HYBE Latin America has teamed up with Colombian four-member band Morat, who made a significant milestone by reaching the top of major U.S. Billboard charts.
According to the latest U.S. Billboard chart announced on the 29th (local time) (for the week of Aug. 2), the track 'Me Toca a Mí' from Morat's fifth studio album 'Ya Es Mañana' took first place on the 'Latin Airplay' chart, jumping an impressive 13 spots from the previous week. Billboard noted through its homepage articles that it was the "highest rise in 'Latin Airplay' this year" and also the "first No. 1 for Morat on this chart."
'Me Toca a Mí' also secured the title of 'Greatest Gainer,' awarded to the song with the largest increase in listenership. Billboard explained, "During the aggregation period from July 18 to 24, 'Me Toca a Mí' recorded 9.1 million listener engagements, a 64% increase compared to the previous week."
'Latin Airplay' ranks songs based on the number of times they are played on Spanish radio stations in the United States and their listenership. Given that Latin music is rapidly growing worldwide, achieving No. 1 on this chart is considered an objective indicator of an artist's global influence and popularity.
In fact, Latin music exerts strong influence not only in South America but also in the United States. The Hispanic population in the U.S. is approximately 65.2 million (according to July 2023 U.S. government statistics), accounting for 19.5% of the total population. The growth rate of this population is also nine times faster than that of non-Hispanics. For this reason, Latin music has powerful competitiveness that can encompass both South and North American markets.
HYBE Latin America announced on the 18th that it had signed a management contract for Morat in collaboration with Walter Kolm Entertainment. There are expectations that HYBE Latin America's local status has been further strengthened by partnering with Morat, who has secured a solid fan base with emotional lyrics and bright, upbeat melodies.
At that time, Isaac Lee, chairman of the board and CEO of HYBE America, noted, "This demonstrates HYBE's confidence in the global potential of Spanish-language music," adding that "Morat's joining HYBE Latin America aligns with the vision of establishing a 'global ecosystem for superstars' pursued by Chairman Bang Si-hyuk."
In addition to managing Morat, HYBE Latin America is involved in various projects, including collaboration with 'reggaeton superstar' DY, Zarpazo label featuring Gregorio Umaña and Magna, and artists like Meme del Real, Adrian Cota, and América Fernández from the legendary rock band in Mexico, DOCEMIL Music.
[Photo provided by HYBE.]
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