TelevisaUnivision, the Spanish-language entertainment giant which was formed earlier this year in the merger of Univision and Grupo Televisa, is planning to make a splash for its first upfront presentation as a combined company.
The company is planning to take over the River Pavilion at New York’s Jacob Javits Convention Center the morning of May 17 , and is planning to stand out with what it describes as “A-list” Hispanic talent and live musical performances, including some surprise appearances.
To that end, The Hollywood Reporter has learned that the company has tapped Colombian singer-songwriter Sebastián Yatra to perform at the upfront, as well as to serve as a presenter.
“Univision has supported my career from the beginning,” Yatra says. “I’m excited to take the stage and help showcase the power of the Latino community and the impact we have on this country.”
Yatra sang the Spanish and English-language versions of the song Dos Oruguitas from the Disney animated feature Encanto, and performed at this year’s Academy Awards.
His latest album, “Dharma,” ranked #1 on Spotify’s US & Global album debut and #1 on Billboard’s Latin Streaming & Latin digital song sales charts.
The upfront will be led by TelevisaUnivision’s ad sales chief Donna Speciale, who joined Univision just over 15 months ago after previously serving as WarnerMedia’s head of ad sales.
“We’re looking forward to bringing to life the impactful ways we can help brands embrace the opportunity to grow with U.S. Hispanics,” said Speciale in a statement. “Music is a deep passion point for our audience, so we couldn’t be more thrilled to have the incredibly talented Sebastián Yatra join us in presenting and delivering a vibrant live performance for our valued partners.”
