From career milestones to new music releases to major announcements and those little big moments, Billboard editors highlight moments of renewal in Latin music. Check out what happened in the world of Latin music this week.
The Sebastián Yatra Scholarship goes to…
The Latin Grammy Cultural Foundation awarded the Sebastián Yatra Scholarship or Prodigy Scholarship to Cuban double bassist Leo Luna Roblejo during a ceremony in Miami on August 7.
“Music has the power to change lives and unite cultures, and I'm excited to see how these young people, like Leo, will carry on the legacy of Latin music with passion and dedication,” Yatra said in a statement. “I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to their education and artistic development.”
The scholarship has a maximum value of $250,000, allowing Luna Roblejo to pursue a degree at Berklee College of Music in Boston starting this fall.
“Music has been my calling and passion since I was a small child and to have the opportunity to pursue my dream thanks to the support of Sebastián Yatra and the incredible Latin Grammy Cultural Foundation is beyond anything I could have imagined” , he said. Roblejo. “I promise to make you all proud and I will take full advantage of this opportunity, working hard every day to make the most of this gift.”
Los Ángeles Azules will receive a special award
Los Ángeles Azules will receive the 2024 Hispanic Heritage Award for the Arts Award during the 37th Annual Hispanic Heritage Awards at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts' Opera House on September 5, which will air on PBS, online and the PBS video app.
“The Los Angeles Azules have literally moved audiences around the world through their music and messages for decades,” Antonio Tijerino, president and CEO of HHF, said in a statement. “We are thrilled to honor this remarkable group of musical giants with our Arts Award and look forward to sharing our collective cultural pride, achievement and vision, along with the other honorees, at the Kennedy Center and on PBS with all of America and beyond Hispanic Heritage Month.”
The iconic Mexican cumbia band added: “We are very grateful to the Hispanic Heritage Awards for this great recognition of our long artistic career. We also want to thank all our followers and those who have supported us all this time. Thanks to them and those who enjoy and dance to our songs we will continue to build this great career.”
Coldplay confirm their collaboration with Tini
Mark your calendars: Coldplay are set to release “We Pray” on August 23, featuring Argentinian star Tini, alongside other international artists such as Palestinian-Chilean artist Elyanna, Nigeria's Burna Boy and British rapper Little Simz. “This is so exciting,” Tiny commented on the post shared by Coldplay on social media.
Listen to a preview of the song below:
Lele Pons' IG Live with María Corina Machado
Lele Pons, the Venezuelan influencer and singer with the most followers on social media (53.3 million on Instagram alone), had Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado as a guest on an IG Live on Friday (August 9) for to talk about the current situation in their country, where tensions and government repression have increased since the July 28 presidential election.
Nearly two weeks after Venezuela's electoral authority declared Nicolás Maduro the winner and the opposition released records showing Edmundo González's candidate won nearly 70% of the vote – widely acknowledged, even by the US – Machado she repeated. message that they will continue to push through peaceful means and her belief that they will go “to the end”. He also answered questions from Pons followers and said that in the next few days they will announce a mass event in which the international community can participate.
Announced just three hours earlier in a post shared by Pons and Machado, the Live drew about 135,000 people and received mostly positive messages. Check it out below.
Celia Cruz gets her coin
The image of legendary singer Celia Cruz is now depicted in a US district. The late Cuban artist, known as the Queen of Salsa, was chosen along with four other women from history to be featured in the American Quarter as part of the American Women Quarters program this year. She also makes history by becoming the first Afro-Latina to appear on the coin.
The four-year American Women Quarters Program “celebrates the achievements and contributions of the women of the United States,” according to the website of the U.S. Mint, which also sells the coins individually and as a set. The other 2024 honorees include Patsy Takemoto Mink, the first woman of color to serve in Congress; Dr. Mary Edwards Walker, women's rights activist and Civil War-era surgeon. poet, activist and lawyer, Rev. Dr. Paul Murray. and Native American writer, composer, educator and political activist Zitkala-Ša.
—Additional reporting by Sigal Ratner-Arias.
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/music/latin/sebastian-yatra-latin-grammy-scholarship-awarded-leo-luna-roblejo-1235750249/
