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Camila Cabello and Shawn Mendes appear to be spending their anniversary on a romantic getaway.
The couple, who celebrated two years together on Saturday (July 3), shared sweet messages and snapshots from the Carribean on Instagram.
“Happy 2 years my baby,” Mendes wrote to girlfriend Cabello, along with a heart emoji.
“happy anniversary Kuko,” Cabello said on her own post dedicated to her boyfriend. “here’s to more joy, more friendship, and more love.”
Cabello and Mendes, longtime friends who began dating in 2019, posted photos of themselves kissing, sharing a meal and being silly at the beach over the weekend.
They’ve opened up about their relationship in the past. In November, Cabello penned a message “about love with this guy” that read, “It’s not just the happy blissful moments you see in pictures and videos- When you’re in a relationship with someone, it feels like they are this mirror reflecting yourself back to you- I constantly have to confront my fears, my anxieties, my insecurities, my patterns of thinking, my beliefs about life and about myself.”
“It’s not as simple as it looks in pictures sometimes,” she continued at the time. “Sometimes, it’s messy and uncomfortable and ugly lol. But there’s nothing like the pull, the FORCE that is love, to be the light in the darkness- to be the gravitational pull that gives you the relentless strength to be braver,wiser, and better than you were yesterday.”
See the couple smooching in an anniversary selfie from Mendes’ account below, and swipe through more vacation pictures on Cabello’s Instagram.
Lana Del Rey’s new album Blue Banisters, which she originally said would be available on July 4, now has a release date that is “TBD.”
“Album out later later,” she wrote in a Saturday night (July 3) update to fans on social media, where she shared the Blue Banisters album art and a music video teaser for a new, as-yet-untitled single in the meantime. Del Rey says the song, in which she can be heard singing “My body is a map of L.A.,” will be “out soonish.”
“Have a good fourth,” she added. After she posted the update, “Lana” was trending on Twitter.
Billboard has reached out to representatives for Del Rey for clarification about the release date for her new music.
She previously shared three tracks, in May: “Blue Banisters,” “Wildflower Wildfire” and “Text Book.”
Listen to Del Rey’s latest song preview and take a look at her Blue Banisters album art below.
In addition to making great music, H.E.R. wants to be an active citizen who empowers young people with information.
The Grammy- and Oscar-winning recording artist gets to do both in the new animated Netflix series We the People.
Created by Chris Nee and produced by Barack and Michelle Obama, the 10-part series provides a range of civics lessons through three-minute music videos on topics that include the Bill of Rights, immigration and the courts. It features award-winning artists Lin-Manuel Miranda, Brandi Carlisle, Bebe Rexha and others.
H.E.R. took on the “Active Citizenship” episode, writing and performing the song “Change.” It deals with teaching young people to get involved with issues in the community by volunteering, writing letters to elected officials and peaceful protest.
The animated segment was directed by Oscar-winner Peter Ramsey, known for Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
H.E.R. admits the idea to make music and educate seemed daunting at first.
“I was like thinking about all these topics and how can I make this, like, cool? And, you know, it just started off with just saying exactly what it is: ‘Wrote a letter to the mayor can you hear me out.’ Like how would we really have a conversation about this with somebody who doesn’t necessarily understand,” she said.
That made the process fun, while at the same time gratifying — she was educating the viewer with important information.
The 23-year-old believes the importance of the subject matter lies in the lack of understanding many citizens have when it comes to the rights and duties of citizenship.
“I feel like sometimes things aren’t taught on purpose,” the recording artist said.
H.E.R. cited the power of artists like Bob Marley and Marvin Gaye when it comes to writing music about social justice.
“[They] are saying things so simply. But we digested them, and we really thought about the way that we live our lives based on this music,” she said.
And it’s because music is a language that everyone understands.
“It’s something that makes us feel good, makes us want to fall in love and makes us sad or makes us learn. And so, what better way to teach, especially people at a young age or of all ages,” she said.
She hopes the collection of music videos in We the People will “share the knowledge, that hasn’t always been shared” when it comes to rights, privileges and responsibilities.
“It’s up to us to make these changes and to empower the youth. So, as we grow, as we learn, we teach. And in that, I think will make a huge difference,” she said.
We the People premieres Sunday (July 4) on Netflix.
Selena Gomez’s swimwear collaboration with La’Mariette launched on Saturday (July 3), and she shared photos of herself wearing a bikini and a one-piece from the new collection’s campaign on social media.
“So grateful that I get the opportunity to celebrate my friends’ endeavors. My collaboration with @lamariette is out today!” Gomez announced in an Instagram post.
“What I love about this brand is that it celebrates women who love their bodies unconditionally giving themselves the grace they deserve,” she wrote. “Hope you love it as much as I do.”
La’Mariette’s collab with Gomez features six styles, including a one-piece, two bikini tops, two bottoms and a sarong. The pieces are all in a purple tie-dye print called “Aura,” and they’re available in sizes XS-XXL.
In a statement published by People, Gomez said: “After going through swatches, my favorite color was purple; I wanted to stay away from colors I’m used to like red and white. Purple felt different for me. And we added pops of color like green and neons here and there; it really becomes your own suit, however you wear it.”
See all of Gomez’s photos from the swimsuit photo shoot on the La’Mariette website, and get a glimpse of the looks on her Instagram post and on Instagram Stories.
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.
Carlos Santana to Receive Special Award
The Hispanic Heritage Foundation (HHF) unveiled this week that 10-time Grammy-winning artist Carlos Santana will be honored with the Legend Award at the 34th Annual Hispanic Heritage Awards taking place on Oct. 8 via PBS. Santana, who will also receive a multi-artist tribute performance, is receiving this special recognition for his contributions to Latin music and prolific 50-plus year trajectory.
“I am grateful to the Latin community and to everyone who feels oneness with our mission to bring equality, fairness, justice, unity, and harmony,” Santana said in a statement. “We wake up every day to touch people’s hearts with our music, spirits-vision, and to make a difference in the world, for the highest good for life, people, and the planet. It is a blessing to be a blessing. We thank the Hispanic Heritage Foundation and PBS for this glorious honor.”
Zion y Lennox Celebrate 20 Years
Zion and Lennox will celebrate 20 years of career with not one, not two, but three back-to-back concerts in the emblematic Coliseo de Puerto Rico in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The Puerto Rican duo, composed of Félix Ortiz (Zion) and Gabriel Pizarro (Lennox), formed in 2000 in Carolina and released their debut album, Motivando a la Yal, in 2004. Since then, the duo has dropped countless reggaeton hits, including “Yo Voy,” “Hay Algo en Ti” and “La Player,” to name a few. Zion y Lennox will perform on December 2, 3, and 4. Tickets are already on sale via Ticketera.com.
Wisin’s La Base Expands
Less than a year after launching his record label, La Base, distributed by The Orchard via WK Records and based in Puerto Rico, Wisin is expanding to a second location in the Dominican Republic, Billboard can confirm. La Base Music officially launched in the summer of 2020 with new signees Chris Andrew and Abdiel Larralde. La Base Music’s resident engineer and award-winning producers include Hyde Quimico and Los Legendarios, who have worked with Latin superstars like Daddy Yankee, Ozuna and Reik.
Arthur Hanlon Makes the Rounds With Piano y Mujer
In celebration of his latest production, Piano y Mujer, virtuoso pianist Arthur Hanlon has partnered with multinational brand Yamaha, which will have him performing exclusively on Yamaha pianos. Faithful to the brand that sparked his love for music when he was only six years old and was his very first piano, Hanlon feels honored to be part of the Yamaha family. “ I love the Yamaha sound, which is perfect for Latin music: a nice high end, and at the same time, a deep, soulful bass end,” he expressed in a statement.
The partnership comes three months after the release of his album Piano y Mujer, where he teamed up with some of the industry’s most iconic female voices, including Kany García, Natalia Jiménez, ChocQuibTown’s Gloria “Goyo” Martínez, Evaluna Montaner and Nella for intimate performances of classic songs powered by his piano. The concert special is currently streaming on HBO Max and HBO Latin, and beginning July 4 it will be available throughout Latin America via the Sony Channel.
Editor’s note: Hanlon is married to Billboard vp/Latin industry lead Leila Cobo.
Pandora Unveils New Pop Station
This week, streaming platform Pandora launched its new station called “La Vida in Pop,” which spotlights pop superstars and trendsetters in the Latin music realm, such as Camilo, Juanes, Anitta and Ricky Martin. The station features everything from ballads to reggaeton to crossover hits, honoring the music and artists that have made Latin pop universal. “La Vida in Pop is the renaissance of Latin popular music, the best in today’s Latin pop,” noted a press statement.
