From career milestones and new music releases to major announcements and those little, important moments, Billboard editors highlight uplifting moments in Latin music. Here’s what happened in the Latin music world this week.
Music 101 in Puerto Rico
SESAC Latina and Rimas Publishing joined forces to produce Music 101 in Puerto Rico on Thursday (Aug. 24). According to a press release, the event was an effort to “empower and educate songwriters and producers with the necessary tools to succeed in the music industry.” Featuring six panels, the topics ranged from the significance of a performing rights organization, the role of a publisher and creative and legal assessment, among other topics.
“We are thrilled with the results of Music 101 in Puerto Rico. We were looking forward to bringing back this seminar and what better way to do it than at one of the hubs for Latin Music. Our gratitude goes to Rimas Publishing for their invaluable support in making this event a real success,” said Celeste Zendejas, vice president of SESAC Latina. “We remain committed to fostering the development of the music industry ecosystem in Puerto Rico and in the region, therefore events like Music 101 are necessary to educate the new generations and those who want to learn how to navigate this industry,” added Emilio Morales, managing director of Rimas Publishing.
Becky G Announces New Album
Mexican-American star Becky G has announced the name of her upcoming album, which will be her first Mexican music set. During her performance in New York on Friday (Aug. 25), as part of Citi Concert Series on Today, the “MAMIII” singer said her album’s new name is Esquinas and went on to explain what inspired the title. “I have always identified as not this side or that side of the streets that raised me but the corner where two flags, two cultures, two languages meet,” she said. Becky G is set to kick off her first-ever headlining tour Sept. 14 in Boston. See the tour dates here.
2023 Billboard Latin Music Awards Finalists
Mexican music star Peso Pluma leads the list of finalists for the 2023 Billboard Latin Music Awards, with 21 nods across 15 categories including Artist of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, Global 200 Latin Artist of the Year, and Top Latin Album of the Year. His collaboration with Eslabon Armado, “Ella Baila Sola,” is up for six awards, including Hot Latin Song of the Year, Global 200 Latin Song of the Year and Sales Song of the Year. And his hit with Yng Lvcas, “La Bebe,” competes in five categories, including Hot Latin Song of the Year and Latin Rhythm Song of the Year.
Following Peso Pluma are Bad Bunny and Grupo Frontera with 15 nods each. For a second year in a row, Karol G is the female artist with the highest number of entries on the list of finalists. The Colombian star has 13 nods.
See the complete list of finalists here.
Grupo Frontera at the Zócalo
Viva México! Grupo Frontera is set to help celebrate Mexican Independence Day with a special performance at the Zócalo — the country’s most important public square — on Sept. 15. The Texas-based group joins a long list of national and international artists who have set foot in the second-largest public square in the world. Musicians such as Paul McCartney, Justin Bieber, Shakira and the late icon of regional Mexican music Vicente Fernández, among many others, have performed at the Zócalo.
The attendance record for free concerts held in the so-called Primer Cuadro in the Mexican capital is held by the Argentine rock band Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, which achieved the milestone of gathering 300,000 people on the night of June 3.
Nicky Jam’s Scholarship
The Latin Grammy Cultural Foundation has awarded the Nicky Jam Scholarship to 19-year-old Dominican Pianist Leomar Cordero. The award was granted during a special presentation with the reggaetón Puerto Rican hitmaker on Thursday (Aug. 24) in Miami, Florida. “When I received the news, I could not believe this was happening to me!,” Cordero told Billboard Español. “I feel very fortunate to have been selected for the Nicky Jam Scholarship and very happy at the same time to see that all my hard work is yielding results.”
The four-year scholarship holds a maximum value of $200,000 and it will allow Cordero to pursue a bachelor’s degree at Berklee College of Music in Boston starting this fall.
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