How to Watch BTS’ Global Citizen Performance Online Free

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BTS are among dozens of big-name artists who are taking part in this weekend’s Global Citizen Festival, a day-long event that seeks to bring awareness to issues of world poverty, climate change and COVID-19 vaccinations.

BTS are joining artists like Ed Sheeran, Elton John, Jennifer Lopez, Billie Eilish, Shawn Mendes, Camila Cabello and Lizzo as performers for the event, which is being streamed live over 24 hours across six different continents.

JLo, Eilish, Mendes and Cabello will be among the performers hitting the stage live in New York’s Central Park (tickets to the show are still available on VividSeats.com). The Los Angeles show takes place at the Greek Theatre, and features performances by Stevie Wonder, Adam Lambert, Chloe x Halle, Demi Lovato, H.E.R. and Migos, among others (see tickets here).

Performances will also take place from Paris (Elton John, Ed Sheeran), London (Duran Duran, Kylie Minogue), Lagos (Femi Kuti, Davido, Tiwa Savage), Rio de Janeiro (Alok, Criolo, Liniker), Sydney (Delta Goodrem) and Mumbai (featuring an appearance by Anil Kapoor).

BTS will be appearing live from Seoul, though the BTS Global Citizen performance isn’t part of a public concert like the artists mentioned above. While fans will not be able to see BTS in-person at a concert venue, you can still stream the BTS Global Citizen live online.

When is BTS Performing at Global Citizen Live?

The 2021 Global Citizen Music Festival begins on Saturday, September 25 at 2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT.

While Global Citizen has not announced the exact set time for BTS’ performance, a rep says that “bigger” artists are likely to appear closer to the end of the show. The Global Citizen Festival is airing in primetime on ABC from 7-10 p.m. ET, meaning BTS will likely appear in the 9-10 p.m. ET time-slot.

Still, the order of performances and event schedule could change at any time, so we recommend tuning in right at 7 p.m. ET just to be safe.

How to Watch BTS Performance at Global Citizen Live

If you want to watch a live stream of BTS’ appearance at the Global Citizen Festival, sign-up for a free trial to fuboTV, which will get you access to ABC and ABC News Live — two channels that are streaming Global Citizen Live. Grab the free trial here and use it to watch BTS at Global Citizen online free; you can cancel your subscription without being charged if you do it within one week.

Another way to stream BTS’ Global Citizen performance free online? Use this free trial for Hulu’s Hulu + Live TV plan, and get access to ABC to watch their live stream of the Global Citizen Festival. Use the 7-day free trial to stream all the performances from Global Citizen Live for free online. After that, you can stay with Hulu + Live TV at its current reduced rate of just $54.99/month (regularly $64.99+).

BTS’ appearance at the Global Citizen Festival comes on the heels of the group’s appearance at the 76th United Nations General Assembly this week, where they were introduced by South Korean President Moon Jae-In as the “special presidential envoy for future generations and culture.”

Global Citizen, meantime, is an organization founded in 2008, with a goal of ending extreme poverty in the world by the year 2030. The music festival, dubbed “Global Citizen Live,” is part of Global Citizen’s year-long campaign to help end Covid-19 by calling on governments, philanthropists, and the private sector for financial commitments to help “kickstart an equitable global recovery.”

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Maná Receives Icon Award & Performs ‘El Reloj Cucú’ at 2021 Billboard Latin Music Awards

Legendary rock en español band Maná was honored with the Icon Award at the 2021 Billboard Latin Music Awards on Thursday (Sept. 23).

“It’s been a while since we’ve been in front of an audience,” lead singer Fher Olvera said. “We’ve had a lot of fun and we’ve delivered songs that come from the heart.” The band’s Alex González added: “Thank you to the fans for these 35 years. We have great news: We have two shows this year in Houston [Nov. 24 & 26]. Our only concerts this year.”

The chart-topping and Grammy-winning Mexican band was recognized for a chart-topping career that has stood the test of time and has achieved both musical and commercial success.

Comprised of Olvera, González, Sergio Vallín and Juan Calleros, Maná delivered a heartfelt performance of their new single, a remake of “El Reloj Cucú” featuring 12-year-old vocalist Mabel. In the middle of a candlelit setting, Olvera joined forces with Mabel for an acoustic take on the classic song.

Earlier this week, Maná was joined by Mabel at Latin Music Week for the Inside the Soul of the Artist panel, which honored single mothers and where they discussed the role heartbreak plays in the creative process. “[When] you see [your mom] working everyday — working very hard — it sets an example,” said Olvera. “It’s the best example, more than school, of what makes you strong, hardworking and a fighter — and I think that that feeds art.”

“You have to value the people who are there for you,” Mabel added. “[Fher and I] may have different stories, but the feeling is the same with this song.”

Billboard Latin Music Week Presented by Samsung Galaxy. For All News, Videos, and Coverage Click Here. This link opens a new window.

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Bad Bunny Wins Big at 2021 Billboard Latin Music Awards: Full Winners List

Bad Bunny continued his extraordinarily good year by scoring 10 wins at the 2021 Billboard Latin Music Awards on Thursday night (Sept. 23), including the all-important artist of the year award.

Bunny, who a 22-time finalist, also won songwriter of the year; Hot Latin Songs artist of the year, male; Latin Rhythm artist of the year, solo; and Top Latin Albums Artist of the year, male. His hit song “Dákiti” alongside Jhay Cortez, won Hot Latin Song of the year; Hot Latin Song of the year, vocal event; and streaming song of the year. And in the coveted album of the year category, Bunny’s hit album YHLQMDLG won in a triple competition against his own El Ultimo Tour del Mundo and Las Que No Iban a Salir.

Bunny picked up his awards during the live show, which aired from the Watsco Center in Coral Gables, Fla., on the Telemundo network and featured performances and premieres by Daddy Yankee, Rosalía, Rauw Alejandro, Natti Natasha, Carlos Vives, Myke Towers, Jhay Cortez and Nicky Jam, among others.

The Billboard Latin Music Awards, given in 56 categories, honor the most popular albums, songs and performers in Latin music as determined by Billboard’s renowned weekly charts, during the period rom the rankings dated Feb. 1, 2020, through this year’s Aug. 7, 2021, charts, a longer than usual period due to the pandemic.

Following Bunny in number of wins was Jhay Cortez — with three for “Dákiti” — and the Black Eyed Peas, whose hit “Ritmo (Bad Boys for Life)” with J Balvin won sales song of the year, while their “Mamacita” with Ozuna and J. Rey Soul won Latin pop song of the year. The Peas were also the winners of the crossover artist of the year, thanks to their groundbreaking album Translation, where they paired up with multiple Latin acts.

Urban star Karol G swept the female awards, winning Hot Latin Songs artist of the year, female, and Top Latin Albums artist of the year, female. Fellow Colombian Maluma, along with The Weeknd, also took home two awards for “Hawái,” and Prince Royce, who continues to break ground in tropical music, won tropical song of the year with “Carita Inocente” and tropical album of the year for Alter Ego.

In the rapidly growing realm of regional Mexican music, stalwarts Band MS de Sergio Lizárraga won Hot Latin Songs artist of the year, duo or group and Regional Mexican artist, duo or group. In turn, newcomers Eslabón Armado won Top Latin Album artist of the year, duo or group, and Regional Mexican album of the year for Tu Veneno Mortal.

In a year that was full of new music, the versatile Myke Towers, who does both rap and reggaetón, won the new artist of the year award, buoyed by a string of successful hits and albums. And Tainy once again took home the producer of the year award.

The evening was punctuated by a slew of special moments. Daddy Yankee received the Billboard Hall of Fame award, becoming the first urban artist to receive the honor and underscoring nearly two decades of steady hitmaking. In turn, Yankee performed the television premiere of his new single, “Métele al Perreo.”

Rock legends Maná received the new Billboard Icon award, and premiered their new single, “Reloj Cucú,” alongside newcomer Mabel.

And regional Mexican grand dame Paquita la del Barrio’s 50-year storied career was recognized with Billboard’s Lifetime Achievement Award, accompanied by an attitude-filled performance of her vintage hit “Rata de dos patas” and “El Consejo” alongside Ana Bárbara.

Find all the winners below:

OVERALL ARTIST CATEGORIES

Artist of the Year:
• Bad Bunny

Artist of the Year, New:
• Myke Towers

Crossover Artist of the Year:
• Black Eyed Peas

SONG CATEGORIES

Hot Latin Song of the Year:
• Bad Bunny & Jhay Cortez, “Dákiti”

Hot Latin Song of the Year, Vocal Event:
• Bad Bunny & Jhay Cortez, “Dákiti”

Hot Latin Songs Artist of the Year, Male:
• Bad Bunny

Hot Latin Songs Artist of the Year, Female:
• Karol G

Hot Latin Songs Artist of the Year, Duo or Group:
• Banda MS de Sergio Lizárraga

Hot Latin Songs Label of the Year:
• Rimas

Hot Latin Songs Imprint of the Year:
• Rimas

Latin Airplay Song of the Year:
• Maluma & The Weeknd, “Hawái”

Latín Airplay Label of the Year:
• Sony Music Latin

Casa Disquera del Año, Latin Airplay
Latin Airplay Imprint of the Year:
• Sony Music Latin

Canción del Año, Ventas / Sales Song of the Year:
• Black Eyed Peas & J Balvin, “Ritmo (Bad Boys For Life)”

Canción del Año, Streaming
Streaming Song of the Year:
• Bad Bunny & Jhay Cortez, “Dákiti”

ALBUM CATEGORIES

Top Latin Album of the Year:
• Bad Bunny, YHLQMDLG

Top Latin Albums Artist of the Year, Male:
• Bad Bunny

Top Latin Albums Artist of the Year, Female:
• Karol G

Top Latin Albums Artist of the Year, Duo or Group:
• Eslabon Armado

Top Latin Albums Label of the Year:
• Rimas

Top Latin Albums Imprint of the Year:
• Rimas

LATIN POP CATEGORIES

Latin Pop Artist of the Year, Solo:
• Shakira

Latin Pop Artist of the Year, Duo or Group:
• Maná

Latin Pop Song of the Year:
• Black Eyed Peas, Ozuna & J.Rey Soul “Mamacita”

Latin Pop Airplay Label of the Year:
• Sony Music Latin

Latin Pop Airplay Imprint of the Year:
• Sony Music Latin

Latin Pop Album of the Year:
• Kali Uchis, Sin Miedo (Del Amor y Otros Demonios)

Latin Pop Albums Label of the Year:
• Universal Music Latin Entertainment

Latin Pop Albums Imprint of the Year:
• Universal Music Latino

TROPICAL CATEGORIES

Tropical Artist of the Year, Solo:
• Romeo Santos

Tropical Artist of the Year, Duo or Group:
• Aventura

Tropical Song of the Year:
• Prince Royce, “Carita de Inocente”

Tropical Airplay Label of the Year:
• Sony Music Latin

Tropical Airplay Imprint of the Year:
• Sony Music Latin

Tropical Albums of the Year:
• Prince Royce, Alter Ego

Tropical Albums Label of the Year:
• Sony Music Latin

Tropical Albums Imprint of the Year:
• Sony Music Latin

REGIONAL MEXICAN CATEGORIES

Regional Mexican Artist of the Year, Solo:
• Christian Nodal

Regional Mexican Artist of the Year, Duo or Group:
• Banda MS de Sergio Lizárraga

Regional Mexican Song of the Year:
• Lenin Ramírez, featuring Grupo Firme, “Yo Ya No Vuelvo Contigo”

Regional Mexican Airplay Label of the Year:
• Universal Music Latin Entertainment

Regional Mexican Airplay Imprint of the Year:
• Fonovisa

Regional Mexican Album of the Year:
• Eslabon Armado, Tu Veneno Mortal

Regional Mexican Albums Label of the Year:
• Universal Music Latin Entertainment

Regional Mexican Albums Imprint of the Year:
• DEL

LATIN RHYTHM CATEGORIES

Latin Rhythm Artist of the Year, Solo:
• Bad Bunny

Latin Rhythm Artist of the Year, Duo or Group:
• Los Legendarios

Latin Rhythm Song of the Year:
• Maluma & The Weeknd, “Hawái”

Latin Rhythm Airplay Label of the Year:
• Sony Music Latin

Latin Rhythm Airplay Imprint of the Year:
• Universal Music Latino

Latin Rhythm Album of the Year:
• Bad Bunny, YHLQMDLG

Latin Rhythm Albums Label of the Year:
• Rimas

Latin Rhythm Albums Imprint of the Year:
• Rimas

WRITERS/PRODUCERS/PUBLISHERS CATEGORIES

Songwriter of the Year:
• Bad Bunny

Publisher of the Year:
• RSM Publishing, ASCAP

Publishing Corporation of the Year:
• Sony Music Publishing

Producer of the Year:
• Tainy

Billboard Latin Music Week Presented by Samsung Galaxy. For All News, Videos, and Coverage Click Here. This link opens a new window.

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‘El Papa de Todos’: Johnny Ventura Remembered at the 2021 Billboard Latin Music Awards

The 2021 Billboard Latin Music Awards paid tribute to the late merenguero Johnny Ventura, almost two months after his death, on Thursday night (Sept. 23).

“El Baile del Perrito” singer Wilfrido Vargas took center stage at the star-studded event to talk about his beloved colleague and compatriot. “He’s a friend of mine that everyone all over the world has danced to his music,” he said.

“Without him, Wilfrido Vargas wouldn’t exist because he’s my dad. He’s your dad. He’s everyone’s dad,” he continued. “I would like for Johnny to listen to all of your applause from heaven.”

Ventura (real name: Juan de Dios Ventura Soriano), who had a remarkable career over six decades and more than 100 albums, was coined as “El Caballo Mayor.” Some of his biggest titles include tropical hits such as “Patacon Pisao,” “¿Pitaste?” and “Merenguero Hasta la Tambora,” all of which have become staples in Latin households.

The famed singer-songwriter, arranger and bandleader died July 28 of a sudden heart attack and was pronounced dead at Clínica Unión Medica del Norte in Santiago. He was 81 years old.

Considered the longest-running awards show in Latin music, the Billboard Latin Music Awards, which aired on Telemundo live from Miami’s Watsco Center, is the only awards show to honor the most popular albums, songs, and performers in Latin music as determined by the sales, streaming radio airplay and social data that informs Billboard’s weekly charts during a one-year period.

Billboard Latin Music Week Presented by Samsung Galaxy. For All News, Videos, and Coverage Click Here. This link opens a new window.

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Daddy Yankee Delivers ‘Métele Al Perreo,’ Enters Hall of Fame at Billboard Latin Music Awards

Just ahead of officially entering the Billboard Latin Music Awards Hall of Fame, Daddy Yankee reminded the world why he’s El Jefe at the 2021 Billboard Latin Music Awards on Thursday (Sept. 24) night in Miami.

Rolling up to the Watsco Center stage in a subway car thanks to some clever visual trickery, Yankee ran through his new single “Métele Al Perreo” from his upcoming album. Oozing effortless cool and charisma as he owned the mid-tempo reggaeton jam, Yankee even stepped onto a platform that was raised high above the crowd at one point. His dancers brought it, too, with twerking, braid whipping and splits to boot.

After the performance, Yankee accepted the Hall of Fame honor, sharing some of the love by hugging front-row pals Bad Bunny and will.i.am, also in attendance at the awards show. During a Q&A with Billboard VP/Latin Industry Lead Leila Cobo the day prior, DY said he’s “still working on” the album that “Métele Al Perreo” hails from, but “we’re almost at the end.”

Billboard Latin Music Week Presented by Samsung Galaxy. For All News, Videos, and Coverage Click Here. This link opens a new window.

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Paquita la del Barrio Honored With Lifetime Achievement Award at 2021 Billboard Latin Music Awards

Paquita la del Barrio made her way to the stage to receive her Lifetime Achievement Award — which honored the songstress for her enduring career in ranchera and bolero — at the 2021 Billboard Latin Music Awards on Thursday (Sept. 23).

Oh, and she was escorted to the stage by none other than Bad Bunny, who also held her mic as she delivered an emotional speech. “Thank you for taking me into consideration and for distinguishing me with this honor,” she told the audience, who celebrated her with a standing ovation. “I have so many things I could say but I prefer to simply thank you for the love.”

Known for her female-empowerment anthems such as “Rata de dos Patas,” “Me Saludas a la Tuya” and “Tres Veces Te Engañé” — which denounce macho culture and attitude — Paquita la del Barrio boasts 50 years in the industry.

Paquita la del Barrio then returned to the stage dressed in a bedazzled angelic white dress to perform “Rata de Dos Patas,” accompanied by a mariachi. She was then joined by Ana Bárbara for a powerful “El Consejo” duet.

Past recipients of the Billboard Lifetime Achievement Award include Armando Manzanero, Miguel Bosé, Conjunto Primavera, Santana, Los Temerarios, Emmanuel, Intocable, José José, Marco Antonio Solís, Ricardo Arjona and Maná, among others.

Billboard Latin Music Week Presented by Samsung Galaxy. For All News, Videos, and Coverage Click Here. This link opens a new window.

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Billy Corgan Renews Publishing Deal With Warner Chappell

William Patrick “Billy” Corgan has renewed his longstanding publishing admin deal with Warner Chappell Music. The songwriter and Smashing Pumpkins frontman’s agreement with the major publisher includes the administration of both his full and back catalog (including such hits as “1979,” “Bullet with Butterfly Wings,” “The End Is the Beginning Is the End”) as well as works made moving forward under the deal.

The Corgan-fronted Smashing Pumpkins remain a pioneer of ’90s alternative rock which, according to WCM’s senior vp A&R Greg Sowders, “laid the groundwork for the explosive grunge era that followed.” Founded alongside guitarist James Iha, The Smashing Pumpkins and Corgan began their storied career with the album Gish in 1991 which graced the Billboard 200 albums chart at No. 146, but the band truly catapulted to stardom two years later with their second album, 1993’s Siamese Dream, which became a critical and commercial success for the band, peaking at No. 10 on the Billboard 200.

By the release of 1995’s Billboard 200-topping Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness — the group’s third and most successful album — The Smashing Pumpkins had cemented themselves as genre-defining hitmakers. In 2012, the now-classic double album — released on Virgin Records, as well as the previous two — officially reached RIAA diamond status after selling over 10 million copies.

Since the peak of their success in the mid-1990s, the group has continued with a revolving door of members, held in orbit by Corgan’s steadfast leadership and vision. Aside from a five-year hiatus from 2000-2005, The Smashing Pumpkins continued to tour and record, releasing a slew of albums and EPs in the wake of Mellon Collie’s release. Their legacy has been further defined by their many notable sync placements in film, TV and advertisements.

Corgan has been also been a success in his own right, recording four solo albums and writing songs with Hole, Korn, Third Eye Blind, Phantogram, The Civil Wars and more.

In a statement, Warner Chappell Music CEO Guy Moot and COO Carianne Marshall dubbed Corgan a “true creative genius,” adding, “we’re so excited to continue to partner with him and support his incredible work.”

Corgan said, “I’m pleased and honored to be among the greats who make up the great tradition and legacy of Warner Chappell. To even stand in the shadow of the great Harry Warren, who one could argue helped build this rich company from its inception, is all I needed to know.”

Corgan is self-managed and currently releasing his solo records under Martha’s Music. The Smashing Pumpkins are currently signed to Sumarian Records.

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Melvin Van Peebles, Groundbreaking Filmmaker & Musician, Dies at 89

Melvin Van Peebles, the groundbreaking filmmaker, playwright and musician whose work ushered in the “blaxploitation” wave of the 1970s and influenced filmmakers long after, has died. He was 89.

In statement, his family said that Van Peebles, father of the actor-director Mario Van Peebles, died Tuesday evening at his home in Manhattan.

“Dad knew that Black images matter. If a picture is worth a thousand words, what was a movie worth?” Mario Van Peebles said in a statement Wednesday (Sept. 22). “We want to be the success we see, thus we need to see ourselves being free. True liberation did not mean imitating the colonizer’s mentality. It meant appreciating the power, beauty and interconnectivity of all people.”

Sometimes called the “godfather of modern Black cinema,” the multitalented Van Peebles wrote numerous books and plays, and recorded several albums — playing multiple instruments and delivering rap-style lyrics. He later became a successful options trader on the stock market.

But he was best known for Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song, one of the most influential movies of its time. The low-budget, art-house film, which he wrote, produced, directed, starred in and scored, was the frenzied, hyper-sexual and violent tale of a Black street hustler on the run from police after killing white officers who were beating a Black revolutionary.

With its hard-living, tough-talking depiction of life in the ghetto, underscored by a message of empowerment as told from a Black perspective, it set the tone for a genre that turned out dozens of films over the next few years and prompted a debate over whether Black people were being recognized or exploited.

“All the films about Black people up to now have been told through the eyes of the Anglo-Saxon majority in their rhythms and speech and pace,” Van Peebles told Newsweek in 1971, the year of the film’s release.

“I could have called it The Ballad of the Indomitable Sweetback. But I wanted the core audience, the target audience, to know it’s for them,” he told The Associated Press in 2003. “So I said Ba-ad Asssss, like you really say it.”

Made for around $500,000 (including $50,000 provided by Bill Cosby), it grossed $14 million at the box office despite an X-rating, limited distribution and mixed critical reviews. The New York Times, for example, accused Van Peebles of merchandizing injustice and called the film “an outrage.”

Van Peebles, who complained fiercely to the Motion Picture Association over the X-rating, gave the film the tagline: “Rated X by an all-white jury.”

But in the wake of the its success, Hollywood realized an untapped audience and began churning out such box office hits as “Shaft” and “Superfly” that were also known for bringing in such top musicians as Curtis Mayfield, Marvin Gaye and Isaac Hayes to work on the soundtracks.

Many of Hollywood’s versions were exaggerated crime dramas, replete with pimps and drug dealers, which drew heavy criticism in both the white and Black press.

“What Hollywood did — they suppressed the political message, added caricature — and blaxploitation was born,” Van Peebles said in 2002. “The colored intelligentsia were not too happy about it.”

In fact, civil rights groups like the NAACP and the Congress of Racial Equality coined the phrase “blaxploitation” and formed the Coalition Against Blaxploitation. Among the genre’s 21st century fans was Quentin Tarantino, whose Oscar-winning “Django Unchained” was openly influenced by blaxploitation films and spaghetti Westerns.

On Wednesday, a younger generation of Black filmmakers mourned Van Peebles’ death. Barry Jenkins, the “Moonlight” director, said on Twitter: “He made the most of every second, of EVERY single damn frame.”

After his initial success, Van Peebles was bombarded with directing offers, but he chose to maintain his independence.

“I’ll only work with them on my terms,” he said. “I’ve whipped the man’s ass on his own turf. I’m number one at the box office — which is the way America measures things — and I did it on my own. Now they want me, but I’m in no hurry.”

Van Peebles then got involved on Broadway, writing and producing several plays and musicals like the Tony-nominated Ain’t Supposed to Die a Natural Death and Don’t Play Us Cheap. He later wrote the movie Greased Lightning starring Richard Pryor as Wendell Scott, the first Black race car driver.

In the 1980s, Van Peebles turned to Wall Street and options trading. He wrote a financial self-help guide entitled Bold Money: A New Way to Play the Options Market.

Born Melvin Peebles in Chicago on Aug. 21, 1932, he would later add “Van” to his name. He graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University in 1953 and joined the Air Force, serving as a navigator for three years.

After military service, he moved to Mexico and worked as a portrait painter, followed by a move to San Francisco, where he started writing short stories and making short films.

Van Peebles soon went to Hollywood, but he was only offered a job as a studio elevator operator. Disappointed, he moved to Holland to take graduate courses in astronomy while also studying at the Dutch National Theatre.

Eventually he gave up his studies and moved to Paris, where he learned he could join the French directors’ guild if he adapted his own work written in French. He quickly taught himself the language and wrote several novels.

One he made into a feature film. La Permission/The Story of the Three Day Pass, was the story of an affair between a Black U.S. soldier and a French woman. It won the critic’s choice award at the San Francisco film festival in 1967, and Van Peebles gained Hollywood’s attention.

The following year, he was hired to direct and write the score for Watermelon Man, the tale of a white bigot (played by comic Godfrey Cambridge in white face) who wakes up one day as a Black man.

With money earned from the project, Van Peebles went to work on Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song.

Van Peebles’ death came just days before the New York Film Festival is to celebrate him with a 50th anniversary of Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song. Next week, the Criterion Collection is to release the box set Melvin Van Peebles: Essential Films. A revival of his play Ain’t Supposed to Die a Natural Death is also planned to hit Broadway next year, with Mario Van Peebles serving as creative producer.

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Lunay, Chris Jedi, & Gaby Music Created A Live Hit in 30 Minutes at Latin Music Week 2021

Puerto Rican sensation Lunay and his longtime producers Chris Jedi and Gaby Music joined forces at Billboard’s 2021 Latin Music Week, where they created a live hit in only 30 minutes .

During Wednesday (Sept. 22) masterclass, moderated by Billboard’s Latin senior writer Griselda Flores, the three award-winning acts created an intro and chorus with 16 verses in total.

With computers, headphones, and a microphone on set, the trio began creating the melody, structuring the track, and adding a reggaeton rhythm, because, according to Gaby, the rhythm is what motivates the artist or composer to write. In between, Lunay and Jedi brainstormed on the lyrics.

The concept of the song? A man who admits he messed up and can’t forget his first love.

“The most important thing about creating music is that we have to vibe with the music. We have to really, really like the song,” Jedi said during the panel. “The first step is to vibe with it and feel confident, and not create a beat because it’s in style or trending.”

In no time, the three artists created what could possibly become their next banger.

Considered the longest-running awards show in Latin music, the Billboard Latin Music Awards is the only awards show to honor the most popular albums, songs, and performers in Latin music as determined by the sales, streaming radio airplay, and social data that informs Billboard’s weekly charts during a one-year period.

Billboard Latin Music Week Presented by Samsung Galaxy. For All News, Videos, and Coverage Click Here. This link opens a new window.

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5 Pieces of Career Advice From Daddy Yankee at 2021 Latin Music Week

There’s a lot of music stars at Billboard Latin Music Week 2021, but even among that rarified company, Daddy Yankee is a king. On Wednesday (Sept. 22) in Miami, the reggaeton pioneer and Billboard cover star sat down with Billboard VP/Latin Music Lead Leila Cobo for The Superstar Q+A with Daddy Yankee Presented By Samsung Galaxy.

Yankee touched on a number of topics in the wide-ranging interview, sharing stories from his come-up, reflecting on his role in creating reggaeton and offering career advice for the next generation. He also provided an update on his upcoming album, his first in nearly 10 years.

“I’m still working on it. No pressure. We’re almost at the end,” he said. “When it’s ready, I’ll let you guys know.” In the meantime, lead single “Problema” just sailed past one billion streams, and he’s executive producing a documentary on reggaeton. “That’s where I see me growing – an executive producer of movies, documentaries,” he shared.

From his 2021 Latin Music Week discussion, here are five pieces of career advice from Daddy Yankee.

Talent Is What Matters

Yankee pointed out that two of the biggest songs of his career were collaborations with artists who weren’t on career hot streaks at the time: “Despacito” with Luis Fonsi and “Con Calma” with Snow. “I’m always grateful to Fonsi for making me part of that song. Our friendship is what made that happen,” Yankee recalls. “When I saw Fonsi and the musical impact, I felt happy at what we were able to achieve, and he was able to bring his career back up. It’s a lesson. You don’t have to record with a new talent – you can still create really big things.” Similarly, when “Con Calma” hit, he says, “Nobody was thinking about Snow, but I said, ‘let’s do it.’

“We gotta work with new and established talent. That’s the goal: Just work with talented people. It’s not just recording with hot artists – which is nice and good – but do things that are unpredictable. Two of the biggest hits of my career were with people that were underestimated,” he says. “This is what happens when you underestimate a talent: You give them power.”

Don’t Whine

When asked to give rising artists advice, he asked Cobo, “You want my political answer or my real one? I don’t speak a lot because they tell me, ‘you can’t speak like that,’ but sometimes I want to.” Here’s his no-prisoners take: “The artists that are starting up and are being crybabies, I can’t talk to them. A new artist that is complaining, I leave. With all of the platforms now – we started with none of this – you starting now and you’re complaining? You’re a loser. You have so many things to connect to your public. You have to work.”

Don’t Worry About Relevance

“Music doesn’t have age. It’s infinite. That’s my philosophy,” he says. “There are legends that continue to make music for the love of it. I focus on enjoying the journey and the process. I don’t have a formula. We make the beat, the rhythm, and from there we continue.” And if it doesn’t land, there’s always next time: “If they like it, great. If not, we’ll work harder for the next one.”

Learn the Process

After having doors slammed in his face early on, he learned how to take the production and distribution of his music into his own hands, asking himself, “It’s part of the business, so how can I learn?” Being in charge of his own career means owning his masters, and that’s made each paycheck that much bigger. “Eventually when I distributed a CD that got into Billboard, I got the check and almost died,” he recalls.

Don’t Listen to the Haters

“A social network has a nice public and audience, but a whole ‘nother group think they have the truth — but they don’t,” Yankee says. “And sometimes they attack an artist.” But he keeps it in perspective, pointing out that if you’re racking up millions of streams but seeing some haters online, just remember that “they’re [in the] minority.”

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