Lissette Feliciano to Write & Direct Film Adaptation of Gloria & Emilio Estefan Broadway Musical “On Your Feet”

Posted on April 24, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Lissette Feliciano is ready to get you on your feet.

The 33-year-old Latina writer, director and actress will write and direct On Your Feet, a feature adaptation of the same-name Broadway musical that’s in early development at Sony Pictures, Deadline has learned.

A jukebox musical that tells the inspiring true story of Emilio and Gloria Estefan, two Cuban immigrants who launched themselves to international musical stardom from humble beginnings, On Your Feet will be produced by Gloria and Emilio Estefan, as well as John and Jordan Davis of Davis Entertainment, with John Fox executive producing.

Premiering in November 2015 at the Marquis Theatre on Broadway, where it ran for more than 750 performances, the show specifically hones in on Gloria’s Estefan’s trajectory from her early days in Miami to her breakthrough as the lead singer of the Miami Sound Machine — a crossover artist, blending Latin and pop music — and ultimately, her triumphant return to the stage after a near-fatal accident. The musical delves into the challenges she faced as a young artist, including her struggles to balance her cultural identity, family expectations, and artistic ambitions, and at the same time explores her romantic relationship with Emilio.

With a book by Alexander Dinelaris, the show features such hit songs from the Estefans as “Conga,” “Rhythm Is Gonna Get You,” and “Get On Your Feet.”

Directed by Jerry Mitchell, it went on to earn a Tony Award nomination for Choreography, as well as seven Outer Critics Circle Award nominations and three Drama League Award nominations, before going on to tour the U.S. and internationally.

Feliciano is best known for Women Is Losers, the 2021 indie drama that marked her feature directorial debut. Set in ’60s San Francisco, the film watches as a once-promising catholic school girl, Celina Guerrera (Lorenza Izzo), sets out to rise above the oppression of poverty and invest in a future for herself that sets new precedents for the time. Also starring Bryan Craig, Chrissie Fit and Simu Liu, the film premiered to critical acclaim at SXSW and was acquired by Max following its successful nationwide festival run.

An NYU Tisch alum and a Tribeca Film Institute AT&T Untold Stories grant recipient, the filmmaker is repped by Verve and Adelman Matz.

Gilberto Santa Rosa to Receive Honorary Doctor of Music Degree from Berklee College of Music

Posted on April 11, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Gilberto Santa Rosa is set to receive a special honor…

Berklee College of Music has announced that the 61-year-old Puerto Rican bandleader and singer of salsa and bolero music, nicknamed “El Caballero de la Salsa“, is among the artists that will receive honorary Doctor of Music degrees during a commencement ceremony in May.

Santa Rosa will be recognized alongside Ledisi and Q-Tip.

Recognized for their contribution to the worlds of music and philanthropy, the artists will be celebrated with a reception and concert in the Agganis Arena, where over 200 student vocalists, instrumentalists, dancers, arrangers, and track producers will perform a musical tribute to the work of each of the honorees.

“Very honored and excited,” expressed Santa Rosa on Instagram. “Thank you for this distinction! Thank you all for the demonstrations of support and affection!!!”

Past Latin recipients from the college include Tito Puente, Gloria Estefan, Rita Moreno and Juan Luis Guerra.

Gloria Estefan Among Artists Sharing Personal Stories & Life Lessons on YouTube’s Documentary Series “The Thread”

Posted on January 17, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Gloria Estefan is opening up about her life…

The 66-year-old Cuban singer, actress and businesswoman is among some of the most exceptional Americans in the arts, media, religion and politics sharing their personal stories and life lessons in The Thread, a new documentary series coming to YouTube in March.

As part of the 16-episode series, Estefan sat down for a probing conversation with producers from Life Stories, a nonprofit media organization that makes and distributes “films about people whose lives inspire meaningful change.”

Each conversation is recorded at the highest quality by Emmy-winning filmmakers, notes a release, “and is accompanied by an educator guide so that the documentary series can be used in secondary classrooms and informal educational settings.”

“The Thread is an exploration of what it means to live a purpose-driven life,” noted George Kunhardt, executive director of Life Stories. “The voices we amplify in this series spark curiosity, ignite inspiration, and connect us to the multi-faceted people who have helped shape our society. Our mission as filmmakers is to shine a spotlight on the stories of moral leaders to help people find passion and purpose in their own lives.”

The “Get On Your Feet” singer’s episode, entitled Gloria Estefan: Singing Through Struggles, will go live on March 4.

Martin Sheen, who is of half-Spanish descent, will also appear on the series. The West Wing actor’s episode, entitled Martin Sheen: Lights, Camera, Activism, will go live on March 25.

Others Americans to be figured include The Rev. Dr. Jacqueline Lewis, New Yorker cartoonist Roz Chast, Katie Couric, actor Jason Alexander and Sen. Mitt Romney.

The episodes will roll out once a week from March 4-June 17 on the Life Stories YouTube channel and will be released as a podcast on major platforms.

Life Stories is a new division of the Kunhardt Film Foundation, “an organization that has introduced a generation of viewers to artists, cultural, political, and civil rights leaders,” according to a release. The Kunhardts – father Peter and his sons Teddy and George – have earned a combined eight Emmy Awards, two Peabody Awards, a duPont-Columbia Award, an IDA Documentary Award, and two NAACP Image Awards.

“We are bringing our longstanding dedication to quality with increased focus on the power of individual narrative,” said Teddy Kunhardt, EP of The Thread. “We believe that life stories, thoughtfully told, have the power to create change.”

This is the episode guide for season 1 of the series:

March 4 Gloria Estefan: Singing Through Struggles
March 11 Jason Reynolds: The Power of Narrative
March 18 Tova Friedman: Surviving Auschwitz
March 25 Martin Sheen: Lights, Camera, Activism
April 1 Roz Chast: Drawing From Life
April 8 Kurt “Big Boy” Alexander: A Hip Hop Odyssey
April 15 Rev. Dr. Jacqueline Lewis: Finding Wisdom in Pain
April 22 Mitt Romney: Family Ties
April 29 Cecile Richards: Championing Choice
May 6 Reginald Dwayne Betts: A Voice for the Incarcerated
May 13 Tony Hawk: Skateboarding’s Living Legend
May 20 Darren Walker: Hope and Courage in Action
May 27 Katie Couric: From Tragedies to Triumphs
June 3 Jason Alexander: The Power of Laughter
June 10 Betty Rollin: First You Cry
June 17 Father Greg Boyle: Welcoming the Unwelcome

Gloria Estefan to Host This Year’s Kennedy Center Honors Ceremony

Posted on November 14, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Gloria Estefan is preparing to take Center stage.

The 66-year-old Cuban Grammy-winning singer-songwriter and entrepreneur will return as host of this year’s Kennedy Center Honors, which will air on CBS on Wednesday, December 27.

Billy Crystal, Renée Fleming, Barry Gibb, Queen Latifah and Dionne Warwick are this year’s recipients.

The ceremony will air from 9:00 – 11:00 pm ET/PT and stream on Paramount+.

The actual ceremony, one of the biggest entertainment events of the year for D.C. politicos and media, will take place on December 3. This year’s event also will honor the 50th anniversary of hip-hop.

Done+Dusted is returning as producer in association with ROK Productions. Elizabeth Kelly is executive producer along with David Jammy, and Alex Rudzinski is the director.

Estefan received a Kennedy Center Honor in 2017.

The ceremony traditionally has been preceded the night before by a dinner hosted by the U.S. Secretary of State. Just before the event, the president hosts a reception at the White House for the honorees. President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden have attended the ceremonies the past two years.

Gloria Estefan Writing Music & Lyrics for Stage Musical “Five Notes,” Based on Paraguay’s Recycled Orchestra

Posted on October 6, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Gloria Estefan is takin’ notes…

The 66-year-old Cuban Grammy-winning singer/songwriter is writing the music and lyrics for an original stage musical called Five Notes about Paraguay’s Recycled Orchestra of Cateura, Estefan has revealed.

In an Instagram post, Estefan said she’s collaborating with her daughter Emily Estefan for the music, with the book written by playwright Karen Zacarías. Dear Evan Hansen director Michael Grief will direct Five Notes, according to Estefan.

Five Notes is inspired by the Orquesta De Reciclados De Cateura, also known as The Recycled Orchestra of Cateura or simply the Recycled Orchestra, an orchestra composed of children from Asunción, Paraguay, who played musical instruments made from scrap materials collected from a local landfill. Formed in 2012, the orchestra performed internationally with Stevie Wonder and the American heavy-metal bands Metallica and Megadeth, and was the subject of the 2015 documentary Landfill Harmonic.

Estefan writes that the new musical – which she says is in its early development – will be based on the documentary.

Ken Cerniglia is the dramaturg on the project, and Alex Lacamoire serves as the music supervisor.

The 2015 Broadway jukebox musical On Your Feet!, based on the lives of Gloria and husband Emilio Estefan, has toured widely both domestically and internationally. A West End production opened in 2019.

Playwright Zacarías is the author of the 2005 play Mariela in the Desert, winner of the National Latino Playwriting Award, and more recently The Copper Children, which premiered in 2020 at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.

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Sebastián Yatra to Receive Recording Industry Association of America’s Artist of the Year Award

Posted on August 31, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Sebastián Yatra is the Recording Industry’s all-star this year…

In honor of Latin music’s explosive growth in the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) will recognize artists, label executives and policymakers, including the 28-year-old Colombian artist, who are “driving this rise across American music, culture and society.”

Yatra, a Latin Grammy-winner and Grammy-nominee, will be recognized as the RIAA’s Artist of the Year.

Meanwhile, global superstar Gloria Estefan with the icon award; her husband, visionary producer Emilio Estefan, as industry trailblazer; Maria Fernandez, executive vp/COO of Latin Iberia at Sony Music Entertainment, as executive of the year; and U.S. Reps. Veronica Escobar and María Elvira Salazar as policymakers of the year.

“As advocates for the music community and fans ourselves, the RIAA is so grateful to acknowledge superstars and leaders who have used their voices and platforms to change the culture and break the creative mold,” said RIAA chairman/CEO Mitch Glazier in a statement. “RIAA Honors is a special moment to stop and acknowledge those forging ahead for future generations and making waves in their own right. Latin music has lit up the charts and filled playlists across the U.S. this year and we are thrilled to celebrate Gloria Estefan, Sebastián Yatra, Emilio Estefan, Maria Fernandez and Representatives Veronica Escobar and María Elvira Salazar.”

In April, it was announced that Latin music revenues in the United States exceeded $1 billion for the first time, with the RIAA reporting that the Latin market grew to $1.1 billion in 2022 — a 24% jump over the previous year’s $881 million and lifting Latin music’s overall share of the total music market from 5.9% in 2021 to 6.9%.

“This sustained expansion speaks to an openness to new artists, music and ways of listening,” said RIAA senior vp of state public policy & industry relations Rafael Fernandez Jr. “It’s also perfect timing to salute Latin Music champions during the first week of National Hispanic Heritage Month. RIAA Honors’ epic music-filled celebration adds to the excitement as other festivities and recognitions continue throughout the coming weeks.”

The RIAA Honors, will take place on September 19 in Washington, D.C.

Reservoir Media Acquires Rights to Enrique “Kiki” García’s Full Catalog

Posted on May 25, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Enrique “Kiki” García’s catalog has a new home…

Indie music company Reservoir Media has acquired the rights to the full catalog of the Latino drummer and songwriter.

García, who was part of Miami Sound Machine, penned many of the group’s biggest hits in its heyday with Gloria Estefan as its lead singer, including the much synchronized “Conga.”

García also wrote Miami Sound Machine’s 1984 breakout “Dr. Beat” and co-wrote several tracks alongside Estefan, including “1-2-3,” “Give It Up,” and “Rhythm Is Gonna Get You” for the group’s final album, Let it Loose.

But García is best known for “Conga,” which he famously penned on a flight from Utrecht, in the Netherlands, after playing a successful club show the night before.

“The performance stayed on my mind all night,” García recounted in the book Decoding Despacito: An Oral History of Latin Music. “The next day, as we got on the plane and I sat down, this song comes flying out of my mind. I start tapping on the seat table in front of me and I’m singing, “Come on, shake your body, baby, do the song. The rest was sketchy, but by the time we landed I had it all put together. I got up and sang my idea to Emilio and he loved it from the start.”

“Conga” would go on to became an international hit, peaking at No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 on February 8, 1986.

After leaving Miami Sound Machine, García continued working with top Latin musicians like Chayanne and Julio Iglesias, while “Conga” and his other hits remain widely and constantly licensed.

“Kiki has contributed so much to the face of modern music as we know it. His collaborations with the Miami Sound Machine brought Latin music to mainstream audiences,” said Golnar Khosrowshahi, Reservoir’s founder & CEO, in a statement. “Embarking on this deal with Kiki marks a notable expansion of our rights in Latin American music and is an exciting opportunity to further diversify our catalog while maintaining our focus on acquiring the rights to evergreen hits.”

Peso Pluma & Eslabon Armado Make Billboard Hot 100 Chart History with “Ella Baila Sola”

Posted on April 17, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Peso Pluma and Eslabon Armado are making Billboard Hot 100 history…

The 23-year-old Mexican singer and the American Regional Mexican group have each logged their first Top 10 on the Hot 100 with “Ella Baila Sola” on the chart dated April 22, 2023.

Eslabon Armado and Peso Pluma’s “Ella Baila Sola” soars 17-10, led by 24.4 million streams, up 30%, as it wins the Hot 100’s top Streaming Gainer trophy, and jumps 6-3 on Streaming Songs.

Quartet Eslabon Armado, from California, and Peso Pluma, from Mexico, each reach the Hot 100’s top for the first time – as “Ella Baila Sola” makes history as the first regional Mexican song ever to hit the Hot 100’s top 10.

The genre has surged this decade, due in part to exposure on TikTok and other social media, with Gera MX and Christian Nodal’s “Botella Tras Botella” having become the first regional Mexican Hot 100 hit in May 2021, peaking at No. 60.

After “Ella Baila Sola,” Peso Pluma also has the second-highest-charting regional Mexican Hot 100 hit: “La Bebe,” with Yng Lvcas, rises to a new No. 17 best on the latest, April 22-dated chart.

The next-highest-peaking such hits: Yahritza y Su Esencia’s “Soy El Unico” (No. 20, April 2022 – it debuted at that rank, the highest entrance for a regional Mexican song) and Fuerza Regida and Grupo Frontera’s “Bebe Dame” (No. 25, this January).

Among Latin genres, regional Mexican’s arrival in the Hot 100’s top 10 follows that of Latin pop, which, after English-language hits by Gloria Estefan in the 1980s (plus Los Lobos’ “La Bamba,” in Spanish) surged in the late ‘90s and beyond thanks to songs (in varying degrees of English and Spanish) by Enrique Iglesias, Jennifer Lopez and Ricky Martin, among other stars.

At the same time, Marc Anthony helped tropical break through on the chart. In more recent years, Daddy Yankee and Luis Fonsi’s pop-centered, mostly-Spanish-language “Despacito,” featuring Justin Bieber, spent a then-record-tying 16 weeks at No. 1 in 2017, while, this decade, Bad Bunny, with Spanish-language songs, has carried the torch for Latin rhythm in the top 10.

As for Latin music overall, Eslabon Armado and Peso Pluma earn the Hot 100’s third Spanish-language top 10 this year, following two Latin pop hits: Bizarrap and Shakira’s “Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53” (No. 9, January) and Karol G and Shakira’s “TQG” (No. 7, March).

“Ella Baila Sola” was released on Prajin Parlay/DEL Records, both of which likewise appear in the Hot 100’s top 10 for the first time.

The collaboration concurrently achieves a second week at No. 1 on the multi-metric Hot Latin Songs chart, where it became the first leader for both Eslabon Armado and Peso Pluma.

“We didn’t expect for the song to make so much noise!” Pedro Tovar, lead singer for the former act, and the song’s sole author, told Billboard upon its coronation. “I really liked the song when I first wrote it, but I didn’t really expect it to be such a big hit. I previewed it on my stories on Instagram and, two days after, it went viral on TikTok, and that’s when I knew that the song was going to do big numbers.”

“Normally I don’t expect to chart with songs,” Peso Pluma marveled. “We just enjoyed the process of doing it.”

The Hot 100 blends all-genre U.S. streaming (official audio and official video), radio airplay and sales data.

Muse Storytelling Developing Documentary About Iconic Brazilian Artist Romero Britto

Posted on April 5, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Romero Britto’s life story is getting the Hollywood treatment…

Muse Storytelling is currently in production on a documentary about the 59-year-old Brazilian artist, painter, serigrapher and sculptor, one of the most popular artists in the world and the founder of the Happy Art Movement.

Patrick Moreau is directing The Britto Doc, which will examine a creative force who grew up in poverty in Brazil and rose to extraordinary heights as the originator of an iconic visual style that has been embraced on a global scale.

He is considered “the most collected and licensed artist in history,” according to a release about the project, with signature designs that have appeared on everything from housewares to clothing, automobiles, Disney characters, Barbie dolls, and even pet collars and doggy bowls, in addition to his original fine art and sculpture.

“Featuring unprecedented access to Romero Britto’s life and artistic process,” the release noted, “the documentary will include interviews with operatic tenor and world-renowned classical music sensation Andrea Bocelli with his wife Veronica Berti, celebrated fashion designer Domenico Dolce, Grammy winners and legendary musicians Gloria Estefan and Emilio Estefan, Grammy winner DJ Khaled, and famed actor and former Governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger, amongst other notable figures in the art world and beyond.”

Romero has been based in South Florida for many years, and his artwork has become a fixture of the landscape there, brightening rail stations, corporate offices and residential buildings. “The work virtually explodes with warmth, optimism and love,” the New York Times wrote in a 2007 piece, “Matisse channeling Picasso by way of Hello Kitty.”

“Over the past forty years, I’ve had the honor of bringing people joy through my artwork and portrayals of pop culture icons, royals, world leaders and so many incredible people,” the artist said in a statement. “It is the beautiful people, fascinating places and bountiful memories that have inspired me, and in turn, inspired The Happy Art Movement. I am excited to share my story so that people can get to know what lies beneath the bright colors and sparkles.”

The film is executive produced by Lucas L. C. Vidal, Caitlin Miranda and Grant Peelle. Production is expected to wrap late this year.

“It is not often that Artists are recognized and chronicled as the thought leaders they are, while building their legacy,” said director Patrick Moreau. “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to highlight Romero’s impact through the voices of other leaders of our generation and hear his story – straight from him.”

Muse Storytelling Inc. is an Emmy Award-winning “collective of storytellers who believe that one must guide the heart to move the mind – and it’s through emotionally moving narratives that they look to drive action and change,” according to the company. “The Muse team believes that when they share the real experience of another person in just the right way, they’re able to transport the audience into their shoes, into their world, and in so doing, shift their perspective.”

Ana Bárbara Becomes First Regional Mexican Songwriter to Receive BMI Icon Award

Posted on March 22, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Ana Bárbara is celebrating a history-making win…

The 52-year-old Mexican singer, actress, television personality and model became the first regional Mexican songwriter to ever receive a BMI Icon Award.

Ana Barbara received the award at the BMI Latin Awards, which took place on March 21 at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Los Angeles.

“As an iconic female Regional Mexican artist, whose body of work continues to be an indomitable inspiration for the creative community, we’re thrilled to name Ana Bárbara a BMI Icon,” Gonzalez said in a statement. “Dubbed as La Reina Grupera, she has forged a career that spans decades. Her artistic achievements have paved the way for the next generation of female songwriters in the genre and earned the respect of the industry at large as one of the most groundbreaking songwriters of all time. For that, we salute Ana as a true icon and look forward to celebrating all our top music creators behind some of today’s most-performed Latin songs.”

The “Bandido” singer joins an elite group of artists who have received BMI’s highest honor including Carlos Santana, Gloria Estefan, Juan Luis Guerra, Los Tigres Del Norte and Los Lobos, among others. Throughout her 30-year career — which she kicked off in the early ’90s with her self-titled debut album in 1994 — Ana Bárbara has a total of 16 entries on Billboard‘s Hot Latin Songs, four of those are top 10 hits including “La Trampa” and “Me Asusta Pero Me Gusta.” On the Regional Mexican Airplay tally, she’s entered 21 songs, five of which hit the top 10.

Edgar Barrera, the prolific songwriter who seamlessly navigates between genres, was given the first ever Impact award for his remarkable presence and influence across the charts of many genres.

The evening — hosted by BMI President/CEO Mike O’Neill and BMI Vice President, Creative, Latin Jesus Gonzalez — was also evening of encores. Tainy won the contemporary songwriter of the year award for the second year in a row, and Horacio Palencia also repeated his regional Mexican songwriter of the year award, this time tying with Barrera.

Sony Music Publishing, home to Tainy and Barrera, took home the contemporary Latin publisher of the year award, marking the seventh time in 10 years that it does so.

Universal Music Publishing Group won Regional Mexican publisher of the year, and the smash “Pepas” — performed by Farruko and written by Víctor Cardenas VIIC, IAMCHINO, Axel Quezada “Ghetto” and Keriel K4G Quiróz — was named contemporary Latin song of the year. “Jugaste y Sufrí” by Daniel Balderrama Espinoza won the Regional Mexican song of the year.

But the belle of the ball was undoubtedly Aba Bárbara. The Mexican singer, resplendent in a shimmering dress with a pink feathered skirt, delivered a set of her own compositions, backed by a her band and ending with “Lo Busqué,” during which she accompanied herself on guitar. The performance was a reminder of just how prolific Ana Bárbara has been in her 30-year career, placing 16 hits on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart and 14 on the Regional Mexican Airplay chart.

“Songwriting was something I didn’t always speak about,” Bárbara told Billboard earlier. “I was always shy about my songwriting, from the time I wrote [her first major hit] ‘Quise Olvidar,’ because composing wasn’t common among women. Now, I believe in all my songs, and I believe they’re all for me.”

Her inspirations, said Ana Bárbara, were the greats of Mexican music, including José Alfredo Jiménez; Joan Sebastian and Marco Antonio Solís, who both mentored her; and Ana Gabriel, also a singer and composer.

Now, Gabriel is also inspiring a new generation, as evidenced by the opening number of the night, a tribute to her music performed by young Mexican singers Adriana Ríos, Alisun Solís, Angélica Gallegos and Lupita Infante.

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