From career milestones and new music releases to major announcements and more, Billboard editors highlight the latest news buzz in Latin music every week. Here’s what happened in the Latin music world this week.
“Así Es Medellín”
Ahead of Medellín’s Feria de las Flores annual event, set to kick off Aug. 8, artists such as Llane, Blessd and Reykon, among many others, have joined forces to deliver an anthem for this year’s festival. Titled “Así Es Medellín (This Is Medellín),” the artists sing about the beauty of the Colombian city, its culture and its people. “Medellín is the best city on this planet, the city I represent,” Blessd said in a statement. “I’m proud to be from here and to represent the Antioquia flag.”
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New Basketball Court in PR
Cancha Hipódromo in San Juan, Puerto Rico, has been restored and remodeled thanks to efforts by entertainment company NEON16 and its founders, Lex Borrero, Tainy and Pablo Batista, in partnership with Amazon Music. The company also provided new uniforms and shoes to the kids’ basketball team that uses that court. “This is a dream for me,” said Borrero. “To be able to give the community a place where youth can dream and develop a future. Thank you to the mayor, Miguel Romero, and our team at NEON16, Amazon Music and Buena Vibra for making this dream a reality.”
Chayanne & Ivy Queen Join Latin Music Week
Chayanne and Ivy Queen are confirmed for the 2022 Billboard Latin Music Week, set to take place Sept. 26-30 at the Faena Forum in Miami.
Ivy, known as the Queen of Reggaeton, will open up about her prolific 25-year career, songwriting process, new music, and struggles as one of the only women in a genre dominated by men. Chayanne, one of Latin music’s most successful pop stars who has crooned to fans for nearly four decades with his ballads, will be releasing new music for the first time in more than six years, and speaking in his first interview in over five years.
Both Ivy and Chayanne join the already-announced star-studded lineup that includes Romeo Santos, Camilo, Nicky Jam, Eslabon Armado, Bizarrap, Blessd, Yahritza Y Su Esencia, Luis R. Conriquez, Ovy on the Drums, Kunno and The Rivera Family. More participants will be announced in the weeks leading up to the 2022 Latin Music Week. Registration is now open at BillboardLatinMusicWeek.com.
Guaynaa & Lele Pons Are Engaged
Guaynaa proposed to Lele Pons during Tomorrowland 2022 in front of tens of thousands of fan during Steve Aoki’s set, getting down on one knee and asking his celebrity girlfriend for her hand in marriage.
She didn’t waste any time in saying “yes,” the teary proof of which is captured on video that’s now doing the rounds on social media. “Happiest day of my life,” she wrote on Instagram. The Latin power pair made their union official in December 2020, via Instagram. See a timeline of their relationship here.
Karol G’s New Hair
After publicly announcing July 31 she was going to ditch her blue-haired era, Karol G revealed her new hair color on Monday (Aug. 1). Marking new beginnings in her personal and professional life, the “Provenza” singer unveiled her cherry-red locks on Instagram. “Two weeks of being in love with myself in the mirror and not being able to share it,” she expressed in the post. “So when you see me in the streets and say, ‘EaAaaa Maria BebEee that red hair looks gorgeous on you.’”
The singer then changed her Instagram avatar to one of Ariel from The Little Mermaid and tweeted, “I finally look a bit more like The Little Mermaid.”
