Esquina," "On the of how royalties work. So, it really is a Verge" won't feature deep dive into what these artists are Bilingual Realit full -length artist per- going through." Mun2 Will Feature Xtreme In New TV Show formances, nor will it Fans can also watch the show online explicitly promote the at holamun2.com, where Danny D, The urban bachata duo Xtreme sold the concept with Pitbull's "La Es- music of its stars. But Xtreme's record- Styles, their manager Ben DeJesus CONGA ROOM HOSTS 139,000 copies in the United States quina," which ran for the last two sea- ing career is, of course, at the heart of and Danny D's mother Gladys Bryan TV CONTEST of its 2006 major -label debut, "Ha- sons. But while "La Esquina" was more the show. will participate in online discussions. The Los Angeles venue the ciendo Historia" (Machete), which be- of an entertainment /interview show "A lot of the content has to do with Additional content will be available Conga Room is teaming with came one of the following year's set in the Little Havana section of the working of their album," Morales to subscribers of Verizon Wireless, the local Univision TV station best- selling albums by a new Latin Miami, "On the Verge" has more in says. "In the first episode, for example, which is sponsoring the show along KMEX Channel 34 to launch a act. The duo's 2008 album, "Chapter common with "The mun2 Hook Up," we get a very realistic understanding with Toyota. televised Latin dance compe- Dos" (Machete), hasn't done nearly a show that pairs young Latinos with tition. "The Conga Room Latin as well, selling 20,000 copies since its professional role models, including TV personalities: STEVE Dance Championship" will be release in November. doctors, athletes and recording artists. STYLES (left) and DANNY D held every Thursday at the club of Xtreme But Xtreme has generated a loyal fol- "People want to be let into a from May 21 to July 23, with a lowing, as evidenced by the nearly 4.4 celebrity world," Morales says, noting dozen couples competing in million visits to the group's MySpace that viewers want to know more about , , reggaetón/ page and a busy road schedule that in- the nitty -gritty details of the music hip -hop and bachata cate- cludes gigs at venues ranging from business. "The feedback we got was, gories for a $5,000 prize. clubs to college campuses. 'Wow, if the person writes the song, KMEX will air weekly segments Banking on the pair's then they get money ?' " from the competition after its bicultural youth appeal Mun2 considered sev- 11 p.m. newscast as well as and its potential to Latin eral acts for the series, during its Saturday morning reach a wider audience, Notas ranging from tropical to program, "Tu Estilo." Univision NBC Universal's bilin- LEILA regional Mexican per- Radio personality Carlos Al- gual channel mun2 will COBO formers. Xtreme's will- varez of Latin pop KLVE Los soon launch a new ingness to allow the Angeles will host the TV show. reality series based on channel unfettered ac- Auditions for the competition the lives of Xtreme cess gave it an edge over will be held May 7 and May 14. members Danny D and other acts. In addition, -Ayala Ben -Yehuda Steve Styles. the prospect of shooting "Xtreme: On the Verge," so titled the show in New York was a plus for BILLBOARD LATIN because of the premise that the group the channel, which has been geo- AWARDS RATINGS RISE is on the verge of a commercial break- graphically focused on Miami and the The 2009 Billboard Latin Mu- through, premieres May 7. The weekly West Coast. sic Awards, which aired live half -hour reality show will run for The start of the series coincides with April 23 on the Telemundo eight weeks. Xtreme's release of "Lloro Y Lloro " - network, reached 5.8 million "These guys, being from the Bronx, the second single from "Chapter Dos" unique viewers -300,000 being bachateros with a hip, pop vibe, -and a U.S. tour. more than the year before, ac- are definitely what mun2 is about," "The guys were bilingual and bicul- cording to Nielsen Media Re- mun2 programming VP Flavio tural and compatible with the chan- search data. The awards show, Morales says. nel," Universal Music Latino /Machete presented by State Farm, en- Mun2 isn't new to artist -based real- president Walter Kolm says. "And we joyed its strongest ratings in ity programming, having already tried were launching promotion of the new key demos, including adults single. I think it will all contribute to 18 -34, adults 18 -49, men 18 -49 For 24/7 Latin news and analysis, this second phase of the campaign." and women 18 -49. An average see billboard.biz /latin. As was the case with Pitbull's "La of 1.3 million viewers aged 18- 49 watched the show, a 22% increase over last year. In ad- TH E 13 I I_ I_ I3 C)A R I) the whole thing. The singers or developing countries, with reminded of it. We'll make it dition, the awards' pretelecast, of the main theme are Her - women, narcotraffickers, romantic, sad, erotic in a "La Alfombra Roja De Los Pre - nan Saraza, a great Colom- their sexual preferences, their thousand ways. mios Billboard," averaged bian singer, and one of my adventures. 810,000 adults 18 -49, an in- favorite Colombian singers, Why has the music been crease of 36% over last year. Natalia Gutierrez. She has a Do you follow a TV script so popular with this tele- -Leila Cobo i Is group, Arsenal, that's signed when you write? novela? it just because Telemundo president Don Browne singled out Miguel de to Sony. She's one of my When you do music for TV, people like the show? WISIN & YANDEL'S Narvaez at the recent Billboard Latin Music Conference as favorite singers they bring you a script, as well I think it's a reflection of Tele- DIGITAL BONUSES a product of the network's "dream factory" of original con- because she's so as a review of the mundo's work in promoting Fans who pre -order Wisin & tent. The Colombian songwriter has written original music versatile. They're personalities - the show. It's also an indica- Yandel's upcoming WY /Ma- for such as "La Viuda Del Blanco" and "Deci- not very known. the psychology of tion that young people are chete album, "La Revolucion," siones." But he's struck a bigger chord with Telemundo's They're session each character. watching the channel. We're at iTunes will receive a pass- highest -rated telenovela to date, the gleefully over -the -top singers, mostly, Then you have to also on mun2. It bridges the word for a Wisin & Yandel con- "Sin Senos No Hay Paraíso" (Without Breasts, There Is No for jingles or go episode by generation gap between the cert presale at Ticketmaster Paradise). De Narvaez sat down with Billboard at the con- advertising. episode -it's not audiences we're trying to .com. The offer runs from April ference to talk about "Sin Senos" and how he and his collab- just the opening reach. It's not just the ac- 28 to May 25. The duo's tour orators write music for TV shows. Have you been and dosing theme. tresses or the story, but also is set to hit at least 13 U.S. able to launch You've got love, the music ... It's not the tra- cities. Another "La Revolu- What's the music strategy connected to the songs. They singers' careers through terror, sadness -everything. ditional music you would cion" digital bonus: an em- for the show? always write on the blogs, your telenovela songs? Often the background music hear on the radio -probably beddable widget that will The way we've incorporated "Who's the singer ?" "Who No, not until now. I've noticed is based on the main theme because it's not a common soon be available at wisin- music into the show is by in- wrote the song ?" "What are that everyone has gotten in- so that viewers are constantly story. -Ayala Ben- Yehuda yandelpr.com and wyrevolu- cluding a lot of songs for each the lyrics ?" That's because the terested in these songs and cion.com, which will allow fans EN ESPAÑOL: All the great Latin music coverage of the characters to identify song gets cut off during the connected to the story, to the Com you've come to expect from Billboard -in Spanish! to receive news and request a them. And people have really scene and they want to hear problems of underdeveloped Billboardenespanol.com. show in their city. -ABY

I 12 I BILLBOARD MAY 9, 2009

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