Plus: new music by Shakira, Daddy Yankee, Los Ángeles Azules, Marc Anthony and Celso Piña
Published
4:48 pm EDT, Sunday, October 20, 2019
Photo: Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP/Shutterstock
Photo: Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP/Shutterstock
Photo: Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP/Shutterstock
This Week in Latin Music: Highlights From the 2019 Latin AMAs; Becky G Breaks Free
In case you missed it, here are some highlights from this week in Latin music — now with a Spotify playlist!
Anuel AA Racks Up Awards at the 2019 Latin AMAs; Daddy Yankee Debuts New Single
Telemundo aired its 5th annual Latin American Music Awards on Thursday, and Caribbean artists indisputably ruled the night. Although he didn’t take home a single award, Daddy Yankee made the most memorable presence at Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre: sporting a fire engine red boiler suit, he premiered his sweltering dancehall-laden single, “Qué Tire Pa’lante,” which samples the bassline from Chaka Demus & Pliers’ 1993 hit, “Murder She Wrote.” Yankee later closed out the night with a stacked performance of “China,” his collaboration with Karol G, Ozuna, J Balvin, and Anuel AA. Yankee may have stolen the show, but it was Anuel who collected the most wins, including the award for Artist of the Year.
Other standout moments: Marc Anthony shared a heartrending tribute to the late balladeer, José José; joining Farruko and Pitbull onstage, R&B stars Ne-Yo and Jason Derulo performed entirely in Spanish live for the first time ever; Lunay, the wunderkind behind the smash song of the summer, “Soltera,” won New Artist of the Year; and Becky G won the award for Extraordinary Evolution.
Becky G Turns Femme Fatale in Long-Awaited Debut, ‘Mala Santa’
Between collaborations with Daddy Yankee, Maluma and J Balvin, Mexican-American pop star Becky G has established herself as urbano’s favorite sidekick. But in her highly anticipated visual album, Mala Santa, she proves she can do bad all by herself. Read our review here.
Shakira Puts a Dreamy New Spin on Camilo, Pedro Capó’s ‘Tutu’
In a time when música urbana is queen, the most successful pop singer-songwriters are the most adaptable. This summer the Latin Grammy-nominated songwriter Camilo Echeverry teamed up with his fellow nominee, Puerto Rican hitmaker Pedro Capó, in “Tutu”: an alluring love song, fashioned with a dembow bounce. Now, after amassing over 175 million YouTube views, “Tutu” is further expanding its reach with a surprise A-list remix — starring none other than Colombian pop icon, Shakira.
In our latest interview, Camilo dishes on how their collaboration came together: “I tried to be the most professional that I could, but I was like fangirling all the time,” he says. The first cassette that I had in my life was Shakira’s ¿Donde Están Los Ladrones?.”
Georgel, Esteman and Raymix Revamp Juan Gabriel’s ‘El Noa Noa’ for a New Generation
In his 1980 country rock song, “El Noa Noa,” Mexican balladeer Juan Gabriel sang of the magical dancehall he once frequented in Ciudad Juarez: a place where everything and everyone was different, and where you could dance happily through the night.
Over the years, the song became embraced by the Latinx LGBTQ community as an ode to spaces where love could overcome prejudice. It was finally in 2019 — three years since the legendary singer-songwriter’s death — that Georgel and Esteman, two gay Latino artists, evolved the classic from its laid-back, Eagles-esque stride, and into something more fit for today’s utopian disco. In an interview with Rolling Stone, the two young stars explain how they gave “Noa Noa” a makeover, with help from Raymix, the Mexican Institute of Sound and the late Celso Piña.
Los Ángeles Azules Share the Stage With Julieta Venegas, Juan Ingaramo and Jay de la Cueva in New ‘Acaríñame’ Video
Mexican alt-pop songstress Julieta Venegas and Argentine rising star Juan Ingaramo join renowned cumbia band Los Ángeles Azules in a star-studded live version of “Acaríñame,” also featuring Jay de la Cueva on guitar.
Marc Anthony ‘Lo Que Te Di’
Nominated for Record of the Year at the 2019 Latin Grammys, Marc Anthony continues to champion salsa’s relevance in Latin pop at large. He ramps up the passion (and the theatrics) in his racy new video for “Lo Que Te Di,” or “What I Told You.”
Sign up for Rolling Stone’s Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
