Mariah Carey will be celebrating with lovers and friends…
The 52-year-old half-Venezuelan American Grammy-winning singer will perform at this year’s Lovers & Friends Fest, presented by Usher.
The one-day only festival will take place on May 6 at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds; and it’s proving to be a star-studded smörgåsbord of nostalgia for Y2K natives and newcomers alike. The festival also recruited some 2010s and 2020s favorites for their 45-act festival.
In addition to Carey and Usher, featured artists and groups will include Christina Aguilera, Frankie J, Missy Elliott, Chris Brown, Nelly, Busta Rhymes, Flo Rida, Master P and No Limit Soldiers, Sean Paul, Shaggy, Beenie Man, Chris Brown, Ginuwine, Remy Ma, JoJo, En Vogue, Blackstreet, Jagged Edge, Next, Wayne Wonder, Kevin Lyttle, 702, Lumidee and many, many more.
The festival is perfectly positioned amidst the ongoing early 2000s obsession in popular culture, with TikTokers promoting over-the-ear headphones, low rise jeans, rhinestones and paper-thin brows–in other words, the Y2K starter pack.
This year’s Lovers & Friends will be promoted by C3 (Austin City Limits Music Festival and Lollapalooza), with general ticket sales available on loversandfriendsfest.com. Individual ticket prices range from $250 to $585.
Farruko will be helping millions ring in the New Year…
Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2023 will return to Puerto Rico for its second annual Spanish-language countdown, with the 31-year-old Puerto Rican singer and rapper set to perform.
Presented by ABC and dick clark productions, the program will be broadcasting live La Isla del Encanto for the coveted New Year’s celebration at the DISTRITO T-Mobile in the Puerto Rico Convention Center, with the night’s first countdown kicking off at 11:00 pm ET on December 31st.
Roselyn Sanchez will return as co-host and Farruko has been confirmed to perform a medley of hits.
“We will have an enchanting night and are so very pleased to share our beautiful Island and welcome 2023 with a bang!” Sanchez said in a press statement. “What a blessing to be a part of the New Year’s Rockin’ Eve tradition from my home island of Puerto Rico that represents and means so much!” Farruko added.
Last year’s inaugural Spanish-language countdown from Puerto Rico coincided with the celebration of the 500th anniversary of San Juan’s founding and featured global reggaeton star Daddy Yankee with a hometown performance in his native San Juan.
“We are very excited to again host Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve on our Island to lead the countdown in welcoming 2023. Puerto Rico’s participation in this high-caliber event celebration will allow us to continue projecting to the world everything we have to offer as we head into our peak tourism season,” said Pedro Pierluisi, Governor of Puerto Rico. “We will again be front and center on national television to promote Puerto Rico’s beauty, culture and attractions and continue driving our booming tourism industry and economic development”
Sanchez and Farruko join the previously-announced lineup, which includes 18-time host Ryan Seacrest and co-hosts Liza Koshy, Jessie James Decker, Ciara, Billy Porter, and D-Nice, as well as artists Aly & AJ,Armani White, Bailey Zimmerman, Ben Platt, Betty Who, Ciara, Dove Cameron, Finneas, Fitz & The Tantrums, Halle Bailey, Lauren Spencer Smith, Maddie & Tae, Nicky Youre, Shaggy, TXT, and Wiz Khalifa.
Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2023 airs live on Saturday, December 31 starting at 8:00 pm ET on ABC.
Edward James Olmos is preparing to celebrate the resilience and promise of the Latino community in the United States…
President-elect Joe Biden’s inaugural committee has announced a Tuesday night event, featuring the 73-year-old Mexican American actor, director, producer, and activist, that shines a spotlight on the Latino community.
Entitled Latino Inaugural 2021: Inheritance, Resilience, and Promise, the event will be hosted by Eva Longoria.
It will feature appearances by Olmos, Lin-Manuel Miranda, John Leguizamo, Rita Moreno, Ivy Queen and Becky G.
There also will be performances from Gilberto Santa Rosa and Gaby Moreno, featuring David Garza, Emilio Estefan and All-Star TejanosUnited – Stefani Montiel, Jose Posada, Shelly Lares, DJ Kane and Mariachi Nuevo Santander from Roma High School.
Emilio Estefan produced a performance of One World, One Prayerby the Wailers, featuring Skip Marley, Farruko, Shaggy and Cedella Marley.
The event will take palace on Tuesday, January 19 at 9:30 pm ET
It’s part of a series of events that will highlight the nation’s diversity, including the AAPI Inaugural Ball: Breaking Barriers, celebrating the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities; and We Are One, celebrating Black Americans.
Auli’i Cravalho has delivered a memorable under the sea adventures
ABC’s The Little Mermaid Live!premiered on Wednesday with the 18-year-old part-Puerto Rican actress/singer in the title role as Ariel.
During the broadcast, the Moanastar donned the Disney princess’s famous purple seashells and mermaid tail to deliver a technologically wonderous performance of “Part of Your World.”
“What would I give if I could live out of these waters?/ What would I pay to spend a day warm on the sand?/ Betcha on land, they understand/ Bet they don’t reprimand their daughters/ Bright young women/ Sick of swimmin’/ Ready to stand,” Cravalho sang as she soared across the sea — with the help of an intricate, on-stage fly system.
For the rest of the number, she swam around the stage to audience cheers below before settling back onto the rock for the song’s hopeful closing moments.
The Little Mermaid Live! also starred Queen Latifah as Ursula, Graham Phillips as Prince Eric, Shaggy as Sebastian and John Stamos as Chef Louis.
The 26-year-old Puerto Rican rapper and singer’s latest single “China,” featuring Daddy Yankee, Karol G, Ozuna and J Balvin, rises 2-1 in just its third week on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart dated August 17.
It’s the fastest climb to the top in 2019 and the quickest ascent since Bad Bunny’s “MIA,” featuring Drake, jumped 9-1 in its second week (October 27, 2018).
“I’m extremely happy, blessed and grateful to God and my fans,” Anuel AA tells Billboard. “I thank my colleagues for trusting me, my team for their great work and giving their 200% to make this dream come true.”
“China” is a reimagination of Shaggy’s 2000 hit “It Wasn’t Me.” It was produced by Tainy and co-written by the five artists on the track.
It opened at No. 2 just three weeks ago, on the August 3-dated list.
“The artists on this track give it an elevated presence right out of the gate given the caliber of each individually and the power they present here collectively,” Ismael Santa Cruz, Vice President, Managing Director Radio Strategy at Univision Communications, tells Billboard. “The fact that the track samples a hit from 19 years ago also helps it build a foundation from which to grow on.”
Despite the song’s decline in streaming activity and digital sales (in the week ending August 8, according to Nielsen Music), “China” moves thanks to 6% boost in audience impressions (to 8 million) earned in the week ending August 11.
The Hot Latin Songs chart ranks the most popular Latin songs of the week, blending streaming, sales and airplay data.
“‘China’ is the strongest song of my career up to date,” Anuel AA told Billboard on July 12. “It’s the mix of different cultures with each of the collaborators contributing with its own flow. I had been looking to revive a classic and when I heard Shaggy’s mix, it hit me.”
“China” is Anuel AA’s third leader, Daddy Yankee’s seventh, Karol G’s second, Ozuna’s fourth, and J Balvin’s sixth. Notably, Karol G becomes the first core Latin female artist to secure a No. 1 on the Hot Latin Songs tally in over a year — since Karol herself led the list. Her first No. 1 arrived on May 12, 2018, with “Dame Tu Cosita,” a co-billed track with Pitbulland El Chombo, featuring Cutty Ranks. It topped the list for two weeks.
“The inclusion of Karol G helped the track,” Santa Cruz adds. “It was important to include a female artist in the song. This is a great time for female artists in the Latin rhythmic space as they are driving a lot of momentum and bringing a fresh sound.”
Prior to Karol G, the last time a core Latin female artist ranked at No. 1 on Hot Latin Songs was way back in early 2017, when Shakira’s “Chantaje,” featuringMaluma, wrapped up 10 nonconsecutive weeks at No. 1 on the February 11, 2017-dated list.
Since then, three women who traditionally have only charted with English-language recordings have claimed the crown: Selena Gomezand Cardi B(featured on DJ Snake‘s “Taki Taki,” alongside Ozuna; 13 nonconsecutive weeks starting October 13, 2018) and Beyoncé (featured on J Balvin and Willy William‘s “Mi Gente”; 10 consecutive weeks starting October 21, 2017).
Beyond “China’s” coronation on Hot Latin Songs, the tune also climbs to a new high on the Latin Digital Songs Salesand Latin Streaming Songschart through an equal 2-1 boost.
On the all-genre BillboardHot 100, “China” lifts 44-43.
The 18-year-old part-Puerto Rican actress/singer is set to star as Ariel in ABC’s The Little Mermaidlive special.
In addition to Cravalho, who rose to acclaim as the voice of the title character in Disney’s Moana, the special will also star Queen Latifah as Ursula and Shaggy as Sebastian.
The Wonderful World of Disney Presents The Little Mermaid Live!, featuring a mix of live action, animation and puppetry, will air on November 5 to mark the classic Disney animated feature’s 30th anniversary.
ABC originally announced in May 2017that it would stage a live production of the beloved underwater tale under the long-dormant Wonderful World of Disneybanner, which was slated for October 3, 2017. In August of that year, the network announced that the live event had been put on hold.
Since joining ABC last December as President of Entertainment, Karey Burke has expressed strong support for live specials. Her commitment was likely reaffirmed in May after the success of Jimmy Kimmel’s live staging of two classic Norman Lear sitcoms on the network, which spawned two more installments.
Burke today said that if The Little Mermaid is a success, it too can lead to do more live musicals based on Disneyfilm titles on ABC. “If it works, I expect we will do more of them and we will work closely with the feature department about timing,” she said.
Billed as a tribute to the original animated classic and its music, The Wonderful World of Disney Presents The Little Mermaid Live! will feature live musical performances by its star-studded cast interwoven into the broadcast of the original feature film.
The hybrid format will combine intricate sets and costumes created for the special with music from the original animated film and the Tony Award-winningBroadway stage version, composed by eight-time Oscar-winner Alan Menken.
Howard Ashman’s film lyrics will also be showcased, with Glenn Slater, lyricist for the Broadway adaptation, as a contributor.
Cravalho is already in the extended Disney Princessesfamily having voiced Moana in the hit animated movie.
Following her breakout role in Moana, Cravalho performed the film’s anthem, How Far I’ll Go, at the Oscarsand starred in the NBCmusical drama series Rise. It was just announced that she is the lead of the Brett Haley NetflixfilmSorta Like a Rock Star.
The announcement of The Wonderful World of Disney Presents The Little Mermaid Live! going forward comes as Disney is gearing up for production of a live-action feature adaptation of The Little Mermaid for director Rob Marshall, Hamilton‘s Lin-Manuel Miranda and Menken. Halle Bailey has been set as Ariel in the movie, Awkwafina as Ariel’s seagull friend Scuttle, and Jacob Tremblay as Ariel’s friendly fish pal Flounder, while Melissa McCarthy has been rumored for the role of UIrsula and Harry Stylesfor Prince Eric.
Burke is not worried about ABC’s live Little Mermaid special and the upcoming movie cannibalizing each other. “Ours is distinctly different from the feature film,” she said.
It’s an Asian invasion, of sorts, by Anuel AAon the Billboardcharts…
The 26-year-old Puerto Rican rapper and single “China,” an all-star collaboration with
Daddy Yankee, Karol G, Ozuna and J Balvin — blasts onto the Hot Latin Songschart at No. 2 on the chart dated August 3.
The song is the first single from Anuel’s upcoming album, Emmanuel.
“China,” produced by Tainyand co-written by each of the five artists on the track, is a reimagination of Shaggy’s “It Wasn’t Me.”
“‘China’ is the strongest song of my career up to date,” Anuel told Billboard on July 12. “It’s the mix of different cultures with each of the collaborators contributing with its own flow. I had been looking to revive a classic and when I heard Shaggy’s mix, it hit me. The original rhythm had strong Chinese elements, hence the name of the song. I sent the mix to Daddy Yankee, he loved it and recorded his part after just three days. Karol then heard it and fell in love with the vibe. Ozuna and Balvin then came on board.”
“China” opens at No. 2 on the Hot Latin Songs chart, which blends airplay, digital sales and streaming data, largely on the strength of streaming activity. It collected 14.1 million U.S. clicks in the week ending July 25, according to Nielsen Music, which enables its No. 1 debut on the Latin Streaming Songs chart.
“I always believed ‘China’ would be a hit!” Karol G tells Billboard. “Actually, I dared to tell everyone that it would be the hit of 2019! It makes me happy to be part of big opportunities such as this one, which lead the way to all those other goals that I still have to achieve.”
Sales, too, assist “China” in its Hot Latin Songs debut: The song registered 1,000 digital downloads in its first tracking week, opening at No. 1 on the Latin Digital Song Saleschart. The tune also starts at No. 34 on the Latin Airplay chart, garnering 4.8 million audience impressions in the week ending July 28.
The collaboration becomes just the second title to debut in the top two of the Hot Latin Songs chart in 2019. The only other song to debut in the top two this year was another track by J Balvin, as his collaboration with Bad Bunny, “Que Pretendes,” started at No. 2 on the July 13-dated chart.
“China” earns Anuel his 10th top 10 on the tally. It bests his second collaboration with Karol G: “Secreto,” a No. 4 high (April 27-dated list).
“China” earns Anuel his 10th top 10 on the tally and highest-charting song as a lead artist. (He’s only gone higher as the featured act on 6ix9ine‘s “BEBE,” which debuted at No. 1 on Sept. 15, 2018.) Meanwhile, Daddy Yankee, who nabs his 29th top 10, now ties with Chayanne, Christian Castroand Shakirafor the third-most top 10s on the list which began in 1986.
The 25-year-old half-Dominican American hip-hop artist, a first-time Grammy nominee this year, has released her latest single, “Bartier Cardi,” featuring 21 Savage.
While Cardi B has been ever-present in 2017 — she’s currently featured on– G-Eazy’s “No Limit” with A$AP Rocky, Migos’ “Motorsport” with Nicki Minaj, and Ozuna’s “La Modelo” – “Bartier Cardi” is the official follow-up to “Bodak Yellow,” which topped the Billboard Hot 100 for five weeks.
While “Bodak Yellow” is her first hit, Cardi B has been in the spotlight for several years, thanks to her role on the VH1 reality TV series “Love & Hip Hop: New York,” where she made her debut as a cast member in 2015 during season six. She released her first single “Cheap Ass Weave” during her first year on the show and an appearance on reggae superstar Shaggy’s single “Boom Boom.” She left the show last December and signed with Atlantic Records early in 2017. She inked a worldwide deal with Sony/ATV Music Publishing back in October.
The Bronx, New York-born MC is currently working on her first studio album, which is expected to be released in early 2018.
Lucero’s this year’s Latin AMAs hostess with the mostess…
The 46-year-old Mexican singer/actress and television host will serve as the host of the first-ever Latin American Music Awards.
Known as Latin America’s sweetheart, Lucero has a long history of serving as the mistress of ceremonies for numerous awards shows.
“La Novia De America” has hosted the Latin Grammy Awards eight times and the Mexican Telethon since 1997, as well as telethon editions in Chile, Guatemala, El Salvador and U.S. She also coached contestants on the first season of La Voz México.
The Latin AMAs, taking place on October 8 from the Dolby Theater in Hollywood, will begin with a one-hour red carpet pre-show special at 8:00 pm. ET, followed by the awards show at 9:00 pm. ET, to be broadcast live simultaneously on Telemundo and NBC Universo.
The night will culminate at 11:35 pm. ET, with the exclusive behind-the-scenes special Latin American Music Awards: Acceso VIP.
The night will be filled with talent. Confirmed performers for the event include Paulina Rubio, Daddy Yankee, Jesse & Joy, Reik, Farruko, Fonseca, Shaggy, Lil Jon, Yandel, Natalie La Rose, Jencarlos Canela, Luis Coronel, CD9, Gloria Trevi, Gerardo Ortiz, Il Volo and DJ Alex Sensation.
The show will also include a special musical tribute to the late queen of salsa, Celia Cruz, produced by salsa veteran Sergio George and featuring Colombian sensation Maluma, princess of salsa India, Mexican icon Yuriand singer/actress Aymée Nuviola— who portrays Cruz in the new Telemundo series Celia.
Celia Cruz may be gone, but she’ll be remembered in a big way at the inaugural Latin American Music Awards.
The late Cuban-American salsa singer/performer and seven-time Grammy winner, who passed away in 2003 at the age of 77, will receive a musical tribute produced by Sergio George at the Latin AMAs.
George, a tropical music legend, has rounded up a diverse group of performers to honor the late Queen of Salsa’s legacy during the October 8 telecast on Telemundo, airing live from the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
Colombian sensation Maluma, princess of salsa India, Mexican icon Yuri and singer/actress Aymée Nuviola — who portrays Cruz in the new Telemundo series Celia— will sing a medley of her most beloved hits.
Presenting the tribute are Puerto Rican actors Jeimy Osorio and Modesto Lacén, who play Cruz and her husband/manager Pedro Knight during their younger years on Celia (Nuviola and renowned theater actor Willie Denton play the couple later in life).
Slated for an October 13 premiere, Celia chronicles Úrsula Hilaria Celia de la Caridad Cruz Alfonso‘s evolution from a shy teen in pre-revolution Havana, Cuba, to a larger-than-life figure that brought the world to its feet with the power of her voice, inimitable style and exuberant presence. Along the way, Cruz battled racism, sexism and defied expectations of what a black female musician could achieve in the ’50s.
Other performers confirmed for the Latin AMAs include Paulina Rubio, Daddy Yankee, Jesse & Joy, Reik, Farruko, Fonseca, Shaggy, Lil Jon,Yandel, Natalie La Rose,Jencarlos Canela,Luis Coronel, CD9, Gloria Trevi, Gerardo Ortiz and Il Volo.
The one-day only festival will take place on May 6 at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds; and it’s proving to be a star-studded smörgåsbord of nostalgia for Y2K natives and newcomers alike. The festival also recruited some 2010s and 2020s favorites for their 45-act festival.
