UCP Extends Overall Development Deal with Tanya Saracho

Tanya Saracho is getting an extension…

UCP, a division of Universal Studio Group, has extended an overall development deal with the Latina Mexican-American actress, playwright, dramaturge and screenwriter.

Tanya SarachoShe will develop and produce original projects for broadcast, cable and streaming platforms under the agreement.

Saracho is currently in development on several projects including the series The Wild Wild, inspired by the lives of Annie Oakley, America’s most famous sharpshooter, and the renowned trick-rider Señorita Rosalie, who were both stars of the famed Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show.

She’ll serve as co-creator and executive producer of the project along with Jenniffer Gomez, with Jamie Babbit attached to direct and executive produce.

“It’s a pleasure and honor working with Tanya and her company, Ojalá. Their creative brilliance and entrepreneurial approach to producing and writing is so rare, and we are thrilled to continue our partnership,” said Beatrice Springborn, President, UCP and Universal International Studios, in a statement to Deadline.

“I am grateful to continue my relationship with UCP and be able to keep crafting the stories that matter most to me – brown, queer narratives which are still missing from the landscape and are so important to tell, and which UCP has proven a commitment to nurturing,” shared Saracho.

Saracho most recently served as creator, showrunner and executive producer of the critically acclaimed series Vida on Starz. The show featured all Latine writers and directors, including Saracho, who made her TV directorial debut. Vida won the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Comedy Series and was also honored by the National Hispanic Media Coalition with the 2019 Impact Award.

Additionally, the series won the Audience Award at the 2018 SXSW Film Festival and made its Season 2 premiere as an Official Selection of the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival.

She was the recipient of the Norman Lear Writers Award at the Imagen Awards in 2021 and was honored by the LGBTQ California Legislative Caucus as their 2020 Pride Month Honoree. She received the Rising Star Award at the Outfest Legacy Awards and was awarded the New Voice Award by Final Draft.

Saracho co-founded the Untitled Latinx Project, whose mission is to increase Latine representation in television through content created by Latine writers, along with co-founding the Writers Access Support Staff Training Program to help increase representation and opportunities for underrepresented communities.

In addition, Saracho launched the Ojalá Ignition Lab in 2021, aimed to nurture, amplify and empower intersectional Latine voices.

Marc Anthony Forms “Landmark Alliance” with SBE Entertainment Group’s Sam Nazarian

Marc Anthony has formed a new alliance…

The 55-year-old Puerto Rican singer, songwriter, actor and entrepreneur and Sam Nazarian, founder/CEO of lifestyle and hospitality company SBE Entertainment Group, have announced a “landmark alliance” that marks the first hospitality venture for the salsa superstar and his entertainment company, Magnus.

Marc-AnthonyThrough the deal, Anthony and Magnus are now equity partners in all of SBE’s existing properties, which include culinary brands, restaurants, lounges and nightclubs.

According to a press release, SBE’s new multi-vertical business strategy will focus on growing the brand among Latin American audiences.

Additionally, new properties will also be launched in the hospitality space and additional brands will be created together. The alliance also opens new opportunities for Magnus’ roster (record label, management and booking), which includes Luis Figueroa, Mau y Ricky, Fonseca and Gente de Zona.

Aside from his decades-long music career, Anthony is a multi-hyphenate businessman who launched Magnus in 2015 to represent both Latin artists and athletes in the United States. In 2009, he became a minority owner of the Miami Dolphins, and last December, launched the electric powerboating team, E1 Team Miami.

In 2012, his work in philanthropy led him to launch the Maestro Cares Foundation, which has built orphanages in various countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.

“It would be an understatement to say that this announcement today is one of the greatest highlights of all of the endeavors I’ve taken on in my life,” Anthony said in a statement. “To have the honor to join forces with my great friend Sam and SBE, is something we have spoken about throughout the years and the time has finally come. My team, alongside the unparalleled expertise of SBE, is poised to contribute significantly to the success of this new journey. With a shared commitment to excellence and a track record of unparalleled vision and execution, we are excited to bring our best-in-class capabilities to elevate SBE’s projects to new heights. Together, we look forward to unveiling a series of remarkable initiatives that showcase the synergy and excellence synonymous with the SBE family.”

“It’s an honor to join forces with long-time friend and international superstar Marc Anthony. I have a tremendous amount of admiration for the career that he has built, and, more importantly, his entrepreneurial instinct,” added Nazarian, who founded SBE in 2002. “It’s been an aspiration of ours to come together to build something special, and I am excited to share all the amazing things we are working on with him as our strategic partner. My sbe team is honored to collaborate with the best-in-class entrepreneurial team Marc has built at Magnus, led by a dynamic team, CEO Michel Vega and COO Felipe Pimiento, to connect with and deliver experiences to an audience that Marc has so carefully cultivated throughout his career. This is just the beginning, and I can’t wait to see what we build together.”

Xavi Signs with William Morris Endeavor (WME)

Xavi is ready to take on the world…

The 19-year-old Mexican American singer-songwriter has signed with William Morris Endeavor (WME) for global representation in all areas, according to Billboard.

XaviThe last few months have been pivotal for Xavi, born Joshua Xavier Gutiérrez, who kicked off 2024 with his first No. 1 on any Billboard chart thanks to his romantic corrido “La Diabla,” which crowns the Hot Latin Songs chart dated January 6.

The song also currently sits at No. 2 on the Billboard Global 200 Excl. US and at No. 4 on the Billboard Global 200 chart.

With “La Diabla,” Xavi made history on Spotify as the first música mexicana artist to claim the No. 1 on the Top 50 Global chart with a solo track.

Xavi has also now spent four weeks atop Billboard’s Latin Songwriters as “La Diabla” makes its rounds, and thanks to his previously-released hit singles “La Víctima,” “Poco a Poco” with Dareyes De La Sierra and “Modo DND” with Tony Aguirre — all charting on the Hot Latin Songs tally.

The Phoenix-born artist now joins a new generation of young regional Mexican hitmakers who’ve ushered a new, global era for the legacy genre currently dominating Latin presence on the Hot 100 and the global charts overall — on track with Mexican music’s exponential and global growth over the past five years.

Signed to Interscope Records, Xavi is currently working on new music and preparing for his first-ever tour, which is slated for later this year, according to WME.

His management team includes Raczon Lopez and Natalia Corona.

Christina Aguilera Signs with United Talent Agency for Global Representation

Christina Aguilera has new representation…

The 43-year-old half-Ecuadorian American Grammy-winning singer and pop icon has signed with United Talent Agency (UTA) for worldwide representation.

Christina AguileraThe “Genie in a Bottle” and “What a Girl Wants” singer, a multiple Grammy-winning singer-songwriter renowned for her powerhouse vocals, has to date sold more than 75 million records worldwide. She’s also garnered five No. 1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, making her the third female artist, and fourth overall, to top the list over three consecutive decades.

The winner of seven Grammys, including two Latin Grammys, Aguilera’s most recent recognition at these award shows came in the form of the 2022 Latin Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album on behalf of her second Spanish-language album, Aguilera. After being recognized with the inaugural Music Icon Award at the People’s Choice Awards in 2021, she nabbed the Spirit of Hope Award at the 2022 Billboard Latin Music Awards, going on to receive the Advocate for Change Award at the GLAAD Media Awards the following year.

In addition to her work as a songwriter and recording artist, Aguilera is well known for her efforts as a producer, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. Since 2009, she’s served as a global spokesperson for Yum! BrandsWorld Hunger Relief effort, also helping to raise over $150 million for the World Food Program and other hunger relief agencies, while raising awareness around domestic violence, LGBTQ+ equality and other essential cultural conversations.

Also the co-founder of Playground, a sexual wellness lifestyle brand launched in 2022, Aguilera can currently be found headlining a new show at Volatire at The Venetian Resort in Las Vegas.

She continues to be represented by Roc Nation and imPRint.

RBD Earns Highest Grossing Touring Act Honors for November

RBD is celebrating a November to remember…

After two months at No. 2, the reunited Mexican Latin group takes the helm as the highest grossing touring act of November.

RBDThe group’s Soy Rebelde Tour grossed $71.1 million and sold 734,000 tickets from November 3 to 30, per Billboard Boxscore figures. The tour is the act’s first trek since 2008’s Tour del Adios.

Current through November 30, the Soy Rebelde Tour has grossed $197.1 million since launching in August. About half a million dollars shy of Daddy Yankee’s 2022 farewell tour, RBD’s reunion will become the second-highest grossing tour by a Latin act once its December shows are reported, behind Bad Bunny‘s World’s Hottest Tour.

RBD’s monthly crown is due to hustle. Other than Trans-Siberian Orchestra, the perennial holiday favorite that includes two touring ensembles for either coast of the U.S., RBD played more shows in November than any act among the top 30. With 17 shows split between seven markets, the group earned its spot atop the heap by playing hard.

After sitting at No. 2 behind Beyoncé and Pink in September and October, respectively, RBD levels up, and its routing has much to do with it. Not only did the group play more shows than in either of the previous months, but after touring the U.S., RBD took on Latin America in November, transitioning to a primarily Spanish-language audience.

That move allowed RBD to move from arenas to stadiums, multiplying its nightly audience by more than two. In the U.S., the group paced about 18,000 tickets per night before rocketing to more than 43,000 each show in Colombia, Brazil and Mexico.

But the ticket pricing economy is much different in these geographical regions, and RBD’s average ticket price went from $241.30 in the U.S. to $96.81 in Latin America.

In all, its average gross stayed almost the same, even dipping by 4%. But the pure volume of seats that RBD could sell made up the difference, giving RBD its first monthly win yet.

At No. 1 for November, RBD is only the third Latin act to lead the monthly Top Tours chart. Los Bukis first broke ground in September 2021, and Bad Bunny pushed the boundaries further, ruling in February, March, August and September of 2022. Aventura, Daddy Yankee, Maluma and Rauw Alejandro have also hit the top five.

That means that RBD is the source for the genre’s first female artists to hit the top tier. The mixed-gender group’s reunion features original members Anahi, Dulce Maria and Maite Perroni, all hailing from Mexico. Beyond Latin music, they continue a hot streak for women atop the chart: after a nearly four-year drought, Beyoncé, Pink and RBD have kept women at No. 1 for six of the last seven months.

Beyond the No. 1 act, Pink and Madonna add support at Nos. 3 and 5, respectively. Mariah Carey, Shania TwainMs. Lauryn Hill and in her monthly Boxscore debut, Doja Cat, follow. While a grand total of seven women acts in the top 30 doesn’t give them a majority, the 23.3% gender split is up from the 2023 year-end wrap, where women’s representation doubled from the previous year.

Four of RBD’s seven stops in November crack the 30-position Top Boxscores chart. Four shows at Allianz Parque in Sao Paulo, Brazil (Nov. 16-19) earned $17.4 million and sold 191,000 tickets, while another four at Estadio Antanasio Girardot (Medellin, Colombia; Nov. 3-6) took in $17.2 million from 150,000 tickets.

In Sao Paulo, RBD played another two shows at Estadio do Morumbi on Nov. 12-13, grossing $11 million. If the group had consolidated their Sao Paulo run at one venue, the combined gross would’ve given them the No. 1 spot with more than $28 million.

Santa Fe Klan Signs Management Deal with Prajin Parlay Inc.

Santa Fe Klan is under new management…

The 24-year-old Mexican singer-songwriter and rapper has signed a management deal with Prajin Parlay Inc., effective immediately.

Santa Fe Klan,The indie record label is also home to música Mexicana phenomenon, Peso Pluma.  

“Santa Fe Klan has accomplished an incredible amount for música Mexicana and his community over the last few years,” CEO and manager of Peso, George Prajin, said in a press statement. “He is an impressive young man and we are looking forward to helping him continue cultivating his skills as both a musician and businessman.”

“As I enter this next chapter in my career I’m excited to join the Prajin Parlay roster and I’m excited for my fans to see everything we have planned for 2024,” added the renowned Mexican rapper born Ángel Quezada.

Additionally, Prajin is a partner in Doble P Records alongside Peso, who expressed “I’ve always admired Santa Fe Klan and I know he’s going to make a great addition to our family.”

On the 2023 Billboard Year-End charts, Prajin Parlay Inc.—also home to Jasiel Nuñez, Tito Doble P, and more—landed No. 1 on the Hot Latin Songs Publisher chart.

The label, next to Doble P Records, had a breakthrough year ranking high on many of the year-end Billboard charts including Hot Latin Songs Imprint, Regional Mexican Albums Labels and Independent Labels, to name a few.

Born in Guanajato, Mexico, Santa Fe Klan (his artistic name is an ode to his barrio) recorded and uploaded his own music to YouTube and SoundCloud when he was a teenager. His love for rap and hip-hop music was inspired by artists such as Cartel de Santa and MC Davo, and his ultra-personal and raw lyricism ultimately landed him collaborations with artists such as Snoop Dogg, Lupillo Rivera and Calibre 50.

His first entry on Billboard‘s Hot Latin Songs arrived in April 2022 with “Mar y Tierra,” part of his fifth studio album Mundo, which debuted at No. 4 on Latin Pop Albums and No. 11 on Latin Rhythms Albums.

Earlier this year, Santa Fe earned his first career No. 1 on the Regional Mexican Airplay chart with the Los Ángeles Azules and Cazzu-assisted “Tú y Tú.”

Alicia Villarreal’s Camixes Entertainment Signs Global Distribution Agreement with ADA Worldwide

Alicia Villarreal is hoping for global reach…

The 52-year-old Mexican singer has signed a global distribution agreement with ADA Worldwide and her label Camixes Entertainment.

Alicia Villarreal,The deal marks Villarreal’s return to releasing music after a seven-year hiatus.

Her first independent single, “Ojo Por Ojo,” was released last month, while a new album is expected out next year.

Villarreal participated in different bands in Monterrey, Mexico, before becoming the lead singer for Grupo Límite in 1995.

After nearly eight years of success, Villarreal left the band to pursue a solo career.

She released her first solo album, entitled Soy Lo Prohibido, in 2001.[1]

Villarreal’s work has earned her a Grammy nomination and two Latin Grammy Awards, one from her time with Grupo Límite and one as a solo artist.

Villarreal is booked and managed by Apodaca Group.

Marc Anthony Buys E1 Electric Powerboating Team in Miami

It’s smooth racing for Marc Anthony

The 55-year-old Puerto Rican singer, songwriter and actor has expanded his sport-related empire by becoming the owner of the new E1 electric race boat championship Team Miami.

Marc-AnthonyAnthony, a minority owner of the NFL’s Miami Dolphins and owner of the artists and athletes agency Magnus Media, joins a star-studded line-up of E1 team owners that includes Tom Brady, Rafael Nadal, Steve Aoki, Sergio Perez, Didier Drogba and Virat Kohli.

Their respective teams will compete in the first-ever E1 event next February 2-3 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. E1 is the first electric raceboat championship sanctioned by the Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM), the world governing body of powerboating, and promotes a racing series powered solely by electric, and based on clean technologies to protect our waters and coastal areas.

Marc Anthony, E1, Team MiamiIn addition to owning the new team, Anthony and Magnus will also host E1 in the U.S in a 2025 Miami event that will include races, the Acceleration Festival fan village and a star-studded live concert.

“It is going to be a couple of days of culture, entertainment, style, sexiness, just the right amount of danger,” says Anthony in a video released on Monday (December 18). “It’s a blank canvas. I’m making every phone call. I’m starting now for what’s going to happen in 2025.”

While Anthony is first and foremost a music star, he has stakes in many ventures, including a minority ownership in the NFL’s Dolphins. That experience in particular has helped him understand the intricacies of running a team and provided him with the macro view of launching a championship and making the experience as “exhilarating” as possible, he says.

“It wasn’t only just owning the Miami Dolphins,” he says in the announcement video. “It was the stadium and the 300 acres around it. I see it the same way. I’m interested in finding a way that the race experience […]is as eventful as possible and quality and hair-raising.”

Felipe Pimiento, COO of Magnus added: “This is a very exciting venture for us at Magnus. It continues to solidify our footprint in the sports world at various levels.” Anthony joins a list of hugely influential owners that E1’s founders hope will help amplify E1 presence and awareness.

“E1’s list of owners exemplifies how our championship’s strategy is leading the way in sport marketing, and we are thrilled to have Marc join our roster of global icons,” says Rodi Basso, CEO and co-founder of E1.

“It’s a great sign for the future of E1 that we are already speaking about our season 2 destinations, and with Marc bringing our championship to Miami, I could think of no finer place for E1 to make its United States debut,” adds Alejandro Agag, Chairman and co-founder of E1.

Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty Makeup Line Launches Collection of Body Products

Selena Gomez is putting a little body into it…

The 31-year-old Mexican American actress/singer’s Rare Beauty makeup line is expanding into the world of body products.

Selena Gomez

The Find Comfort Body Collection, featuring hand creambody lotion and fragrance mist priced at $18-$28, became available online on Monday, December 18.

“It’s all about emphasizing well-being,” Gomez explained of the new collection in an interview with People. “We spent a lot of time making sure the collection truly represents our brand, focusing on soothing packaging colors, light textures, and calming aromas. Our goal was to create an experience that helps people feel comfortable in their own skin and take a moment to find comfort. ”

Selena Gomez, Rare Beauty, Body ProductsThe Find Comfort Body Collection infuses notes of sparkling lemon zest, soft jasmine, and smooth cashmere wood for a blend of calming and uplifting scents. The collection includes hair and body fragrance mist ($28)hand cream ($18)body lotion ($28)an aromatherapy pen ($20) and a tinted pouch ($15).

The “lightweight, fast-absorbing” hand cream hydrates for up to 16 hours while nourishing and softening the skin without the greasy residue. The hand cream is packaged in a triangle-shaped, spill proof bottle that opens and closes in one twist.

The Find Comfort Hydrating Body Lotion offers up to 24 hours of hydration while the aromatherapy pen has soothing peppermint and lavender scents to help you relax and refresh in seconds.

The collection launched on the Sephora app on December 18. Sephora Beauty Insiders can shop the new collection on the Sephora app before it launches online on Tuesday, December 19 and in stores on December 26.

Fans can also visit the Rare Beaty website to join the waitlist to shop the collection.

Rare Beauty’s product lineup includes concealer, foundation, lipstick, eyeliner, mascara, bronzer and its star player: Soft Pinch Liquid Blush.

Yovanna Ventura Signs with Vision Entertainment

Yovanna Ventura has a new vision

Vision Entertainment has signed the 28-year-old Dominican actress, model, musician, entrepreneur and internet celebrity.

Yovanna VenturaVentura, whose credits include Tales (BET) and mini-series The New Edition Story, has amassed 11 million followers across social platforms.

She has appeared on screen alongside singers Maluma and Tyga.

Ventura continues to be repped by her manager Louie Diaz of Social Adam LLC alongside Vision Entertainment point managers John Alcaraz (Los Angeles), Julia Watkinson (New York), and Ximena Bustani (Mexico City).

“Given Yovanna’s multi-cultural background and multi-hyphenatedT talent, we are uniquely positioned to provide a 360 level of representation for her. From our Mexico City office that can service her Latin background by providing Spanish speaking opportunities, to our office in NY that specializes in Broadway opportunities to help further her musical skills, down to having Latin managers from similar backgrounds that can properly represent her in all aspects and amplify her voice correctly. We feel we will leave no stone unturned for her,” said point manager Alcaraz.