Blogamole › Wisin y Yandel

By Michael Lopez

There is no denying that Wisin y Yandel have style. Whether it's an appearance on the red carpet or one of their flashy videos, the guys always make sure they dress the part. And now they're hoping their fans can "dress the part" too via a new exclusive partnership with Marc Ecko clothing.

This month, W y Y announced the launch of their "Los Líderes" line, which includes denim vests, military jackets, graphic tees, and more. Priced between $30 - $170, the items are definitely not cheap, but they're crafted using Ecko's signature materials.

"It's really exciting to be able to express our creativity to our fans in a new way," Wisin y Yandel said in a joint statement. "Marc Ecko is the best at what he does so it's only natural to collaborate with him for this collection."

And just to prove that they're behind the line 110%, W y Y will debut their own "Líderes" fashion show December 3 in Puerto Rico.

Do you like Wisin y Yandel's fashion sense? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, clothing, Fashion, Hot Stuff, Los Lideres, Marc Ecko, Style, Wisin y Yandel

By Ikam Acosta

Calle 13 scored a record 10 Latin Grammy nominations this Wednesday, including Record and Album of the year. Other top nominees were Franco de Vita with five, Marco Antonio Solís with four and Shakira with three.

The 12th annual Latin Grammy Awards will be airing live from Sin City on November 10, 2011. The event will be held at the Las Vegas Mandalay Bay Events Center and will be broadcasted on Univision, from 8pm to 11 pm, for the rest of the world to watch.

The Latin Grammys recognize the best of the best in Latin music and have been watched by not just Spanish speakers, but viewers form all over the world.

Nominees for this year's awards were announced at a press conference today from the Avalon in Hollywood, California. A live broadcast could be found on the official Latin Grammy website.

Calle 13 announced the nominees for Best Pop Album in both the female and male categories. Nominees for Mejor Album Vocal Pop Femenino include:
Manuscrito, Claudia Brant
Seducción, Myriam Hernandez
Guerra Fria, Malu
Acordes de mi Diario, Merche
Sale el Sol, Shakira

Nominees for Mejor Album Vocal Pop Masculino include:
Pablo Alboran, Pablo Alboran
Bien Acompañado, Reyli Barba
Viva el Principe, Chris Castro
En Primera Fila, Franco de Vita
En Total Plentitud, Marco Antonio Solis

Mejor Canción Alternativa nominees included:
"Calma Pueblo" - Calle 13
"Salgamos De Aquí" - Pascual Reyes
"Somos" - Doctor Krápula
"Te Robaste Mi Corazón" - DJ Blass & Fidel
"Tengo Tu Love" - Sie7e

Los Tucanes de Tijuana announced the nominees for Canción del Año, which included:
"A Donde Vamos a Parár" - Marco Antonio Solis
"Latinoamérica" - Calle 13
"Lo Mejor de Mi Vida Eres Tú" - Ricky Martin
"Que El Soneto Nos Tome Por Sorpresa" - Jorge Drexler
"Solamente Tú" - Pablo Alboran

Merche announced the nominees for Grabación del Año as well as Best Rock Song.
Nominees for Grabación del Año include:
Latinoamérica, Calle 13
Tan Solo Tú, Franco de Vita
Gritar, Luis Fonsi
Golpes en el Corazón, Los Tigres del Norte
Lo Mejor de Mi Vida Eres Tú, Ricky Martin

Nominees for Mejor Canción de Rock are:
"Ácido" - Marcelo Corvalan
"Chau" - Emiliano Brancciari
"Labios Rotos" - Zoé
"Poder" - Gustavo Napoli
"Radio Capital" - La Vida Bohéme

Desmond Child announced the nominees for Mejor Álbum de Música Alternativa:
Corazon Bombea/ Vivo by Doctor Krapula
Forever Together, Fidel
Mientras Tu Dormias, Carla Morrison
Soundtrack, Mr. Pauer
Música De Fondo: MTV Unplugged, Zoé

Desmond Child continued with the nominees for Mejor Álbum de Música Norteña:
Intocable 2011, Intocable
Soy Mexicano, Los Huracanes del Norte
Pura Calidad, Reyes de Arranque
Los Tigres del Norte and Friends MTV Unplugged, Tigres del Norte
El Árbol, Los Tucanes de Tijuana
Desde La Cantina Vol.II, Grupo Pesado

Pepe Agular listed the nominees for Best Urban Album and Best Urban Song. Nominees for Mejor Álbum de Música Urbana were:
Entren Los Que Quieran, Calle 13
Don Omar Presents Meet the Orphans, Don Omar
Armando, Pitbull
Drama Queen, Ivy Queen
Los Vaqueros: EL Regreso, Wisin y Yandel

Nominees for Mejor Canción Urbana were:
"Baile De Los Pobres" - Rafa Arcaute & Calle 13
"Bon Bon" - Pitbull
"Danza Kuduro" - Don Omar & Lucenzo
"Estoy Enamorado" - Wisin & Yandel
"Ven Conmigo" - Daddy Yankee & Prince Royce

Sounds like a great line-up. It's going to be un tremendo show! The rest of the nominees in other categories can be found at the Latin Grammy Website, where you can see all of the other Nominados.

Before the nominees were announced, Latin Grammy President Gabriel Abaroa and Univision's Giselle Blondet revealed this year's artwork, created by New York-born urban realist Miguel Paredes. Artists were available for interviews and photographs following the announcement.

Will you be tuning in to watch the 12th Annual Latin Grammys this year?

Tags Blogger: Ikam Acosta, Calle 13, Carla Morrison, Chris Castro, Claudia Brant, Daddy Yankee, Desmond Child, DJ Blass, Doctor Krapula, Don Omar, Emiliano Brancciari, Fidel, Franco de Vita, Grammy Awards, Grupo Pesado, Gustavo Napoli, Intocable, Ivy Queen, Jorge Drexler, La Vida Bohème, Latin Grammy Awards, Los Huracanes del Norte, Los Tucanes de Tijuana, Luis Fonsi, Malu, Marcelo Corvalan, Marco Antonio Solis, Música, Merche, Mr. Pauer, Myriam Hernandez, Pablo Alboran, Pascual Reyes, Pitbull, Prince Royce, Reyes de Arranque, Reyli Barba, Ricky Martin, Shakira, Sie7e, tigres del norte, Wisin y Yandel, Zoe

By Michael Lopez

Sure it was fun watching Katy Perry take home Best Video at the VMAs last night, but the award we're most excited about is Best Latino Artist! For the past several weeks, there has been a heated battle brewing between Don Omar, Enrique Iglesias, Prince Royce, Maná, and Wisin y Yandel. And now we're happy to announce that W y Y have "officially" taken it down!

Of course we won't get to hear their acceptance speech until Monday September 5, when the VMAs get broadcast on Tr3s. But Wisin y Yandel did issue a brief statement thanking fans for their win.

"It is a privilege to be nominated for this 'Best Latino Artist' award and an honor to receive this award, voted by the fans," they said. "This award is proof that hard work and perseverance can lead you to your goals. Thank you to the fans and Tr3 for their continued support."

Obviously with millions of records sold (and a hot new single with Ricky Martin), these two more than deserve it. Not only that, they're great guys and do A LOT of charitable work within the Latin community. Congratulations to Wisin y Yandel on their big win!

Are you happy Wisin y Yandel got the Best Latino Artist award? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags 2011 Video Music Awards, Best Latino Artist, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Don Omar, Enrique Iglesias, Hot Stuff, Mana, Música, Prince Royce, VMAs, Wisin y Yandel

By Michael Lopez

There is no denying that Wisin y Yandel have put together some great duets. Whether it was "Lloro Por Ti" with Enrique Iglesias or "Frío" with Ricky Martin, the reggaeton duo make great collaborators. And now, they're hoping to share a mic with P. Diddy and Chris Brown.

Speaking at a press conference for their new Doritos promotion, the guys praised the work of Diddy and Chris and hinted that they are trying to lure the two into the studio. It shouldn't be that tough of a sell, since W y Y are riding a major popularity wave at the moment.

Their most recent album, Los Vaqueros: El Regreso, came out in January and has received a ton of critical and commercial praise. Capitalizing on the success, W y Y are already in the planning stages of their next release and will probably start recording it early next year.

Right now though, they're focusing on the grand finale of their Los Vaqueros tour, which is set to hit Puerto Rico's Agrelot Coliseum on December 3. Who knows? If all goes according to plan, you may even spot Diddy and Brown as VIP guests in the crowd.

Who would you like to see Wisin y Yandel collaborate with? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Chris Brown, Diddy, Hot Stuff, Música, P. Diddy, Wisin y Yandel

By Michael Lopez

Be warned, you may have a tough decision ahead. Starting this Friday, Tr3s is giving you the opportunity to vote for this year’s Best Latino Artist, in celebration of the MTV Video Music Awards. Will it be Don Omar, Enrique Iglesias, Maná, Prince Royce, or Wisin y Yandel? Your mouse click may hold the answer.

Now let’s think about this for a second. Don Omar rocked the house this year with his Meet The Orphans album and that "Danza Kudoro" video. But Enrique had that killer “Tonight (I'm Loving You)” track and some dynamite performances with Pitbull.

Maná has been on fire too, breaking records left and right with their Drama y Luz album. And if you’ve been checking Blogamole lately, you'll know how much Prince Royce's music has been in the news. Though, if your loyalty lies with Wisin y Yandel, that’s perfectly cool too. Especially when you consider the live shows those guys have put together.

So basically, this is a REALLY tough decision. And keep in mind, whoever you pick will appear on Tr3s to accept their award on September 5. So pump up your playlist, concentrate, and choose wisely, because the fate of this year's Best Latino Artist is in your hands!

The polls will be open from Friday July 29 to Friday August 19!

Who do you think should win Best Latin Artist? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Award Shows, Best Latino Artist, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Don Omar, Enrique Iglesias, Mana, Música, Prince Royce, VMAs, Wisin y Yandel

By Sugey Palomares

Univision's Premios Juventud 2011 rolled out the blue carpet and welcomed an endless array of our favorite celebrities, including Ricky Martin, Dulce Maria, and Prince Royce at the Bankunited Center in Miami yesterday. The night was filled with unexpected moments, skin-tight outfits, and blazing performances like Wisin y Yandel, Pitbull and Ne-Yo, and Natalia Jimenez.

Pee Wee may have one "Best Dressed Male," but William Levy's handful of wardrobe changes stole the night. The Cuban heartthrob, who co-hosted the event, rocked a new bald cut that had us wondering if J.Lo was secretly wishing to rub his scalp. William wasn't shy about revealing his washboard abs and even teased fans when he came out with his pants slightly unbuttoned. Can we say wardrobe malfunction?! On the other hand, telenovela beauty and co-presenter Blanca Soto was one of the best dressed ladies.

Another memorable moment was when Colombian pop star Fanny Lu took the stage without pants! We love Fanny, but only Britney Spears can get away with such a thing. We have to say that her boldness and lack of judgment made her performance the worst of the night, but surely one of the most talked about.

We wish we could say the same for Aventura's Romeo. His solo performance last night left us begging that Henry, Max, or Lenny would jump on stage and liven things up. Romeo Santos did rock his skinny jeans and leather vest right, but the performance was a bit of a snoozer.

On the other hand, Wisin y Yandel, Natalia Jimenez, and Pitbull and Ne-Yo got the crowd started, Ricky Martin got us ready for the after party with a solid performance complete with women on leashes. Wait, was this an ode to the whole Snoop Dogg I-have-servants-on-the-red-carpet thing? Regardless, the Puerto Rican pop star definitely offered one of the best performances of the night.

Another memorable moment was delivered by young Italian trio Il Volo, which vowed the crow with its rendition of "O Sole Mio".

What was your most memorable moment of last night's Premios Juventud? Sound off on Twitter @MTV3!

Tags Blanca Soto, Fanny Lu, il volo, Natalia Jimenez, Ne-Yo, Pitbull, Premios Juventud 2011, Ricky Martin, Romeo Santos, William Levy, Wisin y Yandel

By Michael Lopez

Get the chance to see our exclusive pix from the Premios Juventud awards yet? If so, you may have noticed an interesting trio rehearsing on stage. No, we're not talking about Pitbull, Ne-Yo, and Nayer, but rather Ricky Martin and Wisin y Yandel! The guys are in the middle of launching a major duet single called "Frío."

The "Frio" video appears to be a very stylish production with ballroom dancing, marble statues, and some very sexy ladies. Ricky and the guys are dressed all in black and mixing W y Y's trademark bass lines with Martin's poppy vocals.

Truth be told, it's a pretty unique musical combination. And, according to Martin, there may be several versions of "Frío" yet to be released. When talking about the creative process behind the song, he said,

"I fell in love with the melody of this song, which was brought to me by Wisin & Yandel. We sat down -- Wisin & Yandel, Desmond Child and me -- and we worked on the lyrics to make them more me. So we have several versions and we're working on a remix."

You can hear at least two different versions of "Frio"on Ricky's new album, Musica + Alma + Sexo.

What do you think about Ricky and W y Y’s duet? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Frio, Hot Stuff, Música, Premios Juventud, Ricky Martin, Wisin y Yandel

By Michael Lopez

Who needs the paparazzi when you've got Tr3s? Just this afternoon, we got hold of some exclusive shots from Pitbull's Premios Juventud rehearsals for "Give Me Everything" and it looks like Mr. 305 is having a blast busting a move with Ne-Yo and Nayer.

Tomorrow's Premios show promises to deliver some killer talent. Artists like Enrique Iglesias and Shakira are up for the music awards, Tr3s faves Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2 and Machete will be duking it out in the movie category, and William Levy may walk away with a Best Actor in a telenovela award.

Ricky Martin (who's up for multiple awards) was seen rehearsing with none other than Wisin y Yandel for tomorrow's show. Striking a pose in these exclusive shots, it's clear they make quite an engaging trio!

As you can imagine, it's the live performances that always get the crowd jumping. And none is more hotly anticipated that Pit's "Give Me Everything." As the pictures show, he'll be wailing on the mic with sexy Nayer by his side. And though he's not necessarily known for his Spanish abilities, Ne-Yo will be there too, backing up Mr. 305!

You can bet we'll have a big time Premios recap on Friday when all is said and done. And perhaps a few more exclusive pix too!

Are you looking forward to this year's Premios Juventud awards? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Award Shows, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Give Me Everything, Hot Stuff, Nayer, Ne-Yo, Pitbull, Premios Juventud, Ricky Martin, Tr3s Exclusives, Wisin y Yandel

By Rachael Coleman Thompson

Ricky Martin has experienced a whirlwind of changes in recent years. He became a father, came out about his sexuality, wrote a book and journeyed far into the depths of his own soul. The culmination of that spiritual catharsis has resulted in a deeply personal statement expressed the best way he knows how: through music.

Martin's ninth album, Música + Alma + Sexo, may be his first studio recording in six years, but that time wasn't idly spent. Shortly after winning two Latin Grammys for his MTV Unplugged in 2007, Martin became the father of twins, Mateo and Valentino, and, in late 2010, published his autobiography, Yo, an intimate portrait of his world and his personal journey of self-discovery.

Photo by Rachael Coleman Thompson/Tr3s

That journey was the foundation for Música + Alma + Sexo, a collection of songs that, according to Martin, represent "the three priorities of life."

"I've gone through a process that is so totally spiritual in these last— well, I'd dare say since I became a dad," Martin told Studio Tr3s in Spanish. "It was really, really intense, that searching, and many cycles opened and many cycles closed. And sex, it's part of everything, man. It's a part of life, it's also very spiritual, and it is nature. It's everything. And the music in this record talks about all of that."

The process of writing the album was a journey all its own. Writing both his book and his new songs required Martin to dig deep within himself to capture the essence that defines him as both man and musician.

"I emptied myself," Martin said. "There were periods of intense vulnerability. There were moments filled with doubt, filled with a lot of emotion, and also a lot of enjoyment. But this creative process really strengthened me. And working with Desmond Child — he's an amazing producer, someone that knows me very well. We're on the same frequency when it comes to living, spirituality, etc., so it was a very, very beautiful moment of my life. ... It's been very liberating, and this is only the beginning. I just can't wait to be on stage again."

But even when that process seemed difficult, Martin's young sons helped him keep perspective.

"Life gets complicated," Martin said. "While you're growing up and dealing with the truths of this wonderful life, one begins to forget the importance of simple things. ... Even laughing at yourself is very important, and you forget these things. My sons have taught me. They look at me and say, ‘Dad, relax. Everything is fine.' So that's the beauty of it. They teach me. They are like two small gurus with old souls that teach me a lot. They're the best thing that has ever happened."

The bilingual album features songs in both Spanish and English — including the Spanish-language duet "Lo Mejor De Mi Vida Eres Tú" with Spanish singer Natalia Jiménez and its English counterpart "The Best Thing About Me Is You" with British songstress Joss Stone — confirmation of Martin's desire to truly reach a global audience.

"You have to communicate," he said. "It's funny because when I tweet in Spanish, the Anglo-Saxons say ‘Hey, don't you speak English?' And when I tweet in English, the Latinos say, ‘Hey, brother, you're a Latino. What's the matter with you?!' And, well, the important thing is that they get the message. Fortunately, with my music I have noticed that language isn't a problem.... I like learning languages and I like trying to get the message across. But there are things that aren't translatable."

Just don't ask him to speak multiple languages at the same time.

While setting up for the interview, Tr3s host Carlos Santos told him he would be asking questions in both English and Spanish. "I've got to put some ‘Spanglishcito' in there," Santos said, to which Martin replied:

"That Spanglish is killing me!"

Studio Tr3s: Ricky Martin, featuring interviews with and performances by Martin, Jiménez and boricua reggaetón duo Wisin y Yandel, airs on Tr3s Saturday, Feb. 12.

Tags Carlos Santos, Hot Stuff, Natalia Jimenez, photo, Photos, Ricky Martin, Studio Tr3s: Ricky Martin, Wisin y Yandel

By Rachael Coleman Thompson

If you want some personal insight into Ricky Martin, tune into Tr3s on Saturday, Feb. 12, for the premiere of Studio Tr3s: Ricky Martin and hear it straight from the Puerto Rican pop star himself.

The exclusive special, taped Jan. 24 at Comtel's Studio A in North Miami Beach, features exclusive interviews with Martin and performances of songs from his new album, Música + Alma + Sexo, a collection of music culminating from his own spiritual journey. (Don't worry, if you miss it, you can read about the interview here).

Photo by Rachael Coleman Thompson/Tr3s

The songs — written with longtime producer Desmond Child, who collaborated on the smash hit "Livin' la Vida Loca," among others — include "Basta Ya" ("Enough"), a song about being true to yourself; "No Te Miento" ("I'm Not a Liar"), a song about leading "an open life"; "Más" ("More"), a song about pursuing one's dreams in the big city; the ballad "Cántame Tu Vida" ("Sing Me Your Life"); the breakup song "Te Vas" ("You're Leaving"); "Será Será" ("It Will Be, It Will Be"); and "Shine," a love song in English.

As an extra-special treat, Spanish singer Natalia Jiménez stopped by the set to perform a sweet rendition of their duet, "Lo Mejor De Mi Vida Eres Tú," and boricua reggaetón duo Wisin y Yandel joined Martin for a hoppin' collaborative performance of "Frío."

Child, Martin said, showed him how to let go, an essential step in the creation of this album.

"Desmond Child taught me that to be great, you have to dare to be ridiculous," Martin said. "In the creative process, you have to dare to laugh at yourself ... and when you are writing, write that totally random idea — "disparate" as we say in Puerto Rico. Maybe from that totally random idea emerges an extremely important metaphor, and in this record I surrounded myself with great writers and great people who dared to feel, and they showed me how important it is to not have those fears and just let it flow. And I think they created a monster."

And that's not all. Tr3s.com is featuring an exclusive online performance of Martin's 1998 classic "Vuelve," a song from the album of the same name about rejecting someone, letting them go, but finding out — a little too late — that you are nobody without that person.

We hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

We want to hear from you! Tune in Saturday and tell us what you thought of Studio Tr3s: Ricky Martin. Talk back in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Desmond Child, Hot Stuff, Natalia Jimenez, photo, Photos, Ricky Martin, Studio Tr3s: Ricky Martin, Wisin y Yandel