David Archuleta Releases Cover of George Michael’s “Freedom! ’90”

David Archuleta is letting Freedom ring.

The 34-year-old half-Honduran & part-Spanish American singer and American Idol runner-up released a cover of George Michael’s hit single “Freedom! ’90.”

David ArchuletaIt’s been 35 years since Michael released the career-defining anthem — and now, Archuleta would like to take a moment to celebrate its legacy.

With his interpretation of the track, Archuleta keeps the formula simple — not quite recreating the song note for note, but sticking as closely as possible to Michael’s version as possible.

Backed up by a full chorus and placing his larger-than-life voice front and center, Archuleta does a service to Michael’s legacy with this moving cover.

Sony Pictures Classics to Release Jacob Elordi’s Drama “On Swift Horses” in Theaters This April

Jacob Elordi’s latest project will be hitting theaters swiftly this spring.

Sony Pictures Classics has scheduled an April 25 theatrical release date for the The 27-year-old half-Spanish Australian actor’s drama On Swift Horses.

Jacob Elordi, On Swift HorsesThe announcement comes in the wake of news that the film, which co-stars Daisy Edgar-Jones, will close out this year’s South by Southwest Film & TV Festival (SXSW).

Based on the novel by Shannon Pufahl, the film is directed by Daniel Minahan and follows Muriel and her husband Lee as they are beginning a bright new life in California upon Lee’s return from the Korean War. But their newfound stability is upended by the arrival of Lee’s charismatic brother, Julius, a wayward gambler with a secret past. A dangerous love triangle quickly forms. When Julius takes off in search of the young card cheat he’s fallen for, Muriel’s longing for something more propels her into a secret life of her own, gambling on racehorses and exploring a love she never dreamed possible.

Will Poulter, Sasha Calle and Diego Calva also star.

The film is presented by Ley Line Entertainment, FirstGen Content, Cor Cordium, The Dan Corp, Wavelength and Killer Films.

The film is executive produced by Nate Kamiya, David Darby, Claude Amadeo, Randal Sandler, Chris Triana, Jenifer Westphal, Joe Plummer, Christine Vachon, Mason Plotts, Alvaro R. Valente, Bryce Kass, Lauren Shelton, Jeffrey Penman, Elordi, Edgar-Jones, Teddy Schwarzman and John Friedberg.

Elordi’s previous credits include The Kissing Booth film series, Euphoria, Priscilla and Saltburn.

Cardi B & Pardison Fontaine Release Highly Anticipated Collaboration “Toot It Up”

Cardi B is tootin’ it up

The 32-year-old half-Dominican American Grammy-winning rap superstar has joined voices with Pardison Fontaine to release “Toot It Up.”

Cardi B, Toot It UpCardi B and Fontaine’s highly anticipated collaboration dropped on Friday (February 7) via Hitmaker Music Group.

“You guys keep asking for ‘Toot It.’ Where’s ‘Toot It’? Where’s ‘Toot It’ at? Can we get ‘Toot It’? Here go the song, here go ‘Toot It.’ Take it, play it, do whatever y’all gon’ do with it, shake ass. Here go the song, don’t ask for that sh– no more,” Fontaine said in an Instagram video earlier this week with the caption “it’s BEEN 8 YEARS @iamcardib GET THIS SONG OFF MY HARD DRIVE!!! N THEY KEEP ASKING FOR THIS !!! IM DROPPIN IT 2/7!!!!”

The last time the two properly collaborated on a song was in 2018 with “Backin’ It Up,” and they performed it together at the 2018 BET Hip Hop Awards.

It reached No. 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached the top 20 of Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (No. 18) and Rhythmic Airplay (No. 11).

Pardi has co-written several hits for Cardi, including her 2017 breakthrough smash “Bodak Yellow,” her other Hot 100 No. 1s “I Like It,” featuring Bad Bunny and J Balvin, “WAP” with his ex Megan Thee Stallion and “Up,” and much of her 2018 Grammy-winning debut album Invasion of Privacy.

He teased them being back in the studio together last April on Instagram.

“Toot It Up” isn’t the only new music Cardi B has on the way.

On Thursday (Feb. 6), the trailer for the new Smurfs movie film teased the “Higher Love” track by Desi Trill featuring DJ Khaled, Cardi B, Natania and Subhi.

FX Renews Brian Jordan Alvarez’s Comedy Series “English Teacher” for Second Season

Brian Jordan Alvarez is returning to the classroom for another school year…

FX has renewed English Teacher, the comedy series created by and starring the 37-year-old Colombian American actor, comedian and filmmaker.

Brian Jordan Alvarez, English Teacher,The 10-episode second season will premiere in 2025.

English Teacher was one of the most critically acclaimed new shows of 2024 and we are grateful to the producers, writers, cast, directors and crew for the show’s creative excellence,” said president Nick Grad. “We look forward to the new season.”

 

Alvarez plays Evan Marquez, a high school teacher in Austin, Texas who often finds himself at the intersection of the personal, professional and political aspects of working at a high school. Over the first season, Evan navigates his relationships, his students and his fellow faculty and tries to answer the question: can you really be your full self at your job?

 

The comedy’s first season was highlighted by good reviews and nominations by Critics Choice, the Film Independent Spirit Awards, and the WGA.

 

But it was also put under heavy scrutiny when a former indie film colleague named Jon Ebeling made allegations of sexual assault against Alvarez on his Instagram page in August of 2024.

 

Alvarez’s previous credits include The Gay and Wondrous Life of Caleb Gallo, M3GAN, 80 for Brady.

 

He’ll next appear in M3GAN 2.0.

Pete Alonso Agrees to Two-Year, $54 Million Contract with New York Mets

Pete Alonso won’t be leaving the New York Mets anytime soon.

The 30-year-old half-Spanish American professional baseball player, nicknamed “Polar Bear,” and the New York Mets are in agreement on a two-year, $54 million contract, per ESPN, ending a lengthy free agency with a return engagement to the only team for which he has played.

Pete AlonsoThe deal, which is pending a physical, includes an opt-out after the first season, sources said. Alonso will make $30 million this year.

Alonso, whose 226 home runs since his 2019 debut are second in Major League Baseball (MLB) behind Aaron Judge‘s 232, heads back to Queens to join a lineup that added outfielder Juan Soto on a record-breaking 15-year, $765 million contract this winter.

Though New York considered pivoting away from Alonso after discussions on a deal with him reached an impasse, talks resumed amid a market that did not value him similarly to the long-term deal he sought at the outset of free agency. First basemen in their 30s who hit and field right-handed are seen by teams as risky — even ones who have consistently produced like Alonso.

After hitting a rookie-record 53 home runs in 2019, Alonso’s consistent run production helped buoy the Mets through lean years and made him a fan favorite and franchise cornerstone. Alonso rejected a seven-year, $158 million contract extension from the Mets in the summer of 2023, hoping to strike riches on the open market, even when saddled by draft-pick compensation after turning down a one-year, $21.05 million qualifying offer from the Mets.

A long-term deal never materialized, leaving Alonso with limited choices. Though the San Francisco Giants and Toronto Blue Jays were among the teams that expressed interested in Alonso, coming back to the Mets was always the likeliest possibility, even as owner Steve Cohen publicly expressed frustration with the trajectory of negotiations.

Alonso’s production declined over the past three seasons, with his OPS decreasing from .869 to .821 to .788. His FanGraphs wins above replacement dropped from 3.8 to 2.8 to 2.1, and his 34 home runs in 2024 were a career low for a full season.

Still, Alonso remained capable of special moments. With the Mets facing elimination, trailing 2-0 in the ninth inning of a wild-card series game against Milwaukee in early October last year, Alonso tattooed a changeup from Brewers closer Devin Williams to the opposite field for a three-run home run that held up to send New York to a series against Philadelphia. Alonso homered twice against the Phillies and once more in a six-game NLCS loss to the eventual World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers.

Alonso’s postseason bona fides — a .278/.429/.574 line in 70 plate appearances — added to his allure for the Mets, who now can lead off star shortstop Francisco Lindor and bat Soto, Alonso and emerging star third baseman Mark Vientos in the 2-3-4 holes. The Mets’ deep roster includes outfielders Brandon NimmoStarling Marte and Tyrone Taylor, catcher Francisco Alvarez, second baseman Jeff McNeil, young infielders Ronny Mauricio, Luisangel Acuna and Brett Baty, as well as Jesse Winker (who re-signed as a free agent) and Jose Siri (acquired in a trade with Tampa Bay).

Real Madrid Legend Sergio Ramos Signs with Club de Futbol Monterrey

Sergio Ramos is heading to North America…

The 38-year-old Spanish professional footballer, a Spain and Real Madrid legend, has signed with Monterrey, the Liga MX club has announced.

Sergio Ramos“The number 93 is ready to defend the blue and white jersey,” Monterrey said alongside a video on their social media account.

“A historic defender in world football, multiple champion with Real Madrid and PSG and World Cup champion with Spain. Welcome to Club de Futbol Monterrey. Your leadership, quality, and winning mentality will take the Blue and White to great heights,” the team said in a statement.

Ramos, a 2010 World Cup winner with Spain and two-time European Champion with Real Madrid, had been without a team since his contract with Sevilla expired last summer.

He had rejoined his boyhood club from Paris Saint-Germain a year earlier.

Monterrey is looking to strengthen its defensive line after losing Carlos Salcedo to an ACL injury earlier this month.

Ramos spent 16 years at Real Madrid — after coming through Sevilla’s academy — captaining the club and winning four Champions Leagues and five LaLiga trophies.

Eduard Fernández to Star in “Mr. Sunny Sky”

The sunny sky’s the limit for Eduard Fernández.

The 60-year-old Spanish screen and stage actor, a Goya Award winner, will star in Mr. Sunny Sky.

Eduard FernándezFernandez joins a cast that includes Guy Pearce, Rufus Sewell, Tom Davis, Hannah Waddingham and Daniel Ings.

Directing is Matt Chambers, based on his own screenplay, with filming scheduled to start later this year in Gran Canaria. Bankside will continue sales at the EFM.

The crime-thriller follows Leonard Moore, a once chart-topping pop star now lounge singer at a mid-budget Canary Island hotel. One night he meets Shirley, another lost soul with whom he shares an instant connection. But Shirley’s husband is a dangerous man and soon the new couple’s burgeoning romance is thrust into a spiral of paranoia, suspense and violence.

The film is being produced by PK Fellowes of Ellipsis Pictures and Rowena Wallace of Peach House.

Executive producers are Peter Welter of Fresco Films and Stephen Kelliher and Sophie Green of Bankside Films.

Casting is by Clare Harlow and the film will be shot by Chambers’ longtime collaborator Nanu Segal BSC. Iain Cooke will serve as music supervisor.

Los Angeles Angels Agree to One-Year, $5 Million Contract with Yoan Moncada

Yoan Moncada has landed an angelic deal…

The Los Angeles Angels have agreed to a one-year, $5 million contract with the 29-year-old Cuban professional baseball third baseman and free agent, per ESPN.

Yoan MoncadaThe move, first reported by The New York Post, probably rounds out the Angels’ lineup for the 2025 season.

Moncada notably plays the position previously occupied by Anthony Rendon, who has been a disappointment since signing a seven-year, $245 million contract in December 2019.

Angels general manager Perry Minasian indicated throughout the offseason that, moving forward, the organization can’t necessarily count on Rendon, who played in less than a third of the Angels’ games and produced only a .666 OPS over the past four seasons.

By adding Moncada, who has played strictly third base over the past seven seasons, Rendon no longer has a clear pathway for playing time. He can spell Moncada at third base on occasion and perhaps replace the left-handed-hitting Nolan Schanuel at first when the Angels face a tough lefty. If he is healthy and productive, the Angels will undoubtedly find a consistent place for him in the lineup, with the designated-hitter slot also an option. But with two years left on his contract, Rendon’s future is cloudier than ever.

Moncada, a switch-hitter, also has something to prove.

Once the jewel of the Boston Red Sox farm system, Moncada broke out in 2019 and turned in a solid season with the Chicago White Sox in 2021. But he has slashed just .236/.291/.387 while playing in only 208 games over the past three seasons.

Last year, for a White Sox team that lost a record 121 games, Moncada played in only 12, sitting out five months because of an adductor strain. He returned Sept. 18, taking one at-bat, then sat out the rest of the season.

The White Sox declined Moncada’s $25 million option, sending him into free agency.

Now, he represents the latest addition in an Angels offseason headlined by the trade for corner outfielder Jorge Soler and the signing of starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi.

Notably, Moncada also represents some necessary insurance for Rendon, who’s heading into his age-35 season and has been beset by injuries to his oblique, lower back, hamstring, shin, wrist, groin, hip and knee since 2021.

Karol G’s “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido” Breaks Record for Most Weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s Tropical Airplay Chart

Karol G continues making Latin music history…

Only two weeks after entering the record books with an unmatched 26 weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’Latin Airplay chart with “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido,” the 33-year-old Colombian Grammy-winning singer/songwriter has set yet another new record with the smash hit.

Karol GKarol G’s “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido” adds a 30th week at No. 1 on the Tropical Airplay chart dated February 8, marking the most weeks atop the 30-year-old chart for any song. 

“Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido,” released June 21, 2024 via Bichota/Interscope/ICLG, reaches the record despite a 7% decline in audience impressions; that’s 8.8 million earned in the U.S. during the tracking week of January 24-30, according to Luminate.

With 30 weeks at No. 1, Karol ends a historic run for Prince Royce, who previously commanded the chart for 29 weeks when “Carita De Inocente” capped its reign on the October 17, 2020-dated ranking.

As “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido” resets the longest-leading run on Tropical Airplay, here’s a look at the songs with the most weeks atop, since the chart launched in October 1994.

Weeks at No. 1, Title, Artist, Peak Date
30, “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido,” Karol G, July 20, 2024
29, “Carita de Inocente,” Prince Royce, March 28, 2020
22, “De Vuelta Pa’ La Vuelta,” Daddy Yankee & Marc Anthony, Jan. 2, 2021
18, “Inmortal,” Aventura, April 20, 2019
18, “Danza Kuduro,” Don Omar & Lucenzo, Nov. 13, 2010
15, “Bailando Bachata,” Chayanne, August 5, 2023
15, “La Mejor Versión de Mi,” Natti Natasha & Romeo Santos, Oct. 26, 2019
15, “Centavito,” Romeo Santos, Oct. 13, 2018
15, “Dile Al Amor,” Aventura, Jan. 2, 2010
15, “Perdidos,” Monchy & Alexandra, Nov. 6, 2004

Elsewhere, “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido” cedes the throne to Bad Bunny’s “El Clúb” on the overall Latin Airplay chart, after a record-extending 27 weeks at No. 1.

Gabito Ballesteros Partnering with Anuel AA for Special Pre-Super Bowl LIX Video on FOX Deportes

Gabito Ballesteros is lending his voice to this year’s Super Bowl coverage…

The 25-year-old Mexican singer, songwriter and record producer – considered a rising star in the corridos tumbados movement – will be part of the Super Bowl LIX broadcast on Sunday, February 9.

Gabito BallesterosBallesteros will appear in a video singing alongside Puerto Rican urban star Anuel AA just prior to the game on FOX Deportes.

“It’s Mexican music and Latin culture within this great event that is seen by millions of people,” Ballesteros tells Billboard Español. “Thank God they will know our music, our history, and it fills us with pride to be here.”

It has not been specified exactly which song they’ll perform.

The video will serve as the opening for the channel’s broadcast of the most anticipated sporting event of the year in the U.S.: the NFL Super Bowl. This year, it’s the Kansas City Chiefs vs. the Philadelphia Eagles at the Caesars Superdome stadium in New Orleans.

According to FOX Deportes, the collaboration between Ballesteros and Anuel AA was recorded in December in Mexico City and “maintains the tradition of connecting with diverse audiences through music, culture and sports.”

In the past, other prominent Mexican figures — such as Los Tucanes de Tijuana, Los Tigres del Norte and Banda MS — have similarly inaugurated the channel’s Super Bowl telecast.

About his participation alongside Anuel AA, Ballesteros says he was “excited to be able to share this experience with these type of people who are an important part of Latin music” — adding, “I felt a great connection with him, and I look forward to something in the future.”

When asked if he was a fan of American football, he replied that he was a big fan of all sports and the discipline that comes with being an athlete.

“In general, I admire all the teams. I look up to them and I know they will offer a great game,” he says.

Originally from the Mexican state of Sonora, Ballesteros has topped the charts with hits such as “Lady Gaga” with Peso Pluma and Junior H, and “AMG” with Peso Pluma and Natanael Cano, two songs that made it onto the Billboard Hot 100 across all genres in 2023. Last year, he debuted on multiple charts with his album The GB.

Most recently, he signed with George Prajin‘s Double P Management.

Emmanuel Gazmey, better known as Anuel AA, rose to stardom in the reggaetón, rap and trap genres.

Among other chart achievements, four of his albums have reached No. 1 on Top Latin Albums, including Real Hasta la Muerte (2018), Emmanuel (2020), Los Dioses (2021) with Ozuna and Las Leyendas Nunca Mueren (2021).