Month: September 2022

Pop superstar Christina Aguilera will be honored with the Spirit of Hope award at the 2022 Billboard Latin Music Awards, Billboard and Telemundo announced Thursday (Sept. 8).

The special award — which was established in 1996 in honor of the late Tejano singer Selena Quintanilla — will recognize Aguilera for her philanthropic and humanitarian contributions beyond her musical work.

The singer will also perform during the awards show, which will take place Thursday, Sept. 29, at the Watsco Canter in Miami, and will broadcast live on Telemundo beginning at 7 p.m. ET. The Billboard Latin Music Awards — where Bad Bunny leads the list of finalists with a staggering 23 nods across 13 categories — will be simulcast on Telemundo, Universo, Peacock, the Telemundo App, and throughout Latin America and the Caribbean on Telemundo Internacional.

In addition to her musical accolades, including more than 75 million records sold worldwide, five No.1 Billboard Hot 100 hits, and a Hollywood Walk of Fame star, the artist also known as Xtina has lifted her voice to help end the cycle of domestic abuse, been a longtime supporter and ally to the LGBTQ+ community, raised awareness about HIV/AIDS research, and traveled the globe to help feed children in poverty-stricken areas.

Aguilera joins past Billboard Spirit of Hope recipients including Gloria Estefan, Emmanuel, Willy Chirino, Olga Tañon, Maná, Los Tigres del Norte, Ricky Martin, El General, Soraya, Juan Luis Guerra, Shakira, Ricardo Montaner, Juanes, Daddy Yankee, Marc Anthony, Carlos Vives, Carlos Satana, Luis Fonsi, and Maluma.

As has been the case for more than 20 years, the Billboard Latin Music Awards coincide with Billboard’s annual Latin Music Week, the single largest and most important gathering of the Latin music industry, taking place Sept. 26-Oct. 1. Latin Music Week will feature panels, conversations, and workshops at the Faena Forum and exclusive performances and fan experiences throughout the week in Miami.

Artists confirmed to speak at Latin Music Week so far include Chayanne, Maluma, Grupo Firme, Camilo, Ivy Queen, Romeo Santos, and Nicky Jam, among many others. It will also feature the launch of Billboard Español, Billboard’s new all-Spanish site, which will go live in September. For registration and information on Billboard Latin Music Week, go to billboardlatinmusicweek.com.

SB19 is the Philippines’ undeniable breakout pop group, but as their latest single and tour put them in a position for greater international attention, the band has a grander vision for themselves and their home country.

Filipino boy band SB19 features members Pablo, Josh, Stell, Ken and Justin, who mix mainstream sounds with Original Pilipino Music (known as OPM) in the country’s main languages of Tagalog and English. Since the quintet’s start in late 2018, the group have found an unprecedented amount of local attention, online interest and day-to-day exhaustion in pushing the country’s current pop renaissance to international borders. While the Philippines has yet to rank highly among the world’s largest music industries (it was the 41st largest market on the IFPI’s global music report in 2010), the staggering, social-fueled influence and interest of SB19 has helped the group and their country push boundaries even throughout the pandemic.

Billboard first highlighted SB19 in early 2020 as a mainstay on the Social 50 chart for rapidly growing online metrics across platforms (namely Twitter, but also Facebook and Wikipedia) fueled by consistent OPM singles like “What?” (with 17 million views on its official music video), “Alab (Burning)” and “Go Up” (both with 12 million views). By the 2021 Billboard Music Awards, the group earned a nomination for Top Social Artist alongside BTS, Ariana Grande, BLACKPINK and SEVENTEEN. Just as their fellow nominees have all made shrewd moves in entering the international market, SB19’s new single is their time to display the group’s global-pop vision.

Released on Sept. 2, “WYAT (Where You At)” is SB19’s shiny new disco-pop single that marks a slew of firsts for the group. Unlike their past OPM singles, “WYAT” is fully in English and plays off today’s trending disco sound that’s helped BTS, Lizzo and Harry Styles top the Billboard Hot 100. Co-written and produced by group leader Pablo, “WYAT” feels similar to BTS’ breakthrough No. 1 hit “Dynamite” for being all in English and embracing a nostalgic sound and message to uplift those affected by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the broader pop sound, the SB19 guys share that they have worked tirelessly and have participated with personal touches to ensure everything translates perfectly.

“Right now, everything’s a bummer,” explains Pablo, who handles most of the group’s songwriting and production, over an evening Zoom call in the Philippines. “This song is about reconnecting with people. It’s different when you go out, meet people, do interesting things — climb a mountain! I would give everything to go back to the situation before where you’re not worrying if someone coughs. The song is about going back to how it was: talking and meeting actual people, doing things together, just re-creating the feeling we had before.”

“When Pablo wrote the song, I asked him what he was imagining while he’s writing the song,” adds Justin, the youngest member who takes the lead on creative direction and group visuals. “From there, I tried to make a bigger concept out of it and, of course, I asked if the group likes it and what they can add.”

Along with its retro sound, the accompanying “WYAT (Where You At)” music video takes audiences out of a stressful 2022 and transports them back to times that can make audiences of all ages nostalgic.

“Going back to the ’50s, ’70s, and ’90s eras, we researched how to show it visually and make people feel the nostalgia of things they kind of miss,” Justin explains. “We know that most of our fans are young, but we also want to reach those who experienced those times and tell young people these are the things they did. We didn’t have computers or cell phones; they’d go roller skating, enjoy parties, and hang out in the diners and arcades. Nowadays, we are kind of disconnected because of all the digital and, of course, the pandemic. It’s not just in the music video, but we are trying to connect SB19 with everything — including our tour.”

With live concerts back and quarantine restrictions lifted for travel, SB19 see their upcoming WYAT Tour — which includes stops in Dubai, New York, Los Angeles and Singapore — as essential to spreading their message and creating opportunities for the country’s burgeoning music scene, particularly in the world’s biggest music market.

“It’s our first time going to the U.S. and we don’t know what to expect, but we are looking forward to meeting all the people, all of our fans, and of course, to find new, casual [fans] as well,” eldest member Josh adds. “We would love to promote Filipino music as well as our music.”

Pablo shares, “A lot of people here in the Philippines have relatives in the U.S. and most of the members have relatives in the U.S. so we hope that they enjoy our performance because as critical as our fans are, we’re also interested to what our relatives will say about our performances.”

Tying things back to family and their home country is a crucial focal point for SB19. The group has teamed up for local endorsement deals and recorded songs with major brands, including Pepsi, Samsung, Netflix, Dunkin’ and more but still has space to live a relatively normal life.

“The biggest thing I like about our situation right now is being able to provide for my family,” Pablo says. “I wouldn’t say we’re all celebrities like riding sports cars and all that stuff; most of us still take taxis. I ride a motorcycle. Everyone is still the same. We eat street food and people would recognize us, but they’re not overstepping our privacy. They are very respectful and we’re thankful for that.”

Yet SB19’s loose freedom as celebrities doesn’t mean the road here has been similarly lax.

Through forming and undergoing what the band calls “intense” training by management company ShowBT Philippines Corp, the local arm of Korean entertainment company ShowBT, and signing with Sony Music Philippines in late 2019, SB19 say they took it upon themselves to develop into pop dynamos.

“If I’m allowed to share, we didn’t have a choreographer or vocal teachers,” Pablo says of the group’s early days. “We are the ones who just made our own choreography and prepared new songs—we are the ones who have been doing that since now, and I think that’s the biggest thing that we are very proud of.”

“We didn’t have money, but now we can have money to buy food,” Stell, who leads the group in creating choreography, adds. “Maybe that’s the biggest transformation that happened to us.”

SB19 now have a larger local team including teachers and professionals focused on vocal training, performance, dance and fitness, helping them to put in the hours and physical exertion they deem necessary to reach superstardom.

“My body aches,” Ken, the quietest member with the most exacting words, says. “I want to be truthful with you: I don’t want to wake up and get out of bed. That’s the most honest thing I can say, but it’s so rewarding since we can see that we’re improving and it’s helping. Going international is not a small thing for us, but it’s the biggest opportunity that we have right now.”

That opportunity isn’t just about SB19 but representing their entire country and showing what modern-day OPM and the Pinoy pop sub-genre offer. While a surge of new boy bands and girl groups are entering the Pinoy-pop scene, like ShowBT female outfit and SB19’s “sister group” KAIA that dropped their debut single in April, Stell says these acts “define who Filipinos are—we can do a lot of things; not only by singing and dancing but also expressing who we are and where we came from.”

With its wider pop ambitions thanks to an undeniable chorus and multiple visual access points thanks to the video and styling, “WYAT (Where You At)” puts SB19 in the best position to grasp the international spotlight.

“Before I felt the pressure,” Pablo says of properly representing his country and culture. “But I love my work so much that I’m just enjoying our team, making music with them, creating choreography and performing in front of the people who love us. If I’m going to be pressured by all the things people are saying about our group, then I wouldn’t be able to focus and enjoy what I’m doing right now. Even though this is work, it’s important to enjoy ourselves and have a great time. And if you’re having a great time, of course, those people watching will enjoy it as well…I believe that what we have right now is special and if we continue like this, there are better things ahead.”

Adding to SB19’s enjoyment is the group’s undying, international support system of fans — officially known as A’TIN — who are helping spread the group’s music and message in equally unprecedented ways for Filipino artists. Earlier this year, SB19 made it into the final round of Billboard‘s 2022 Fan Army Face-Off and were narrowly beat out by K-pop band Stray Kids to land in second place among a tight competition in the fan-voted brackets. While SB19 will get a chance to repay some A’TIN in person when the WYAT Tour heads out later this month, the band see the work their fans are putting in worldwide.

“We hear that a lot of international fans always share about us with their friends, they tell good stories and promote our group in their countries like the U.S., Indonesia, in every part of the world,” Stell says, before Ken adds, “We’re looking forward to meeting our fans who have been supporting us from the very beginning of our journey. We’re thankful and can’t wait to show the things that we’re making right now and for the future to come. I hope that you guys will be there and enjoy it.”

Yet just like how SB19 say they are now able to provide for their immediate family, the guys know that A’TIN are the ones nurturing them to reach their necessary needs and expand on their global goals.

“I can say that A’TIN are not just fans or supporters; they are family to us,” Stell sums up. “Without them, SB19 would not be in a situation where we have this big opportunity to promote and show our talents to the world. We are very thankful to our fans and, of course, to all the people who are rooting for us. We are hoping for the best not only for our group, but also for the other teams here in the Philippines. Thank you for all the efforts and all the things that you’re doing for SB19.”

There’s simply no hiding her ocean eyes. Gucci revealed Billie Eilish as the face of the brand’s latest eyewear campaign on Wednesday (Sept. 7).

In a trio of posts, the superstar shows off her modeling chops as she takes fans on “a dreamlike journey through the Hollywood Hills in a nod to film noir,” all while wearing pink cat-eye frames and a bold pair of caravan sunglasses. “Envisioned by Alessandro Michele and captured by photographer Harley Weir under the art direction of Lina Kutsovskaya, suspenseful scenes showcase a selection of new retro-inspired styles that mirror the cinematic mood of the film, culminating in a moment of self-reflection,” the caption of the video reads before Eilish comes face to face with… herself.

“I love you,” she says from the driver’s seat of a vintage car parked at the top of the Hills. “I love you,” her second self responds in the dim light before the scene fades to black.

Last month, it was announced that the “Billie Bossa Nova” singer and her mom, Maggie Baird, are set to be honored at the upcoming Environmental Media Association Awards gala for their dedication to sustainability, including Baird’s charity Support + Feed and the environmental activism components of Eilish’s Happier Than Ever, the World Tour. (And speaking of the pop star’s tour: She recently met RM and J-Hope of BTS when the two K-pop idols attended her show at Seoul’s Gocheok Sky Dome.)

In July, Eilish surprised her legions of fans with her brand-new EP Guitar Songs, featuring fan-favorite tracks “TV” and “The 30th.”

Check out Eilish’s chic and cryptic Gucci campaign below.

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Teyana Taylor got the surprise of a lifetime during her concert at London’s O2 Academy Brixton on Sunday when one of her greatest artistic inspirations, Janet Jackson, made an appearance at her concert.

On Instagram, both Jackson and Taylor shared images of them posing for fun selfies with each other backstage. In Taylor’s carousel post, she added stunning photos from the show as well as a video of the moment — in slide four — in which she was surprised by Jackson’s presence backstage.

“Y’all play too much!” Taylor exclaimed as her crew cheered and filmed the special moment. “I almost wet my pants,” the singer added before embracing the pop icon.

Reflecting on the surprise in the caption of her post, Taylor wrote, “Soooooooooooo London had me in shambles & crying like a full blown babyyyyyyyy! To my days ones…y’all ALREADY know what these full circle moments meant to me!!!! The love, the energy, the raw emotions, the vibes, THEE ICON JANET JACKSON!!!!!!!!! Do u hear me?!!! LONDON WAS UNMATCHED. I’m shoooookkkkkkk!”

She added, “Thank you @janetjackson for the beautiful surprise … IM STILL GAGGINGGGGG! Def one of the greatest surprises of my life. Thank you for ur loving words always…. No matter how close our bond continues to grow, I will always still be one of ya biggest fans! Thank you for always being so genuine & being an inspiration to us all! You are the reason I give 134667643% when I hit that stage. You are the blueprint. I love you Queen.”

Latin Hitmaker, the Billboard podcast that interviews top Latin music executives, returns for a limited second season devoted to Latin female executives. The launch episode features Luana Pagani, president of management and promotion company Seitrack US, which is part of giant OCESA Seitrack.

Pagani – a dynamo with a recognizable laugh who was born in Spain to an Italian father and an Argentine mother–for years was the senior vp of global marketing, Latin, for Sony and a central figure in the development of superstars like Shakira, Ricky Martin and Chayanne, at the height of the first “Latin explosion” of the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Now, in her new role, she’s living a second Latin explosion, working with successful outliers like Los Angeles Azules, exciting pop acts like Mexican duo Ha*Ash and superstars like Alejandro Fernández.

The successful transition from major to indie –which is not easy to do and has proven a challenge for many in the industry—is due in part to what Pagani calls being a little obsessive.

“We’re a management and booking agency, so when we have a tour on, I personally look at the ticket count in every city, every day. I speak with the promoter, I oversee the marketing city by city, obviously check radio in every city and I read the Spotify, Amazon, Pandora analytics every single day,” she says.

The obsessiveness was born from her first jobs at Sony, where she was in charge of creating label copies, a tedious, but essential job.

“It was my first job so truth is, I learned the importance of the label copy –giving the proper credit to the proper person so they can collect– which is something few people understand,” she says.

A major highlight in her Sony days was working with a brand new, and revolutionary, Colombian artist called Shakira on her 1998 breakout album Dónde Están los Ladrones.

“We knew it was an important moment, and I clearly remember when she played the album for us the first time, and presented each song with an excitement that we all felt as well. We didn’t know it would be su huge, of course, but that’s what we worked towards.”

As far as her secret power and management style, her staff calls it the “Pagani, Passive Pressure.” “It’s, ‘I know it’s 11 pm and I don’t expect you to answer me now, but, it’s urgent!”

Check out the full interview here, or on most podcast streaming platforms: