Latin Acts Tread Carefully With Crossover Bids

Billboard reports that the Latin crossover phenomenon, once regarded as a slam-dunk to gain broader exposure and bigger audiences for Latin acts, is treated by labels with more caution in the face of shrinking budgets and diminished sales across the board. “To me, being Latino is an advantage,” Enrique Iglesias says. “In the world of Anglo pop, where there aren’t that many Latinos, I look at it as an advantage. I think it’s cool. It has opened my mind musically in so many ways. Even if my music doesn’t sound Latin.” But sales of his most recent English-language album, ’7′, have been disappointing.