Salsa star Willy Chirino strikes out on his own

By Leila Cobo

MIAMI (Billboard) - For many years, Willy Chirino was a musical artist with a defined regional base, signed to a major multinational label.

Now, the Cuban-born, Miami-based salsero hopes to expand his national and international reach with a fledgling independent outfit.

Chirino's new album, "Algarabia," is set for a May 20 release through a partnership between Chirino's own label, Latinum, and Eventus, the label launched in 2007 by Eventus Marketing. The album will be distributed by Sony BMG, Chirino's label for 15 years.

"Algarabia" is predominantly salsa, albeit with touches of reggaeton and rock guitars, as well as a couple of romantic boleros. The album features 13 tracks, and on top of that Chirino recorded two iTunes exclusives.

Chirino's distribution move sounds daring, but he's expanding a model he took up seven years ago when he left Sony and created his own label, which was distributed by indie Delanuca.

"I realized my records were in the hands of people that really didn't vibrate with the music," Chirino says. "So I decided to take the reins of my career. If you have the capacity to do that, it's the best possible move."

GOOD FIT

With Eventus, Chirino has found a partner he can lean on. The company produced and marketed Chirino's two 35th-anniversary concerts last year with such success that Chirino approached the company for management. Now Chirino, along with Eventus owner/president Nelson Albareda, is a partner in the company's label and management units. Omer Pardillo, Celia Cruz's former manager, is also a partner.