When Juan Gabriel released his debut album El Alma Joven (1971) — which included the hit “No Tengo Dinero” — and received his first paycheck, the iconic Mexican singer-songwriter bought a house for his mother and gifted himself a Super 8 camera to meticulously document his life on and off stage. Years later, that vast video archive became the foundation for a documentary narrated in his own voice.

In Juan Gabriel: I Must, I Can, I Will (Juan Gabriel: Debo, Puedo y Quiero), a four-episode docuseries available on Netflix starting Thursday (Oct. 30), the artists also known as the “Divo de Juárez” is showcased like his audience has never seen before: through his own lens and from his intimate perspective. This was made possible thanks to access granted to documentary filmmaker María José Cuevas to hundreds of tapes recorded by the artist himself from the 1970s until shortly before his death in August 2016.

“What makes this project unique is being immersed in the two personas: the private and the public figure,” Cuevas tells Billboard Español in an interview in Mexico City. “Juan Gabriel was music. Alberto Aguilera Valadez (his real name) was his pause.”

Cuevas explains that she relied on hundreds of home videos, concert recordings, family scenes, and intimate moments that had been stored in a warehouse for over 40 years. But the sheer volume of material — “all filmed by him and for him,” she emphasizes — became the project’s main challenge for the filmmaker, producers Laura Woldenberg and Ivonne Gutiérrez, and their team.

“Any cassette could hold a gem. There were tapes in 8 mm format, VHS, everything,” Gutiérrez recounts. “We had thousands of photos, many audio and video files, but the story was crafted by Juan Gabriel with the recordings he left behind.”

The series title comes from a newspaper headline after his first concert at the iconic Palacio de Bellas Artes in 1990, a performance that sparked great controversy due to criticism of his desire to perform at Mexico’s most prestigious cultural venue as a popular artist. This chapter in the great singer-songwriter’s life is one of the most symbolic moments in the documentary. The phrase is also included in his song “Debo Hacerlo.”

That very first concert in 1990 — one of three Juan Gabriel performed at the Palacio de Bellas Artes throughout his career — will be screened at the Zócalo in Mexico City, the country’s main public square, on Nov. 8 as part of the promotion for Juan Gabriel: I Must, I Can, I Will. Thousands of attendees are expected, much like in Sept. 2024, when a projection of his 2013 show drew 70,000 people.

For Cuevas, who also directed the 2016 documentary Bellas de Noche, about legendary Mexican vedettes, the incredible aspect of Juanga’s docuseries is the timeline of his story in video, which allows the viewer to witness the journey from beginning to end. “To understand the public persona, the idol, you first have to know Alberto,” the filmmaker explains. “That story is in his songs. Alberto is the songwriter, but Juan Gabriel is the performer.”

Juan Gabriel, known internationally for classics like “Querida” and “Amor Eterno,” died on August 28, 2016, at his home in Santa Monica, California, of natural causes, in the middle of a concert tour. He was 66.

Inducted into the Billboard Hall of Fame in 1996, he built a legacy as a multifaceted artist over more than four decades, recording songs in genres as diverse as ranchera, ballad, pop, and bolero, and producing for other artists. Among his many achievements, he sold over 150 million records, wrote more than 1,800 songs, released 34 studio albums, was nominated for six Grammy Awards, won three posthumous Latin Grammys, and saw more than 20 of his hits reach the top 10 on the Billboard charts, including seven No. 1s on Hot Latin Songs. His hit “Yo No Sé Qué Me Pasó” inaugurated the first edition of that chart in 1986, at No. 1.

Karol G made her debut on The Jennifer Hudson Show on Thursday (Oct. 30), where she talked about her latest career milestones including performing with Andrea Bocelli at the Vatican, the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show and soon becoming the first Latina to headline Coachella. 

“When [Bocelli] invited me, I said no, because I was super nervous,” Karol admitted to Hudson. “It’s the Vatican, we’re going to sing in La Plaza San Pedro, I’m going to perform for a lot of people and with Andrea Bocelli. I don’t know if I’m ready, and I was doing a lot of stuff at the same time, so maybe it wasn’t the moment to do this? So, I said no. My mom got crazy, [and said], ‘How is this possible? Karol, this is an opportunity that you have every 25 years, because the jubilee is every 25 years.’ So I was like, ‘OMG that’s true, so maybe the opportunity came to me because I’m ready. I’m actually ready.’”

Karol ultimately joined the iconic Italian tenor for a performance of “Vivo Por Ella” at the Grace for the World concert that took place in Vatican City in September. 

Weeks later, the Colombian superstar was strutting the runway at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in October. 

“I grew up watching the show and living the fantasy,” she said. “ I never thought I would be able to be there, with my shape, my curves, the music that I do in Spanish, but actually, I was there. The first thing I thought about when creating the show was the wings and then the performance. I was like, ‘Can I have the wings?’ because if I’m going to be, like, a Victoria Secret Angel, I need my wings. It was amazing … the moment of the show was the runway. I loved the runway. I was having so much fun.” 

Next Spring, the “Provenza” singer will headline the 2026 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, Calif. She told Hudson: “I have a mantra in my life: You don’t lose the opportunity because you’re not ready. You get ready and you take that opportunity.”

Watch the interview clips below:

Billboard’s Live Music Summit will be held in Los Angeles on Nov. 3. For tickets and more information, visit the event’s website.

Kenshi Yonezu’s “IRIS OUT” extends its run at No.1 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100 for a sixth straight week, topping the chart dated Oct. 29.

The Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc theme leads four metrics this week: — downloads, streaming, video views, and karaoke. Downloads dipped 26% from the week before, but the song returns to No. 1 on the metric for the first time in three weeks. Radio airplay continued to build for a second week, rising to 127% of last week’s points. 

Yonezu’s previous longest consecutive streak at No. 1 was the five-week run of “Lemon” in January 2019 (seven total weeks at the summit). With “IRIS OUT,” he now sets a new personal record for consecutive weeks at the top.

JO1’s “Handz In My Pocket” moves to No. 2, soaring from No. 41 following its CD release. The single sold 692,223 copies in its first week, launching at No.1 for sales. Since debuting, JO1 have now placed all ten of their singles at No. 1 for sales. The CD release also lifted other metrics: downloads climbed from 19-3, streaming 40-33, radio 58-4, and video 65-47. Radio saw the sharpest increase, jumping to 655% of last week’s points.

At No. 3 is “JANE DOE” by Kenshi Yonezu and Hikaru Utada, rising a spot from last week. Karaoke increased to 108% of the previous week. HANA’s “My Body” climbs two notches to No. 4 as the breakout girl group places seven songs on the chart this week, including “Blue Jeans” at No. 6 and “ROSE” at No. 14.

Yonezu’s “1991” settles at No. 5, down two positions. The track comes in at No. 3 for streaming, No. 6 for downloads, No. 8 for video, and No. 14 for radio.

Elsewhere in the top 10, CLASS SEVEN’s first single “miss you” bows at No. 9, selling 18,522 CDs to place No. 4 for sales, while hitting No. 2 for radio and No. 89 for downloads. CUTIE STREET’s “We Can’t Stop Suddenly!” returns to the tally for the first time in about three months, charting at No. 10. The CD sold 50,567 copies to hit No. 2 for sales.

The Billboard Japan Hot 100 combines physical and digital sales, audio streams, radio airplay, video views and karaoke data.

See the full Billboard Japan Hot 100 chart, tallying the week from Oct. 20 to 26, here. For more on Japanese music and charts, visit Billboard Japan’s English X account.

State Farm showcased its support for the Latin community and its vibrant culture through key activations at Billboard Latin Music Week in Miami. As a presenting sponsor, State Farm showcased the “Music of the World Cup” panel, featuring Latin music stars Carlos Vives, Emilia, Wisin, and soccer legend Xavi. Moderated by sports anchor Carlota Vizmanos, the discussion offered fans an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the creation of the official 2026 Telemundo World Cup anthem.

“Soccer unites us,” Vives added. “It’s brotherhood, it’s friendship, it’s love. Even though it’s competition and rivalry, it’s fair play. That’s why it unites us all.” This spirit of connection and collaboration is at the heart of Latin culture—and it was evident throughout Billboard Latin Music Week.

Returning to Miami for Latin Music Week, the industry’s largest celebration of Latin music brought together executives, artists, tastemakers, and fans in the genre’s American home. The three-day event leads up to the Billboard Latin Music Awards and has, for more than 30 years, stood as the world’s premier annual gathering of Latin artists and industry leaders.

This year, State Farm joined as a presenting sponsor, reinforcing its ongoing commitment to the Latin community. Coming off a successful activation at Billboard Hip-Hop Week, the brand brought its Buen Vecino Marketplace to Miami, offering fans at Billboard En Vivo a chance to take home custom merchandise printed live on-site.

The limited-edition designs were created by Brazilian graphic designer and artist Thiago Lacaz, who said, “It’s an honor to have my work on display here at Billboard Latin Music Week and to see so many fans excited about the design. I think people will wear these for a long time and that makes me very happy.”

Fans lined up to choose from different design and color options, with custom-printed shirts and keychains available throughout the activation.

Through its sponsorship of Billboard Latin Music Week, State Farm reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the Latin community and uplifting the voices shaping its culture. From the Buen Vecino Marketplace to the Music of the World Cup panel, the brand celebrated creativity, diversity, and the power of connection that defines Latin music.

Selena Gomez knows she’s in a rare position to give back, and she’s taking it. On Wednesday (Oct. 29), the singer-actress hosted her third annual Rare Impact Fund Benefit in Los Angeles, an event that raised more than $600,000 for mental health charities.

The night’s programming was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and featured performances from Laufey and The Marías, each of whom Gomez snapped photos with on the red carpet. Her new husband, Benny Blanco, was also in attendance, as were recognizable names such as Lil Dicky, Jake Shane, Jay Shetty and more.

“This night is a celebration of how far we’ve come and a powerful reminder of how much more we can do together,” Gomez said of the event in a statement shared with Billboard in September. “I’m incredibly grateful to Jimmy and The Marías for joining me in shining a light on youth mental health. Their support means the world – not just to me, but to millions of young people this work touches around the globe.”

The $600,000 raised on site via commitments from the night’s guests make up just one big step in the Rare Impact Fund’s mission to generate $100 million for global mental health resources and education programs. The event comes five years after Gomez first founded the fund in conjunction with her billion-dollar Rare Beauty business.

Last year’s benefit — which featured live music from Karol G and Teddy Swims — raised upward of $2 million for the Rare Impact Fund.

“Mental health is personal for me,” Gomez says in a mission statement on her organization’s website. “I went a long time without the support I needed because I didn’t understand what I was feeling. After experiencing what seemed like endless highs and lows that would take me out for weeks at a time, I finally found the help to see what I was going through.”

“That’s why I started the Rare Impact Fund,” adds the mogul, who’s long been open about her struggles with depression and bipolar disorder. “It’s a commitment to expand access to mental health services and education for young people everywhere. Because no one — regardless of age, race, gender, sexual orientation, or background — should struggle alone.”

See photos from Gomez’s third annual Rare Impact Fund Benefit below.