MUSIC

LATIN last year, when he emerged with a deal with Universal ARTIST: and raised in San Diego, Frankie J gravitated naturally Music Latino, under which he'll release Faith, Hope y toward R&B. His current manager, Charles Chavez, Amor on May 21. The album is a mix of R&B and pop, ALBUM: Faith, Hope y Amor who also manages , first saw the singer years English and Spanish, produced by names including LABEL: Universal Music Latino ago when Frankie J was an 18 -year -old singing at a teen Welcome Armando Avila (Luis Fonsi, Aleks Syntek), Nasri MANAGER: Charles Chavez club, and was instrumental in suggesting him as the (Pitbull, Justin Bieber), Jeremy Skaller (Jay Sean, Lil new singer for the . The Kumbia Kings PRODUCERS: various Wayne) and Greg Pagani (Will Smith). would explode in the Latin scene with their hybrid of "I waited a long time before releasing something PUBLISHERS: SOUISiCk MUGU, styles and languages, and Frankie J eventually left the Back (BMI), self -published new," Frankie J says. "I took a step back from music group to sign his solo deal with Columbia. BOOKING AGENT William Frankie J digs into his bicultural and focused on my family: being a dad, being a Morris Endeavor But management changed at Columbia, and Frankie husband, spending time at home. I was performing to J was eventually dropped over creative issues with his roots for first major -label album CHART HISTORY: The One make a living, but I waited before releasing something (2005), No.3 Billboard 200, fourth album. in five years new because I really wasn't inspired." 912,000; "Obsession (No He lay relatively low until 2011, when he released Much has changed in six years. The market in general Es Amor)," No.3 Billboard Courage, an indie album on iTunes. Universal's Estrada By Leila Cobo Hot 100 is far more open to Hispanic acts, radio is more receptive reached out in early 2012 and asked to hear his new to the R&B sound that defines Frankie J, and overall, TWITTER: @therealtrankiej material, and says it "blew us out of the water." there are new channels and ways to market to a bilingual While waiting for the album to be released, Frankie audience. "That Universal Latino has given me the J sang on the finale of "America's Got Talent" and In 2007, Frankie J was the voice of a new generation. chance to work again has just been a blessing," he says. THE BIG NUMBER beauty reality show "Nuestra Belleza Latina." He Bilingual and bicultural, he initially made a name "Frankie is one of those true pioneers as a bilingual opened up for the / tour for himself as the voice of cumbia/pop Latin group and bicultural artist who mixes not only languages Number of albums Frankiel and for Prince Royce. Kumbia Kings. But in 2008, Frankie J broke big as a but cultures," says Luis Estrada, managing director of has sold worldwide as a sole A first single, "Tienes Que Creer en Mi," peaked act, according to management. solo act on Columbia with The One, which has sold Universal Music Latino/Machete. "His hit 'Obsession' at No. 37 on Billboard's Hot Latin Songs chart last 912,000 copies in the United States, according to became a flag for millions of first-, second- and third - year while new single "No Te Quiero Ver Con El" is Nielsen SoundScan, and debuted at No. 3 on the generation Latinos, and also for mainstream listeners bubbling under the chart. There are also plans to work Billboard zoo. The album's lead single, "Obsession," who simply saw him as an R&B act. Even eight years English -language tracks, including "Beautiful," a duet an English -language cover of the Aventura track, ago, we saw that as the path for artist development in with Pitbull, on mainstream radio. rose to No. 3 on the Billboard Hot too, propelled by the Latin market. In the next few years, we'll see these "The English and Spanish have always been Frankie J's wistful, entreating R&B stylings, projects go from being the exception to the majority in 2 there," Frankie J says. "But now it's like a whole Then, Frankie J left Columbia and was scarcely label rosters." MILLION new era for Latinos to come back and do what we've heard from again, save for a small, indie effort. Until Born Francisco Javier Bautista in Tijuana, , always done." 0

PHOTOGRAPH BY THE JOELSONS APRIL 6, 2013I WWW.BILLBOARD.BIZ 41)