Producer Alex Garza and music executive Gerardo Vergara have joined Estrella Media Music Entertainment (EMME), the Los Angeles-based company tells Billboard.
In his role, Garza — who founded Arpa Music Publishing, where he represents artists such as Espinoza Paz, Horacio Palencia and Joss Favela — will oversee music production and publishing and serve as an in-house music producer.
As director, Vergara will manage the roster, catalog, and business opportunities for EMME, as well as new artist signings and development. Having worked in the industry for over 15 years, he’s helped develop the careers of regional Mexican music artists such as Gerardo Ortiz and Luis Coronel. He was previously gm of Green Dream, the management and social media company behind Pepe Aguilar.
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“Adding Gerardo and Alex to EMME is the completion of our dream team,” said Eddie Leon, executive vp of radio programming and events for Estrella Media who also oversees EMME. “Both bring a wealth of knowledge and contacts within the music industry that will help in our development of the next Regional Mexican stars. In addition, they will be instrumental in managing Estrella’s IP from its numerous series, events, and awards shows. EMME will give artists, songwriters, and composers a unique and culturally relevant path to develop their talent, fan base and culture.”
The multi-platform media company’s music division launched in April with longtime radio programmer and television personality Pepe Garza as head of content development and A&R. EMME includes a label and publishing arm and aims to “develop the next generation of Latin music stars.”
K-pop fans will hit the jackpot when a new music festival comes to Las Vegas later this year.
Billboard can reveal exclusive first details for the inaugural We Bridge Music Festival and Expo, a new two-day music fest and three-day exposition celebrating Asian entertainment and culture hitting the Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino and the Mandalay Bay Convention Center.
Billboard chart-toppersENHYPEN are headlining the fest, marking the K-pop boy band’s latest U.S. arena performance. K-pop solo superstar Kang Daniel will join ENHYPEN, as will girl groups fromis_9, Dreamcatcher and VIVIZ, boy bands CIX and ONEUS, R&B-pop star BE’O, and more at the Vegas arena that hosted events like 2022’s Latin American Music Awards and Latin Grammy Awards.
Alongside the concerts, the GRAMMY Museum will host a stage throughout three days on the expo floor, promising special performances and Q&A panels with the festival performers open to all attendees. Each artist panel will include “hi-touch” meet-and-greets with the artists for qualifying ticket holders.
In a press release, We Bridge also promises to bring attendees “what is now, new, and next in Asian music, media, art, and fashion.”
The destination event comes via Infinite Prospects Entertainment, the production and management company focused on bridging Asian media with western culture in the States, with the support of MGM Resorts International.
Previously, the two companies joined forces for a coordinated, city-wide celebration for BTS’ record-setting string of sold-out shows at Allegiant Stadium last April that included pop-up shops, Bellagio Fountains performances, and Vegas’ top attractions all glowing in the band’s signature color purple.
“I’m honored to be bringing a celebration of Asian culture to Las Vegas, one of the most culturally blended cities and entertainment capitals in the world,” says Alex Kang, CEO of Infinite Prospects Entertainment. “With the rise in Asian entertainment into mainstream prominence, we wanted to bring more awareness and access to artists, talent, and brands within our community. We are excited to have K-pop at the forefront of We Bridge’s music showcase this year as the industry’s impact and popularity continue to grow. We see this as our humble beginning and have a vision of building an even bigger stage that is widely representative of all Asian talent.”
Adds Chris Baldizan, MGM Resorts’ executive vice president of entertainment: “K-pop has quickly become a global phenomenon which Las Vegas experienced first-hand last year with BTS’ incredible sold-out concerts. The We Bridge event gives us another opportunity to partner with Alex Kang and his team to deliver multicultural experiences of music, media, art and fashion to the destination.”
Meanwhile, the Grammy Museum says its involvement honors its goal to connect music genres and diverse backgrounds just like millions will see at this weekend’s upcoming Grammy Awards on Feb. 5.
“Our mission includes paying tribute to our collective musical heritage while also celebrating the dynamic connection in people’s diverse backgrounds and music’s many genres,” says Michael Sticka, president/CEO of the Grammy Museum. “We look forward to celebrating Asian entertainment and culture by bringing our renowned public programming to the We Bridge stage.”
We Bridge Music Festival and Expo comes to Las Vegas from April 21-23 with tickets and packages on sale now. More information will be announced soon, including additional talent, ticket sales and programming details. For up-to-date news, fans can follow @webridgeexpo on Twitter and Instagram, and check out webridgeexpo.com.
Day 1 – Friday, April 21 ONEUS Dreamcatcher CIX Kang Daniel
Day 2 – Saturday, April 22 BE’O ONEUS VIVIZ fromis_9 ENHYPEN
Ozzy Osbourne is calling time on touring due to crippling injuries which, despite several surgeries, have rendered the rocker “physically weak.”
The legendary Black Sabbath frontman, now 74, can no longer do the miles, though his singing voice is “fine.”
“This is probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to share with my loyal fans,” he writes on social media. “As you may all know, four years ago, this month, I had a major accident, where I damaged my spine.”
After three operations, stem cell surgeries, cutting-edge procedures and grueling therapy sessions, Ozzy admits he’s “not physically capable” of completing his upcoming European/U.K. tour dates, “as I know I couldn’t deal with the travel required.”
He continues: “Never would I have imagined that my touring days would have ended this way. My team is currently coming up with ideas for where I will be able to perform without having to travel from city to city and country to country.”
With his concession, Ozzy calls time on his No More Tours 2 final tour of the U.K. and Europe, which had been pushed back due to his health issues and COVID.
Though it’s the end of the road for the legendary British rocker, he hasn’t ruled out performing, so long as travel isn’t required.
“My team is currently coming up with ideas for where I will be able to perform without having to travel from city to city and country to country.”
Ozzy has soldiered on for years. His injury dates back to 2019, when the singer, who is also battling Parkinson’s disease, had surgery to repair an older injury he sustained during a 2003 ATV accident. A fall at home in 2019 complicated matters by dislodging metal rods surgically implanted in Ozzy’s body after the ATV accident, resulting in 15 screws being placed in his back.
Last year, he went under the knife for a vitally important procedure that wife/manager Sharon Osbourne said could determine his future.
The heavy metal icon was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006 as a member of Black Sabbath and into the U.K. Music Hall of Fame as a solo artist and as a member of the band.
Charles “Chip” Rachlin, the trailblazing agent for Billy Joel and the Beach Boys, died last Wednesday (Jan. 25) following a short illness. He was 73.
A rock pioneer, Rachlin, like so many others of his generation, had a life-changing experience when the Beatles performed on the Ed Sullivan Show back in February 1964. He started a band, the Gremlins. But it was in presenting and showcasing talent that he found his calling.
Born in Summit, New Jersey, Rachlin — a lifelong Yankees fan — learned the ropes as an agent working for Bill Graham at the Fillmore East, and later, as a junior agent with the Millard Agency.
Rachlin and his Fillmore friend Michael Klenfner showed their entrepreneurial chops when, in February 1971, they booked the Beach Boys to headline Carnegie Hall. It was a turning point for everyone involved, as Rachlin soon found himself representing the group, and its lead singer, the late Carl Wilson during his solo career.
Once Graham closed the Filllmore, “Millard went ‘uptown,’’” remembers Rachlin in a timeline on the Rachlin Entertainment website.
“We built an All Star Team with Danny Weiner, Tom Ross, Budd Carr and Shelly Schultz,” with a roster that swelled to include Aerosmith, Eric Clapton, America, Seals & Crofts, Loggins & Messina, James Taylor, Fleetwood Mac, Linda Ronstadt, CSN, and Eagles.
By the mid-‘70s, Rachlin was a major figure in ICM’s music department, where he repped the future Rock And Roll Hall of Famers the Beach Boys and a young Billy Joel.
“By the end of my run with ICM we were the top concert department among the major agencies,” he recounts. “It was an amazing eight years and the best training ground in the music business.”
He toured with the Rolling Stones, and rode the “fantastic rocket ship ride” that was the launch of MTV.
As styles and formats changed, Rachlin went out on his own. In the early 1990s, he launched Rachlin Entertainment, an enterprise that would become a “unique talent resource” for elite buyers such as Atlantis Paradise Island in the Bahamas and Cunard Cruise Lines.
Among the success stories for Atlantis Paradise Island are the late David Bowie, Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber, and Katy Perry. It was Rachlin who produced the All Star Tribute To Brian Wilson at Radio City Music Hall in March of 2001, headlined by Elton John, Billy Joel, Paul Simon and many more.
Tributes are pouring in for the legendary talent booker. “Thanks to Chip being my agent in the early days,” writes Billy Joel on social media, “the band and I were able to make a living as performing musicians before I became more widely known as a recording artist. I will always be grateful for his efforts on my behalf back in the day.”
Chip Rachlin has died. Chip was responsible for booking us into most of our U.S. concerts during the early and mid 1970s. Thanks to Chip being my agent in the early days, the band and I were able to make a living as performing musicians before I became more widely known as (1/2) pic.twitter.com/7D92tdUERY
Eagles manager Irving Azoff recounts Chip as “not only a pioneer in how the business operates today,” but, for over 40 years, “he remained somebody who I always wanted to hear from.” The veteran music executive adds: “He was an innovator. More importantly, on a one-to-one level, he displayed all the personal qualities that make this business great. He was not just passionate about the music and any artist he worked with but a great person. This one hurts very badly.”
We’re so saddened to learn of Chip Rachlin’s passing. Chip, seen here with Bill in 1982 on the Rolling Stones tour, went on to produce an amazing array of events. Along the way, he made many friends who now mourn his loss. Our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones. pic.twitter.com/jlMlICdCw1
“We’re so saddened to learn of Chip Rachlin’s passing,” reads a post from the Bill Graham Foundation. Chip “went on to produce an amazing array of events. Along the way, he made many friends who now mourn his loss. Our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones.”
Rachlin is survived by his wife Wendy, his sons Josh and Alex, and their extended family.
Ahead of the Grammys this weekend, best new artist nominee Anitta is back for part two of her Billboard interview, sharing more of the backstory along with her plans for the next phase of her career.
“I really wanted this because I heard so many times that it was impossible, and I wanted to prove that it was not, someone can do this,” Anitta says of the days she spent hustling in her native Brazil to make her career happen. When she was faced with the argument that Brazilians couldn’t cross over in the States, she says she simply “could not accept it.”
She tracks her hustling days, recalling the era when she’d perform in Brazil on Friday, Saturday and Sunday then fly to the States to network during the week, before flying back to Brazil to play shows on the weekend, all while taking English lessons and doing studio sessions in English to get used to recording in the language. “It was crazy,” she says, adding that she was “so tired.”
But of course, the work paid off, with Anitta crossing over in the States, particularly upon the release of her 2022 album, Versions of Me, and its big single “Envolver.” Of this success, Anitta says fans in her home country “are super happy and very supportive of me, whenever ‘Envolver’ was starting to get really really big on the charts out of Brazil, the Brazilians, they saw it and were like, ‘If you love your nation, you’ve gotta play this song.’ … When it was No. 1 global, it was a holiday.”
Anitta also reveals that she “for sure, definitely” will end her singing career in the next five or six years, saying that she loves “change, challenges and trying news things” and is eager to develop her acting career. (She notes that she’s already been invited to appear in a number of films.)
Given her penchant for both hustle and success, money is on Anitta achieving anything she sets out to get. Watch the complete interview above, and tune in to the 65th annual Grammy Awards on Sunday night at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on CBS to see if Anitta wins for best new artist.
Anitta talks about the global success of her hit song ‘Envolver’, her reaction to seeing everyone her dance moves on TikTok, how to do the best twerk and more!
Following her three Grammy nominations, Muni Long is feeling… well, she’s not so sure yet.
“I think everything that’s happening right now is surreal,” she shared with Billboard R&B/hip-hop reporter Neena Rouhani in a new Billboard News video interview. “I definitely have a delayed reaction.”
The “Hrs & Hrs” singer is up for three Grammys, including best new artist, best R&B song and best R&B performance for her breakout hit. “Watching the Grammys nominations on YouTube, I was like ‘yes!’” she exclaimed. “I was like, ‘I wonder when it’s gonna hit me?’ And then I just burst out crying for like five minutes.”
The 34-year-old artist saw great success with her 2021 viral hit “Hrs & Hrs,” following an already robust career as a songwriter for massive singers including Rihanna, Ariana Grande and Chris Brown. “Hrs & Hrs” spent three weeks atop Billboard‘s Hot R&B Songs chart, while her latest album Public Displays of Affection: The Album peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard 200.
Long also set the record straight regarding the common mispronunciation of her moniker, which Olivia Rodrigo pronounced as “mooney” during the Grammys nominee announcement stream. “I tend not to correct people when they get it wrong because once they find out how you actually pronounce it, they’ll never do it again,” she told Billboard. “They mispronounced Beyoncé at first and now everyone knows who she is.”
Long expressed special excitement for her “coveted four” best new artist nomination, noting it was the one she really wanted. She says she was a little nervous, considering that everyone doesn’t consider the longtime songwriter to be new. “In this iteration of myself as Muni Long — it is a character, a persona that I’ve created, but it’s also the real me,” she said. “As a songwriter, you have to be a certain way in order to be invited back. You can’t take up too much space. I spent the first 15 years of my career trying to be liked and not really being myself.
“To be acknowledged by my peers as one of the best new presences,” she went on, “It was just like, ‘Wow.’”
Netflix’s newest documentary, Pamela, a Love Story, gives its viewers a deep dive into Pamela Anderson’s life and a chance to hear her side of the story regarding the infamous sex tape that she and then husband, Tommy Lee, made days into their marriage. But according to the star, she and the Mötley Crüe drummer’s sex tape wasn’t really a sex tape at all.
“What they did is they found all the nudity they could from different Hi8 tapes, and they spliced it together,” Anderson revealed in the documentary, which was released on Monday (Jan. 31).
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Elsewhere in the documentary, the Baywatch star’s sons with the rocker — Dylan and Brandon Lee — talk about the existence of Hulu’s Pam & Tommy series. The series — based on a 2014 Rolling Stone article titled “Pam and Tommy: The Untold Story of the World’s Most Infamous Sex Tape” — premiered on the streaming platform in February 2022 and detailed the events surrounding the sex tape and how it went impacted Anderson and Lee’s relationship.
The actress noted in the Netflix program that the existence of Pam & Tommy “really gives me nightmares.” She added, “I have no desire to watch it. I never watched the tape, I’m never going to watch this.”
“Why bring something up from 20 years ago that you know f–ked someone up?” Dylan said in the documentary. “The worst part of her life and making a semi-comedy out of it didn’t make sense.”
Pamela, a Love Story is available to stream on Netflix. Revisit the trailer for the documentary below.
This past month our reviewers not only listened to recent releases like Malcolm Arnold’s Clarinet Concerto performed by Michael Collins, but also went back to a few worthwhile things that were missed in the last couple of years including Gottfried von der Goltz and the Freiburger Barockorchester playing Mozart’s very first symphonies.
The Weeknd is the top nominee for the 2023 Juno Awards, with six nods, including artist of the year, single of the year (“Sacrifice”), album of the year (Dawn FM) and songwriter of the year.
Avril Lavigne and Tate McRae follow with five nods each. NAV, Preston Pablo, Rêve and The Reklaws each received three nods.
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McRae and Rêve are both set to perform on the Junos, which will be held March 13. Also set to perform on the show: Nickelback (the 2023 inductee into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and a nominee for rock album of the year for Get Rollin’), Tenille Townes (a two-time nominee this year) and AP Dhillon.
Lavigne, The Weeknd, Lauren Spencer-Smith, Michael Bublé and Shawn Mendes are nominated for artist of the year. The Weeknd is a three-time winner in that category; Mendes has won twice; Bublé has won once.
All of those artists except Bublé are also nominated for Juno Fan Choice, a fan-voted award.
Mendes, who won three consecutive awards for single of the year from 2018-20, is nominated again in that category for “When You’re Gone.” The other nominees in that category are The Weeknd’s “Sacrifice,” Lavigne’s “Bite Me,” McRae’s “she’s all I wanna be” and Preston Pablo and Banx & Ranx’s “Flowers Need Rain.” The Weeknd is a two-time winner in the category; Lavigne has won once.
The nominees for album of the year are The Weeknd’s Dawn FM, Lavigne’s Love Sux, McRae’s i used to think I could fly, Ali Gatie’s Who Hurt You? and NAV’s Demons Protected by Angels. As with single of the year, The Weeknd is a two-time winner in this category; Lavigne has won once.
Taylor Swift has two of the five nominees for international album of the year. She is nominated for both Midnights and Red (Taylor’s Version). The other nominees in that category – the only one reserved for non-Canadian artists – are Ed Sheeran’s =, Harry Styles’ Harry’s House and Lil Nas X’s Montero.
The 2023 Juno Awards will be held March 13 at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta. The ceremony had originally been scheduled for March 12, but was pushed back a day to avoid competing with the Oscars. Actor Simu Liu, star of the 2021 Marvel Cinematic Universe film Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, is hosting for the second year in a row. Music manager Ron Sakamoto is slated to receive the Walt Grealis Special Achievement Award.
Here’s the complete list of 2023 Juno Award nominations.
Juno Fan Choice
Avril Lavigne, Warner
Lauren Spencer-Smith, Island/Republic*Universal
MacKenzie Porter, Big Loud*Independent
Preston Pablo, 31 East*Universal
Rêve, 31 East*Universal
Shawn Mendes, Island*Universal
Tate McRae, RCA*Sony
The Reklaws, Starseed*Independent
The Weeknd, XO*Universal
Tyler Shaw, Sony
Artist of the year
Avril Lavigne, Warner
Lauren Spencer-Smith, Island/Republic*Universal
Michael Bublé, Warner
Shawn Mendes, Island*Universal
The Weeknd, XO*Universal
Group of the year
Arcade Fire, Columbia*Sony
Arkells, Arkells Music*Universal
Billy Talent, Warner
Metric, Thirty Tigers
The Reklaws, Starseed*Independent
Single of the year
“Bite Me,” Avril Lavigne, Warner
“Flowers Need Rain,” Preston Pablo and Banx & Ranx, 31 East*Universal
Early Italian Cello Concertos, Elinor Frey and Rosa Barocca, conducted by Claude Lapalme, Analekta*F.A.B./The Orchard
De la cour de Louis XIV à Shippagan! Chants traditionnels acadiens et airs de cour du XVIIe Siècle, Suzie LeBlanc, Marie Nadeau-Tremblay, Vincent Lauzer, and Sylvain Bergeron, ATMA*Universal
Classical composition of the year
“An Overall Augmented Sense of Well-being,” Anthony Tan, Independent
“Bestiary I & II,” Bekah Simms, Centrediscs*Naxos
“The Black Fish,” Keyan Emami, Centrediscs*Naxos
“Prayers for Ruins,” Nicole Lizée, Analekta*F.A.B./The Orchard
“Supervillain Études,” Vincent Ho, Navona*Naxos
Contemporary indigenous artist or group of the year
“Watin,” Aysanabee, Ishkōdé*Universal
“Zhawenim,” Digging Roots, Ishkōdé*Universal r&b
“Code Red,” Indian City, Rising Sun*Warner
“Beyond the Reservoir,” Julian Taylor, Howling Turtle*Warner
“The Crossing,” Susan Aglukark, Aglukark*Universal/IDLA
Traditional indigenous artist or group of the year
Ôskimacîtahowin: A New Beginning, Northern Cree, Independent
Unbreakable, The Bearhead Sisters, Independent
Comedy album of the year
Let Me Hold Your Baby, Courtney Gilmour, Comedy Records*Independent
SplashPad, Jackie Pirico, Independent
A Person Who Is Gingerbread, Jon Dore, Howl & Roar*Independent
Here Live, Not A Cat, Matt Wright, Chillybrain
Things Black Girls Say – The Album, Zabrina Douglas, Howl & Roar*Independent
Album artwork of the year
Emy Storey (Art Director, Designer, & Photographer), Becca McFarlane and Pamela Littky (Photographer); CRYBABY – Tegan and Sara, Mom+Pop*Redeye
Ian Ilavsky (Art Director & Designer), Maciek Szczerbowski (Illustrator); Everything Was Forever Until It Was No More – Esmerine, Constellation*Secretly
Jud Haynes (Art Director & Designer); Kubasongs – Kubasonics, Independent
