Prince Royce may be disappointed that his highly anticipated collaboration with Romeo Santos, Better Late Than Never, did not receive a nomination for the Latin Grammys on Wednesday (Sept. 16). But what seems to hurt him the most is that the best merengue/bachata album category did not include a single bachata production.

In an open letter posted to his Instagram Stories, the “Prince of Bachata” reflected on this lack of representation.

“I’ve always understood that awards are subjective and that no artist is guaranteed a nomination. But when an institution decides to include the name of a culture and a genre in a category, it also assumes the responsibility of knowing, respecting and representing them,” he wrote.

“This year, when looking at the projects nominated for best merengue/bachata album, I noticed that there isn’t a single bachata album and that approximately only 15% of the music in these albums is bachata. Let’s think about that,” he continued. “This isn’t about discrediting merengue, a genre that also deserves to be celebrated, respected and protected. It’s about asking a very simple question: if bachata is in the name of the category, where is the representation of bachata?”

The nominees for best merengue/bachata album this year are Fariana (Música Para Bailar), Manerra (Todo Llega), Gabriel Pagán (No Era El Plan), Covi Quintana (Oye Eta Vaina) and Techy (Chula).

Better Late Than Never, released as a surprise in November 2025, debuted at No. 1 and No. 2 on the Tropical Albums and Top Latin Albums charts, respectively, with nine of its songs debuting on the Hot Latin Songs chart — a career high for both artists. The album also marked a long-awaited collaboration between the two greats, featured on the cover of Billboard Español.

Its complete omission from the 2026 Latin Grammy nominations was one of the most notable snubs on Wednesday morning.

When asked about it by Billboard, Manuel Abud, CEO of the Latin Recording Academy, suggested that this matter was beyond his control. “At the end of the day, it is our membership that votes, and we manage the process,” Abud said. “If, for one reason or another, our membership has not recognized these works, I can’t tell you why. I’m neither qualified, nor is it my role.”

Santos, arguably the biggest bachata star since the 1990s when he rose to fame as the leader of Aventura, has only received four Latin Grammy nominations since launching his solo career in 2011. He has won just one: in 2023, for best merengue/bachata album with Fórmula, Vol. 3. Royce, on the other hand, has been nominated 15 times but has yet to win. Both artists boast multiple No. 1 hits on the Billboard charts.

Read Prince Royce’s full letter below:

I’ve always understood that awards are subjective and that no artist is guaranteed a nomination. But when an institution decides to include the name of a culture and a genre in a category, it also assumes the responsibility of knowing, respecting and representing them.

This year, when looking at the projects nominated for best merengue/bachata album, I noticed that there isn’t a single bachata album and that approximately only 15% of the music in these albums is bachata.

Let’s think about that.

This isn’t about discrediting merengue, a genre that also deserves to be celebrated, respected and protected. It’s about asking a very simple question: if bachata is in the name of the category, where is the representation of bachata?

And having Dominican artists nominated doesn’t automatically mean that bachata is being represented. Being Dominican is a nationality. Bachata is a genre, a culture and a history with its own identity.

For decades, bachata has fought to be respected and to occupy the place it deserves on the global stage. If including the word “bachata” in this category is intended as a way to recognize, preserve and include the genre, then that representation has to go far beyond simply putting its name in the title.

But when not a single bachata album is included in the only “bachata” category, this stops being about whether I receive a nomination or not.

It’s about representation.

We are always told that the Latin Recording Academy awards should not be based on streaming numbers, chart positions, or popularity, but on musical excellence. On that, we agree.

But they also shouldn’t become a popularity contest within the industry itself, where relationships, campaigns or who has more friends carry more weight. Bachata deserves more than just being included on paper. It deserves representation. It deserves to be understood. And it deserves respect.

The day after canceling a concert at the Sphere due to “airplane issues,” Carín León returned on Friday night (Sept. 11) to the impressive stage for the second weekend of his historic residency in Las Vegas. The Mexican music star did not address the cancellation during the show. Despite a flood of criticism on social media, an ecstatic crowd welcomed him with excitement.

“¡Que viva México y que viva Hermosillo!” the 37-year-old musician exclaimed as he appeared promptly at 8:30 p.m. (local time), taking off his hat as a gesture of gratitude to the 20,000 fans who came to see him. León, the first Latino to headline a concert at the Sphere, then set out to deliver an unforgettable visual and cultural show, filled with tributes and big surprises.

Dressed in an elegant black suit paired with matching boots and hat, he paid tribute to his hometown, Hermosillo, Sonora. On the Sphere’s giant screens, stunning images of the desert, a cactus, the sounds of coyotes, Hermosillo’s Cathedral, Cerro de la Campana, and other iconic symbols of the region and of Mexico were displayed, honoring his roots with the same pride he has always expressed when speaking about his homeland.

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One of the most moving moments of the night was when photographs of loved ones who are no longer with us were displayed in an altar-like setting with candles, during a section of the show titled “La Caverna Sagrada,” as he performed his hit “Cuando la vida sea trago.”

The night’s surprises included the appearance of two major figures in Mexican music as special guests. The first was the legendary Pepe Aguilar, whom León introduced as “one of my greatest inspirations in music.” Together, they performed their emotional collaboration “Lamentablemente” and Aguilar’s iconic hit “Por mujeres como tú,” closing with a big embrace. “Cómo te quiero, cabr–n”, (How much I love you, man), León told him.

The second guest was José Guadalupe Esparza, vocalist of the iconic group Bronco, and León couldn’t hide his excitement about sharing the stage with one of his childhood idols.

“My beautiful people, because at the same time I was learning to say ‘dad,’ I was also saying ‘Bronco.’ Long live Maestro Lupe Esparza, here with us tonight!” he said to welcome him. Together, they performed classics like “Si te vuelves a enamorar,” “Oro,” and “Libros tontos,” leaving the audience ecstatic.

Throughout the concert, León not only sang and danced but also took the time to interact with his fans throughout the night. With great pride, he held up the Mexican flag given to him by a fan, signed hats and albums, and recorded videos for his followers.

León officially kicked off his seven-show residency at the Sphere in Las Vegas on Sept. 4 with an immersive performance that takes full advantage of the venue’s next-generation technology. The series of concerts was interrupted by Thursday’s (Sept. 10) cancellation, just hours after it was announced that the singer would return to the Sphere next year. The new series of shows, produced by AEG, is scheduled for September 16-18, 2027, during Mexico’s Independence Day celebrations.

Carín León told his fans he tried everything he could to make it to his fourth residency show at the Sphere in Las Vegas on Thursday night (Sept. 10), but a series of “aircraft malfunctions” left him far away from the venue at showtime. In an Instagram Story (translated into English), the singer wrote, “Due to an unexpected mishap during my move, and always putting everyone’s safety first, we unfortunately have to reschedule tonight’s show at Sphere.”

León assured disappointed fans — who were reportedly in their seats awaiting the start of the show when the news was announced over the arena’s sound system — that their tickets will be valid for a new date — Sept. 15, 2027 — and if they can’t make it then they can get a refund at the point of purchase in the next 30 days. “I know all the effort, excitement, and desire that many brought to be here tonight, and I sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause,” he wrote. “Thank you for your patience, for understanding and for all the affection you always make me reach. See you the soonest my people.”

In an accompanying video, he explained that he and his band could not make it to the show due to “aircraft malfunctions,” describing trying to board two different planes Thursday afternoon, both of which he said had issues that prevented them from taking off, including one with a brake failure and another with a steering issue.

“We had to prioritize the safety of the people and the pilots, so we weren’t allowed to fly. The authorities wouldn’t let us,” León said in the video. “I sincerely apologize from the bottom of my heart and want to reaffirm our love for you. This isn’t a lack of commitment on our part. Things simply didn’t go as we had hoped, and I stand here feeling deeply embarrassed.”

The venue also posted a statement that read: “Due to an unexpected transportation issue, tonight’s Carín show at Sphere is postponed.” At press time, a spokesperson for León had not returned Billboard‘s request for further comment on the last-minute show cancellation.

León, 37, became the first Latin artist to book a residency at the Sphere, kicking off his planned seven-show run last week and announcing earlier in the day on Thursday that he is planning a return in 2027. The next run of shows produced by AEG will find the singer touching down again at the immersive Las Vegas theater on Sept. 16, 17 and 18 of next year during Mexico’s Independence Day celebrations.

During León’s first sold-out night at the Sphere on Sept. 4 he was joined by country singer Cody Johnson and Mexican rock band the Warning. León is booked to play the venue again on Friday night (Sept. 11), as well as Saturday (Sept. 12) and Sunday (Sept. 13).

Forest Hills Stadium already feels like a kind of time capsule. Tucked inside Queens, its Tudor-style cottages and intimate village-like pathways create the sensation of stepping into a storybook hidden inside New York City. On Saturday night (Sept. 5), that atmosphere became the setting for Rauw Alejandro’s own living storybook: a three-act performance that moved from the Puerto Rican roots and musical influences that shaped him to the superstar he is now — and the artist he is still becoming.

The show — Red Bull Chapters featuring Rauw Alejandro — was initially scheduled for one night. After that date sold out quickly, a second performance was added for Sunday (Sept. 6), giving the event an unexpected momentum even before its first chapter began. It also marked Red Bull’s first Chapters project centered on a recording artist, following the brand’s long history of building platforms around athletes, action sports and culture — including its influential Red Bull Batalla freestyle competition.

That distinction mattered. This was not simply a Rauw Alejandro concert with Red Bull branding layered onto it. The production asked what might happen when Rauw’s theatrical concert language met the brand’s appetite for movement, risk and spectacle.

One day before the show, Rauw told Billboard over Zoom that the collaboration was intended to merge “the world of extreme sports, the world of sports, with the world of art and music.” He added: “It’s literally Rauw and Red Bull. It’s not like Rauw Alejandro and Red Bull separately — it’s a fusion between the two worlds.”

The performance made that fusion visible. Its three chapters were titled “Inspiration,” “Momentum” and “Legacy,” turning his career into a past-present-future narrative. Rather than treating his catalog as a straight chronology, the show presented his evolution as a series of leaps: from family, island and sound; to global momentum; to the risks required to keep moving forward.

Inspiration

The opening chapter began with images of the Caribbean Sea and the sun, accompanied by a narrated portrait of Puerto Rico as the place where mountains, ocean and city meet. The story connected Taíno, African and Spanish influences with salsa, reggaetón and rock — sounds that entered Rauw’s life through his grandfather, his own early ambitions and his father, guitarist Raúl Ocasio.

That history gained new resonance in Billboard’s interview, when Rauw spoke about growing up around his father and grandfather, both musicians. His grandfather was a trovador; his father played guitar, composed and introduced him to Elvis Presley, James Brown and other American oldies while salsa played in the family’s orbit. Rauw also recalled secretly buying his first reggaetón record as a child, at a time when the genre was not yet embraced by everyone around him.

“I grew up in an environment with a lot of musical variety,” he said. “I think that marked me a lot, and it’s reflected in my art.”

He opened the concert with “Santa,” his collaboration with Rvssian and Ayra Starr, dressed in a brown studded leather jacket, dark sunglasses and matching pants. After welcoming the audience to the inaugural Red Bull Chapters with him, he framed the night as an opportunity to share the experiences that had brought him to that stage.

The mood shifted between intimacy and showmanship. “2/Catorce” prompted a full-crowd singalong, while “Club El Calentero” lit the stadium in neon colors. In between songs, Rauw spoke about the uncertainty of inspiration — how a song can begin with a word, a melody or a rhythm that simply creates a feeling before its meaning becomes clear.

That idea became physical during “Tú Con Él,” his cover of Frankie Ruiz’s classic. Backed by a full band — including guitarists, a keyboardist and percussionists — Rauw delivered the song with an ease that made the homage feel less like a detour than a conversation between generations of Puerto Rican music.

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Momentum

The transition into the second chapter introduced the production’s most overtly athletic language. A skateboarding structure rolled onto the stage as performers in Joker-like helmets executed tricks with fire blazing behind them. Later, daredevil motorcyclists performed wheelies and other stunts while Rauw changed into a black leather look with a rocker edge.

The action was not confined to interludes. Extreme-sports imagery — snowboarders, ice skaters and surfers — flashed across the screens as Rauw’s live performance continued, turning athletic risk into a visual metaphor for the decisions that propel an artist from one era into the next. The production’s narration asked how someone holds onto the hunger that first fueled them, and what it takes to leap into the unknown without knowing whether they will fly or fall.

That idea also connected to the musical openness Rauw inherited from his family. “My father taught me to be more open and to listen to more music,” he told Billboard Español. “I grew up with a lot of musical variety, and I think that marked me a lot and is reflected in my art.” In the show, that variety took shape through genre shifts, live instrumentation and reimagined arrangements.

Cosa Nuestra remained important context rather than the show’s central subject. The album — and its 2025 follow-up, Cosa Nuestra: Capítulo 0 — established Rauw’s interest in theatrical world-building, New York’s Puerto Rican history and the relationship between tradition and contemporary urbano. Red Bull Chapters expanded that vocabulary by making the act of taking a risk part of the narrative itself.

The performance then accelerated into the hits and collaborations that defined Rauw’s global ascent. “Todo De Ti” and “Carita Linda” were among the night’s biggest crowd reactions, while the live band gave the songs a muscular, concert-scale energy.

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Rauw also used the second chapter to address the Puerto Rican diaspora directly. “There are approximately six million Puerto Ricans outside the island, while Puerto Rico itself has only three million,” he told the Forest Hills crowd. “Puerto Rico needs us — the people who are there every day, but also those of us who are here.”

Acknowledging that returning home is not always easy for people balancing family, work and personal struggles, he urged the audience to stay connected to the island. “We can’t allow them to slowly take away our beautiful island and keep what belongs to us — our culture, our identity,” he said. “We have to take care of Puerto Rico together.”

Legacy

For the final chapter, Rauw emerged in an all-white leather look: ’70s-inspired pants, chains, a vest and aviator sunglasses, his reddish hair styled into another distinct character. The change was more than a costume shift. It signaled a move away from biography and toward possibility.

Tainy appeared behind the decks as Rauw called for New York to make itself heard, while Chencho Corleone later joined him for “Desesperados,” one of the evening’s most euphoric moments.

The final act primarily explored the future of Rauw’s sound through a more futuristic visual language and a freer mixture of reggaetón, R&B, electronic music and pop. The concert’s production continually opened new doors — new colors, new characters, new arrangements — without abandoning the physicality that has always made Rauw one of Latin music’s most compelling live performers.

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That forward motion also echoed what he told Billboard Español about what comes next. Rauw said October will bring several collaborations, including artists from Puerto Rico and international acts, but that “2027 will be completely Raúl” — a year focused on his own next project.

Red Bull Chapters ultimately worked best when it treated Rauw’s career as an unfinished experiment. The show used the familiar ingredients of his story — Puerto Rico, New York, the Nuyorican diaspora, dance, theatricality, genre-crossing and an instinct for spectacle — but placed them inside a structure that made transformation the point.

At Forest Hills, Rauw was not just revisiting the inspirations, hits and eras that brought him here — he was demonstrating that every new chapter requires another leap. “I’m still in a creative process after Cosa Nuestra, which was a huge tour,” he said. “I’m taking my time to find that inspiration again, to keep studying and see what the muse tells me is next — which direction I should go.”

Fifteen years after the historic night when Jenni Rivera became the first female regional Mexican music artist to sell out the Staples Center in Los Angeles, the recording of that iconic performance is now available in its entirety on digital platforms. Titled Mírame Desde Staples Center (Watch Me From Staples Center), it was released Thursday night (Sept. 3), on its actual anniversary.

The live album, released under Virgin Music Group, captures Rivera delivering one of the most emblematic performances of her career. With a 45-song setlist, the three-hour concert also highlighted the versatility of the singer also knows as “Diva de la Banda,” with masterful performances of banda, mariachi and norteño music.

“I remember that day. She mentioned to me that she felt a little nervous, and that it was a feeling that never really went away — that she always felt it. And for me, it was surprising to hear that she, as an artist, felt nervous because she never showed it. She never said it. And I remember thinking, ‘Wow, those nerves never stopped her,’” Jacqie Rivera, Jenni’s daughter and CEO of Jenni Rivera Enterprises, tells Billboard exclusively.

“I feel proud of her as a woman, as a mother, and as an artist — of how much of a fighter she was, how she always believed in herself and in what God had planned for her,” she continues. “It was a great accomplishment, but even more meaningful is the mark she left behind and the example she set. What she went through continues to inspire me.”

The concert also featured special guest appearances by two renowned artists: Mexican singer Alejandra Guzmán, performing the songs “A Escondidas” and “Hacer el Amor con Otro,” and Puerto Rican singer Olga Tañón, in the classic “Basta Ya.”

“Jenni Rivera performing at the Staples Center is a historic moment for regional Mexican music and one of the moments that truly showcases Jenni Rivera at the height of her artistry,” Victor Gonzalez, EVP & President, LATAM, US Latin & Spain, Virgin Music Group, said in statement shared with Billboard. “It is Mexican identity in the U.S. at its fullest expression. It is a privilege for VMG to contribute to building Jenni Rivera’s legacy.”

Mírame Desde Staples Center is available on digital platforms starting at 11:00 p.m. ET / 8:00 p.m. PT.

Jenni Rivera was the most successful woman in regional Mexican music and on Billboard’s Latin charts. She placed over 30 songs on Regional Mexican Airplay, 15 of which reached the top 10. On the Hot Latin Songs ranking, she had a total of 25 entries, two of which made it to the top 10: “Ahora Que Estuviste Lejos” and “La Misma Gran Señora.”

At the peak of her career, she tragically passed away in a plane crash in 2012 at the age of 43.

Listen to Mírame Desde Staples Center below:

Chino Pacas is stepping into the action. The 19-year-old música Mexicana star releases his third studio album, Que Sigan Llegando Las Pacas V2, on Thursday (Sept. 3) via Street Mob Records — a 13-track, genre-hopping set steeped in revenge, love, ambition and a sleek John Wick-inspired universe.

It’s a new chapter for the Guanajuato-born artist, who was named to Billboard’s 2026 21 Under 21 list after breaking through with his unflinching corridos. On V2, Chino stretches that foundation in every direction: There are corridos and cumbia, hip-hop turns and hyperpop detours, plus appearances from Fuerza Regida on “Te Digo” and Mexican artist FLVCKKA on “Madrugada,” the only single released ahead of the album. The album also features labelmate Calle 24 on “Bonita.”

The project’s focal point is “Envidia,” which comes with an accompanying mini-movie-style video that channels the world of the legendary fictional hitman and antihero. “We made a short film based on the plot of John Wick,” Chino tells Billboard. “Whenever I listened to this song, I always imagined this.” Beyond the action, it was the film’s visual language — “the theme, the costumes” — and the image of John Wick facing enemies from all sides that connected with him.

That cinematic world gives Chino room to reveal sides of himself that don’t always fit inside a traditional corrido. “These new songs allow me to express myself in a way that isn’t possible in a corrido,” he says. “In hyperpop, I can really immerse myself.”

Chino adds: “I’ve achieved many of the goals I had from the beginning, and now those goals have expanded and become much bigger.” He hopes the album highlights “the versatility that allows me to grow as a musician and songwriter.”

Stream Que Sigan Llegando Las Pacas V2 below:

A.B. Quintanilla III, brother of the late Tejano star Selena, said on Instagram Tuesday (Sept. 1) that he’s involved in a legal matter concerning his sister, Suzette Quintanilla Arriaga, and circumstances related to their late father, Abraham Quintanilla Jr., who died in December. In a subsequent Instagram post Wednesday (Sept. 2), he said Suzette was “notified of a lawsuit” against her. This follow-up post included a heavily redacted screenshot of what appears to be a cease-and-desist letter — distinct from a lawsuit — which mentions Suzette’s “utter disregard for her fiduciary duties to the Estate’s beneficiaries.”

A.B.’s second post appeared to be a response to a statement posted to Suzette’s Instagram earlier in the day, in which both Suzette and their mother, Marcella Quintanilla, said “no court-filed complaint, summons, petition or other legal pleading” has been served, nor could they locate a public case matching his description. In his subsequent post, A.B. wrote, “I don’t lie,” alleging that Suzette and her lawyers had been notified by certified mail and email with “the corresponding documents.” He said Suzette responded but did not provide the “contracts, documentation and financial information” that were requested.

Billboard independently found no publicly available U.S. court filing in searches of Los Angeles, New York, Delaware and federal court records, or in Nueces County, Tex., where the Quintanilla family is based and where Abraham’s probate case was docketed.

According to A.B.’s initial Instagram post, he decided to make the dispute public after receiving “numerous calls and inquiries,” writing, “Yes, there is a lawsuit related to Suzette Arriaga, as well as to facts and circumstances related to my father, Abraham Quintanilla.”

A.B. described the dispute as a process that began months ago but stemmed from “years of accumulated situations, decisions and circumstances” within the family. “There are facts,” he wrote. “There is evidence. There are circumstances. And there is much that is still unknown.” He said he would not give interviews or discuss further details while the process unfolds, but that his lawyer would speak on Friday (Sept. 4), when “many things will be made clear.”

Responding to what they called A.B.’s “insinuations,” Suzette and Marcella wrote that there “was no theft by Suzette,” adding that she “has not stolen, misappropriated, or improperly taken money or property belonging to A.B., Abraham, Marcella, Chris, Selena’s estate, or any family-owned or jointly owned business.” They also said Suzette is “not selling, and has no intention of selling, Selena’s personal belongings.”

While A.B.’s public statements leave the subject of the alleged dispute largely unclear, there have been various legal battles related to Selena’s estate over the years. Notably, in 2016, Abraham sued Selena’s widower, Chris Pérez, over a proposed TV adaptation of Pérez’s memoir To Selena, With Love, claiming it was an “unauthorized exploitation” of Selena’s image. (The parties resolved the case in 2021, according to the Corpus Christi Caller Times and KSAT12.)

Billboard has reached out to representatives for A.B. and Suzette for further comment and clarification.