Stephen Sanchez Named to Billboard’s 21 Under 21 List

Stephen Sanchez is officially making his mark in the music world…

The 20-year-old Latino American singer has been named to Billboard’s 21 Under 21 list for 2023. The annual list features the next generation of superstars.

Stephen SanchezSanchez, who has logged 460.2 million streams, evoked classic romance with his waltzing, 1950s-indebted hit, “Until I Found You,” which soundtracked hundreds of thousands of TikToks featuring wedding and couple celebrations.

The 2021 single crossed over from viral success to radio hit last year, reaching No. 23 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topping the Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart.

And while the Mercury/Republic Records crooner has released several versions of “Until I Found You,” he has also shared some new, retro-leaning tunes ahead of his fall tour.

“There has been a really healthy growth and certainly lots of adjustment,” says Sanchez, “but I’ve been having a hell of a good time along the way.”

But Sanchez isn’t the only Latino artist to make the list.

Angela Aguilar, born to Regional Mexican music royalty, has become a star in her own right.

The 19-year-old Mexican American singer, who has logged 322.8 million streams, scored her third top 10 entry on Billboard’s Latin Airplay chart in March with her collaboration with Yuridia, “Qué Agonía.

After spending the past few years on the road with her family for their top-grossing Jaripeo Sin Fronteras show, Aguilar will embark on a solo tour titled Piensa En Mí this summer.

DannyLux has also made the cut…

In April, the 19-year-old Latino American artist made his Coachella debut, performing his signature sad sierreño anthems in front of a significant crowd. It was a full-circle moment for the singer-songwriter, who grew up in the Coachella Valley area. He says he’s most proud of bringing his family along with him, “and for them to experience all of this as well,” but his impact extends well beyond his circle: DannyLux is helping usher in a new global era for Mexican music, which led to a record deal last year with Warner Music Latina in partnership with his independent label, VPS Music.

Ivan Cornejo secured his first Billboard chart entry with his 2021 debut album, Alma Vacía, at the age of 17, landing at No. 2 on Regional Mexican Albums. That same year, the project’s “Está Dañada” became the second regional Mexican song to ever enter the Billboard Hot 100. The singer-songwriter has since maintained momentum, with his sierreño tunes — mostly backed by melancholic requintos and emotional vocals — helping Cornejo score his first No. 1 on Regional Mexican Albums with his second set, Dañado.

The Linda Lindas, featuring the half-Latina sisters Lucia de la Garza and Mila de la Garza and Latina guitarist/singer Bela Salazar, rose to acclaim in 2021 with a live performance of the band’s song “Racist, Sexist Boy,” performed live at the Los Angeles Public Library. The four-piece punk group settled in last year with its debut album, Growing Up, released on Epitaph. The act subsequently toured the project at festivals, as well as on North American and international treks, during which Lucia de la Garza says she “really got the idea of how widespread the reach of the internet and streaming platforms are.”

Since debuting with his Into the Unknown EP in 2020, Riovaz has released music at a steady pace, with uptempo dance hits like “Prom Night” and “I Feel Fantastic” being among fan favorites. Most recently, the New Jersey native boosted his catalog with his February EP, Disturb the Norm — his first project to arrive since signing to Darkroom Records, in partnership with Geffen, last summer.

To come up with the list, Billboard editors and reporters weighed a variety of factors in determining the 2023 21 Under 21 list, including, but not limited to, impact on consumer behavior, measured by metrics such as album and track sales, streaming volume (listed here as each artist’s on-demand official U.S. career streams, according to Luminate), social media impressions and radio/TV audiences reached; career trajectory; and overall impact in the industry, specifically during the past 12 months. Unless otherwise noted, Luminate is the source for sales/streaming data.

Here’s the complete look at the Latino/a artists named to this year’s 21 Under 21 list:

Ángela Aguilar
Age:
 19
Label: Machín Récords
Publisher: SESAC
Management: Pepe Aguilar
Total Streams: 322.8 million
Born to regional Mexican music royalty — her father is Pepe Aguilar and her grandfather is Antonio Aguilar — the artist has become a star in her own right. In March, her collaboration with Yuridia, “Qué Agonía,” scored the ranchera singer-songwriter her third top 10 entry on Billboard’s Latin Airplay chart. After spending the past few years on the road with her family for their top-grossing Jaripeo Sin Fronteras show, the 19-year-old will embark on a solo tour titled Piensa En Mí this summer. Inspired by Pepe’s career, she says, “It’s nice to have someone that you admire at home, someone who can direct me in the right direction because everything that I’m going through, he has already gone through.” 

DannyLux
Age: 19
Label: VPS Music via Warner Latina
Publisher: Warner Chappell Music
Management: Jose Luis Aguilar
Total Streams: 217 million
In April, DannyLux made his Coachella debut, performing his signature sad sierreño anthems in front of a significant crowd. It was a full-circle moment for the singer-songwriter, who grew up in the Coachella Valley area. He says he’s most proud of bringing his family along with him, “and for them to experience all of this as well,” but his impact extends well beyond his circle: DannyLux is helping usher in a new global era for Mexican music, which led to a record deal last year with Warner Music Latina in partnership with his independent label, VPS Music. “I feel like there is a lot of pressure,” he says. “You have to stay consistent because it’s so easy to just fall off.” 

Ivan Cornejo
Age: 18
Label: n/a
Publisher: n/a
Management: Pamela Cornejo
Total Streams: 1.1 billion
Ivan Cornejo was 17 years old when he secured his first Billboard chart entry with his 2021 debut album, Alma Vacía, landing at No. 2 on Regional Mexican Albums. That same year, the project’s “Está Dañada” became the second regional Mexican song to ever enter the Billboard Hot 100. The singer-songwriter has since maintained momentum, with his sierreño tunes — mostly backed by melancholic requintos and emotional vocals — helping Cornejo score his first No. 1 on Regional Mexican Albums with his second set, Dañado. (A deluxe edition arrived last December.) “The most exciting part about being a young artist is the influence my music can have on other upcoming artists,” he says, which can best be reflected in his feature on the Yahritza Y Su Esencia “Inseparables” that dropped last fall. 

The Linda Lindas
Age Bela Salazar, 18; Lucia de la Garza, 16; Eloise Wong, 15; Mila de la Garza, 12
Label Epitaph Records
Publisher Warner Chappell Music
Management Fly South Music Group
Total Streams 12.8 million
Riding an initial viral wave in 2021 spurred by a live performance of its song “Racist, Sexist Boy” at the Los Angeles Public Library, the four-piece punk group settled in last year with its debut album, Growing Up, released on Epitaph. The act subsequently toured the project at festivals, as well as on North American and international treks, during which Lucia de la Garza says she “really got the idea of how widespread the reach of the internet and streaming platforms are.” In April, the band returned with single “Too Many Things” and a Coachella performance, which it will follow by opening for Paramore and playing at Lollapalooza Chicago in August. 

Riovaz
Age 19
Label Darkroom Records/Geffen
Publisher n/a
Management Jacob Byrnes, Argenis Hernandez
Total Streams 215.6 million
Since debuting with his Into the Unknown EP in 2020, Riovaz has released music at a steady pace, with uptempo dance hits like “Prom Night” and “I Feel Fantastic” being among fan favorites. Most recently, the New Jersey native boosted his catalog with his February EP, Disturb the Norm — his first project to arrive since signing to Darkroom Records, in partnership with Geffen, last summer. “A lot of people are focusing only on streams and followers, which to me doesn’t make me fall in love and remember an artist,” says Riovaz. “Success, to me, is to be remembered for your contributions to the music industry and the scene you’ve built around yourself as an artist … Community has always been a big part of my career in the early days, so taking that from the internet into real life is still such a crazy thing to me.”

Stephen Sanchez
Age: 20
Label: Mercury Records/Republic Records
Publisher: Universal Music Publishing Group
Management: LoyalT Management
Total Streams: 460.2 million
Plenty of aspiring artists write love songs in their bedrooms intended for their crushes. But few have evoked classic romance quite like Sanchez did with his waltzing, 1950s-indebted hit, “Until I Found You,” which soundtracked hundreds of thousands of TikToks featuring wedding and couple celebrations. The 2021 single crossed over from viral success to radio hit last year, reaching No. 23 on the Hot 100 and topping the Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart. And while the Mercury/Republic Records crooner has released several versions of “Until I Found You,” he has also shared some new, retro-leaning tunes ahead of his fall tour. “There has been a really healthy growth and certainly lots of adjustment,” says Sanchez, “but I’ve been having a hell of a good time along the way.”

Anitta Signs with Republic Records

Anitta is joining the republic…

The 30-year-old Brazilian superstar has signed with Republic Records, according to Billboard.

AnittaThe news comes just weeks after Anitta and Warner Music Group agreed to part ways. The two parties released a joint statement to social media on April 4 announcing the news.

“After eleven years of successful partnership, we’ve agreed to go our separate ways,” the post read. “Anitta would like to thank the Warner Music team for all their support. And the Warner team wishes Anitta all the best in the future.”

Anitta signed with Warner Records in the United States in 2020 after previously linking with Warner Music Brazil in 2013. She had long voiced concerns about her relationship with WMG, from the label refusing to produce a video for an underperforming song to advising young artists to pay closer attention to what they sign.

During an Instagram livestream last May, Anitta said Warner only invested in her work “after it pays off on the internet. Unfortunately, there are things I can’t get, that’s why I don’t buy millionaire cars, because when I want to do something, I pay for it.” She added that Warner “is very tied to TikTok, to what goes viral, and if they don’t get a hit right away, they say ‘later.’”

The singer followed that with a tweet thread last month in which she blasted Warner, saying she regretted signing with the label and would have “auctioned off her organs” in order to be released from her contract.

During her run at Warner, Anitta scored a global breakthrough with her trilingual album, Versions of Me, which last year hit No. 1 on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart with its TikTok-driven single, “Envolver.” The song’s music video won in the category of Best Latin at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards. That same year, she also performed at Coachella and the Latin Grammy Awards.

Anitta will now join a superstar roster at Republic that includes Taylor SwiftAriana GrandeThe WeekndNicki Minaj and more. Sources say Jesús López, chairman/CEO of Universal Music Latin America and Iberian Peninsula, and Paulo Lima, president of Universal Music Group Brazil, will work closely with the artist.

Anitta is managed by S10’s Brandon Silverstein globally.

Maluma Teaming Up with Nicki Minaj & Myriam Fares to Release New World Cup Anthem “Tukoh Taka”

Maluma is getting into the World Cup spirit…

The 28-year-old Colombian singer, songwriter and actor is joining voices with Nicki Minaj and Lebanese artist Myriam Fares to release a new official World Cup anthem this Friday, November 18, according to FIFA.

MalumaThe single will be released via Universal Arabic Music/Universal Music Group/ Republic Records.

Titled “Tukoh Taka,” the track will make history as the first FIFA World Cup song featuring English, Spanish and Arabic lyrics.

The cross-continental collaboration features a high-energy synergy between Minaj, Maluma and Fares as they rap and sing about uniting fans worldwide and celebrating together.

Fans can also expect a “cinematic” music video premiere to accompany the track that same day.

This year, FIFA has released a handful of official songs for the 2022 World Cup. The first song released was the uplifting track “Hayya Hayya (Better Together),” featuring Trinidad Cardona, Davido and Aisha, which fuses R&B and reggae influences. For the first time ever, the tournament’s soundtrack will feature a multi-song collection, with international artists “showcasing diverse musical genres that span the world, setting the tone for a truly global celebration,” according to FIFA.

In 1990, almost sixty years after the first-ever edition of the World Cup, the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) began to adopt songs that would become the official soundtrack of the global soccer event, which happens every four years.

The 2022 FIFA World Cup kicks off on November 20 with host nation Qatar’s tournament opener against Ecuador. A total of 32 teams representing different countries will participate. In the end, one is crowned the World Cup champion on December 18.

Kid Cudi Backpedals on Retirement Talk, Says He’s Preparing One More Album

Kid Cudi isn’t calling it quits just yet…

The 38-year-old half-Mexican American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer and actor is putting his potential retirement on hold — at least for now.

Kid CudiOn Sunday (Nov. 6), Kid Cudi explained on Twitter that he’ll prepare one more album before his record deal with Republic Records is up, and that he’ll potentially be releasing songs he’s previously teased.

“Im doin 1 more album and then im done w my deal and not sure what ima do after that but yea, 1 more,” he wrote. “Wont be next year. Keep u posted.” In a follow up tweet, Cudi added, “This is for all my fans that have been ridin w me for so long. This will be all new music. The songs ive teased ill prolly put out as singles here and there to hold u over.”

During the rapper’s appearance on Hot Ones in early October, he shared that he feels like his career as a rap artist is “nearing the end.”

Host Sean Evans had asked the rapper who he looked to as the blueprint for aging gracefully as an artist. “

Yeah, like Jay-Z for sure,” Cudi said. “But I don’t feel like I have what they have. I just don’t know if I wanna do music, drop albums for too much longer, you know? I’m kind of nearing the end on all things Kid Cudi, I think.”

As for what the artist sees himself doing in the future? “This is like a wacky idea I had years ago. But it would be cool to, like, one day be a kindergarten teacher, and just do that for a couple years,” he shared. “Like, when I’m, like, 50 … And I just, like, infect the youth with that freshness. Get ’em young, and then those kids will just sprinkle the freshness to the world, and I’ll just be like, ‘Yes! Yes!’”

Cudi’s most recent album Entergalactic — the corresponding set for animated Netflix special of the same name — peaked at No. 13 on the Billboard 200.

Kid Cudi Reveals Track List for Upcoming Album “Entergalactic”

Kid Cudi is teasing his entergalactic work…

The 38-year-old hal;f-Mexican American rapper, singer and songwriter has revealed the full track list for his upcoming album Entergalactic.

Kid Cudi “#Entergalactic SEPT 30TH HERE WE GO B–!!” Kid Cudi captioned the post, signaling the LP’s release date set for this Friday via Republic Records.

The 14-track project will serve as a follow-up to Kid Cudi’s 2020 studio set Man on the Moon III: The Chosen and contains the singles “Do What I Want” and “Willing to Trust” featuring Ty Dolla $ign.

According to the track list, Entergalatic will also feature another Ty Dolla $ign collab (“Can’t Shake Her”) as well as the 2 Chainz-assisted “Can’t Believe It” and “Somewhere to Fly” featuring Don Toliver.

Bonus track “Burrow,” meanwhile, will feature Toliver, Steve Aoki and Dot Da Genius.

The album has been a long time coming, with Kid Cudi teasing its concept as far back as 2019, when he told Complex, “Entergalactic is a fantasy. It’s what I wish I had. I live a very lonely life, but I have hope I’ll find someone someday.”

Over the past couple of months, Cudi has opened up about his falling-out with onetime friend and mentor Kanye West, who blasted him (along with outgoing Adidas CEO Kasper Rørsted) in a fake New York Times headline posted to Instagram in early September.

And just last week, the rapper was blown away when Martin Scorsese heaped praise on Pearl, the blood-soaked horror flick starring Mia Goth that he co-produced through his Mad Solar production company.

Anthony Ramos Releases Sophomore Album “Love and Lies”

Anthony Ramos is spreading love and lies

The 29-year-old Puerto Rican actor/singer, currently starring in the film adaptation of Tony Award-winning musical In The Heights, has released his sophomore album Love and Lies via Republic Records.

Anthony Ramos

Home to 12 tracks, including his previously released “Blessings,” “Say Less” and “Échale,” the set spotlights Ramos’ ability to fuse genres from retro electro-pop and soulful R&B to Latin urban.

“I want to listen to music that makes you want to stay up late, music that makes you want to love, and music that ultimately makes you feel connected,” he expresses.

Love and Lies was helmed by Ramos’ longtime friend and executive producer Will Wells and co-writer Castle, who’s also his childhood friend.

On this set, Ramos also joined forces with select new producers, including Latin hitmakers Andres Torres and Mauricio Rengifo, who brought to life his single “Right Now.”

Isabela Merced to Star in Warner Bros.’ Remake of “Father of the Bride”

Isabela Merced is joining the wedding party…

The 19-year-old Peruvian American actress/singer, who starred in Dora and the Lost City of Gold, will star opposite Andy Garcia and Gloria Estefan in Warner Bros.‘ remake of Father of the Bride.

Isabela Merced

Gaz Alazraki, who helmed Club de Cuervos, is directing the feature, which goes before cameras in May.

Like previous iterations of Bride, which includes a Spencer Tracy-fronted 1950 movie and the Steve Martin-starring 1991 feature, the latest remake will center on the father of a soon-to-be bride coming to terms with his daughter’s nuptials.

The latest take, however, will be told through the relationships in a big, sprawling Cuban American family.

Merced will play the sister of the bride, who is being played by Adria Arjona. Garcia is the father.

Matt Lopez wrote the script for the update.

In addition to starring in Dora, in which she toplined as the globe-trotting adventuress, Merced co-starred with Mark Wahlberg in Instant Family, was part of the ensemble for Netflix’s Let It Snow, and appeared with Benicio Del Toro in Sicario: Day of the Soldado.

She next voice-stars in DreamWorks Animation’s Spirit Untamed and will be protected by Jason Momoa in action-thriller Sweet Girl. Both are due to be released this summer.

Merced is signed to Republic Records.

Kid Cudi Earns Third No. 1 on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Chart with “Man on the Moon III: The Chosen” 

Kid Cudi has another smash on his hands…

The 36-year-old part-Mexican American rapper/singer has earned his third No. 1 on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart as Man on the Moon III: The Chosen debuts at the top of the chart dated December 26.

Kid Cudi

The set, released through Republic Records on December 11, earned 144,000 equivalent album units in the week ending December 17, according to Nielsen Music/MRC Data.

Prior to the Man on the Moon III landing, Kid Cudi previously reigned with the set’s previous installment, 2010’s Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager and 2013’s Indicud, both of which debuted in the top slot and reigned for one week.

Beyond the two leaders, Kid Cudi’s three other projects all reached the top five: 2009’s Man on the Moon: The End of Day (No. 5), 2014’s Satellite Flight: The Journey to Mother Moon (No. 2) and Passion, Pain & Demon Slayin’ (No. 5, 2017).

In addition, the act Kids See Ghosts, a duo comprising Kid Cudi and Kanye West, also claimed a No. 1 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums with their eponymous LP in 2018.

Man on the Moon III: The Chosen likewise debuts at No. 1 on the Top Rap Albums chart and at No. 2 on the all-genre Billboard 200, behind Taylor Swift’s Evermore.

As Man on the Moon III arrives, 18 of its tracks dot the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, led by the top 10 arrivals “Tequila Shots” (No. 7) and “She Knows This” (No. 9). The pair produce Kid Cudi’s third and fourth top 10s, following his 2009 breakthrough “Day and Night” (No. 5) and this year’s “The Scotts,” billed to The Scotts, Travis Scott, and Kid Cudi, which debuted at No. 1 in May and held for one week.

Here’s a full rundown of where all 18 Man on the Moon III cuts show on the ranking:

No. 7, “Tequila Shots”
No. 9, “She Knows This”
No. 12, “Show Out,” with Skepta and Pop Smoke
No. 16, “Another Day”
No. 21, “Mr. Solo Dolo III”
No. 22, “Dive”
No. 24, “Heaven on Earth”
No. 27, “Sad People”
No. 28, “Damaged”
No. 32, “Beautiful Trip”
No. 33, “The Void”
No. 35, “Rockstar Knights,” with Trippie Redd
No. 37, “Sept. 16”
No. 39, “Elsie’s Baby Boy (Flashback)”
No. 40, “Lovin’ Me,” featuring Phoebe Bridgers
No. 44, “The Pale Moonlight”
No. 47, “4 Da Kidz”
No. 50, “Lord I Know”

With 18 simultaneous placements, Kid Cudi becomes the fifth artist to post at least that many entries on the chart in a single week. His company includes Drake, who has claimed 10 separate weeks with 18-plus entries, Lil Uzi Vert and The Weeknd, each with two such weeks, and Lil Wayne and Pop Smoke, who have managed the feat once apiece.

Cash Money Records Signs Luis Armando as First Artist in New Latin Division

Luis Armando is makin’ (cash) money moves…

Cash Money Records has officially announced the creation of a Latin music division with the launch of the Puerto Rican emerging artist.

Luis Armando

Cash Money was founded by brothers Bryan “Birdman” Williams and Ronald “Slim” Williams in 1992. The new Latin division is a joint venture with Taste Music Group and major label support from Republic Records and Universal Music Latin.

“Urban Latin music is taking a similar course as we saw with Hip Hop during the 80s and 90s as it grew, evolved and fought to be accepted in the mainstream,” says Slim.

“It’s not just reggaeton anymore, it’s now evolving its subgenres (such as Latin Trap) and making them popular culture. At Cash Money we saw all that from the start in Hip Hop and we’re excited to adapt our lessons in helping develop Latin talent that also stands grounded in the Hip Hop world from day 1. With the guidance of various long-time Latin music experts such as Carlos Rivas, who is Cash Money’s Latin A&R, as well as our counterparts at Republic and Universal Latin we’re excited to venture into this new space as a label.”

As one of Hip-Hop’s reputable record labels, Cash Money has been home to some of the industry’s biggest names including DrakeLil’ Wayne, and Nicki Minaj. Now, the label believes it can transfer its know-how to the Latin market.

“Slim and Baby have the ability to spot talent like no other, they’ve proven that for many years,” Vernon Brown, Cash Money’s long-time attorney, and business manager, tells Billboard. “There’s a big confidence and commitment behind anything they touch. I think the ability to now bring Latin artists and see the merge is only going to be a positive result for any artist.”

Luis Armando, who was raised in Ohio, is the label’s first-ever recording Latin artist, making his debut with “Chica Mala” in collaboration with reggaeton veteran Ñengo Flow.

“We want our artists to be consistent, talented, and ready to work,” Slim says. “Someone who has that passion and drive and a vision of how great they want to be. If they’ve got that attitude, we’ll give it a shot. We believe in the new talents. Luis Armando is our first, but we’re excited to discover and help develop more talent as we move forward.”

The melodic urban fusions with tropical rhythms heard in “Chica Mala” puts Armando’s fresh musical proposal in the forefront.

Sofia Carson to Star Opposite KJ Apa in the Pandemic Thriller “Songbird”

Sofia Carson is flying high…

The 27-year-old Colombian American actress/singer will star opposite KJ Apa as star-crossed lovers in the pandemic thriller Songbird, which began filming last week in Los Angeles.

Sofia Carson

Told from street level through the eyes of the characters, Songbirdtakes place two years into the future, as a lockdown has been re-implemented after a more serious virus continues to mutate. In a feeble attempt to keep the sickness contained, the city has been split into haves and have nots. 

Songbird follows an essential worker (Apa) who has a rare immunity, a delivery man who delivers goods and hope throughout the city. Like the vast majority of the population, his girlfriend (Carson) is locked within her home, and the couple have no ability to physically be together. 

To be with the one he loves, he must overcome martial law, murderous vigilantes and a powerful, well connected family, helmed by a matriarch (Demi Moore) who will stop at nothing to protect her family and maintain her way of life.

Carson and Apa join the previously announced cast of Moore, Bradley WhitfordCraig RobinsonJenna OrtegaPaul Walter Hauser, and Peter Stormare

Adam Mason is directing off a screenplay he co-wrote with Simon Boyes. The film hails from Adam Goodman and Michael Bay.

Carson has more than 18 million followers on social media, over 1.5 billion streams of her music and over 2M subscribers to her YouTube channel. 

She currently stars in the Netflix feature film Feel the Beat. She previously starred as “Evie” in Disney’s Descendantsfranchjse and appeared on the Freeform series Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists

Carson is signed to Hollywood Records/Republic Records and recently released her latest single “Miss U More Than U Know”, which has clocked more than 4.5 million streams to date. Carson is a Global Ambassador for Revlon, and recently unveiled the Revlon x Sofia Carson Collection, an exclusive collection of her favorite Revlon lip products and nail polish.