Colombian popular music — or “popular Colombian music” — made its debut with a bang at the 2024 Billboard Latin Music Awards with a show-opening performance by Luis Alfonso.
The Colombian star kicked off the awards with a raucous rendition of his hit 'Tequila Con Cerveza', originally recorded with star Blessd, followed by current hit 'Chismofilia'. Dressed in leather pants and boots, Luis Alfonso donned his signature cowboy hat and performed backed by both banda and norteño instruments.
The Mexican influence is clear in both the look and arrangements, but Luis Alfonso's “popular Colombian” sound was unmistakable in the colloquial lyrics and traditional Colombian atmosphere.
Luis Alfonso's “Chismofilia,” which has been a big hit in Colombia and is also climbing the US charts (this week, it's at No. 19 on Billboard's Latin Pop chart), featured a troupe of signature country dancers of the singer (and irresistible) head bop.
It was enough to get the audience on their feet and set the tone for the evening.
Earlier in the week, Luis Alfonso spoke about popular Colombian music on a panel during Latin Music Week that also featured fellow locals Paola Jara, Jason Jimenez and Pip Bueno.
“It is an honor to represent my country, Colombia, but also the legacy of popular Colombian music,” Luis Alfonso said in an interview.
The Billboard Latin Music Awards recognize the impact of Latin music on the world stage as they are the only awards based directly on the performance of albums, songs and artists in Billboard weekly charts. This year, the awards will be presented in 49 categories, covering the genres of Latin Pop, Tropical, Latin Rhythm and Local Mexican.
Finalists and eventual winners reflect the performance of new recordings Bulletin boardIts album and song charts for the period covering rankings from August 19, 2023 to the charts of September 7, 2024. Determinations are based on key fan interactions with the music, including album and digital song sales, streaming, radio play, and tours, attended by Bulletin board and its data partner, Luminate.
Produced by Telemundo in association with American Country Broadcast Inc., the awards can be seen on Telemundo, the Telemundo app, the Peacock streaming service and in Latin America and the Caribbean via Telemundo Internacional.
This year, the list of finalists is led by Karol G, who has 17 mentions in key categories such as Artist of the Year, tour of the Year and Global 200 Latin Artist of the Year. Bad Bunny and Peso Pluma follow closely behind with 15 mentions each. Other notable finalists include Feid, with 11 mentions, and regional Mexican stars Fuerza Regida and Junior H, both with 8 mentions, including Artist of the Year. See the full list of finalists here.
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/music/latin/luis-alfonso-2024-billboard-latin-music-awards-performance-1235806314/
