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.
J Balvin to host new series
Colombian star J Balvin is set to host the new series, “Gente Sana,” produced by Exile Content Studio that will stream on TPlus, a new streaming platform by NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises. It will also stream on Peacock toward the end of the year. The six-episodes series will explore techniques used by celebrities to cope with mental health issues. Each episode will feature a new guest that will, “have a candid and intimate conversation with Balvin about their coping mechanisms and personal rituals that give them confidence,” according to an official press release.
“I’ve always been honest about my own struggle with mental health issues and that’s why I’m honored that Exile and NBC have offered me a platform to continue to have these honest conversations with people going through a similar situation,” Balvin said in a statement. “Mental health is very important for me and it’s something many of us struggle with. I hope to create content that will help people who are struggling and for them to know they’re not alone and that there are many healthy ways to approach this topic.”
SBS Entertainment launches NFT
SBS Entertainment and LaMusica celebrate the return of Calibash 2022, now in its 15th edition, with the launch of its own NFT. Calibash fans will have access to two types of NFTs: the “Gold Calibash Coin” limited to VIP Calibash ticket-holders (120 units) and the “Silver Calibash Coin” with larger quantities available for sale. SBSE, LaMusica and its commercial partner, Fanaply, are behind the creation and distribution of the Calibash Coin NFT.
Grant Dexter, CEO and co-founder of Fanaply, said, “It’s our pleasure to work with Calibash on launching their first-ever NFTs to commemorate not only their big festival weekend in LA but also to celebrate the quinceañera. The campaign represents Calibash’s commitment to staying on the cutting edge of digital collectibles while nurturing their loyal fan community by rewarding NFT holders. We’re thrilled to support this effort and delight Calibash LA attendees using Fanaply’s NFT fan engagement tools.”
Calibash is making its grand return to Los Angeles with a three-day event this weekend at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The event will be headlined Jan. 14-16 by chart-toppers J Balvin, Daddy Yankee and Ozuna.
Latin Artists to Watch 2022
In honor of 2022, this year’s Latin Artists to Watch list includes 22 acts, covering a broad variety of Latin music genres, from pop to reggaetón to R&B, regional Mexican and tropical. Our Artists to Watch are not brand new acts, but rather, artists who have already made impact, be it in the charts, media, streaming platforms or public consciousness, and who we believe will make significant strides in their careers in the coming year.
From Ivan Cornejo to Yendry and Tokischa, check out our list.
Latin acts at Coachella
An unprecedented number of Latin acts are set to perform at this year’s Coachella, which is set to make its grand return in April after a two-year hiatus due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Right underneath the 2022 Coachella headliners’ names, artists such as Anitta, Karol G, Grupo Firme and Banda MS appear in the second line of the lineup. They’re followed by Nathy Peluso, Nicki Nicole, Natanael Cano, Ed Maverick and Alaina Castillo, among others, who are announced in a smaller font.
See all the Latin artists playing at Coachella here.
🤤🤤SEE YAAA @coachella pic.twitter.com/bpl8NDPrZZ
— Nathy Peluso (@NathyPeluso) January 13, 2022
Vicente Fernández biopic series
Univision and Televisa are teaming up to produce a Vicente Fernández-inspired biopic series. According to a statement from Univision and Televisa, the new series will be based on the book El Último Rey (The Last King), penned by journalist Olga Wornat, for which Televisa reached an agreement with Editorial Planeta to acquire the rights. The announcement comes a month after the death of the ranchera icon, who died Dec. 12 in a hospital in his native Guadalajara.