Esaú Ortiz Signs with Sony Music Latin

Posted on April 22, 2025 by Tom Castaneda

Esaú Ortiz has a new recording deal…

The Mexican emerging singer-songwriter has signed with Sony Music Latin.

The música mexicana artist from Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico, first gained traction on social media with songs like “Triple Lavada,” which was featured on playlists such as Apple Music’s Hits 2025 and Spotify’s Éxitos México.

His first official project under Sony Music Latin is said to feature “an explosive remix and heavyweight collaborations,” according to a press release.

“I know I have the best team to take my music to the next level and to the ears of everyone,” Ortiz said in a statement. ” I believe we will do great things together, which makes me very happy.”

Robert Trujillo & His Metallica Band Mates Launching Immersive Experience Film of 2024 M72 World Tour Stop in Mexico City

Posted on March 13, 2025 by Tom Castaneda

Robert Trujillo is preparing to give fans an immersive experience.

The 60-year-old half-Mexican American bassist and his Metallica band mates have announced that their 2024 Mexico City show has been optimized as an immersive experience on the Apple Vision Pro headset.

The concert featuring such beloved hits as “Enter Sandman,” “One” and “Whiplash” will be beamed into the VR headsets beginning on Friday.

The film was shot during the band’s sold-out September 29 finale of their two-year M72 World Tour at Mexico City’s Estadio GNP Seguros.

“With Metallica on Apple Vision Pro, you feel like you’re right there: front row, backstage, and even on stage with one of the biggest bands of all time,” said Apple vice president of marketing communications Tor Myhren according to the Associated Press.

The footage of singer James Hetfield, guitarist Kirk Hammett, drummer Lars Ulrich and bassist Trujillo was filmed in high-resolution, 180-degree video and immersive spatial audio, with Apple building a custom stage layout for the shoot featuring 14 immersive video cameras.

If you don’t already own one of the $3,500 Pro headsets, you can preview a demo of the footage from “Whiplash” on a headset at your local Apple store; an accompanying M72 World Tour: Mexico City EP will be available in Spatial Audio on Friday as well.

Ulrich discussed the VR experience during a chat with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe at SXSW this week, saying that it was, “Pretty overwhelming. Sort of surreal. You still get, to this day, self-conscious. ‘Really, that’s what I look like when I drum? What’s with the tongue and all the silly faces?’… When we were having the conversation about doing it and understanding the technology and the possibilities, understanding the cameras and all of it… we were trying on the Vision Pros and looking at these sporting events and the nature things and so on. It’s f–king insanity. And then seeing a Metallica concert like that.”

The Metallica gig is the latest Vision Pro music exclusive, following on the heels of events featuring Alicia Keys, RAYE and The Weeknd, as well the recently announced Stories of Surrender from U2 singer Bono, which will premiere on the headset on May 30.

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Miguel to Perform at 38th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

Posted on November 1, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Miguel is ready to rock (& roll)…

The 38-year-old half-Mexican American Grammy-winning singer and songwriter, whose full name is Miguel Jontel Pimentel, will appear during the 38th annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

Miguel joins a roster of presenters and performers that includes Olivia Rodrigo, Stevie Nicks, Adam Levine, Carrie Underwood, Common, Ice-, LL Cool J, Queen Latifah and Sia.

Miguel will serve as a performer.

The induction ceremony is set for November 3 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

This year’s inductees are Kate Bush, Sheryl Crow, Missy Elliott, George Michael, Willie Nelson, Rage Against the Machine and The Spinners, along with DJ Kool Herc and Link Wray for musical influence; Chaka Khan, Al Kooper and Bernie Taupin for musical excellence; and Don Cornelius for the Ahmet Ertegun Award (formerly known as the non-performers award).

The induction ceremony will be broadcast live coast-to-coast via Disney+ on Friday, November 3 (8:00 pm ET/5:00 pm PT) and will be available to stream following the ceremony. ABC will air a three-hour prime-time special, 2023 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, featuring performance highlights and standout moments on Monday, January 1 (8-11 p.m. ET), available the next day on Hulu and Disney+.

This year’s show will be produced and directed by Joel Gallen and Tenth Planet Productions.

Apple Music will livestream audio from the ceremony on Apple Music 1 on Friday, November 3. A four-part audio series, Class of ‘23: Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, will also be available on Apple Music and Apple Podcasts leading up to the ceremony.

Here’s the full list of presenters and performers for the 2023 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony:

Adam Levine
Brandi Carlile
Carrie Underwood
Chris Stapleton
Common
Dave Matthews
Elton John
H.E.R.
Ice-T
LL COOL J
Miguel
New Edition
Olivia Rodrigo
Queen Latifah
Sia
Stevie Nicks
St. Vincent

Cardi B Re-Teaming with Megan Thee Stallion for New Single “Bongos”

Posted on September 5, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Cardi B is marching to the beat of her own drum…

The 30-year-old half-Dominican American Grammy-winning rap superstar is joining forces with Megan Thee Stallion once again, this time on the new track “Bongos.”

Cardi B’s new track will be released on Friday (September 8, with the new track available to be pre-saved now via streaming services Spotify and Apple Music.

Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion unveiled the “Bongos” artwork with the announcement. The colorful visual shows the two rappers in coordinating blue and purple one-pieces and high heels, with their hair styled in playful, multi-colored curls, and lollipops in hand.

Cardi and Megan Thee Stallion haven’t shared further details yet, but this is their second collaboration — so fans are already hyped.

Their first song together — the NSFW smash hit “WAP,” released on Atlantic Records — spent four weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2020.

“Y’all remember when the FCC almost sued me cuz I performed WAP at the Grammys? What about when all the republicans literally harassed me over it? On the news everyday… Y’all remember? Oooohhh cuz I do,” Cardi reminisced over the summer.

Last week, Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion won a court ruling tossing out a lawsuit that accused them of stealing the lyrics to “WAP” and Megan The Stallion’s “Thot Shit” from an earlier track called “Grab Em by the P—-.”

Last month, Cardi B also gave an update on her sophomore album that interestingly turned out to be a decoy — or maybe “Bongos” just came to be very recently.

“I’m not going to release any more collaborations,” she said for her Vogue México y Latinoamérica cover story. “I’m going to put out my next solo single. Right now, I’m working on the cover art and ideas for the next record because it’s definitely coming up. Everyone always tells me I should put the record out now. They did when I released ‘WAP’ [with Megan Thee Stallion] and when I released ‘Up,’ but I always let them know I’m not going to wait long after all these singles. So stay tuned because it’s coming out very soon.”

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Ice Spice Releasing Deluxe Version of Debut EP “Like..?” This Week

Posted on July 19, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Ice Spice is getting more Like(s)…

The 23-year-old half-Dominican American singer/rapper has revealed plans to release the deluxe version of her debut EP Like..? on Friday, July 21, via 10K Projects/Capitol Records.

Per Apple Music, which just announced Ice Spice as its new Up Next artist, the expanded edition contains four more tracks.

Like..? was originally released on January 20, 2023, and included singles “Munch (Feelin’ U),” “Bikini Bottom,” “In Ha Mood” and “Princess Diana,” which later got a remix with Nicki Minaj that debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100.

The Lil Tjay-assisted “Gangsta Boo” cut, which samples Diddy‘s “I Need a Girl (Part Two)” featuring Ginuwine, Loon and Mario Winans became Ice Spices’s career-first Hot 100 entry.

She teased a new single, which she confirmed was titled “Deli” on Capital XTRA Breakfast With Robert & Shayna Marie, on her TikTok earlier this month.

“She a baddie, she showin’ her panty/ She shake it like jelly/ Hundred bands in Chanel-y/ But I’m still shakin’ ass in a deli,” she raps in the new snippet.

Outside of Like..?, Ice Spices’s major hits include “Boys a liar Pt. 2” with PinkPantheress, the “Karma” remix with Taylor Swift and the Aqua-sampling “Barbie World” with Minaj from the Barbie movie soundtrack — all of which have landed in the top 10 of the Hot 100.

In her recent interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, Ice Spice marveled at her idol-turned-collaborator-turned-mentor Minaj. “I feel like I am absorbing advice from [Minaj] and learning from her and stuff,” she said. “And she’ll tell me, ‘Learn from my mistake, do this or don’t do that,’ or whatever. And I just really pay attention to what she’s saying. Because if there’s anyone I’m going to listen to, it’s the queen.”

https://twitter.com/icespicee_/status/1681726187142258688?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1681726187142258688%7Ctwgr%5E2d1a2dc7e73f91e8f92b77374d0d045b4de7876a%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.billboard.com%2Fmusic%2Frb-hip-hop%2Fice-spice-like-ep-deluxe-edition-release-date-1235374809%2F

Bad Bunny Appears as a Lifeguard In His First-Ever Pepsi Commercial

Posted on June 1, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Bad Bunny is officially on guard…

The 29-year-old Puerto Rican global superstar become a pool lifeguard in his first-ever Pepsi commercial, which was released today (June 1).

Directed by Dave Meyers and co-directed by Mia Barnes, with choreography from Sherrie Silver, the 90-second spot shows the Puerto Rican rapper overlooking a community pool where everyone is tired and drained from the summer heat. In an effort to get the vibes going, he discovers that his latest single “Where She Goes” easily turns up the party once a bottle of Pepsi is opened.

The summer-themed commercial is part of Pepsi’s latest “Press Play On Summer” campaign with Apple Music that offers new and qualified returning subscribers up to three months of free, unlimited listening on the music streaming platform. The campaign, available in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, also includes over 100,000 instant prizes and the opportunity to travel with the purchase of select limited-edition PepsiCo beverages.

“Pepsi has a rich heritage of creating iconic music video style commercials with some of the world’s biggest artists – from Britney Spears to Ray Charles, Madonna to Dr. Dre, Beyonce to Chloe Bailey and so many more,” said Todd Kaplan, CMO of Pepsi, in a statement. “We couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome Bad Bunny to the Pepsi family with his very own spot, bringing in all the summer vibes with his newest track ‘Where She Goes.’ This song is already the soundtrack of the summer, so it is a perfect way to kick off our Press Play on Summer program that gives fans up to three free months of Apple Music with every 20oz ice-cold Pepsi.”

Bad Bunny’s Jersey Club-inspired track debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200, becoming his third leader on the chart, after “Un x100to,” with Grupo Frontera, two weeks earlier in May, and “Dakiti,” with Jhay Cortez (now Jhayco), for three weeks in November-December 2020. He also becomes the first soloist with three Global 200 No. 1s; overall, he’s second only to BTS, with six. Justin Bieber, BLACKPINK, Drake, Olivia Rodrigo, and Taylor Swift each boast two.

Carin León Releases Cover of Johnny Cash’s “Man in Black”

Posted on February 19, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Carin León is cash-ing in…

The 33-year-old Mexican singer has released his own version of Johnny Cash’s “Man in Black,” available exclusively on Apple Music as part of the Nashville SC official playlist.

In the tribute song — which celebrates the launch of MLS Season Pass and the Nashville Soccer Club kit honoring the life and legacy of Cash — León delivers a soulful rendition of the country folk song originally released in 1971. It starts with León’s crispy, raspy vocals backed by warm guitar riffs and later transforms into a country fusion with Regional Mexican elements.

“Johnny Cash is an icon within country and American folk music, although his music continues to have a strong influence within music across all genres today,” the artist born Óscar Armando Díaz de León Huez said in a press statement. “It’s very important for me to be a part of this very meaningful project and we’re doing things with all of the respect that a figure as important as Mr. Johnny Cash deserves.”

Released over 50 years ago, “Man in Black” — which was a nickname given to Cash for the way he dressed — is a protest song he penned against how poor people were treated by wealthy politicians. “I wear the black for the poor and the beaten down/ Living in the hopeless, hungry side of town/ I wear it for the prisoner who is long paid for his crime/ But is there because he’s a victim of the times,” he chants in the lyrics.

“This song is a very personal thing, but it’s the way I feel about a lot of things,” Cash expressed when he performed the song for the first time.

Honoring his legacy, the “Man in Black” kit was inspired by The Backline Supporters Collective (the club’s fans) and created in collaboration with the Johnny Cash Estate, Sandbox Succession, and Wasserman Music.

The kit will debut on February 25 on MLS Season Pass via the Apple TV app.

Click here to listen to Leon’s cover.

Ice Spice Named to Shazam’s 2023 Predictions Playlist of Artists with Potential to Breakthrough

Posted on January 4, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Ice Spice could be headed for a breakthrough…

Shazam has unveiled its annual predictions playlist, compiling a 50-track selection of artists, including the 23-year-old half-Dominican American rapper, who have the potential to have a breakthrough year.

Based on the music discovery app’s predictive data and algorithms and in collaboration with Apple Music’s global editorial team, this year’s selection of artists show early indicators of future growth, including consistent momentum in Shazam activity, as well as discovery trends in more than one country.

Ice Spice, Rosa Linn, Charlieonnafriday, Young Miko and Benson Boone top Shazam’s artists with global breakthrough potential.

“It’s very cool to me that people from all around the world can discover my music through [Shazam],” Rosa Linn told Apple Music per a press release. “They can hear the song, like it, and instantly find out that it’s me who is singing it. I gain fans and listeners and it directly impacts streaming.”

“Shazam has always been so useful for me whenever I needed to find the title of a song playing,” Ice Spice added. “I’m happy that it exists!”

Additionally, for the first time, Shazam is spotlighting artists who are gaining popularity regionally. Nigeria’s Carterefe, France’s Adé, Japan’s natori, Colombia’s KEITYN and Spain’s Munic HB have all made the list due to their budding stardom.

“I believe Shazam is an important gateway for my music to be discovered, especially in this busy lifestyle we live in,” natori, whose “Overdose” was the most-Shazamed debut single within J-Pop over the last year, told Apple Music.

Listen to the Shazam Predictions 2023 playlist exclusively on Apple Music worldwide at apple.co/shazampredictions23.

Bad Bunny Becomes First Latino Artist Named Apple Music’s Artist of the Year

Posted on November 10, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Bad Bunny is the apple of Apple’s eye…

Apple Music has named the 28-year-old Puerto Rican superstar its 2022 Artist of the Year.

It’s the first time since the Apple Music Awards launched in 2019 that a Latin artist has been recognized as AOTY, and the first time only one artist is named for the award.

Bad Bunny — whose Un Verano Sin Ti Album is also Apple Music’s most streamed album this year and the biggest Latin album of all time — is acknowledged for his excellence and influence on global culture in 2022. He now joins previous AOTY honorees including Billie Eilish, Lil Baby, Megan Thee Stallion, Taylor Swift and The Weeknd.

“We’re thrilled to celebrate the achievements of Bad Bunny, whose influence on every corner of culture could not be ignored in 2022,” said Oliver Schusser, Apple’s vice president of Apple Music and Beats, in a statement. “Watching Bad Bunny ascend from an Apple Music Up Next artist in 2018 to our Artist of the Year this year has been nothing short of extraordinary. We congratulate him on his record-breaking year and for continuing to bring Latin music to a massive global audience.”

In addition to becoming Apple Music’s biggest Latin artist of all time by streams worldwide, Bad Bunny’s “Moscow Mule” holds the record for the biggest Latin song of all time by first-day streams worldwide.

He broke the record for most simultaneous entries by a single Latin artist with 22 songs on the Daily Top 100; reached No. 1 on the Daily Top 100 in 34 countries worldwide, more than any other Latin artist; and holds the No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 Latin albums by first-day streams, just to name a few milestones.

“When I started, I didn’t have a global fan base,” he told Apple Music in an exclusive film. “I’m grateful for everything I’ve accomplished and everything I’ve experienced. The Latin music movement has grown so much. I would never take full credit or say, ‘It’s because of me.’ No, it’s every one of us. A whole generation. Our energy and presence are always felt.”

In celebration, the “Me Porto Bonito” singer curated a “La Fórmula” playlist with tracks from Myke Towers and Rauw Alejandro, among others, and fans can tune in to Apple Music 1, where it’s Bad Bunny Day with exclusive programming, specials, and more.

Anitta Earns First No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Triller U.S. Chart with “Envolver”

Posted on April 15, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Anitta is trillin’ it…

The 29-year-old Brazilian singer/songwriter’s latest single “Envolver” vaults to No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Triller U.S. chart dated April 16 and lifts into the top 10 of the Top Triller Global list.

The Top Triller U.S. and Top Triller Global charts highlight the biggest songs on Triller based on a formula blending the amount of views of videos containing a respective song, the level of engagement with those videos and the raw total of videos uploaded featuring each song, according to Triller. Data for the charts is represented on a Friday-Thursday tracking week, with the latest period running April 1-7.

As “Envolver” jumps from No. 5 to the summit, Anitta claims her first No. 1 on Top Triller U.S., which began in 2020. She reached a prior No. 3 best with “Desce Pro Play (Pa Pa Pa),” with MC Zaac and Tyga, in September 2020.

The week’s top upload on Triller for “Envolver” came from fellow high-profile Brazilian Neymar; the soccer star’s upload has drawn 385,000 global views to date, according to Triller.

“Envolver” concurrently reaches a new No. 70 high on the Billboard Hot 100, accumulating 5.9 million official U.S. streams on DSPs including Apple Music, Spotify and YouTube, and 800 downloads sold, according to Luminate, formerly MRC Data.

The song also crowned the Global 200 Excl. U.S. chart dated April 9; it drops to No. 4 on the April 16 list.

Anitta’s new album, Versions of Me, was released April 12.

Hispanically Yours

Celebrating the Latino Influence

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