Helado Negrois headed to the Queen City…

The Ecuadorian American singer, whose real name is Roberto Carlos Lange, has been added to the lineup for the 14th edition of Cincinnati’s MusicNOW festival.

The event brings together a vast range of musical and performing artists setting up in unique spaces all over downtown Cincinnati. The long-running event will coincide with the second edition of The National‘s Homecoming Festival, with programming taking place in a variety of intimate venues from May 8-10.

The event, founded by National guitarist Bryce Dessner, will include shows at Washington Park, the Transept, First Lutheran Church, Music Hall Ballroomand Memorial Hall.

In addition to Helado Negro, the lineup will include performances by Big 37d03d Machine, Ashley Fure, Leslie Feist, Eighth Blackbird, Moses Sumney, William Brittelle, members of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.   

“Over the last 15 years MusicNOW has always been a celebration of our hometown of Cincinnati and place to bring new music and collaborations to life,” said Bryce Dessnerin a statement. “We are so excited to present this year’s lineup in partnership with Homecoming, which features many of our favorite artists taking risks together and premiering new music for the first time. The initial idea we had 15 years ago to create a festival that could be about process and creative residencies, and making room for artists with diverse educations and backgrounds, remains a huge part of why we do this. It’s an honor to do this in the city and in partnership with Homecoming.”   

MusicNOW will host late night events on May 8 and 9 after the full day of Homecoming sets, including a show with Ben Lanz & Kid Millionsdebuting Million Landsand an improv experiment by Alexi Murdoch. Saturday’s late night show will feature a DJ set from Sylvan Esso, while Sunday’s gig will have sets from Ghost Baby, LNZNDRF and Aaron Dessner’s Big 37d03d Machine; all three shows are at the Woodward Theater.

This year’s Homecoming Festival — presented by the National and AC Entertainment— will take place in Smale Parkand feature the National doing a full Friday night performance of 2010’s High Violetalbum (and a career-spanning set on May 9) as well as Friday sets from Sylvan Esso, Local Natives, Phosphorescent, Archives and Triiibeand Saturday shows from Patti Smith and Her Band, Of Monsters and Men, Japanese Breakfast, Hamilton Leithauser, Jay Some, Velvet Negroni, and Wussy.

All MusicNOW tickets and Homecoming one-day tickets will go on saleon Friday (Feb. 7) at 10:00 am EST. MusicNOW’s late night events will be separately ticketed with a limited number of all-inclusive MusicNOW Sunday passes available. Individual tickets will also be available for select MusicNOW Sunday performances as capacity allows. 

It’s a special first for Demi Lovato…

The 27-year-old half-Mexican American singer/actress has earned her first No. 1 on Billboard’s Digital Song Sales chart with “Anyone,” the heart-wrenching new single she performed live at the Grammy Awards last month.

“Anyone” is Lovato’s30th career entry on the Billboard Hot 100, and her 14th top 40 hit, as “Anyone” debuts at No. 34.

The ballad debuts with 7.1 million U.S. streams, 1.1 million radio airplay audience impressions and 41,000 downloads sold, according to Nielsen Music/MRC Data.

Before releasing “Anyone,” Lovato had charted 31 entries on the Digital Song Sales chart, including three that peaked at No. 2: “This Is Me” with Joe Jonas, “Skyscraper” and “Sorry Not Sorry.”

“Anyone” marks Lovato’s first visit to the Hot 100 since 2018, when she appeared with “Sober” (No. 47 peak) and “Solo” (with Clean Bandit; No. 58).

Here’s a look at all 14 of Lovato’s top 40 hits on the Hot 100, ranked by peak position, dating to her debut entry, “This Is Me“:

Peak Position, Title, Peak Year
No. 6, “Sorry Not Sorry,” 2017
No. 9, “This Is Me” (with Joe Jonas), 2008
No. 10, “Heart Attack,” 2013
No. 10, “Skyscraper,” 2011
No. 11, “Cool for the Summer,” 2015
No. 15, “Here We Go Again,” 2009
No. 16, “Give Your Heart a Break,” 2012
No. 20, “Send It On” (billed as the collaborative Disney’s Friends for Change), 2009
No. 21, “Confident,” 2015
No. 26, “Really Don’t Care” (featuring Cher Lloyd), 2014
No. 34, “Anyone,” 2020
No. 36, “Neon Lights,” 2014
No. 38, “No Promises” (Cheat Codes feat. Lovato), 2017
No. 38, “Let It Go,” 2014

You’d better watch out for Melissa Barrera…

Variety has announced this year’s roster of 10 Latinxs to Watch, with the 29-year-old Mexican actress and singer making the list.

Variety has partnered with the Miami Film Festival as a partner for the second annual celebration of promising talent in the Latinxcommunity that will include a panel discussion and film screenings.

In addition to Barrera, who stars in Starz’s Vidaand the upcoming film adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Broadway musical In The Heights, this year’s honorees also include Angel Bismark Curiel (actor “Pose,” “Critical Thinking”); Julissa Calderon(actor, “Gentefied”); Carolina Costa (cinematographer, “Hala,” “Workforce”); Marina di Girolamo (actor, “EMA”); Gonzalo Maza (director, “This is Cristina”); Cesar Mazariegos (writer-director, “High & Mighty,” “The Simpsons”); Camila Mendes (actor, “Riverdale”); TAINY (music producer/singer, Bad Bunny’s “X 100pre”); and artist-singer-dancer Chesca.

“Even a quick look at the lineup of this year’s 10 Latinxs to Watch proves the point that industry pros already know: Latinx talent is enlivening and enriching global entertainment from theater to music to film and television,” said Steven Gaydos, executive vice president of global content of Variety. “We are excited to showcase this year’s class of talented creatives at the 37th Miami Film Festival.”

The celebratory luncheon and panel discussion will take place on Saturday, March 14, during the festival, which runs from March 6-15. Malina Saval, features editor at Variety, will moderate the conversation.

“The Miami Film Festival is excited to partner with Variety once again to celebrate their ’10 Latinxs to Watch’ for 2020” said Jaie Laplante, Miami Film Festival executive director and director of programming. “We look forward to welcoming all 10 honorees to Miami and are delighted that we can showcase three of the artists’ films during the festival including Carolina Costa, Mariana di Girolamo and Gonzalo Maza.”

The honorees will be featured in Variety’s March 3 issue.