Rodriguez Makes Debut as a Lead Act on Billboard Charts with Spanglish Cover of Adele’s “Hello”

Karen Rodriguez is saying “Hello” to the Billboard charts for the first time…

The Peruvian and Dominican American singer and former American Idol contestant (Season 10) has made her Billboard chart debut as a lead act with her viral Spanish-language rendition of Adele’s hit single “Hello.”

Karen Rodriguez

Rodriguez enters the Latin Pop Digital Songs chart at No. 4 (2,000 downloads). A video posted on Rodriquez’s YouTube channel has garnered more than 3.6 million views since being uploaded on December 1, also supporting a No. 3 debut on the Billboard + Twitter Emerging Artists chart.

“I just connected with the song and really had the urge of writing and singing it in Spanish,” Rodriguez told Billboard. “I never expected my Spanglish version to go viral!”

When asked about how she adapted the English song to Spanish she reveals, “It was my own interpretation and I chose to write it in a way that made sense to me but still kept the essence of the original.”

While Rodriguez enjoys her first solo chart arrival, she is no stranger to the Latin charts — as a songwriter. She was a co-writer on Romeo Santos’ 2014 smash hit “Odio,” featuring Drake — a 13-week chart leader on the Hot Latin Songs chart.

Martin’s “Disparo Al Corazon” Makes Impressive Debut on Billboard’s Latin Charts

It’s a shot to the charts for Ricky Martin

The 43-year-old Puerto Rican singer has landed his way onto Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart with “Disparo Al Corazon,” the second single from his upcoming tenth studio album A Quien Quiera Escuchar.

Ricky Martin

Martin’s ballad enters the chart at No. 35, aided by 3.2 million audience impressions gained during its first week at radio, according to Nielsen Music (week ending Jan. 18).

WKAQ, San Juan, in the singer’s native Puerto Rico, championed the song with 58 spins during the tracking week.

Entering at No. 19 on Billboard’s Latin Pop Airplay chart, Martin extends his lead for most top 20s on the chart to 40 (followed by Enrique Iglesias with 36).

It’s the 42nd hit to earn its notch on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart for Martin, and follows the set’s lead single, “Adios,” which dips 38-37 in its 17th week. Furthermore, “Disparo Al Corazon” opens at No. 7 on Billboard’s Latin Pop Digital Songs chart (1,000 downloads), trailing “Adios” at No. 4 (2,000).

The entrance marks the first ballad on the chart for Martin since 2013 when he joined former Menudo bandmate and longtime collaborator Draco Rosa as a featured act on “Mas y Mas.” The single, from Rosa’s Vida set, reached No. 27 on Hot Latin Songs.

“Disparo” was produced by Julio Reyes (Jennifer Lopez, Alejandro Sanz) and written by Martin along with Pedro Capo and Yoel Henriquez.

A video clip for the song is expected to premiere in the following weeks.