Gomez to Receive Chart Topper Award at Billboard’s Women in Music Event

Selena Gomez is on a hot streak… And, she’s getting an award to prove it!

The 23-year-old half-Mexican American singer/actress will receive the Chart Topper award at Billboard’s annual Women in Music event, which will take place on December 11 in New York.

Selena Gomez

The prestigious award, won last year by Australian rapper Iggy Azalea, recognizes major career milestones on Billboard’s music charts.

Gomez has been in rare chart form. Her latest album, Revival, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in October with 117,000 equivalent first-week album units.

It’s Gomez’s second U.S. No. 1 album following 2013’s Stars Danceand to date she has enjoyed nearly 6.7 million worldwide album sales and over 22 million single sales.

The first single from Revival, “Good For You” featuring A$AP Rocky, is Gomez’s fastest-ever platinum seller and highest charting single on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 5. “Good For You” spent three consecutive weeks at No. 1 at Top 40 radio.

“In the last few months, Selena has broken onto the scene as an adult, and come into her own as an artist with the success of Revival,” comments Janice Min, co-president and chief creative officer of Guggenheim Media’s Entertainment Group, which consists of Billboard and The Hollywood Reporter. “We want to highlight this moment for a woman who has become a role model for many, a feminist, an independent voice whose new album truly showcases her as a mature artist.”

Lifetime has partnered with Billboard to televise the event for the first time on December 18, which will take place at Cipriani Midtown in New York.

Sanchez Earns Two World Soundtrack Awards for Composing the Music for “Birdman”

Antonio Sanchez is flying high

The 43-year-old Mexican jazz drummer and composer took home two awards on Saturday at the 15th World Soundtrack Awards which served as the finale to the 42nd Film Fest Ghent in Belgium.

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Sanchez, a Critics Choice Movie Award winner earlier this year, was named Discovery of the Year 2015 for composing the music for Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Oscar-winning film Birdman.

He also picked up the award for Best Original Film Score of the Year for Birdman.

Sanchez’s work also earned him the nomination for 2014 Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score, a nomination for the 2015 British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA), and other nominations.

Meanwhile, the honor for the year’s Best Original Song written directly for a movie went to “The Apology Song” from The Book of Life, with music by Gustavo Santaolalla, lyrics by Paul Williams and performed by Diego Luna.

Here’s a look at all the big winners:

Composer of the Year
Michael Giacchino

Original Film Score of the Year
Birdman: Or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) by Antonio Sanchez

 Best Original Song Written for a Film
“The Apology Song” from The Book of Life
Music by Gustavo Santaolalla, lyrics by Paul Williams, performed by Diego Luna 

Discovery of the Year
Antonio Sanchez for ‘Birdman: Or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)’ 

Sabam Award for Best Young Composer
Peer Kleinschmidt 

Public Choice Award
The Maze Runner by John Paesano 

Lifetime Achievement Award
Patrick Doyle

Rodriguez & Her “Furious 7” Costars to Receive Special Hollywood Film Award

Michelle Rodriguez is getting a Furious recognition…

The 37-year-old Puerto Rican and Dominican-American actress and her Furious 7 costars will receive a special honor at this year’s Hollywood Film Awards.

Michelle Rodriguez

Furious 7, the Universal Pictures sequel that is now the fifth highest-grossing film of all time, will be feted with the Hollywood Blockbuster Award, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The award will be bestowed on the entire cast, which includes Jordana Brewster, Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson and the late Paul Walker.

The ceremony, which will take place at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on November 1, will also honor Amy director Asif Kapadia with the Hollywood Documentary Award for his film about the late Amy Winehouse.

And a host of other accolades will be celebrate extraordinary work in crafts and technical categories.

This year’s Hollywood Film Awards will not be televised, unlike last year’s, which aired on CBS. Nevertheless, Dick Clark Productions, which became a key investor in the event in 2013, will continue to produce it.

“The Hollywood Film Awards is an incredible brand, previewing some of the biggest movies and stars of the year, while launching the award season,” says Allen Shapiro, CEO of DCP.

The recipients of the event’s many other awards will be announced in the coming days and weeks.

Camara Wins Best Actor Award at San Sebastian Film Festival

Javier Camara is having a Shell of an awards season…

The 48-year-old Spanish actor picked up the Silver Shell for Best Actor at the San Sebastian Film Festival, alongside co-winner Ricardo Darin.

Javier Camara

Camara and Darin won the double Silver Shell for their starring roles in Cesc Gay’s Truman, which was the most-applauded prize of the evening.

The film centers on Tomás (Camara), who returns to his hometown Madrid in order to convince his childhood friend Julian (Darin), whom he hasn’t spoken to in years, to continue his chemotherapy treatment.

Darin, a favorite at San Sebastian, quoted a tweet about the film that said, in Spanish: “at 23 I went to see a film about death and I think I learned everything about life.”

Meanwhile, Yordanka Ariosa took home the Silver Shell for Best Actress for her performance in The King of Havana, Agusti Villaronga‘s adaptation of the Pedro Juan Gutierrez novel.

It was a surprise win for the previously unknown Ariosa, who beat out Freeheld´s Oscar-tipped powerhouse Julianne Moore and Ellen Page.

In addition to the official awards, San Sebastian offered coveted cash prizes for competitions from many of the sidebars.

Argentinean filmmaker Santiago Mitre’s Paulina won the €35,000 cash prize that goes with the Horizontes Award for Latin American films.

Spanish filmmaker Asier Altuna’s Amama won the Irizar Basque Film Award with €20,000, given to a film with 20 percent financing from the local region. 

Brazilian director Eliane Caffe’s The Cambridge Squatter won the Films in Progress top prize, which awards post-production financing to a nearly finished film, in addition to a spot at the festival next year.

Café Tacvba to Receive Icon Award at This Year’s La Musa Awards

There’s no doubt Café Tacvba is one of the Latin music world’s most iconic bands. And, now they have the award to prove it.

The trailblazing Mexican alt-rockers will be honored with the Icon Award at the La Musa Awards, which will take place on October 15 at The Fillmore Miami Beach Jackie Gleason Theatre in Miami Beach.

Café Tacvba

The icon designation is fitting for a band that, over the last 25 years, helped elevate rock by fusing it with hip-hop, electronic music, and folkloric sounds.

Recently, the act – consisting of Rubén Albarrán, Emmanuel “Meme” del Real, José Alfredo “Joselo” Rangel, and Enrique “Quique” Rangel – celebrated the 20th anniversary of its seminal album Re, which revolutionized rock en español.

Their most recent album, El Objeto Antes Llamado Disco, was deemed the Best Latin Album of 2012 by iTunes.

Café Tacvba will also perform during the awards show, produced by the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame (LSHOF). The non-profit was founded by renowned songwriters/composers Desmond Child and Rudy Perez in 2012 to honor their peers who have impacted music on a global scale.

Cuban music mogul Emilio Estefan, Chilean singer/songwriter Myriam Hernandez, Argentine composer/performer Gustavo Santaolalla, Argentine singer/songwriter Diego Torres, Colombian songwriter Hector Ochoa Cardenas and Salvadoran singer/songwriter Alvaro Torres are the six music luminaries being inducted into the LSHOF during this year’s ceremony. Quincy Jones will receive the Desi Arnaz Pioneer Award while Chilean rock icon Beto Cuevas will be recognized with a special La Musa Conquistador Award.

Tickets for this year’s gala, hosted by actor/singer Carlos Ponce, are on sale via latinsonghall.com.

Belén Among This Year’s Latin Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award Recipients

It’s a Lifetime honor for Ana Belén

The Latin Recording Academy will honor a diverse group of Latin music icons, including the 64-year-old Spanish songstress, actress and director with special career honors in a celebration coinciding with the Latin Grammys in November.

Ana Belén

Belén, who has released nearly 40 in her 54 year musical career, received the Fine Arts Golden Medal presented by the Spanish royal family at Toledo Cathedral in 2007. She was nominated for Best Female Soloist for Peces de ciudad at the 2002 Latin Grammy Awards.

In addition to Belén, other artists being recognized this year include Argentine jazz saxophone player Gato Barbieri, Spanish singer  Víctor Manuel, Dominican performer Angela Carrasco, Brazilian pop artist Djavan, Puerto Rican salsa legends El Gran Combo De Puerto Rico, and Cuban singer-songwriter Pablo Milanés will receive the Lifetime Achievement awards. Violinist Federico Britos, producer Humberto Gatica and composer Chelique Sarabia will, respectively, receive the Academy’s Trustees Award.

“It is a great honor to recognize and celebrate such a distinguished and dynamic group of honorees who have been the creators of such timeless art,” said The Latin Recording Academy President/CEO Gabriel Abaroa Jr. said in a statement. “Their outstanding accomplishments and passion for their craft have created a timeless legacy. By honoring them we honor our music. They surely will continue to have an influence in both our culture and the Latin music industry.”

The Latin Academy’s special awards honorees will be celebrated during an invitation-only ceremony to be held on Wednesday, November 18 at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino, as part of the weeklong 16th Annual Latin Grammy Awards festivities.

Colón to Receive National Medal of Arts from President Barack Obama

Miriam Colón has proven her medal

The 79-year-old Puerto Rican actress is among the 2014 National Medal of Arts recipients who’ll be recognized by President Barack Obama at a special White House ceremony, according to the National Endowment for the Arts.

Miriam Colón

Designed by Robert Graham, the medal is awarded by the president to individuals or groups for their outstanding contributions to the excellence, growth, support and availability of the arts in the United States.

Colón is being heralded for her contributions as an actress. “Ms. Colón has been a trailblazer in film, television, and theatre, and helped open doors for generations of Hispanic actors,” according to a statement from the National Endowment for the Arts.

In 1953, The Puerto Rico-born actress moved to New York City, where she was accepted by Actors Studio co-founder Elia Kazan after a single audition, becoming the Studio’s first Puerto Rican member. While in the Big Apple, Colón worked in theater and later landed a role on the soap opera Guiding Light.

Miriam Colón

Early on in her career, she appeared mostly in westerns such as Gunsmoke, Bonanza, The High Chaparral, and Have Gun, Will Travel.

Most recently, Colón appeared on television and film in Better Call Saul, Top Five and Bless Me, Ultima.

She’s also the founder and director of the Puerto Rican Traveling Theater in New York City.

This year’s ceremony will be held Thursday, September 10 at 12:00 pm in the White House’s East Room. First Lady Michelle Obama will also be in attendance.

Here’s the complete list of recipients:

John Baldessari, visual artist
Ping Chong, theater director, choreographer, and video and installation artist
Miriam Colón, actress
The Doris Duke Charitable Foundation
Sally Field, actress and filmmaker
Ann Hamilton, visual artist
Stephen King, author
Meredith Monk, composer, singer, and performer
George Shirley, tenor
University Musical Society
Tobias Wolff, author and educator

Mars’ “Uptown Funk” Collaboration with Mark Ronson Wins an MTV VMA

Bruno Mars is the (Moon)man of the hour…

The 29-year-old part-Puerto Rican singer picked up the third Moonman of his career atthe 2015 MTV Video Music Awards.

Bruno Mars in Uptown Funk

Mars picked up the award for Best Male Video for his collaboration with Mark Ronson, “Uptown Funk.”

Mars previously picked up awards at the 2013 MTV VMAs for Best Male Video for “Locked Out of Heaven” and Best Choreography for “Treasure.”

Here’s a look at the night’s winners:

Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award: Kanye West
Video of the Year: “Bad Blood,” Taylor Swift ft. Kendrick Lamar
Best Female Video: “Blank Space,” Taylor Swift
Best Male Video: “Uptown Funk,” Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars
Best Pop Video: “Blank Space,” Taylor Swift
Best Hip Hop Video: “Anaconda,” Nicki Minaj
Best Rock Video: “Uma Thurman,” Fall Out Boy
Best Direction: “Alright,” Kendrick Lamar
Best Collaboration: “Bad Blood,” Taylor Swift ft. Kendrick Lamar
Best Video with Social Message: “One Man Can Changed the World,” Big Sean ft. Kanye West and John Legend
Best Art Direction: “So Many Pros,” Snoop Dogg
Best Choreography: “I Won’t Let You Down,” OK Go
Best Cinematography: “Never Catch Me,” Flying Lotus ft. Kendrick Lamar
Best Editing: “7/11,” Beyoncé
Best Visual Effects: “Where Are U Now” Skrillex and Diplo ft. Justin Bieber

Moreno Among the Recipients of This Year’s Kennedy Center Honors

Rita Moreno continues to rack up the honors…

The 83-year-old Puerto Rican actress, who received a Lifetime Achievement Award at last year’s SAG Awards, has been announced as one of recipients of this year’s Kennedy Center Honors.

Rita Moreno

Each year, the Kennedy Center recognizes a select group for their lifetime contributions to American culture through the performing arts with the primary criterion in the selection process being excellence. Honorees are chosen by the center’s board of trustees.

Moreno, a Grammy, Oscar, Golden Globe and Tony Award winner, will be honored along side Star Wars patriarch George Lucas, actress Cicely Tyson, songwriter Carole King, conductor Seiji Ozawa and the Eagles.

Moreno, who recently guest-starred on the CW’s Jane the Virgin, has previously received the Library of Congress Living Legends Award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, a National Medal of Arts and the Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

The event, a fundraiser for the Washington, D.C. arts center, will take place on December 6. CBS will broadcast the star-studded event on December 29.

Jimenez Inducted Into the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame

Flaco Jimenez’s name will appear in the Austin City Limits history books…

The 76-year-old Mexican American Conjunto, Norteño and Tejano music accordionist and a member of the Tejano fusion group Texas Tornadoswho received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award earlier this year, has been inducted into the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame.

Flaco Jimenez

During the 2nd annual Austin City Limits Hall of Fame concert on Thursday, Jimenez was inducted with a class that included Loretta Lynn, Guy Clark, Asleep at the Wheel and the late Townes Van Zandt.

Jimenez’s short but sweet acceptance speech prefaced an upbeat six-song set earlier in the night with conjunto band Max Baca & Los TexManiacs featuring David Hidalgo of Los Lobos on guitar and vocals. Midway through, Dwight Yoakam came aboard to sing lead, with Jimenez’s colorful accordion accents propelling the extended cast on “Streets of Bakersfield” and Warren Zevon’s “Carmelita.”

The green room was jam-packed just moments earlier with friends, family and fellow musicians who just wanted to be close to Jimenez, who received the loudest reception of the night. He beamed recounting how Yoakam had mentioned his military service as an Army artilleryman during the Korean War.

“I was proud to serve my country,” Jimenez said.

Jimenez, a five-time Grammy winner, has enjoyed a successful career that has spanned more than six decades. In that time, he’s collaborated with artists like Bob Dylan, Ry Cooder, Doug Sahm and Carlos Santana.