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Selena Y Los Dinos is Netflix’s upcoming documentary on the legacy of the Tejano star, but it’s also the band — fronted by the icon Selena — that revolutionized Latin music and one of the first global acts. At Latin Music Week 2025, fans and conference attendees not only got to see exclusive clips from the film, slated to premiere Nov. 17, but heard directly from Suzette Quintanilla and the documentary’s director Isabel Castro.
Moderated by Billboard‘s Jessica Roiz, the Selena Y Los Dinos panel on Wednesday (Oct. 22) broke down the significance of this new documentary, the band’s legacy and the family values that fueled the global act.
The new Netflix documentary first premiered in the Sundance Film Festival, capturing Selena Y Los Dinos’ rise to stardom. Throughout Selena’s music career, seven of her studio albums hit No. 1 on Top Latin Albums, including Amor Prohibido (1994), which reigned for 20 weeks, and Dreaming of You (released posthumously in 1995), which topped the chart for 44 weeks. The latter set also made history as the first bilingual album to debut at No. 1 on the all-genre Billboard 200. In 1993, Selena won a Grammy for the best Mexican American album for Selena Live!, becoming the first female Tejano artist to win that award.
Below, five takeaways from the Selena Y Los Dinos panel at Latin Music Week:
Approaching Isabel Castro for the Project
Suzette Quintanilla: “Four or five years ago, I wanted to create this documentary to tell our family story, directly from our family to the world, and find somebody that could do this. I did a Zoom with Isabel and I instantly knew she was going to be the person to be able to tell the story for us. She’s an amazing person, she’s Latina and I’m glad she’s leading this for us.”
Why Castro Said Yes to Directing
Isabel Castro: “I’m Mexican, I came to the U.S. and to me, Selena was really the person that taught me to be proud about having a bicultural community. I found solace in her and the family’s music. It made me understand myself. When they reached out I was like, ‘Everyone stop everything, hold the phones.’ It was obvious this was important to me. It’s been an honor of a lifetime.”
Have you played Billboard’s Latin Music Week Crossword?Play now!
The Process
Castro: “The family has a vault and when I opened that door and the light came through. It’s like a medium-sized storage unit, packed from floor to ceiling of bookcases with thousands of VHS tapes, flash drives. The beginning of that process was interesting because we were so honored but it felt like a huge sense of responsibility. We reviewed it all and once we digitized it, then came the editing process and it was important that the archive told the story. All of the footage is valuable, but the material that moved me the most was the material that was shot behind the scenes that was mostly shot by Suzette. What’s in the film is as much as we could include.”
How This Will Be Different From Other Selena Films
Castro: “We had conversations about this, both I and Suzette, and the family wanted this to feel like the most authentic version of [the family’s] story and wanted it to be told by the them. We also wanted it to be told through the archive.”
Quintanilla: “The [1997] movie was sprinkled with Hollywood glitter, but this documentary is the opposite of that. This is our family, Chris, my mom, my father, A.B., myself, bandmates, telling the world our story: We started from that and created this. A lot of people want to separate Selena from our band, but other elements that made her were our band and family.”
What Fans Will Take Away From Selena Y Los Dinos
Quintanilla: “I want them to feel the energy and what we were all about. People have a perception, and they’re entitled to their opinion, and how my father was. We are a normal family that started a band and became global. Selena is not here, but we are celebrating what we did and created so many years ago. And this documentary reflects the power of who we are as Latinos, this is a global launch in 190 countries and 32 plus languages. I’m very proud of that.”
Spanning more than 30 years, Latin Music Week is the single-most important and largest gathering of Latin artists and industry executives in the world. This year’s event once again hosts panels, marquee conversations, roundtables, networking and activations, in addition to its celebrated Billboard En Vivo showcases.
This year’s star-studded lineup includes Aitana, Alofoke, Anuel AA, Bebeshito, Carlos Vives, Carín León, Danny Ocean, DJ Khaled, Daddy Yankee (DY), Emilia Mernes, Ivy Queen, Gloria Estefan, Grupo 5, Kapo, Laura Pausini, Luck Ra, Netón Vega, Olga Tañón, Óscar Maydon, Ozuna, Pablo Alborán, Rawayana, Suzette Quintanilla, Tokischa, Xavi and Yailin La Más Viral, to name a few.
Latin Music Week also coincides with the 2025 Billboard Latin Music Awards, set to air Thursday, Oct. 23, on Telemundo and Peacock, where Bad Bunny will be honored as Top Latin Artist of the 21st Century.
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Lyor Cohen, global head of music at Google/YouTube, joined Billboard editor-in-chief Hannah Karp on Wednesday (Oct. 22) for a compelling fireside chat during Billboard Latin Music Week 2025.
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Cohen reflected on his decades-long career shaping artists’ journeys and ushering in the digital music revolution. He offered invaluable insights into the evolution of music consumption, the impact of streaming on today’s artists and the importance of harnessing technology such as AI to amplify diverse voices in the global music industry.
When asked about the secrets to creating standout music videos, Cohen shared what he believes to be the most important thing: “Authenticity. Being genuine and finding your voice. A lot of people think there are shortcuts, and do this [signals a selfie] all day long. Being a real artist takes time. You have to love what you do. You have to find that beautiful, important record. You have to keep practicing. You have to build and go on tour. You have to be a real artist. All that fake stuff is going to get flushed out.”
Have you played Billboard’s Latin Music Week Crossword?Play now!
Karp probed further about “fake stuff,” prompting Cohen to clarify that those who ascend are those who are “thirsty for the human connection — and the human connection is music. Ultimately, you’re gonna have to get on the stage. You’re gonna have to go mano a mano with your fans.” He added that “AI is an additional tool, and the generation of AI is desperate for human authenticity to help guide it and use it as a tool.”
“Spain is the gateway to Europe, and everyone wants to get this Latin action,” he said, emphasizing the global potential of Latin music. “Why does [South Korea] have such weight outside of Korea? It’s because they work at it, showing up, crafting amazing music. I think the same for the Indians – what’s happening with Indian music, the power of these global platforms.”
Cohen continued to highlight the importance of global platforms such as YouTube — which sees more than 2 billion logged-in viewers watching music videos each month — in sharing Latin music with audiences worldwide, emphasizing the opportunity to spread “Latin love” across borders and cultures.
Spanning more than 30 years, Latin Music Week is the single-most important and largest gathering of Latin artists and industry executives in the world. Latin Music Week coincides with the 2025 Billboard Latin Music Awards, set to air Thursday, Oct. 23, on Telemundo and Peacock.
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Danny Ocean sat down with Billboard’s Leila Cobo at Billboard Latin Music Week 2025 for “The Sony Music Publishing Iconic Songwriter Q&A” panel to discuss how he’s crafted his biggest hits, including “Me Rehuso,” and the power of his songs to transform society.
Presented by Sony Music Publishing, the Venezuelan singer-songwriter — whose artistic name is a nod to George Clooney’s character in the Ocean‘s trilogy — spoke candidly about looking inward and trusting his intuition when crafting songs. It’s what was key for “Me Rehuso” (“I Refuse”), Danny’s breakout hit, a love song he wrote for a girlfriend as a Valentine’s Day gift that also captures his migration journey from Venezuela to Miami.
“I had no way of getting something to my girlfriend back in Venezuela, so I wrote her a song — not knowing when I would see her again,” Danny said. “I didn’t overthink things, it was what I was living at the moment. ‘Me Rehuso’ was also a feeling of having to leave Venezuela.”
The track was released while he was working at a pizzeria in Kendall, Fla., but he eventually doubled-down on songwriting, taking inspiration from personal relationships, including the one with his beloved Venezuela.
“Having to migrate had a huge impact on my life and made me question things, such as how we can make Venezuela have that outlet like other countries,” he explained. “I see Venezuela as my partner, [my songs] are a direct, personal conversation with Venezuela. But I also don’t want to romanticize it, it’s my relationship with Venezuela, and everyone has their own relationship with their own country. I don’t see it as a manifesto or something political.”
Have you played Billboard’s Latin Music Week Crossword?Play now!
For “Caracas en el 2000,” Danny collaborated with fellow Venezuelans Elena Rose and Jerry Di. “Putting Venezuela on the radar started out as something very personal between us,” he said. “We’d go out for a beer, talk about how we were feeling, and those conversations would end up in the studio, then in a song. It’s been very natural.”
When asked by an audience member what he’d do when he returns to Venezuela, Danny Ocean said, “Everything I didn’t do when I was there, and hang out with people, find out what they think, what they’re up to. I want to spend some time at home, hang out with my family, connect with the streets. And visit Los Roques, I’ve never been.”
Spanning more than 30 years, Latin Music Week is the single-most important and largest gathering of Latin artists and industry executives in the world. This year’s event once again hosts panels, marquee conversations, roundtables, networking and activations, in addition to its celebrated Billboard En Vivo showcases.
This year’s star-studded lineup includes Aitana, Alofoke, Anuel AA, Bebeshito, Carlos Vives, Carín León, Danny Ocean, DJ Khaled, Daddy Yankee (DY), Emilia Mernes, Ivy Queen, Gloria Estefan, Grupo 5, Kapo, Laura Pausini, Luck Ra, Netón Vega, Olga Tañón, Óscar Maydon, Ozuna, Pablo Alborán, Rawayana, Suzette Quintanilla, Tokischa, Xavi and Yailin La Más Viral, to name a few.
Latin Music Week also coincides with the 2025 Billboard Latin Music Awards, set to air Thursday, Oct. 23, on Telemundo and Peacock, where Bad Bunny will be honored as Top Latin Artist of the 21st Century.
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An explosion of urban and flamenco sounds from artists including Chilean Katteyes and Los Ricos, and an unexpected birthday celebration from Argentine singer Yami Safdie sealed the “Latin Music Week Opening Night Showcase” presented by Boombastic at Miami’s MAD Club Wynwood on Monday night (Oct. 20).
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The showcase that kicked off the week of the prestigious annual music industry gathering also featured Asturian Mateo Eraña with his folk-rock offering, singer and actress Yas Gagliardi with her pop ballads, Puerto Rican GALE with her enchanting electropop and Argentine Luck Ra with an exciting fusion of trap and cumbia. In addition, the show also spotlighted one of the newest urban music stars, Puerto Rican J Álvarez.
GALE performs at the Billboard Latin Music Week 2025 Opening Night Showcase presented by Boombastic at Mad Club Wynwood in Miami on October 20, 2025.
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Yami Safdie was surprised by the event organizers, who brought her a cake for her 28th birthday. The emotional moment also included a duet between Safdie and her colleague and compatriot Soledad, with whom she performed “Alma, corazón y vida” (Soul, Heart, and Life) by the composer of the Creole waltz Adrián Flores.
The event was hosted by Bröther, the Argentine musician, producer, DJ and founder of Bresh, the global phenomenon known as “The Most Beautiful Party in the World,” who livened up part of the evening and the breaks between performances with a lively mix of the best of current Latin music.
Another surprise came with the presence of Puerto Rican urban music star Álvaro Díaz, who was seen among the VIP guests.
Spanning more than 30 years, Latin Music Week is the single-most important and largest gathering of Latin artists and industry executives in the world. This year’s star-studded lineup includes: Aitana, Alofoke, Anuel AA, Bebeshito, Carlos Vives, Carín León, Danny Ocean, DJ Khaled, Daddy Yankee (DY), Emilia Mernes, Ivy Queen, Gloria Estefan, Grupo 5, Kapo, Laura Pausini, Luck Ra, Netón Vega, Olga Tañón, Óscar Maydon, Ozuna, Pablo Alborán, Rawayana, Suzette Quintanilla, Tokischa, Xavi, and Yailin La Más Viral, among many others.
Latin Music Week also coincides with the 2025 Billboard Latin Music Awards, set to air Thursday, Oct. 23, on Telemundo and Peacock, where Bad Bunny will be honored as Top Latin Artist of the 21st Century.
Billboard’s Live Music Summit will be held in Los Angeles on Nov. 3. For tickets and more information, click here.
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The crowd at M2 in Miami didn’t need warming up — they were already lit by the time Anuel AA took the stage for Billboard En Vivo on Tuesday night (Oct. 21).
The Latin trap pioneer, arriving just before midnight, wasted no time proving why he’s built a reputation as one of the genre’s most dominant players. Backed by booming production, he charged through a whirlwind set that doubled as both nostalgia and foreshadowing, nodding to past hits and his forthcoming Real Hasta la Muerte 2 album — teased via silver-font graphics glimmering behind him.
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Striding onstage with all the swagger fans expect, Anuel AA sported a black leather jacket and jeans, a gem-encrusted baseball cap and sunglasses that shielded his face — not that he needed to make eye contact to hold the crowd. And, in keeping with his bad-boy persona, a red cup for sippin’ rarely left his hand as he launched into the opening number, “Reloj” — the Rauw Alejandro-collab hit from 2020.
But Anuel did not lean solely on smash singles. Half of his power lies in his ability to explore outside the mold, pushing through reggaetón into dancehall and Latin trap without losing command of the audience. A standout song was “Delincuente,” a head-boppin’-inducing interpolation of Chaka Demus & Pliers’ 1992 hit “Murder She Wrote,” originally also starring Ñengo Flow and Tokischa. Anuel, however, flipped the track on its head, rapping his own bars in their place.
The pacing shifted midway through when he delivered “WYA Remix Black and Yellow,” a slow-burning cut packed with glossy collaborations from Pirlo, Blessed, J Abdiel, and iZaak. While iZaak didn’t appear alongside Anuel during the track, the former artist had already prepped the crowd earlier that evening during his 9 p.m. opening set with serenely smooth vocals. Donning baggy blue jeans, a matching vest, and a silver chain, iZaak pulled fans into his orbit with his heart-on-sleeve delivery of the same remix, setting the tone for the meticulously curated lineup ahead, while performing other songs.
Then came FloyyMenor, who tore through his signature hits like Billboard No. 1 hit “Gata Only” and the Chilean reggaeton cut “Peligrosa.” His set leaned heavily into Y2K aesthetics with throwback visuals of old-school headphones and early cell phones looping overhead as choreographed dancers flanked him. Dressed simply in a black bomber and flashing a colossal gold chain, Floyy commanded the room during his 20-minute set.
The Billboard En Vivo event was part of Latin Music Week, the largest gathering of Latin artists and industry executives in the world. Latin Music Week also coincides with the 2025 Billboard Latin Music Awards, set to air Thursday, Oct. 23, on Telemundo and Peacock, where Bad Bunny will be honored as Top Latin Artist of the 21st Century.
Billboard’s Live Music Summit will be held in Los Angeles on Nov. 3. For tickets and more information click here.
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Rising global stars of Latin music like Aitana (Spain), Silvana Estrada (Mexico), Yami Safdie (Argentina), Ela Taubert (Colombia) and Yailin (Dominican Republic) gathered Tuesday (Oct. 21) to discuss the challenges of achieving gender equity in the music industry during the second day of activities at Billboard Latin Music Week 2025, in Miami Beach, Florida.
During the “Women’s Panel: Global Rise,” moderated by Billboard Español editor Sigal Ratner-Arias, the artists also talked about the biggest challenges they’ve faced as women in the music industry, the role of social media in their lives and careers, how they’ve found their unique sound, and the importance of mental health.
The conversation showcased a wide range of opinions, styles, cultures, creative processes and challenges faced by these female stars in the Latin music industry, who share similarities in age (all in their 20s), a solid career path in music, and clear global growth. Some of them have won Latin Grammy Awards and sold out stadiums in their home countries
“When we come together, we are stronger,” Estrada, who won the Latin Grammy for best new artist in 2022, said as she spoke about the challenge of achieving gender equity in an industry that has historically been predominantly male-led and highly competitive.
Yami Safdie, who started out years ago as a popular content creator in Argentina, stated that the standards for men and women in the music industry are different. From her experience, she said, “Women are constantly being pitted against one another.”
“I didn’t know how to dance, and in this industry, they teach you that pop singers must know how to dance well, but men aren’t expected to dance well,” added Spanish star Aitana. “I thought, I’m not a good pop artist if I can’t put on a show.”
Silvana Estrada shared that many people told her she wouldn’t be able to achieve her dreams, but her strong belief in herself helped her turn her aspirations in music into a reality. She added that she has received great support from colleagues and friends like fellow Mexican singer-songwriter Natalia Lafourcade. “The rivalry [imposed by society on women] is designed to weaken us, to isolate us, when in reality, when we come together, we are stronger,” she expressed.
Colombian artist Ela Taubert admitted that winning the Latin Grammy for best new artist in 2024 left her feeling insecure about what would come next and whether she would be able to meet expectations. “I’m afraid of disappointing people. The pressure is there,” she said. “But then came the advice from my mom… The key is to enjoy the process.”
Yailin, who was a bit more reserved than her peers on the panel, spoke about the importance of mental health and recalled being a victim of online hate due to her high-profile relationships with urban music artists. “I faced hate I didn’t deserve,” she said, “but my way of dealing with it was by delivering joyful music to my audience.”
With over 30 years of history, Latin Music Week is the largest and most important gathering of Latin artists and music industry executives worldwide. The event also coincides with the Billboard Latin Music Awards 2025, which will air on Thursday (Oct. 23) on Telemundo and Peacock, where Bad Bunny will be honored as the Artist of the 21st Century.
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Kali Uchis remembered her humble beginnings in music on Tuesday (Oct. 21) at Billboard Latin Music Week, where she sat for a Superstar Q&A moderated by Billboard Español‘s associated editor Isabela Raygoza at The Fillmore Miami Beach on the second day of the event.
The Colombian-American artist — who just wrapped up her Sincerely, Tour in U.S. arenas and announced the Latin American leg for 2026 — released her first mixtape, Drunken Babble, in 2012, during a time of struggle, while she was living in her car. The mixtape instantly caught the attention of A$AP Rocky, Diplo and Snoop Dogg, who shared her music on his blog, Raygoza said.
“I really started at the bottom,” the bilingual singer-songwriter said, adding that artistry and music have always been first for her. “I never had it in my head ‘I have to be this successful or make these numbers.’ I was very naïve in the industry. I’ve just always been an artist. I love to make things.”
During the conversation, Uchis also revealed that she almost left her biggest hit, “Telepatía,” out of her sophomore album, Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios) from 2020. “It had to grow on me. I loved it when I made it and then I was like, ‘hmmm, I don’t know,’” said,
Kali Uchis graced Billboard‘s cover in October, delving into motherhood, touring on a bus and refusing to choose one language over the other to sing in. Read the full story here.
Spanning more than 30 years, Latin Music Week is the largest gathering of Latin artists and industry executives in the world. This year’s event once again hosts panels, marquee conversations, roundtables, networking and activations, in addition to its celebrated Billboard En Vivo showcases.
Latin Music Week also coincides with the 2025 Billboard Latin Music Awards, set to air Thursday, Oct. 23, on Telemundo and Peacock, where Bad Bunny will be honored as Top Latin Artist of the 21st Century.
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The former duo Arcángel and De La Ghetto is set to reunite next year in a tour that will take place in the U.S and Latin America. The plans were announced by Puerto Rican hitmaker De La Ghetto during his Music and Sports panel at Latin Music Week 2025 on Tuesday (Oct. 21).
“It’s happening next year,” the Puerto Rican star said, responding to an audience question. “My album is dropping in November, his in December, so I told him at a Bad Bunny concert that it was time [to tour]. We’re working on it as we speak.” Adding that the string of shows will make stops in the U.S. and Latin America, including shows in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. The two parted ways in 2007 to pursue solo careers.
De La Ghetto took center stage at Latin Music Week alongside Carlos Arroyo, former NBA, sports executive, and fellow artist Jowell (of Jowell y Randy) for a conversation of the intersection of music and sports.
“I’ve always seen that many athletes want to be in music and many musicians want to be in sports,” Jowell said. “There are many similarities. Discipline and talent go hand in hand in both. And secondly, a lot of us athletes or musicians come from small towns and find an outlet in music or sports to be successful. The kids in these neighborhoods, half of them want to be producers or musicians, and the other half want to be athletes.”
Meanwhile, Arroyo confessed that he imagined himself in a studio or singing on stage, but today, as a basketball icon, he’s focused on inspiring the new generation of dreamers. “We live a privileged life, and because we’re so focused on our career and doing things righ, we forget that there are children out there who are being inspired by music or sports. We can’t forget that.”
Spanning more than 30 years, Latin Music Week is the single-most important and largest gathering of Latin artists and industry executives in the world. This year’s event once again hosts panels, marquee conversations, roundtables, networking and activations, in addition to its celebrated Billboard En Vivo showcases.
This year’s star-studded lineup includes Aitana, Alofoke, Anuel AA, Bebeshito, Carlos Vives, Carín León, Danny Ocean, DJ Khaled, Daddy Yankee (DY), Emilia Mernes, Ivy Queen, Gloria Estefan, Grupo 5, Kapo, Laura Pausini, Luck Ra, Netón Vega, Olga Tañón, Óscar Maydon, Ozuna, Pablo Alborán, Rawayana, Suzette Quintanilla, Tokischa, Xavi and Yailin La Más Viral, to name a few.
Latin Music Week also coincides with the 2025 Billboard Latin Music Awards, set to air Thursday, Oct. 23, on Telemundo and Peacock, where Bad Bunny will be honored as Top Latin Artist of the 21st Century.
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Italian superstar Laura Pausini exclusively revealed the cover art and details for her upcoming albums Yo Canto 2 and Io Canto 2, which honor Hispanic and Italian singer-songwriters, respectively, at Billboard Latin Music Week 2025. The Spanish-language LP will feature covers of hits by Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny and Mexican idol Joan Sebastian, the singer teased Tuesday (October 21) during her Icon Q&A at the prestigious gathering in Miami.
In a lively conversation with Leila Cobo, Billboard‘s director of content for Latin/Spanish, Pausini surprised the audience with a live performance of her cover of “Turista,” recounting how she connected with Bad Bunny’s music and how she was introduced to the world of the late regional Mexican singer Joan Sebastian.
She said she met the former years ago during a tribute to Gloria Estefan. She explained that “Turista,” included on Bad Bunny’s celebrated album Debí Tirar Más Fotos (2025), is a song she personally loves and finds has a similar style to her own. Her version was released on digital platforms last April.
“Benito wrote to me and said he never imagined one day I would sing one of his songs,” Pausini said emotionally. “I love the idea so much, and how important it was for me to do it with my style. Many people think we’re opposites, but not like that.” She praised the way Benito used the word “turista” to refer to the end of a relationship. “Tourists don’t have the time to see the flaws of cities, only the beautiful things, so I found it very intelligent.”
Regarding Joan Sebastian, she said she entered his universe through the algorithm on digital platforms when she listened to music by Juan Gabriel and Marco Antonio Solís.
Have you played Billboard’s Latin Music Week Crossword?Play now!
Pausini said the Spanish version of Yo Canto 2 will include 20 tracks, and the Italian version, Io Canto 2, another 20. The bridge between the two albums, due for release in 2026, is the first single, “Mi Historia Entre Tus Dedos” (“My Story Between Your Fingers”), the 1994 song by singer-songwriter Gianluca Grignani that became a hit in both Italy and Latin America thanks to its versions in both languages.
The covers of her upcoming albums depict Pausini as a warrior in silver clothing on the Italian album, and in a light, veiled dress on the Spanish version. What they have in common is an imposing silver sword made up of three microphones.
The singer, who will be honored with the Billboard Icon Award on Thursday (October 23) during the Billboard Latin Music Awards, announced that the promotional tour for her new LPs will begin in Spain in March 2026 and continue in Latin America until June.
Spanning more than 30 years, Latin Music Week is the single-most important and largest gathering of Latin artists and industry executives in the world. This year’s star-studded lineup includes Aitana, Alofoke, Anuel AA, Bebeshito, Carlos Vives, Carín León, Danny Ocean, DJ Khaled, Daddy Yankee (DY), Emilia Mernes, Ivy Queen, Gloria Estefan, Grupo 5, Kapo, Laura Pausini, Luck Ra, Netón Vega, Olga Tañón, Óscar Maydon, Ozuna, Pablo Alborán, Rawayana, Suzette Quintanilla, Tokischa, Xavi and Yailin La Más Viral, to name a few.
Latin Music Week also coincides with the 2025 Billboard Latin Music Awards, set to air Thursday, Oct. 23, on Telemundo and Peacock, where Bad Bunny will be honored as Top Latin Artist of the 21st Century.
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As Afrobeats gains momentum outside of West Africa, where it originated, Latin artists are fully embracing the rhythm and fusing it with their own signature sounds. Such is the case for Goyo, Humby, Kapo, Ozuna and Venesti, who were part of the Afrobeats panel at Billboard Latin Music Week 2025 on Tuesday (Oct. 21).
Moderated by Billboard‘s Jessica Roiz, the conversation focused on respecting the culture, roots and pioneers that have fueled this genre in Africa, and how Afrobeats has influenced their latest projects, including Goyo’s debut album Pantera.
“This movement is so big and it has brought so many opportunities for Latin artists who sing Afrobeats but are not from Nigeria,” the Colombian star said. “It is important to respect the roots and culture; but restlessness has led to the Afrobeats movement that is being mixed with hip-hop, R&B, and Nigerian music. We have to give importance to Africa through this genre that unites us.”
Meanwhile, hitmaker Ozuna spoke candidly about how experimenting with Afrobeats opened doors for him and got him out of a comfort zone that reggaetón was becoming. “I didn’t know much about the rhythm, but I was interested in learning, I was into reggaetón, and this rhythm opened doors for me.”
He added that the key to continue growing the movement is unity and collaboration. “We did it with reggaetón and it worked for us. Afrobeats is a movement that needs unity. It needs artists like me to collaborate with new artists. I was given that opportunity when I began my career, and now it’s our turn to do it with the new artists, and with the newest artists. This is a chain; we’re all on the same boat.”
Have you played Billboard’s Latin Music Week Crossword?Play now!
Both Colombian artists Kapo and Venesti also dabbled in Afrobeats early on in their careers. After recording in other styles, it was Afrobeats that gave both these rising artists their biggest hits, including Kapo’s “Ohnana” and Venesti’s “Umaye.”
“This song marked a turning point,” Venesti explained. “I was going through a moment in the creative process where others would tell me, ‘This is what you have to do.’ But when I signed with AP Global, my label, they told me, ‘Be yourself.’ I recorded ‘Umaye’ with a $50 microphone. It was my first number one hit on Billboard. ‘Umaye’ is a poem turned into a song.”
“We are born with that feeling; it’s something I can’t explain,” Kapo added. “We created ‘Ohnana,’ and it connected with many people. It wasn’t my beginning, but it has contributed a lot. We have role models in the world who do it so well.”
Spanning more than 30 years, Latin Music Week is the largest gathering of Latin artists and industry executives in the world. This year’s event once again hosts panels, marquee conversations, roundtables, networking and activations, in addition to its celebrated Billboard En Vivo showcases.
Latin Music Week also coincides with the 2025 Billboard Latin Music Awards, set to air Thursday, Oct. 23, on Telemundo and Peacock, where Bad Bunny will be honored as Top Latin Artist of the 21st Century.
