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By Michael Lopez

Had a chance to listen to Francisca Valenzuela's music yet? If not, you most certainly will in the near future. The Chilean singer-songwriter is fast becoming an international superstar with her heartfelt tracks and charismatic personality. We had the chance to talk with Francisca after a recent performance at L.A.'s famed Dodger Stadium and she seemed quite humbled by her success.

"It's been an adventure," Valenzuela enthusiastically said. "Starting in Chile and now being able to showcase my material in places. It’s so exciting!"

Interestingly, Francisca was actually born in the states and spent the first 13 years of her life in northern California. She went on to explain how living in the U.S. and Chile had given her a wide variety of musical influences. And devoting her life to songwriting wasn't just a spur-of-the-moment decision, she had been drawn to the piano since the age of six.

"I've been doing artistic stuff since as far back as I can remember," she said. "I started playing piano at six. Then in high school, I participated in singing contests and talent shows. Then I got into bands and started making demos. Things slowly began to take off after that."

And though she's only 24-years-old, Valenzuela has already paid quite a lot of dues. She went to say how her demos were initially rejected by all of the major record companies. But, after increased viral attention (and some catchy original songs), Francisca got signed to an independent label and things took off quick.

Her first record, Muérdete la Lengua, went Gold and was named one of 2007's 50 best albums by Rolling Stone Chile. It even got her on the radar of Perry Ferrell, who added her to the roster of his Lollapalooza Chile festival.

"Playing Lollapalooza was amazing," Francisca said. "There were audiences from all over the world. Plus, it was very exciting to see Chile get put on the map as a music festival locale."

Now Valenzuela is hyping her second release, Buen Soldado. Co-produced by Mocky (who helmed Feist's Reminder album), it's gotten a ton of critical praise and even scored an MTV Iggy hit with its single "Quiero Verte Más."

Francisca had a hand in the production of "Quiero's" memorable video and explained to us how she loves expanding her creativity beyond music.

"I published a collection of poetry when I was young. I write constantly and I love the visual aspects of music. I love film and I have input on the production side of all my videos and the artwork on my albums."

Obviously, Valenzuela has a lot of good things to come. And don't be surprised if you hear the word "crossover" tied to her music either. She has already recorded in English and clearly has major mainstream potential.

Francisca went on to explain her secret to staying grounded and achieving her musical goals.

"Have a good nucleus of people you can trust and work with who are your absolute confidants," she said. "And make sure to keep everything in perspective and keep working hard."

Sounds like solid advice to us! You can check out more of Francisca Valenzuela's music by visiting her personal website.

Are you a fan of Francisca's music? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Buen Soldado, chile, Exclusive Entrevistas, Francisca Valenzuela, Música, Quiero Verte Mas, Tr3s Exclusives

By Michael Lopez

As the one year anniversary of the "Los 33" rescue nears, Chile's most famous miners appear to be more popular than ever. 31 of them recently made the news because of a high-profile lawsuit and now it looks like they'll "officially" have the opportunity to share their story on the big screen.

Keep in mind, this isn't some hokey straight-to-DVD recreation we're talking about. The Chilean miners movie has now been green lit and has some very prominent names attached to it. Academy Award-nominated screenwriter Jose Rivera (who won for The Motorcycle Diaries) is set to pen the story and Hollywood big wig Mike Medavoy is on board to produce.

Medavoy already has blockbusters like Shutter Island and Black Swan to his credit, and he happens to have some personal ties to the miners' home turf. Mike spent ten years of his childhood in Chile and is closely connected to the local film community.

Interestingly, Deadline is reporting that all of "Los 33" now have Hollywood agents and they will each be attached to the project. But the big question is, who would you cast to play them? We can think of at least one actor with Chilean heritage who we'd love to see Lost in the mine.

Who would you like to see in the Chilean miners movie? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, chile, Jose Rivera, Los 33, Mike Medavoy, Movies & CineMás

By Michael Lopez

You remember "Los 33," right? The now world-famous Chilean miners who spent a whopping 69 days trapped underground last summer? Well now they're making headlines again, with a joint lawsuit directed straight at the Chilean government.

To be honest, this lawsuit actually only covers "Los 31". Two miners have opted out of the proceedings, saying that the government is not at fault for the accident. Juan Illanes and Raul Bustos believe it's the mine's owners who should have to pay up. A member of the suit, Mario Sepúlveda, went on to say that it's not the government that "Los 31" is after, but rather the country's National Geology and Mining Service.

Regardless, it would be Chile that cranks out the paycheck. According to reports, each man is seeking $540,000 in damages, making the grand total a whopping $16 million! It's all rather ironic when you consider that last August's rescue efforts cost the government $20 million.

Looking at the facts though, the men have a pretty good case. The mine that collapsed on them was over 100 years old and not properly inspected prior to the accident. Many assumed that "Los 33" had perished after the news first broke.

But amazingly, all of the miners survived the two-month ordeal, living without light, nourishment, and medical care. Let's hope both parties can come to a fair and reasonable agreement. But if they don't, the guys can still hopefully cash in on that Brad Pitt feature film.

How much money do you think the miners deserve for their ordeal? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, chile, Chilean Miners, Chisme, Lawsuits, Los 33

By Michael Lopez

Citizens of Brazil, Chile and El Salvador got to catch a glimpse of Barack Obama this week as the President kicked off a five-day Latin American tour designed to focus on such issues as immigration, trade and energy.

Although President Obama had planned to visit the Mayan ruins in El Salvador on Wednesday, he instead boarded an early flight back to the U.S. to meet his security team and strategize about the ongoing Libyan conflict.

“It's logistical," National Security Council spokesman Tommy Vietor said. "He's doing a call in the a.m. with his national security team, and thus will not have time to visit the ruins. So he'll be wheels up a couple hours earlier."

That’s not to say that Obama’s visits were unproductive. The U.S. President and newly-elected Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff signed deals on energy cooperation and opened up discussions about future trade negotiations.

"[Obama and Rousseff] understood each other, they get along well,” said a senior Brazilian government official. “That will be of enormous help on any issues that may be difficult. The most critical part is that Dilma can now pick up the phone any time and call Obama because they established a good personal relationship."

While in Chile, Obama praised the country for its economic growth. Meeting with President Sebastian Piñera, he emphasized continued U.S. support and worked to mend the tumultuous history between the two nations.

"I think it's important," Obama noted in a Chilean joint press conference, "that we're not trapped by our history. And the fact of the matter is, that over the last two decades we've seen extraordinary progress here in Chile and that has not been impeded by the United States but, in fact, has been fully supported by the United States."

El Salvador proved to be the quickest leg of the trip, due to Obama’s early exit. Nevertheless, he was able to meet with President Mauricio Funes and even pledged $200 million in economic aid, which he said the government would use to fight against “the social and economic forces that drive young people to criminality.”

Do you think President Obama has helped strengthen ties between the U.S. and Latin America? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Barack Obama, Brazil, chile, Cultura, El Salvador, Latin America, Libya, Politics, President Obama

By Michael Lopez

Never underestimate the massive appeal of Star Wars. For over 30 years, characters like Darth Vader, Obi Wan Kenobi, and Yoda have transcended cultures, languages, and continents . So much so, that Chile has decided to open up its very own school dedicated to the wisdom of "The Jedi."

Christened “The Jedi Temple,” the pre-teen martial arts academy focuses on teaching kids the art of intergalactic self-defense. Brandishing light sabers instead of nunchucks, the students are learning classic tae kwon do techniques while dressing up as their favorite characters.

William Berrueta, the school’s founder, recently spoke to BBC Mundo about the concept. A true Star Wars fan himself, Berrueta makes sure each class pays plenty of detail to the famous movie franchise. He went on to describe his light saber as "an exact replica...that has the sounds and the light reminiscent of the movies."

Interestingly, it was a visiting Star Wars exhibition in March 2009 that inspired Berrueta to launch the school. So far, the only downer seems to be the 6-12 age range. Seeing how the first Star Wars movie came out back in 1977, we’re sure there are plenty of "big kids" who would love to participate too.

Are you a fan of Star Wars? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags chile, Cultura, Education, Martial Arts, Star Wars, The Jedi Temple

By Michael Lopez

As the weeks pass since the dramatic rescue of “Los 33,” it looks like we are getting more and more tidbits about each one’s unique personality. There’s Yonnie Barrios, the cheating Chisme miner, and now we’re learning about Edison Pena, the athlete lacing up for the New York City Marathon.

Image : AFP/Getty Images

Those who followed the Chilean miners plight closely will recall Edison as the guy who would jog through the tunnels to stay sane during the 69-day ordeal. Marathon officials remembered him and initially offered him the opportunity to hold the finish line tape.

But Pena, who has competed in triathlons before, was eager to do much more than that. He wanted to compete! So now sponsors are flying him out to NYC for the big event on Sunday (November 7).

Over 100,000 runners are expected to compete in this year’s marathon. Will Edison make it the full 26 miles? Reports coming out of Chile say he’s ready to give it a shot. And even if he doesn’t win, Pena will still be making the most out of his American visit...with a trip to Elvis Presley’s Graceland next week.

Source: [CBS]

Who’s your favorite Chilean miner? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3!

Tags chile, Chilean Miners, Edison Pena, Elvis Presley, Los 33, New York Marathon

By Michael Lopez

Remember a few days ago when we spoke about the Chilean miners being reunited with their loved ones? Well it looks like “Los 33” member, Yonni Barrios, took it to a whole new level, inviting his wife and his mistress to the rescue site! Amazingly, upon hearing the news, infidelity website, AshleyMadison.com, offered to hire him as their spokesman!

Image : AFP/Getty Images

Obviously it’s hard to expect all 33 men to be saints, but we never predicted a story like this! It seems Yonni’s 28-year marriage had been on the “rocks” for some time and his wife didn’t even show up to greet him when he was freed from the mine. Exactly what kind of Chisme affair was he conducting?

Ashley Madison is determined to find out and wants to use Yonni’s new fame to build buzz with their Spanish audience. Specifically geared torward online daters who are married or in relationships, the site has offered Barrios $100,000 to appear in TV commercials, radio ads, and at public events promoting the cheater lifestyle.

Of course, the offer will only fly IF Yonni stays married. And we imagine he’ll have a tough time convincing the Mrs. to stick around after cameras caught him cozying up with his “other woman” the night of the rescue. Who knows? Maybe she'll wait until after that payday to file the divorce papers.

Source: [Fox News]

Would you ever visit a cheater website? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3!

Tags Ashley Madision, chile, Chilean Miners, Chisme, Dirty Chisme, Los 33

By Michael Lopez

What do you do after you’ve been successfully rescued from a dark and dreary mine shaft? Throw on your sunglasses and celebrate! The whole nation of Chile was riding high this week after “Los 33” made it up safe and sound after being trapped for 69 harrowing days.

Image: Telegraph UK

“Los 33” represents the 33 men who endured the two-month underground hardship. Buried 2,300 feet below the Earth’s surface, the miners had to survive with no sunlight, very little food, and the knowledge that a proper rescue attempt would take months to pull off. But they most certainly endured.

The exact cause of the collapse is still under investigation and Chilean President, Sebastian Pinera, has vowed to punish anyone whose negligence may have led to the catastrophe. Thankfully (for now) the miners were much too excited to hold grudges, praising their rescuers and flashing big smiles for the cameras.

There were a few minor hospital visits (mainly for dehydration and dental issues), but otherwise “Los 33” seemed very ready to celebrate with their new fans. And they have got A LOT of new fans. Over 3,000 Chileans cheered in the streets of Santiago as a huge screen broadcast live footage of the rescue.

And the “Los 33” fame goes way beyond their hometown. Cristiano Ronaldo’s Real Madrid soccer team has invited them for stadium visits, Don Francisco wants them on Sabado Gigante, and there are even talks of a TV movie dramatizing the entire ordeal.

Of course, the people who were happiest to get them back were their families. News cameras captured tears, hugs, and joyous reunions between the miners and their loved ones.

We say, take a couple of weeks to rest, recover, and relax with your relatives…Then start thinking about those million dollar TV deals.

Source: [Yahoo]

Were you captivated by the Chilean miner rescue? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3!

Tags chile, Chilean Miners, Health, Los 33, Sebastian Pinera

By Michael Lopez

Shortly after the devastating earthquake, Demi Lovato gave young music fans in Chile a reason to smile, cheer, and celebrate once again. Back in May, the teen sensation knocked out an incredible show at Santiago’s Movistar Arena!

One of South America’s most famous concert venues, Movistar has hosted artists like Beyonce, Wisin Y Yandel, Shakira, and more. It's capacity reaches over 12,000, and by the looks of Demi’s video diary, nearly every seat was full.

The Cambio video Demi released is the first part of an ongoing series, showcasing her “South American Adventure” and really gives some insight into how big of a star she’s become! At 17, she’s already got a hit Disney Channel show, two Top 5 albums, and has gone on tours that have literally taken her all over the world!

And with the release of this new video series, fans can experience the madness along with her. From the limo rides, to the autographs, to the way she handles that guitar onstage…you can tell Demi’s an absolute pro! We can’t wait to see what happens when she hits Argentina and Brazil!

Check out Cambio for more updates from Demi in South America.

Source: Disnology

What’s the next country you would like to see Demi visit? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3!

Tags cambio, chile, Demi Lovato, South American Adventure, Video

By Erika Ramirez

Spanish singer Alejandro Sanz performed at the Palacio de los Deporte on May 5 in his hometown of Madrid, Spain.

In an effort to raise funds after the recent earthquake tragedy in Chile, Sanz joined forces with Juanes, Shakira, Juan Luis Gerra and Laura Puasini to record a cover of “Gracias a la Vida.”

After the event, the singer tweeted, "Los conciertos de madrid fueron maravillosos.. Especiales, magicos, unicos."

We've got the track and the latest on Alejandro's projects, after the jump! Read more...

Tags Agentes De Cambio, Alejandro Sanz, chile, Concert, Gracias a la Vida