Gente de Zona Earns First No. 1 in Five Years on Billboard Tropical Airplay Chart with “Soy Yo,” Featuring Wisin & Don Omar

Gente de Zona has made a triumphant return to the top of the Billboard Tropical Airplay chart…

Soy Yo,” the first collaboration between the Cuban reggaeton duo comprised of musicians Alexander Delgado and Randy Malcom, Wisin and Don Omar, has reached the summit of the Tropical Airplay chart dated July 9.

Gente de Zona“Soy Yo” tops the list with a 17% increase in audience impressions, to 8.03 million, earned in the U.S. in the week ending July 3, according to Luminate (rising 2-1).

It trades places with Prince Royce and Maria Becerra’s “Te Espero” after its four-nonconsecutive-week reign (with 5.8 million impressions and a 24% dip).

“Soy Yo” becomes the first No. 1 for Gente de Zona in over five years, since “La Mala y La Buena,” with Alex Sensation, placed the Cubans in the penthouse in February 2017 for two weeks.

In between, the duo scored 20 entries — among those, a collection of 10 top 10s — including “A Mi Manera,” with Dale Pututi, Jacob Forever, featuring Baby Lores, Eddy K, Los 4, El Chacal, El Micha, El Chulo, which debuts at No. 24 on the current chart.

Don Omar and Wisin, meanwhile, clock their 10th and fifth champ, respectively.

For Don Omar, “Soy Yo” grants him a second No. 1 via his new label Saban Music after a more than eight-year hiatus on the chart. Prior to the nine-week champ “Se Menea,” with Nio García (December 2021), Don Omar scored eight chart-toppers, his last one in April 2021 (“Dutty Love,” with Natti Natasha).

Here’s a recap of Don Omar’s No. 1s on Tropical Airplay:

Peak Date, Title, Artists (if other than Don Omar)

Aug. 20, 2005, “Reggaetón Latino”
Sept. 10, 2005, “Ella y Yo,” Aventura featuring Don Omar (two weeks atop)
July 1, 2006, “Angelito VI” (two weeks)
Dec. 16, 2006, “Los Hombres Tienen La Culpa,” with Gilberto Santa Rosa (two weeks)
May 5, 2007, “Nunca Había Llorado Así,” with Victor Manuelle
Nov. 13, 2010, “Danza Kuduro,” Don Omar & Lucenzo (18 weeks at No. 1)
July 23, 2011, “Taboo” (three weeks)
April 7, 2012, “Dutty Love,” featuring Natti Natasha
Dec. 25, 2021, “Se Menea,” with Nio García (nine weeks)
July 9, “Soy Yo,” with Wisin & Gente de Zona

“Soy Yo’s” coronation returns Saban Music to the top of Tropical Airplay. As previously mentioned, the label’s first win through Don Omar, arrived with “Se Menea’s” nine-week reign starting Dec. 25, 2021. The tribute to the late Celia Cruz, “El Carnaval de Celia: A Tribute (La Vida Es Un Carnaval/ La Negra Tiene…)” by Kyen?Es? saw the label at the summit for the first time in September 2020.

Elsewhere, “Soy Yo” continues forward progress on the all-genre Latin Airplay chart through a 7-4 climb; the highest Gente de Zona has ranked since its featured role in Chyno Miranda’s “Quédate Conmigo,” which also features Wisin (No. 7 high, 2017).

Willy Chirino Recruits Fellow Cuban Artists to Release New Version of Cuban Protest Single “Que Se Vayan Ya”

Willy Chirino is expressing his solidarity with the people of Cuba through music…

The 74-year-old Cuban musician has released a new version of his single “Que Se Vayan Ya,” 13 years after its original release.

Willy Chirino, Que Se Vayan Ya

The award-winning salsa artist recruited Cuban artists Lenier, El MichaChacalOsmani Garcia, and Srta. Dayana to show solidarity with the Cuban community through the powerful protest anthem and its continuous chant for “Viva Cuba, libre!”

“Que Se Vayan Ya,” which appeared on Chirino’s 2008 album Pa’ Lante, was co-produced by Chirino, Nelson Albareda, Nelson Martínez, Lenier, and Mauro Bertrán, giving this extended version a Cubaton twist while keeping its tropical essence.

“It is our duty as citizens of the world to support the movement that arose on the island to achieve Cuba’s freedom,” Albareda, producer and CEO of Loud and Live, said in a statement. “What better way to do it than with a new anthem that inspires those brave people on the island to continue with this fight? With that objective in mind, I turned to Willy, with whom I’ve been friends with and shared projects for many years, to make this musical production with other notable artists in a cry for freedom.”

“Que Se Vayan Ya” comes almost two months after the social unrest in the island due to the power outages, and food and medicine shortages as COVID-19 cases are on the rise.

The July rallies, which ended with several arrests, were in part set off by Cuba’s deteriorating economic situation that was intensified by the pandemic that’s cut off tourism dollars and has left people unable to work because of the COVID-imposed lockdown.

“The events of July 11 have given us hope that the end of this totalitarian regime is coming,” Chirino added. “It’s important that this flame is not extinguished and that the whole world becomes aware of the crimes that are committed daily on ‘Prison Island.’ United for this purpose, we are raising our voices to demand once and for all that they [the government] leave!”

Leoni Torres Teams Up with El Micha for New Single “Recordandote”

It’s a time of rememberance for Leoni Torres.

The 42-year-old Cuban singer has joined voices with El Micha for the single “Recordandote,” and the track’s music video.

Leoni Torres

The first collaborative effort between the Torres and his compatriot, “Recordandote” is a song about a man who’s trying to conquer the girl of his dreams: 

“I spend my life remembering you / and the hours go by remembering you / today I want to love you / I come to give you love.”

Leoni-Torres-&-El-Micha

“Recordante,” produced by Colombian producer Daneon, is a tropical-urban rhythm laced with El Micha’s distinguishable voice.

“We were both eager to be able to work together, but we were waiting for the right moment,” Torres expressed in an official statement. “We intend this to be the song that everyone prefers this summer, as it is romantic, danceable, and very fresh.”

The music video, directed by Alejandro Perez, shows both artists dancing in an empty pool as Torres video calls the girl he likes to serenade her with the song.

Torres, who penned “Traidora” by Marc Anthony and Gente de Zona and Pablo Milanes‘ “Para Que Un Día Vuelvas,” among others, wrote this single, which was originally interpreted by Jennifer Lopez and Maluma.

According to an official statement, the song would form part of an unpublished album by Lopez but was never released.

“Recordandote” marks Torres second release in 2020, following “Deja La Tristeza.”