The National Football League (NFL), together with NTERTAIN Studios and music label NEON16, led by Latin music heavyweights Tainy and Lex Borrero, have inked an expansion of their partnership for the 2023 season.
Now in its third year, the collaboration will include a multimedia content series featuring music and artists from NEON16, as well as custom social video content.
NTERTAIN and Neon16 say that the series will “showcase the diversity and inclusivity of the NFL by bringing together the shared passion for music and football by current NFL Latino players and emerging NEON16 music artists”.
This season’s partnership features what NTERTAIN and Neon16 call a “unique creative effort between Latino NFL players and rising NEON16 stars”.
The first song entitled NIVEL #0B is a production by RMAND, a rising Dominican star from Netflix’s hit reality music competition show La Firma, and is inspired by his experience working with Miami Dolphins wide receiver Braxton Berrios, who is of Puerto Rican descent.
The full-length track is set for release during Week 3 of the NFL regular season in the lead-up to the Miami Dolphins Latino Heritage Month game and home opener on September 24.
A second full-length track made by another player and artist collaboration will debut later this season and will join the RMAND/Berrios song on this season’s Por La Cultura Anthem songs for this season.
In addition to the multimedia content series featuring NFL Latino players, RMAND is one of three NEON16 artists to feature in this year’s NFL Shop commercial, also scored by a NEON16 beat, along with fellow emerging stars Alex Ponce and Nashy-Nashai.
NEON16 acts will produce four tracks exclusively for the NFL and its 32 clubs to use as part of their soundtrack to the 2023 season.
“We loved the concept of having our artists collaborate with Latino NFL players to create something as unique as an original song.”
Lex Borrero, NTERTAIN and NEON16
“We loved the concept of having our artists collaborate with Latino NFL players to create something as unique as an original song,” said Lex Borrero, Co-Founder and CEO of NTERTAIN and NEON16.
“While both share Latino heritage, we know that artists and athletes also share a common drive to succeed, the talent to shine and the work ethic to thrive in their respective careers.
“Unifying these traits and the mutual love and respect for music has led to some incredible art that we can’t wait to share with fans this season.”
“Music is a leading passion point for Latinos, and we feel this partnership is an ideal platform for celebrating our Latino players and connecting more deeply with our fans.”
JAVIER FARFAN, NFL
JAVIER FARFAN, Cultural Strategist at the NFL, added: “Music is a leading passion point for Latinos, and we feel this partnership is an ideal platform for celebrating our Latino players and connecting more deeply with our fans.
“This content series brings together the commonalities of artists and athletes and their inspirational stories from humble beginnings, as they reach the top of their careers and their goal of stardom.
“Working with NTERTAIN and NEON16 allows us to authentically tell these stories with the creative vision of tastemakers at the forefront of Latino culture, music and entertainment.”
“With more than 31 million NFL fans in the United States, there is no doubt that Latinos continue to fall in love with the sport of football every day.”
Marissa Solis, NFL
Marissa Solis, NFL SVP Global Brand and Consumer Marketing, said: “With more than 31 million NFL fans in the United States, there is no doubt that Latinos continue to fall in love with the sport of football every day.
“We want to inspire Latinos with the lyrics and melodies created by these talented NEON16 artists in the same way they get excited for a perfectly executed pass and catch for a touchdown. This partnership unifies the heroes of stage and sport through their common bond as Latinos representing ‘por la cultura.’”
Discussing working with Berrios, the NFL and Tainy, RMAND said: “I know I felt connected with Braxton because even though he is in the world of sports and I am in the world of music, I felt like we shared a lot of similarities even though we do different things.
“We both are driven to be the best we can and have the motivation in our minds that there are others that want to be better than us so we need to try to get better every day to keep climbing to the top and stay on top. I think that is something that applies in sports, music or anything that you do. When it came to making the track, I felt we clicked quickly and it was easy to take that inspiration from him to create this track.
“THIS OPPORTUNITY to make music for the NFL helps elevate my work to a bigger stage.”
“It was special to learn that the NFL wanted me to make music for them. That takes my music to another level. I have always known I wanted to make music and be an artist that way, but this opportunity to make music for the NFL helps elevate my work to a bigger stage.
“Any artist who makes music likely has goals of one day working with someone like the NFL. I feel so blessed to have this opportunity to work with them and I am so grateful for it. This has been such a fun process for me and I can’t wait to see what else is to come.
“I am so grateful to be part of NEON16 and to have that connection with Tainy. He’s a legend and he’s always been one of my favorite producers. Tainy is an inspiration to me and he’s one of the main reasons I started producing music. I listened to Tainy’s music from when I was young, and all of his songs were hits. I was drawn in by how every song he makes has that certain something that you know it’s a Tainy track and you know that it has his essence and signature sound.
“Every track has something special to it but they’re all clearly Tainy tracks. I tried to do the same with finding my sound and that is how I started to develop my abilities as a producer. I knew I had to do something that represented me, my sound, and my signature and that is how I started building up as a producer.”Music Business Worldwide