Gabito Ballesteros Earns First No. 1 on Billboard’s Tropical Airplay Chart with Prince Royce-Collab “Cosas de la Peda”

Gabito Ballesteros is celebrating a Billboard first…

The 24-year-old Mexican singer-songwriter and record producer’s collaboration with Prince Royce, “Cosas De La Peda” rises to the No. 1 spot on Billboard’s Tropical Airplay chart as their first partnership advances from the runner-up slot to lead the February 24-dated list.

Gabito Ballesteros, Prince RoyceThat translates into a 24th No. 1 for Prince Royce, while Ballesteros scores his first champ on first try.

“Cosas De La Peda,” Mexican slang for “drunken times,” lifts 2-1 on the tropical radio ranking with by a 37% gain in audience impressions, to 6.2 million earned in the U.S. during the February 9-15 tracking week, according to Luminate.

The track trades places with Marc Anthony’s “Punta Cana” which drops 1-2 with an 11% dip in impressions, to 5.2 million.

Prior to its release, “Cosas De La Peda” received its fair share of promotion. The Bronx-born singer premiered the song live for the first time, with Ballesteros, during Calibash festival at the Crypto Arena in Los Angeles on January 12. Plus, a performance on ABC’s Good Morning America followed on January 17.

With “Peda,” Royce collects his 24th No. 1 on Tropical Airplay, continuing with the third-most leaders since the chart’s inception in 1994. Only two soloists stand ahead him: Marc Anthony with 36 No. 1s and Victor Manuelle with 29. Here’s an updated look at the artists with the most No. 1 hits on the almost three-decade-old ranking:

36, Marc Anthony
29, Victor Manuelle
24, Prince Royce
18, Romeo Santos
14, Elvis Crespo
14, Gilberto Santa Rosa
13, Jerry Rivera
12, Juan Luis Guerra 440
11, India

Ballesteros, who seasoned “Peda” with his corridos tumbados flair, lands a first No. 1 on the Tropical Airplay —and on any airplay ranking— thanks to the bachata tumbada. The Mexican producer first landed a No. 1 on a Billboard chart as a producer of the two-week champ “Lady Gaga,” with Peso Pluma and Junior H (last September).

Elsewhere, “Cosas De La Peda” flies 26-11 on the overall Latin Airplay tally. It bests Ballesteros’ previous No. 37 entry with “La Pelinegra,” with La Adictiva, last October.

Cosas De La Peda” is one of 23 songs from Royce’s latest seventh full-length album, Llamada Perdida, released February 16 through Sony Music Latin; it has not entered any Billboard charts yet. The song was produced by Edgar Barrera and Luis Miguel Gómez Castaño, better known as Casta.

Karol G Named Billboard’s 2024 Woman of the Year

Karol G is a woman on top…

After a year of career-defining moments, including a history-making album, a momentous stadium tour, headlining Lollapalooza and her first Grammy win, the 32-year-old Colombian singer-songwriter has been named Billboard‘s 2024 Woman of the Year.

Karol GKarol G will be honored with the award at the Billboard Women in Music Awards on Wednesday, March 6, at the YouTube Theater at Hollywood Park in Los Angeles, and streaming March 7.

Karol G will also grace the stage for a special performance.

Hosted by award-winning actor and producer Tracee Ellis Ross, the annual event will recognize music’s rising stars and A-List artists, creators and executives for their contributions to the industry and community.

“With her immense talent, Karol G has created a movement for women across the globe due to her empowering lyrics and inspiring confidence,” said Hannah Karp, Billboard’s editorial director. “The release of her groundbreaking album Mañana Será Bonito has proven her a force to be reckoned with in both the English and Spanish charts. We are so excited to honor her as Woman of the Year.”

Over the past few years, Karol G has become a leading force in Latin music. Two years after releasing her breakthrough album KG0516 in 2021, Karol G became the first female artist to top the Billboard 200 with a Spanish-language album thanks to Mañana Será Bonito.

The follow-up album, Mañana Será Bonito (Bichota Season), then debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200. On Sunday, she won her first Grammy, taking home best música urbana album for Mañana Será Bonito.

Last summer, Karol launched her own Bichota Records and inked a distribution deal with Interscope. Additionally, The Con Cora Foundation was established to continue the artist’s social work and mission to support women who lead households, at-risk youth, children facing chronic or disabling diseases, those dealing with teenage pregnancy, women deprived of liberty and post-penalty, as well as low-income women.

Past recipients of Woman of the Year include SZA, Olivia Rodrigo, Cardi B, Billie Eilish, Ariana Grande, Selena Gomez, Madonna, Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift.

Karol G joins the previously announced lineup of powerhouse women set for the 2024 Billboard Women in Music Awards: Kylie Minogue will receive the Icon AwardMaren Morris will receive the Visionary AwardIce Spice will receive the Hitmaker AwardCharli XCX will receive the Powerhouse AwardYoung Miko will receive the Impact AwardVictoria Monét will receive the Rising Star award; NewJeans will receive the Group of the Year AwardTEMS will receive the Breakthrough Award; and Luísa Sonza will receive one of Billboard’s new Global Force Awards.

Tickets to attend the Billboard Women in Music Awards are available to the public. Prices range from $89 – $279. Fans can watch the show on Thurs, March 7 at 5:00 pm PT/8:00 pm ET on billboardwomeninmusic.com; more details about the stream will be announced soon.

Peso Pluma Tops YouTube’s List of Top 5 Most-Viewed Artists in the U.S. in 2023

Peso Pluma is this year’s streaming sensation…

YouTube has unveiled its Top 5 Most-Viewed Artists in the United States in 2023, with the 24-year-old Mexican Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter leading the pack.

Peso PlumaThe música Mexicana (Regional Mexican) phenomenon comes in at No. 1 for the first time on the coveted list due to fans connecting through his live performance at Coachella, for example.

The artist born Hassan Emilio Kabande Laija had more than 8.5 billion views throughout the year, according to a press release from the platform.

The massive success that songs such as Yng Lvcas’ “La Bebe (Remix),” “Ella Baila Sola” with Eslabon Armado, the Karol G-assisted “QLONA,” “Lady Gaga” in collaboration with Gabito Ballesteros and Junior H, and “Rubicon” had in 2023 ultimately made La Doble P the No. 1 most played artist on YouTube in the U.S. this year.

He’s followed by YoungBoy Never Broke Again at No. 2, Drake at No. 3, Bad Bunny at No. 4, and Taylor Swift at No. 5.

Peso Puma, who hails from Zapopan, also scored two songs on YouTube’s Top 10 Songs of the Year list with “Ella Baila Sola” at No.3 and “La Bebe (Remix)” at No. 4.

The former also wrapped the year at No. 1 on the Billboard year-end Hot Latin Songs chart. Penned by Pedro Tovar about a man drawn by a woman’s beauty, “Ella Baila Sola” made history as the first regional Mexican song to dominate the Billboard Global 200 chart, where it led for six consecutive weeks.

Additionally, Pluma topped Billboard’s Top 5 New Latin Artists of 2023 list and was No. 2 on the Top Latin Artist of 2023 list, following Bad Bunny.

Jenna Ortega’s “Beetlejuice 2” Upcoming Performance Among Fandango’s Most Anticipated of 2024

It appears Americans can’t wait to see Jenna Ortega’s next performance…

Fandango has released its list of the most-anticipated wide-release movies in 2024, with the 21-year-old Mexican American actress and Wednesday star’s Beetlejuice 2 making the Top 5 on several lists.

Jenna OrtegaOrtega is starring in the sequel to the popular film Beetlejuice, which Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder.

She’ll portray the daughter of Ryder’s returning character, Lydia. It’s one of the most anticipated new performances on the big screen, coming in at No. 2 behind Lady Gaga’s performance as Harley Quinn in Joker: Folie à Deux.

Beetlejuice 2, meantime, ranks No. 1 on the most anticipated horror/suspense/thriller and comedy in 2024. In addition, it comes in at No. 2 on Fandango’s most anticipated wide-release of 2024.

But Ortega isn’t the only Latinx artist to make Fandango’s list…

Pedro Pascal comes in at No. 5 on the list of most anticipated new performances on the big screen for his role in Gladiator 2.

The 48-year-old Chilean actor’s role in the sequel to the epic historical drama Gladiator remains a mystery.

Fandango, the NBCUniversal-owned digital movie brand surveyed 8,000 ticket buyers about the titles they’re most looking forward to, and also gauged their mood heading into next year. About 81% of respondents say they are more excited about films in 2024 than they were heading into 2023, with 88% declaring their intention to go to multiple films.

Here are the full results from Fandango’s 2024 Most Anticipated Movies Survey:

2024’s Most Anticipated Wide-Release Films:
Deadpool 3
Beetlejuice 2
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire
Dune: Part Two
Venom 3
Despicable Me 4
Inside Out 2
Lord of the Rings: The War of Rohirrim
Gladiator 2
A Quiet Place: Day One

Most Anticipated New Performances on the Big Screen:
Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn in Joker: Folie à Deux
Jenna Ortega in Beetlejuice 2
Ariana Grande as Glinda in Wicked Part 1
Chris Pratt as Garfield’ in the new Garfield Movie
Pedro Pascal in Gladiator 2

Most Anticipated Heroes:
Hugh Jackman as Wolverine in Deadpool 3
Ryan Reynolds as Wade Wilson in Deadpool 3
Steve Carell as Gru in Despicable Me 4
Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock in Venom 3
Jack Black as Po in Kung Fu Panda 4

Most Anticipated Villains:
Michael Keaton as Beetlejuice in Beetlejuice 2
Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn in Joker: Folie à Deux
Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur Fleck in Joker: Folie à Deux
The Aliens from A Quiet Place: Day One
Austin Butler as Feyd-Rautha in Dune: Part Two

Most Anticipated Action/Adventure (Non-Superhero) Movies:
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire
Dune: Part Two
Lord of the Rings: The War of Rohirrim
Gladiator 2
A Quiet Place: Day One

Most Anticipated Family Movies:
Despicable Me 4
Inside Out 2
Kung Fu Panda 4
Mufasa: The Lion King
Garfield

Most Anticipated Comedies:
Beetlejuice 2
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire
Bad Boys 4
Mean Girls
Wicked Part 1

Most Anticipated Superhero Movies:
Deadpool 3
Venom 3
Joker: Folie à Deux
Transformers One
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire

Most Anticipated Horror/Suspense/Thrillers:
Beetlejuice 2
Alien: Romulus
Nosferatu
Twisters
The Watchers

Most Anticipated Theatrical Genres:
Action/Adventure
Comedy
Superhero/Comic Book
Drama
Animated/Family

Peso Pluma Earns Third No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs Chart with Gabito Ballesteros & Junior H Collab “Lady Gaga”

Peso Pluma has another chart-topper…

The 24-year-old Mexican singer-songwriter’s “Lady Gaga,” his collaboration with Gabito Ballesteros and Junior H, rises 3-1 on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart dated September 30.

Peso PlumaThe song, one of 17 tracks from Peso Pluma’s Top Latin Albums No. 1 Génesis, gives Ballesteros and Junior H their first champ on the chart.

“Lady Gaga” advances to No. 1 on the multi-metric tally fueled by a streaming surge during the September 15-21 tracking week. According to Luminate, the song registered 13 million U.S. official streams; a 23% gain from the week prior. The gain pushes the song from No. 36 to No. 25 on the overall Streaming Songs chart and No. 2-1 on Latin Streaming Songs.

Sales also helped push the song up Hot Latin Songs: “Lady Gaga” gained a 33% in digital sales, to a little over 500 downloads sold, jumping 7-6 on Latin Digital Songs. Hot Latin Songs blends streaming data, digital sales, and airplay.

Ballesteros and Junior H nab their first No. 1s on Hot Latin Songs. Ballesteros previously reached No. 6 through the three-way collab “AMG,” also with Peso Pluma and Natanael Cano, in February. Junior H’s highest peaking song arrived with the co-billed “Luna,” likewise with Peso Pluma (chart dated July 8).

Pluma, meanwhile, claims his third champ and replaces himself at No. 1 as “Qlona,” with Karol G, drops 1-2, while “Ella Baila Sola,” with Eslabon Armado, falls 2-3.

Beyond its coronation on Hot Latin Songs, “Lady Gaga” rebounds 53-37 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 after its debut and peak at No. 35 in July, while concurrently ascends to a new peak on Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart, from No. 24-16 on the current chart.

Peso Pluma Breaks Bad Bunny’s Record for Most Simultaneous Tracks on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs Chart

Peso Pluma is making history…

The 24-year-old Mexican singer/songwriter, whose third studio album Génesis recently earned him a first No. 1 on any Billboard album chart, has placed a total 25 titles on the Hot Latin Songs chart in the week ending June 29, according to Luminate.

Peso PlumaIn the process, Peso Pluma breaks the record for the most simultaneous tracks on the tally, surpassing Bad Bunny’s 24-title record, held since May 1, 2022, concurrent with the week his Un Verano Sin Ti album arrived on the album charts.

With 101.8 million streams, Peso Pluma’s 17-track set Genesis boasts the largest streaming week ever for a Regional Mexican album.

As a result of Génesis’ strong streaming performance, 10 of its cuts debut on the Hot Latin Songs chart, which blends streams, airplay and sales to rank the 50 most popular Latin songs in the U.S. “Luna,” with Junior H, leads the new arrivals at No. 5, with 13 million official on-demand streams earned in the U.S.

Since Peso Pluma’s maiden entry on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart in April 2022, the Regional Mexican juggernaut has placed 31 total entries on the list, including his collab with Eslabon Armado, “Ella Baila Sola,” which leads the survey in its 13th week, and counting. The song concurrently dominated Billboard Global 200 for six weeks — the most for a Spanish-language tune. Plus, the pair-up logged a historic top 10 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100, becoming the first regional Mexican top 10 in the chart’s 64-year history.

Back on Hot Latin Songs, two other songs from Génesis start in the upper region: “Lady Gaga,” with Gabito Ballesteros and Junior H, at No. 6, and “VVS,” with Edgardo Nuñez and Los Dareyes de La Sierra, which rounds out the top 10 crew at No. 10.

Here’s the complete list of songs by Peso Pluma on the current ranking:

Ranking, Title, Artist (if other than Peso Pluma)
No. 1, “Ella Baila Sola,” with Eslabon Armado (13 weeks at No. 1)
No. 2, “La Bebe,” with Yng Lvcas
No. 5, “Luna,” with Junior H (debut)
No. 6, “Lady Gaga,” with, Gabito Ballesteros & Junior H (debut)
No. 9, “Bye”
No. 10, “VVS,” with Edgardo Núñez & Los Dareyes de La Sierra (debut)
No. 11, “Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 55,” with Bizarrap
No. 12, “Rubicon” (debut)
No. 14, “PRC,” with Natanael Cano
No. 15, “Por Las Noches”
No. 16, “El Azul,” with Junior H
No. 17, “Nueva Vida” (debut)
No. 19, “Lagunas,” with Jasiel Nuñez (debut)
No. 20, “Rosa Pastel,” with Jasiel Nuñez
No. 21, “Carnal,” with Natanael Cano (debut)
No. 22, “Plebada,” with El Alfa
No. 24, “Gavilán II,” with Tito Double (debut)
No. 26, “Chanel,” with Becky G
No. 27, “77,” with Eladio Carrión
No. 28, “Zapata” (debut)
No. 29, “Su Casa,” with Luis R Conriquez (debut)
No. 33, “La People,” with Tito Double P (debut)
No. 38, “Las Morras,” with Blessd
No. 45, “El Tsurito,” with Junior H & Gabito Ballesteros
No. 50, “Ando Enfocado,” with codiciado & Jaziel Avilez

Further, “Rosa Pastel,” with Jasiel Nuñez, conquers Hot Latin Songs as the Greatest Gainer/Streaming song of the week with a robust 113% gain, to 6.4 million clicks in the U.S. during the June 23-29 tracking week.

In addition to his impressive achievements this week, Peso Pluma debuts seven songs on the Hot 100. With the newcomers, he has a total of 14 concurrent titles on the all-genre ranking, the most for a regional Mexican artist ever and the second-most among all Latin artists, behind Bad Bunny who placed 22, 20 and 17 simultaneous songs during the May 21-, May 28-, and June 4, 2022-dated charts, respectively.

Miguel’s “Sure Thing” Rises to No. 1 on Billboard’s Pop Airplay Chart 12+ Years After Initial Release

Miguel has a sure hit on his hands…

More than 12 years after its release and its original chart run, the 37-year-old half-Mexican American singer, songwriter and actor’s single “Sure Thing” has risen to No. 1 on Billboard’s Pop Airplay chart dated May 27.

MiguelThe song, on ByStorm/Black Ice/Jive/Legacy/RCA Records, completes the longest ascent to the Pop Airplay summit from a title’s release, having first hit Billboard’s charts in February 2011, following its November 2010 release on Miguel’s debut LP, All I Want Is You.

An R&B/hip-hop radio hit in its original run, “Sure Thing” crowned the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, as well as R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay, for a week in May 2011.

On the all-genre, multimetric Billboard Hot 100, “Sure Thing” reached No. 36 over a 23-week stay in March-August 2011.

In 2022, the song resurged thanks to newfound attention on TikTok, where a sped-up version has soundtracked more than 4 million clips. It debuted on Billboard’s Streaming Songs chart this January and ranked at No. 30 on the most recently published, May 20-dated chart with 10.6 million official streams in the United States May 5-11, according to Luminate.

On the May 20-dated all-format Radio Songs survey, “Sure Thing” rose 7-6, up 6% to 51.6 million in audience. On the Hot 100, it pushed 15-14, reaching a new best — as well as a new career high for Miguel, surpassing the No. 15 peak of Mariah Carey’s “#Beautiful,” on which he’s featured, in 2013.

Miguel previously tallied six Pop Airplay hits between 2012-22, rising as high as No. 12 as a featured artist on Kygo’s “Remind Me to Forget” in 2018, his best career rank prior to the revival of “Sure Thing.”

Meanwhile, the comeback to new heights for “Sure Thing” has been historic, as the single broke the record for the most weeks ever spent on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs: 78 (through the latest, May 20-dated survey, where it placed at No. 5, marking its first appearance in the chart’s top five since September 2011).

“We were keeping a close eye on the metrics,” says RCA head of promotion Keith Rothschild about the decision to promote the song to pop radio after TikTok sparked new interest in it. It debuted on the Pop Airplay chart dated Feb. 25, at No. 40, and hits No. 1 in its 14th week on the chart, up 7% in plays May 12-18.

While “Sure Thing” is far removed from its original release, “programmers were not hesitant at all,” Rothschild says, especially with other catalog songs recently finding new life on radio, whether from TikTok or synchs, including Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God),” Lady Gaga’s “Bloody Mary” and The Weeknd’s “Die for You.”

“We knew the song was a hit, as it was a No. 1 R&B/hip-hop record when it was originally out,” says Rothschild of “Sure Thing.” “It was never worked at pop, so we asked programmers to put it into callout. The numbers came back massive, and we knew it was game on.”

M. Angélica Garcia Named to President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities

M. Angélica Garcia has joined the committee

The Latina educational leader, who serves as president of Berkeley City College, has been named to the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities by President Joe Biden.

M. Angélica GarciaBruce Cohen and Lady Gaga will serve as the co-chairs of the revived committee.

In addition to Garcia, Cohen and Lady Gaga, other committee members include Latino educator and journalist Horacio Sierra; musician Jon Batiste; Constance M. Carroll, president of the California Community Colleges Baccalaureate Association; actor George Clooney; Harvard professor Philip J. Deloria; actress Jennifer Garner; art historian, museum director and curator Nora Halpern; bookstore owner and former congressman Steve Israel; producer-writer Marta Kauffman; producer Ricky Kirshner; actor Troy Kotsur; Bad Robot Prods. co-CEO Katie McGrath; Laura Penn, executive director of Stage Directors and Choreographers Society; artist and educator Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya; author and Stanford Professor Emeritus Arnold Rampersad; producer and author Shonda Rhimes; retired attorney and CPA Kimberly Richter Shirley; writer and actress Anna Deavere Smith; singer-songwriter Joe Walsh; actress, director and producer Kerry Washington; and Pauline Yu, president emerita of the American Council of Learned Sciences.

Biden announced last year that he was reviving the committee, which was disbanded during the presidency of Donald Trump.

The committee, set up in 1982 during Ronald Reagan’s administration, advises the president and heads of cultural agencies on ways to elevate the importance of the arts, including through federal support.

In 2017, remaining Obama-era members of the committee resigned in protest of Trump’s response to the Charlottesville riots. Trump did not renew the executive order for the committee.

Biden issued an executive order in September reviving the committee.

In the order, Biden pledged that his administration would “advance the cultural vitality of the United States by promoting the arts, the humanities, and museum and library services,” including when it comes to advancing equity, accessibility and opportunity. The order also pledges to “strengthen America’s creative and cultural economy, including by enhancing and expanding opportunities for artists, humanities scholars, students, educators, and cultural heritage practitioners, as well as the museums, libraries, archives, historic sites, colleges and universities, and other institutions that support their work.”

A number of the members of the committee have ties to Biden, including as campaign donors and supporters. Along with Stephanie Cutter, Kirschner served as executive producer of Biden’s inaugural. Kaufmann hosted First Lady Jill Biden at her home for a midterm fundraising event in September. Batiste performed at a White House state dinner in December.

During the Obama administration, Cohen also served as the entertainment industry liaison for Joining Forces, the initiative from First Lady Michelle Obama and Jill Biden to support military service members, veterans and their families. Lady Gaga performed at Biden’s inauguration, and traveled with him to support an initiative to address campus sexual assault.

Sofia Carson to Perform Oscar-Nominated Track “Applause” at This Year’s Academy Awards

Sofia Carson has a date with Oscar

The 29-year-old Colombian American actress/singer and Diane Warren will perform “Applause,” the Oscar-nominated Best Song track, at the 95th annual Academy Awards next month.

Sofia CarsonWarren wrote the music and lyrics for the track from the film Tell It Like a Womanearning her 14th Best Song Oscar nod since 1988 and sixth in as many years.

She has yet to claim the hardware but did receive a Governors Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in November and snagged an Emmy for The Hunting Ground song “Til It Happens to You,” sung by Lady Gaga.

Carson played the Evil Queen’s daughter Evie in Disney’s Descendants and its sequels, and the first film’s soundtrack topped the Billboard 200 chart in 2015.

She released her self-titled debut album in 2022.

She also starred in last year’s Netflix film Purple Hearts and next appears in Jaume Collet-Serra’s Carry On.

“Applause” is competing for the Best Song Oscar against “Hold My Hand” from Top Gun: MaverickLift Me Up” from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever — which Super Bowl halftime star Rihanna will perform at the ceremony — “Naatu Naatu” from RRR and “This Is A Life” from Everything Everywhere All at Once.

The 95th Academy Awards will be handed out on Sunday, March 12, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.

Will Sofia Carson Perform at This Year’s Academy Awards Show?

Sofia Carson could have a date with Oscar…

The 29-year-old Colombian American actress/singer may perform at this year’s Academy Awards ceremony.

Sofia CarsonCarson, whose parents hail from Barranquilla, is the voice of Diane Warren’s “Applause” from the film Tell It Like a Woman, which received an Oscar nomination for best original song.

“We’re going to the Oscars @dianewarren,” Carson wrote in an Instagram post, sharing a sweet video of their reaction to the news.

Beautifully performed by the “Night Falls” singer, “Applause” is a ballad of empowerment and self-love that invites women to pause for a moment and celebrate their achievements.

“Recognize who you are/ Sometimes, I know it’s so hard/ But you shine/ You’re a supernova superstar,” the song says. “Give yourself some applause, you deserve it/ Give yourself some respect ’cause you’ve earned it/ Give yourself some love ’cause you’re worth it, you’re worth it.”

Warren, who now collects her 14th nomination in the category, also competed last year with “Somehow You Do,” from the movie Four Good Days. But the Academy Award went to Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell for “No Time to Die,” from the James Bond film of the same name.

This time around, the veteran songwriter — who has yet to win the prize — competes again with some music superstars. The contenders are: “Hold My Hand” from Top Gun: Maverickco-written by Lady Gaga; “Lift Me Up” from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” with Rihanna among its composers; “Naatu Naatu” from RRR; and “This Is A Life” from Everything Everywhere All at Once.

The Oscar for best original song goes to the songwriters, not to the performers.

However, it is likely that Carson will take the stage of Hollywood’s Dolby Theater to sing “Applause” live, since it has become tradition that the nominated songs be presented at the ceremony — although the official program has not been announced yet and plans have changed from time to time.

The 95th annual Academy Awards will air live on ABC on March 12 at 8:00 pm ET.