilados featuring J Alvarez & El Roockie, and “El Perdón” with Enrique Iglesias.

Previously announced performers include current nominees ChocQuibTownJ BalvinNatalia JiménezJuan Luis GuerraMatisse and Raquel Sofía.

The show, co-hosted by Devious Maids star Roselyn Sanchez and Mexican model and actress Jacqueline Bracamontes, will air live November 19 on Univision.

Carlos Named the Latin Recording Academy’s 2015 Person of the Year

Roberto Carlos is a person of major interest this year…

The 74-year-old Brazilian singer and composer will be honored as the 2015 Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year.

Roberto Carlos

Carlos, who received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Billboard Latin Music Awards in April and is celebrating five decades of recording in Spanish, is the top-selling Brazilian and Latin American act of all time.

He’ll be honored the eve of the Latin Grammys at a star-studded tribute concert Wednesday, November18, at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas. Proceeds from the gala will benefit the Latin Grammy Cultural Foundation.

Born in in the Southern municipality of Cachoeiro de Itapemirim to a watchmaker and a seamstress, Carlos began singing and taking music lessons at an early age. At 17, he moved to Rio de Janeiro and began singing nightly in clubs, devoting himself to the rock n’ roll of the day. By the early 1960s, signed to Columbia and aided by the TV show and musical movement Jovem Guarda (Young Guard), Carlos became a teen idol and began writing with his childhood friend and former bandmate Erasmo Carlos, still his main writing partner to this day. Instead of opting for bossa nova, the sophisticated Brazilian export for which his smooth, entreating voice is particularly well-suited for, they went for romantic pop, penning some of the most enduring compositions in the Latin American songbook. Translated to Spanish and married to the subtle beauty of Carlos’ voice, they became anthems for generations of listeners to this day.

Calos recently recorded his latest album — Roberto Carlos – Primera Fila — at London’s Abbey Road Studios. The set will be released later this year.

Previous recipients of the  Recording Academy Person of the Year honor include Miguel Bosé, Plácido Domingo, Gloria Estefan, Vicente Fernández, Juan Luis Guerra, Carlos Santana, Joan Manuel Serrat, Shakira, Julio Iglesias and Caetano Veloso, among others.

Serrat Celebrated with Special Career-Spanning Exhibition in Barcelona

Joan Manuel Serrat is the subject of an extra special Spanish-style celebration.

The 71-year-old Spanish singer-songwriter, considered one of the most important figures of modern, popular music in the Spanish and Catalan languages, is being feted in Barcelona through a special project.

Joan Manuel Serrat

Serrat: 50 Years of Songs is the title of an exhibition that documents the life and times of Barcelona’s most famous musical son.

The show is a career-spanning homage to Serrat, the 2014 Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year, that highlights the singer-songwriter’s ties to Barcelona and Latin America.

The exhibition, at Barcelona’s Arts Santa Monica cultural center until September, includes photos, posters, records, Serrat trading cards and other fan memorabilia, performance videos, and, of course, music.

A parallel program of concert tributes to Serrat by other artists will run through the summer on a stage built into the exhibition, and the public will have a chance to perform their own song favorites during a series of scheduled Serrat karaoke sessions.

The show is set to travel to Montevideo’s Mario Benedetti Foundation later in the year, its first stop on a projected international tour.

“Serrat is more than a musician,” says Jaume Reus i Morro, director of Arts Santa Monica, which is housed in a former monastery. The Serrat exhibition is on display in the building’s vaulted stone chapel. “He’s part of the collective memory of several generations. Serrart has always been tied to the idea of freedom.”

Part of the show focuses on what in 1960s Spain became known as “the Serrat scandal.”  Early in his career, Serrat was selected to represent Spain at the Eurovision Song Contest. After being told he was not allowed to sing in Catalan, his native tongue, he refused to participate at all. The episode established Serrat as a symbol of Catalan pride. His clashes with the Franco regime would continue, and after making remarks critical of the government in 1975, he spent a period in exile in Mexico, beginning his lifelong relationship with Latin America and his outspoken solidarity with repression and social struggles in the region.

The exhibition also reflects the lighter side of Serrat.

“I thought of the money, and the hope of a more satisfying sex life,” an accompanying text quotes the artist as saying, explaining why he wanted to be a musician.

A number of photos capture Serrat the sex symbol, with his chest bared under an open shirt and an inviting gaze. There are movie posters recalling a short-lived film career in titles like My First Love and The Private Teacher.

“I seriously believe that my biggest contribution to cinema’s evolution was to abandon it,” he quips in a text accompanying posters and gossip magazines.

Serrat admitted to being something of a hoarder at a press conference for the exhibition, and most of the objects and ephemera in the extensive display belong to him. They include his first guitar, which his father brought home in a paper bag, so that he would no longer have to practice on a borrowed instrument.

The singer’s roots in the working class Poble Sec neighborhood are captured in vintage photos, which show Serrat accompanying a black-clad elderly widow up the stairs, and a group of young men with red capes practicing their bullfighting moves in the street.

“I don’t know if young people today can relate to him,” he said, admitting that he himself had lost touch with Serrat’s music over the years. “But he is a myth. He’s like our Frank Sinatra.”

Serrat Named the 2014 Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year

Joan Manuel Serrat is preparing to receive an honor befitting a music legend…

The 70-year-old Spanish singer/songwriter has been declared the 2014 Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year.

Joan Manuel Serrat

He’ll be feted during a special gala event on November 19 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

The Barcelona-born star started playing music as a teenager as he learned the craft both as a songwriter and performer. In 1965, he landed a record deal after singing on the Spanish radio show Radioscope.

Serrat then released two EPs and a full-length debut album and went on to perform live on stage at the Palau de la Música Catalana. That showcase propelled him to become one of the pioneers of the Nova Cançó movement in Spain’s Catalonian region.

Known as a politically outspoken performer, Serrat once refused to follow dictator Francisco Franco‘s orders to perform a song in Spanish instead of Catalan during the Eurovision song contest in the late ’60s. He was banned from performing in Spanish media for five years. In the ’70s, he went into a self-imposed exile in Mexico after speaking out against the Franco dictatorship. He did not return to Spain until after Franco’s death in 1975.

“As a profound and brilliant songwriter, a true poet in Spanish and Catalan and a sensational performer, Joan Manuel Serrat’s lyrical style and magnificent talent make him a treasured and timeless musical figure,” said Gabriel Abaroa Jr., president/CEO of the Latin Recording Academy. “Through his talent, artistry, passion, and dedication to his craft, his work has spoken to music fans all over. It is a privilege to recognize a man with such an illustrious and socially conscious career, and we look forward to celebrating his creativity and legacy.”

Serrat released Dedicado A Antonio Machado, Poeta in 1969 in honor of the Spanish poet, and the album received critical acclaim throughout Spain and Latin America. For the last two decades, the singer has had a prolific songwriting, recording and touring career.

In 2006 he released , his first album recorded completely in Catalan after nearly a decade. In 2008 he collaborated with Spanish singer/songwriter Joaquín Sabina and released Dos Pájaros De Un Tiro, followed by 2012’s La Orquesta Del Titanic. The 2013 documentary El Símbolo Y El Cuate chronicled their tour.

“Joan Manuel has become a true symbol for freedom, coherence, quality, and perfect use of our language, and a reference that we all have in reaching our goals,” said Latin Grammy and Grammy winner Shakira, who was the Latin Recording Academy’s Person of the Year in 2011.

In addition to Shakira, Serrat joins an impressive group of artists who have received the Person of the Year honor that includes Miguel Bosé, Plácido Domingo, Gloria Estefan, Gilberto Gil, Juan Luis Guerra, Carlos Santana, and Caetano Veloso.

The Latin Grammys will be held a day after the Person of the Year festivities on November 20 and will broadcast live on the Univision at 8:00 pm ET.

Pope Francis Named Time Magazine’s 2013 Person of the Year

Despite a strong challenge from Miley Cyrus and Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, Pope Francis has been named Time magazine’s 2013 Person of the Year.

The 76-year-old Argentinean newly elected pontiff who’s made headlines for his humility, nicknamed “The People’s Pope,” was the individual Time editors decided had the most impact on the world and the news — for better or worse — over the past year.

Pope Francis' Time Cover

In explaining the magazine’s choice on Wednesday’s Today, Time managing editor Nancy Gibbs said the pope is “someone who has changed the tone and perception and focus of one of the world’s largest institutions in an extraordinary way.

“So much of what he has done in his brief nine months in office has really changed the tone that is coming out of the Vatican,” Gibbs added. “He is saying, ‘We are about the healing mission of the church, and not about the theological police work that had maybe been preoccupying us.’ ”

Francis is the third pope to be awarded Time‘s Person of the Year honor. Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said in a statement read on Today that “the Holy Father is not looking to become famous or to receive honors. But if the choice of Person of Year helps spread the message of the gospel — a message of God’s love for everyone — he will certainly be happy about that.”

NSA leaker Edward Snowden ranked second on Time‘s list, but some are saying that he should have received the top spot. Other runners-up included gay rights activist Edith Windsor, whose Supreme Court victory led to the demise of the Defense of Marriage Act, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Texas Senator Ted Cruz.

Cyrus and Bezos both made Time‘s shortlist, revealed on Monday’s Today, as did 2012 winner President Barack Obama, Iranian president Hassan Rouhani and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.

Shakira Forms Alliance to Help Kids Get a Quality Education

She may have been named the Latin Recording Academy’s 2011’s Person of the Year for her philanthropic efforts and singing talents… But Shakira isn’t resting on her laurels when it comes to her charity work.

The 35-year-old Colombian singer has formed an alliance of foundations to fund quality education for low-income children in her native Colombia.

Shakira

The alliance, which will invest $24 million during the first two years, is comprised of Shakira’s Pies Descalzos foundation, the Colombian Culture Ministry and several other NGOs.

“It’s an alliance specifically for the construction of 13 early-education centers that will benefit 6,200 kids with quality teaching,” Shakira said at an event in Cartagena’s Bicentenario neighborhood. For the best education you need to best tuition, So for the  tuition for JC chemistry, do visit us.

The Grammy-winning singer, a native of the nearby city of Barranquilla, stressed the importance of the alliance, which is already instructing children under 6, “the most important years in human life, the ones that most shape their future,” she said.

At that age “the child’s brain, cognitive and motor faculties and the ability to form relationships with others begin to develop, so we’re convinced that we have to invest in them, the earlier the better,” said Shakira.

The 13 educational centers will be built in the Colombian provinces of Bolivar, Cundinamarca, Magdalena, Atlantico and Choco, all communities with high rates of extreme poverty.