Latest news with #JuniorH
CBS News
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Chicago's Michelada Fest canceled due to musician visa concerns, political climate
Michelada Fest, which had been scheduled for July on the Chicago lakefront, has been canceled due to concerns about artist visas and "the rapidly changing political climate." The festival had been scheduled for July 19 and 20 at Oakwood Beach along the lake at 41st Street. "Although we tried to push through, it became clear that we wouldn't be able to deliver the full lineup as planned," organizers said. The Michelada Fest, known in some past iterations as the Miche Fest, has been a standby in Chicago for seven years — growing from a street fest in Pilsen to a multi-day event. Participants enjoy live music and micheladas — the popular beer cocktails sometimes known as Mexican Bloody Marys. Organizers noted that last year, the Miche Fest had its "most incredible celebration yet," with performances by Kali Uchis, Junior H, and other stars. "[W]e were ready to make this year even bigger, with more energy, creativity, and corazón," organizers said in a statement. "But as independent organizers, we can't afford to take on a big risk with so much uncertainty ahead." Organizers noted that canceling this year's festival impacts local vendors, small businesses, artists, and community partners too. Refunds are available and are organizers' top priority. They will begin immediately to everyone who bought tickets through the event website or the Ticketón platform. Organizers also said this does not mean the end of Michelada Fest. "We're proud to represent Chicago on a national level, and we plan to come back stronger," organizers said. This year's Cinco de Mayo Parade — which would have been held this past Sunday — was also canceled due to immigration and travel-related concerns. The Cermak Road Chamber of Commerce announced in April that the parade would be canceled. The group said the Mexican community in Chicago is worried about raids by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Los Angeles Times
19-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Junior H's Coachella set proved he can be a ‘sad boy' and a trap corrido pioneer
An hour before his first performance at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival's main stage, a horde of managers, bandmembers and label execs crowded the entrance of Junior H's artist trailer. Among the many faces was Jimmy Humilde, the chief executive of Rancho Humilde Records, who signed the singer after his track 'No Eh Cambiado,' a requinto-backed hustle anthem, went viral on YouTube. Junior H, whose real name is Antonio Herrera Pérez, was a high schooler in Utah at the time. Now, almost seven years later, the 23-year-old artist, who was raised in Guanajuato, Mexico, is one of the biggest names in the increasingly popular world of música Mexicana. 'It feels really good for us to be here right now, representing Mexico and representing all this music we're doing,' said Junior H, switching between Spanish and English. 'Being the kind of artist that I am, I'm trying to get the most ears I can. That's why I'm here to get people's attention.' Junior H and labelmate Natanel Cano are credited for pioneering corridos tumbados, a hybrid sound that blends traditional corrido instrumentation with elements of hip-hop and trap beats — Cano's 2019 album, 'Corridos Tumbados,' heavily featured Junior H. In the realm of música Mexicana, there are the trap corrido makerswho sing about partying and drugs, and then there are 'the sad boys,' hopeless romantics who croon about being in love or about being brokenhearted. Junior H conveniently straddles the line between both. 'I don't really have a problem looking at who I am. I think the people gave me [the 'sad boy' title] a few years ago. They started categorizing me with sad and sentimental music. So I accepted and we kept it going,' said Junior H. 'Especially with men, I think it's important to show people that feelings are not bad and we can express them as we want.' After his U.S. tour, Sad Boyz Mania, which took place last summer and included two sold-out nights at L.A.'s BMO Stadium, Junior H received a second-line billing on this year's Coachella's Day 3 lineup. His name appeared between electronic DJ Zedd and K-pop idol Jennie, and was one of three música Mexicana performers playing the entire fest — he's joined by fellow sad boy Ivan Cornejo and reggaetón Mexa up-and-comer El Malilla. Festival organizers first began booking música Mexicana actst in 2018 — legacy cumbia group Los Angeles Azules was the first to play the three-day event. As global interest in the genre has grown, Goldenvoice, the company behind Coachella, has booked acts like Los Tucanes de Tijuana, Grupo Firme, Banda MS and Cano. Last year, Peso Pluma, Carin León and Santa Fe Klan were on the lineup. It was during Peso Pluma's set that Junior H made his desert debut, making a guest appearance to sing 'El Azul,' a narcocorrido believed to be about a Sinaloan drug lord. Now with his own 50-minute set, Junior H says he was excited to be in a position where he could return the gesture to Pluma and bring his own 'sad boy' flair to center stage. 'You know, it's not an opportunity for him, because he was the first one who opened all this way for us,' said Junior H. 'It's a really beautiful thing between artists, and especially between friends like us when we work really hard for this genre, and then get the privilege to perform on stages like this one.' As the Sunday evening set's start time lingered over his head, Junior H traded his casual, pink jersey for an all-white outfit that would contrast his band's all-black attire. In the dimmed trailer, journalists, friends and VIP fans all shared a few moments of his sought-after attention. The softspoken singer remained quiet and seems to be in a relaxed state of mind. Outside, the tololoche player tuned his instruments as the guitarists gathered in a corner to run through a few chords and the horn players blew a few trial notes — all while intermittently taking shots of Clase Azul Tequila. When it was time for them to all head over to the stage, they moved in a dense pack where Junior H was barely visible. On stage, Junior H took the role of a conductor overseing the 25 musicians backing him. The sheer amount of people created a showstopping spectacle, with each group of instrumentalists on different raised levels. The ensemble even included someone whose sole purpose was to deliver tequila shots to the musicians and hold Junior H's red solo cup, generating a party atmosphere both onstage and in the audience. As the música Mexicana sensation crooned the heartbroken lyrics of 'Y Lloro' and a symphony of 'Rockstar's' horns rang out, he commanded the stage's catwalk and hit every note from the pits of his diaphragm. Throughout the show, he continually shouted out Mexico and encouraged the crowd to yell out the lyrics. Toward the end of his set, he brought out Peso Pluma to sing 'Luna,' and followed it up by inviting Tito Double P on stage to join him for '5-7.' Many expected a different setlist from the corridos tumbados originator, as he neglected many of his most popular corridos such as the newly released 'El Chore' and one of his early hits, 'El Hijo Mayor.' There was online speculation surrounding the exclusion of these tracks, especially after Los Alegres del Barranco's U.S. visas were revoked for showing an image of drug lord Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes during a recent concert. But Junior H shared that he wanted to put more of a spotlight on his 'Sad Boy' sound. '[Sad Boyz 4 Life II] is one of the most, most important albums in my career. We've been forcing ourselves to prove and show the people what we can do and that we can change our music. It doesn't have to be typical. We can also do nice and beautiful music, not just music for the streets or the narcos and all that s—,' he says, apologizing for cursing. 'We want people to see that we don't only do that type of music. We also do beautiful music and poetry. That's our goal: to show them that we do more than that.' Before heading off the stage, a massive image of the Mexican flag appeared on the main stage's biggest screen. The explosive guitar riffs of 'Disfruto Lo Malo,' a collaboration with Cano, prompted a ground-shaking roar from the crowd. Junior H made one final lap around the mega stage, making eye contact with every screaming individual and paying homage to his musical roots.
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jennie from Blackpink shines as a solo act with an eclectic set at Coachella
Without a hugely popular HBO vacation-murder show to lean on, Jennie of Blackpink arguably had the harder job of her band's two solo shows this weekend. So it's huge credit to her that she absolutely packed the Outdoor Theater for a set that went way beyond clubby pop, and showcased the genre twists and regal ballads that her solo career finally makes room for. Read more: Coachella 2025: Blackpink's Jennie performs; Peso Pluma surprises at Junior H There's no competition between her and bandmate Lisa at this festival, and K-Pop fans will surely have some pointed words if one is ever implied. So note: The two have comparable chart histories as solo artists and were given equally prominent slots this weekend—a strong vouch from Coachella that their solo stardoms stand distinct. Jennie's LP 'Ruby' was touted as an uncommonly candid record leaning out of the strict K-Pop clampdown. Even if it didn't quite shock or reveal too much in the end, it did make a powerful case for Jennie as a hugely rangy vocalist who swings through throwback R&B, clattering modern club music, vintage belters and misty atmospheres with grace. But rather than lean into the limber, exultant club music native to the Sahara tent, Jennie and her very-present live band spent a lot of her set in a Lauryn Hill-adjacent lane, like on 'With the IE (way up),' which sampled Jennifer Lopez's millennial classic about essential Jenny-dom. She brought out Kali Uchis for 'Damn Right,' swapping verses across cultures with an equal reverence for the song's incandescent soul mood. Read more: Lisa, already a Coachella headliner in Blackpink, just demolished the Sahara Tent as a solo star She sounded great belting 'Handlebars' and sassing on 'Mantra,' and while it's not news that she's an incredibly precise live performer, she covered a ton of ground as a dancer while singing this demanding live material with panache. By the time she got to closers 'Like Jennie' (an exercise in self-branding so comprehensive it becomes almost avant grade) and the ravey 'Starlight,' which could have held its own with Charli XCX last night, she'd proved she could do pretty much anything as a solo act. Blackpink has a US stadium tour coming up, but for now, let's relish these bracing, deeper dives into what else they're capable of as individuals. Get notified when the biggest stories in Hollywood, culture and entertainment go live. Sign up for L.A. Times entertainment alerts. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Gabito Ballesteros Navigates Heartbreak in the Music Video for His 'Most Personal' Song to Date — Watch! (Exclusive)
Nobody captures the essence of heartbreak like Gabito Ballesteros. On Thursday, March, 6, PEOPLE is exclusively premiering the music video to Ballesteros' latest single "Perdido" (Spanish for "lost"). The track is his "most personal" to date — as he delves into themes of love, loss and emotional turmoil. ''Perdido' is one of the most personal songs I've released. It's about the feeling of being lost in heartbreak, trying to escape the pain but realizing that nothing truly fills the void," the singer-songwriter, 25, tells PEOPLE exclusively. He continues, "I wanted to capture that raw emotion — the loneliness, the regret, and the struggle to move on." Related: Peso Pluma on His Iconic Coachella Performance and Putting 'Mexico on the Map': 'Huge Win for the Culture' (Exclusive) In the music video, viewers find Ballesteros sitting at a dimly-lit table alone with a drink in his hand, in the center of a room filled with red roses and a room adorned with chandeliers. As he sings along to the melancholic lyrics, the Mexican star — who's wearing a black suit — lights a bouquet of roses ablaze. At the end of the visual, he stares at the flame and watches them burn to ashes. For Ballesteros, every piece of the music video was symbolic of his experience with heartbreak — and "designed to reflect the emotions in the lyrics." 'Bringing 'Perdido' to life with the music video was an emotional experience," he says. Adding that, "the roses, the dim lighting, and the burning bouquet all symbolize the pain and passion behind the song." He concludes, "I hope fans can feel the depth of the story when they watch it.' Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Related: Grupo Frontera Talk Jugando a Que No Pasa Nada and Reveals Their Secret to Remaining Humble (Exclusive) Ballesteros — who's known for co-writing hits like "Lady Gaga" and "Presidente" — released his debut album The GB in May of last year. The album peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Regional Mexican Albums chart. He's also collaborated with hitmakers like Peso Pluma, Becky G, Natanael Cano, Grupo Frontera, Junior H and Piso 21. Last month, he joined forces with Tito Double P for "7 Dias," which holds the No. 1 spot on the Spotify Weekly Top Songs Mexico as of March 6. "Peridido" is out now. Read the original article on People
