billboard latin music week
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There was no better way to kick off the second day of the 2024 Billboard Latin Music Week on Tuesday (Oct. 15) than with Grupo Frontera‘s Making the Hit Live!, during which the group from Texas worked its magic to create a brand new song.
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As is tradition, during Making the Hit Live!, an artist will take the entire panel time to write and produce a song from scratch. But instead, this year, Grupo Frontera — who shot to stardom in 2022 thanks to ots cover of “No Se Va” — received lyrics from the band’s go-to producer and songwriter Edgar Barrera ahead of time, and added ots signature cumbia sound to the lyrics during the panel. Unofficially titled “Ya No,” the irresistible, hip-swiveling song was indeed created in a span of 40 minutes.
“Before we met Edgar Barrera, I would write songs for the group,” Payo, the band’s frontman, said enthusiastically. “We released, like, two songs that were penned by me, and I wrote four other ones, but those didn’t come out because that’s when we met Edgar and were like, ‘OK, we’re good,’” he added with a laugh.
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Now, when they’re in the studio with Barrera, Frontera’s Juan, Payo and Beto will contribute to the songwriting process, but Payo pokes fun at his bandmates. “They just say one word hoping it sticks,” he shared. “One time, they were obsessed with the word ‘gafas’ and they just kept repeating it, like, chill bro.”
When it comes to production, that’s where all six of them contribute with their respective instruments.
Part of the process of creating a song also includes setting time to think about content for social media to complement the song’s essence. The group’s presence online, whether it’s recording a dance or acting out a scene using part of a song’s lyrics, has made Grupo Frontera go viral more than once on TikTok. “We don’t create a song thinking it will be a hit on TikTok,” Juan explained. Payo added, “When we record a song, we always think the chorus will go viral, but we always get it wrong, so we have to record all of our social media content all over again.”
While setting the cumbia rhythm for “Ya No,” Frontera shared the story of when the members recorded “No Se Va.”
“We didn’t have money to rent a studio to record, well we didn’t have money, period,” said Beto. “So when we did record, we’d have to do everything in one take — even if we made a mistake, we’d leave that in there. We recorded ‘No Se Ve’ at a friend’s apartment building and every resident there was fine with us using the space — except for this one lady who complained.”
That song scored Frontera the group’s first ever Billboard chart entry. The song peaked at No. 3 on the Hot Latin Songs chart. While they’re not sure yet if they’ll release “Ya No,” the song they created during the panel, the track has hit potential. Check out a sneak peek below:
The 2024 Billboard Latin Music Week coincides with the 2024 Billboard Latin Music Awards set to air at 9 p.m. ET on Sunday, Oct. 20, on Telemundo. It will simultaneously be available on Universo, Peacock and the Telemundo app, and in Latin America and the Caribbean through Telemundo Internacional.
On one of the most notable nights of Billboard Latin Music Week 2024, Peso Pluma presented the prestigious Executive of the Year award to George Prajin, his manager and partner, to whom he dedicated an emotional and moving speech. Prajin, founder of Prajin Parlay and co-founder/COO of Double P Records, has been instrumental in Peso Pluma’s successful career. And during his speech, the artist revealed the deep personal and professional relationship that unites them.
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After being introduced by Leila Cobo, Billboard’s content director for Latin/Español, the Mexican music superstar was moved to tears as he delivered his emotionally charged remarks during the private Latin Music Power Players 2024 event held in Miami Beach on Oct. 14. “You are the best person I have ever met in my life,” he said.
Peso highlighted Prajin’s tireless work, noting that he is a paternal figure in the artist’s life: “I told him yesterday coming into confidence, that I had, like, three dads in my life, and one of them is him. And you will always be, George. I love you like a father and you will always be that to me.”
“The talent and sacrifice that we put in is one thing, and all the doors that you have opened for us, and all the things that you have done so that we can have an opportunity to show ourselves as greats before other exponents of music and the industry, have been very important not only for me and for you as a person, but for an entire country, an entire generation,” he continued.
Billboard‘s Latin Power Players Executive of the Year award celebrates those leaders whose vision and strategies have left a significant mark on the music industry over the past year. In this case, Prajin has been recognized not only for his role in the artistic development of Peso Pluma, but also for his broader impact on Latin music. Under his leadership, Double P Records has been instrumental in consolidating new talent and creating innovative strategies to penetrate global markets, raising the profile of Mexican music.
Here is Peso Pluma’s full speech:
First, I want to thank you, George. I want to thank you for everything you’ve done for me, and not just for me, but for my family, for the whole band, for everything you’ve done for each and every one of us. The talent and sacrifice that we put in is one thing, and all the doors that you’ve opened for us, and all the things that you’ve done so that we can have an opportunity to show ourselves as greats to other exponents of music and the industry, have been very important not only for me and for you as a person, but for an entire country, an entire generation.
I just want to thank you for so much, for everything that you’ve given me. If it hadn’t been for you, I wouldn’t be where I am right now. If it hadn’t been for you, I wouldn’t have the things that I have now, and if it hadn’t been for you, many of the things that are happening to us together wouldn’t have happened. I want to let everyone here in this room know that George … I told him yesterday in confidence … it’s hard … I get nervous here with you, and I don’t get nervous when I’m in front of 20,000, 15,000 people. It’s hard not to have a broken voice when these things happen, but today is about you. Today I want to congratulate you for everything you’ve achieved in your career as a professional, not just in music, as a lawyer, as a person … you are a great human being.
You are the best person I’ve ever met in my path and in my life. You’ve helped me make the best financial, work and personal decisions. And I told him yesterday, in confidence, that I had, like, three dads in my life, and one of them is him, and you always will be, George. I love you like my father, and you always will be. Thank you very much, Leila, for giving me the space, and for giving me the time to be able to say these words. I’m not a person who navigates a script; I say what I feel and what comes from my heart at the moment. And I just want to say congratulations, George, and thank you. You are the f–king executive of the year.”
The 2024 Billboard Latin Music Week is in full swing in Miami, where the 35th annual weeklong event is taking place from Oct. 14-18.The star-studded event kicked off Monday (Oct. 14) at The Fillmore Miami Beach at Jackie Gleason Theater with panels featuring Eden Muñoz, Feid, Kenia Os and Keityn, among many other Latin stars and industry leaders.
Stars like J Balvin, Peso Pluma, Eslabon Armado, Pepe Aguilar, Gloria Estefan, Thalia, Alejandro Sanz, Grupo Frontera and Young Miko are set to take the stage to speak in panels and/or Q&As this year. You can see the full schedule here.
Over the past 35 years, Latin Music Week has become the one, steady foundation of Latin music in this country, becoming the single most important — and biggest — gathering of Latin artists and industry executives in the world. Initially named Latin Music Seminar, sponsored by Billboard, the event traces back to 1990, where it kicked off as a one-day event in Miami featuring a two-artist showcase and awards show.
Throughout the years, it has taken place in Miami, Las Vegas and Puerto Rico, returning to Miami Beach for a fourth consecutive year in 2024, and has welcomed some of the biggest Latin acts including Celia Cruz, Selena, Ricky Martin, Chayanne, Jenni Rivera, Daddy Yankee, Karol G, Bad Bunny, and Romeo Santos. Latin Music Week coincides with the 2024 Billboard Latin Music Awards set to air at 9 p.m. ET on Sunday, Oct. 20, on Telemundo. It will simultaneously be available on Universo, Peacock and the Telemundo app, and in Latin America and the Caribbean through Telemundo Internacional.
Below, the best photos from the 2024 Billboard Latin Music Week (updating).
David Wild, Valentina, Bastian & Corina Smith
Image Credit: Gustavo Caballero
David Wild, Valentina, Bastian and Corina Smith during Billboard Latin Music Week Panels at the Fillmore Miami Beach on Oct. 14, 2024 in Miami Beach, Florida.
Dascha Polanco
Image Credit: Christopher Polk
Dascha Polanco in the green room at Billboard Latin Music Week at the Fillmore Miami Beach on Oct. 14, 2024 in Miami Beach, Florida.
Nelson Albareda, Alex Gallardo, Leila Cobo & Alex Mizrahi
Image Credit: Christopher Polk
Nelson Albareda, Alex Gallardo, Leila Cobo and Alex Mizrahi in the green room at Billboard Latin Music Week at the Fillmore Miami Beach on Oct. 14, 2024 in Miami Beach, Florida.
La Joaqui & Kenia Os
Image Credit: Gustavo Caballero
La Joaqui and Kenia Os during Billboard Latin Music Week Panels at the Fillmore Miami Beach on Oct. 14, 2024 in Miami Beach, Florida.
KEITYN
Image Credit: Christopher Polk
KEITYN in the green room at Billboard’s Latin Music Week at the Fillmore Miami Beach on Oct. 14, 2024 in Miami Beach, Florida.
Atella
Image Credit: Gustavo Caballero
Atella speaks onstage during Billboard Latin Music Week Panels held at The Fillmore Miami Beach on Oct. 14, 2024 in Miami Beach, Florida.
Kenia Os
Image Credit: Christopher Polk
Kenia Os in the green room at Billboard Latin Music Week at the Fillmore Miami Beach on Oct. 14, 2024 in Miami Beach, Florida.
Feid
Image Credit: Gustavo Caballero
Feid during Billboard Latin Music Week Panels at the Fillmore Miami Beach on Oct. 14, 2024 in Miami Beach, Florida.
Eden Muñoz
Image Credit: Christopher Polk
Eden Muñoz in the green room at Billboard’s Latin Music Week at the Fillmore Miami Beach on Oct. 14, 2024 in Miami Beach, Florida.
Erika Montes
Image Credit: Gustavo Caballero
Erika Montes during Billboard Latin Music Week Panels at the Fillmore Miami Beach on Oct. 14, 2024 in Miami Beach, Florida.
Nelson Albareda
Image Credit: Gustavo Caballero
Nelson Albareda during Billboard Latin Music Week Panels at the Fillmore Miami Beach on Oct. 14, 2024 in Miami Beach, Florida.
Raúl Alarcón
Image Credit: Christopher Polk
Raúl Alarcón in the green room at Billboard Latin Music Week at the Fillmore Miami Beach on Oct. 14, 2024 in Miami Beach, Florida.
Alfredo Alonso
Image Credit: Gustavo Caballero
Alfredo Alonso speaks onstage during Billboard Latin Music Week Panels held at The Fillmore Miami Beach on Oct. 14, 2024 in Miami Beach, Florida.
Sergio George
Image Credit: Gustavo Caballero
Sergio George during Billboard Latin Music Week Panels at the Fillmore Miami Beach on Oct. 14, 2024 in Miami Beach, Florida.
Leila Cobo
Image Credit: Gustavo Caballero
Leila Cobo speaks onstage at the Billboard Latin Music Week held at The Fillmore Miami Beach on Oct. 14, 2024 in Miami Beach, Florida.
Unity, camaraderie and constant collaboration among Argentine artists have become a fundamental contribution to their success and globalization.
On Monday (Oct. 14) at Billboard Latin Music Week 2024, Argentine rapper and singer La Joaqui and Mexican star Kenia Os discussed the importance of friendship and support among colleagues within the industry, particularly for women.
La Joaqui and Kenia Os, who have released two collaborations together this year — “Kitty” and “San Turrona RMX” — participated in the “Entre Amigas” panel, moderated by Flor Mauro, editorial content director of Billboard Argentina.
“We are in an industry where, especially if you are a woman, media wants you to treat each other as competition — ‘Such female artist surpassed another female artist’ — when both surpassed 10 male artists,” La Joaqui said. “However, many women are making noise.”
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“It brought me a lot of relief when I collaborated with Kenia,” she added, mentioning that she was already her “No. 1 fan” when she wrote to her hoping to meet, and the Mexican artist replied that she was in the studio recording an album and immediately invited her to collaborate in it. “She opened the doors of her kingdom to me, let me enter this world so new to me. I was very afraid of these kinds of connections, but […] it was a genuine connection, that’s why I think we did so well.”
or Kenia, who also declared herself a fan of La Joaqui, collaborating with another woman was something refreshing because it doesn’t happen often among female artists in Mexico, where “the media pits women against each other a lot,” she said.
“My first collaboration was with La Joaqui […] and from day one it was a beautiful connection. It was incredible,” she said, noting that it not only gave her entry into a difficult market for Mexicans like Argentina, but led to new opportunities to collaborate, including with Mexican artists like Peso Pluma, with whom she recorded the hit “Tommy & Pamela.”
For both, authenticity is a priority in their careers. “It’s super important for artists who are starting out,” said Kenia Os, recalling that it took her a while to find her own voice because she started young in the business, going from teenager to adulthood in the public eye and being influenced by other people’s opinions. La Joaqui, who started as a rapper, said she found her authentic place in RKT, a subgenre of cumbia villera characterized by its influences from cumbia villera, reggaeton, and electronic music.
To sum up the importance of friendship in music, La Joaqui said it is “crucial” in a world where artists are constantly mistreated on social media, and called for “more friends and less business.”
“We move in an environment where there is impunity,” said the Argentine star. “Where it’s normal for people to tweet: ‘Your music is crap… I hope you die.’ It’s no longer an opinion, it’s abuse. And you are simply getting up and doing something you like.”
“There are times you pretend so much madness that you become mad and you need a friend to simply ask you, ‘How are you? Are you okay? How do you feel?’” she continued. “Most of the time I’m not okay, I cry once a week, and having friends in the industry has allowed me to cry in private. I recommend making real friendships to make songs. That integrated feeling is a sure hit.”
Over the past 35 years, Latin Music Week has become the one, steady foundation of Latin music in this country, becoming the single most important — and biggest — gathering of Latin artists and industry executives in the world. Initially named Latin Music Seminar, sponsored by Billboard, the event traces back to 1990, where it kicked off as a one-day event in Miami featuring a two-artist showcase and awards show.
Latin Music Week coincides with the 2024 Billboard Latin Music Awards set to air at 9 p.m. ET on Sunday, Oct. 20, on Telemundo. It will simultaneously be available on Universo, Peacock and the Telemundo app, and in Latin America and the Caribbean through Telemundo Internacional.
Three “OGs” from the Latin music industry converged on Monday (Oct. 14) at the 2024 Billboard Latin Music Week, where they discussed the challenges they face today from the perspectives of recording, management and live entertainment.
During the “Power Players: The OGs” panel — moderated by Billboard‘s Leila Cobo — Alex Gallardo, president of Sony Music Latin; Alex Mizrahi, CEO of OCESA Seitrack; and Nelson Albareda, CEO of Loud And Live, agreed that while today’s music offerings are more diverse and democratic than ever, all sectors of the business face significant challenges for this very reason.
From standing out and conquering the market, to the importance of building a career step by step, here are some of the best quotes from these Latin Music Power Players.
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Gallardo: “From the label’s point of view, something that we find very interesting now is the variety of genres that are working, that are emerging. Three years ago, there was one dominant genre which was more urban; now we see cumbia, salsa, Argentine music, regional Mexican, and I find that very interesting and a great opportunity. [But] now it is more difficult for an artist to conquer all of Latin America because, for this very reason, it becomes more local. Making that regional conquest is a bit more complex.”
Mizrahi: “I would add that, from the recording point of view, it is easier to generate a hit today more than ever because the platforms are more democratic than ever. The artist’s access to the fans is direct. From the live music side as management, the biggest challenge is that the artists reconcile their repertoire, that they generate enough hits to make their fans want to buy a ticket. Today I feel there are more successful artists than ever before and I don’t see many artists selling tickets. For me, that’s the biggest gap between recorded music and live shows.”
Albareda: “From the live point of view […] ticket sales are not what they used to be. You have 20 markets, and now not all of them sell, especially this year. Before the covid pandemic, artists didn’t have to work much, they posted something and it sold. Even the price, if we were selling a ticket at $110-120, now it’s at $80. I would say we have to work even a bit more than before the pandemic.”
Gallardo: “Twenty years ago, for an artist to access a studio there were a series of filters, a label would have to be interested, etc. Now it’s a beautiful era where any kid at home can create […] That means there are more potential artists, but also the offer is much greater. The last data I was told about is 120,000 songs a day. When there is such much offer, what does the audience stick with? That’s our job.”
Abareda: “There are so many artists, how can we give them the opportunity to play live? There is also a saturation of the live show. Streams themselves are not hurting you because you are already paying for a subscription to a platform, but when you have to pay for a ticket…”
Mirzrahi: “When people leave their house (to go to a show), they don’t go alone; they have to pay for parking, they go to eat something. The live concert is an experience. We as management have to say, ‘this artist has to have the power in the music, the personality, the speech to get you out of your house […] and bring you to this world, to this experience. And you should leave saying, ‘It was worth it.’ What is our challenge? Building the experience with repertoire, with personality.”
Gallardo: “Something that never goes out of style for an artist is to work your repertoire in the best way possible, make the best songs possible, and raise the bar. There’s more competition. How do I stand out? By raising the bar in my songwriting, and then, once I have this song, seeing how I release it, how I tell the world about it. Releasing a song is not something you can do one day to the next.”
Abareda: “We have to do a reset. Artists want to go out and sell arenas, but you have to start small, grow and build an audience. If you want the money today, you’re not building a career […] You have to build an audience, invest in a career, and take the long road.”
Mizrahi: “The role of the manager is sensibility, he has to talk to his artist. The industry is undergoing a revolution on all sides. These mega hits that are made on Spotify and Youtube with millions of streams and views […] that’s good news, but from there to be releasing 100,000 songs every Friday, wow! The algorithms (shoot up the ticket prices)… artists want more, and you have to have the sensibility to talk to the artist, explain things.”
Over the past 35 years, Latin Music Week has become the one, steady foundation of Latin music in this country, becoming the single most important — and biggest — gathering of Latin artists and industry executives in the world. Initially named Latin Music Seminar, sponsored by Billboard, the event traces back to 1990, where it kicked off as a one-day event in Miami featuring a two-artist showcase and awards show.
Latin Music Week coincides with the 2024 Billboard Latin Music Awards set to air at 9 p.m. ET on Sunday, Oct. 20, on Telemundo. It will simultaneously be available on Universo, Peacock and the Telemundo app, and in Latin America and the Caribbean through Telemundo Internacional.
Four influential Latina executives from diverse sectors of the music industry — including marketing, legal, artist, and label — spoke about how they bossed up and assumed their own power in leadership roles during Billboard Latin Music Week.
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The panel She Runs the Boards took place on on Monday (Oct. 14) during the annual event, and was moderated by Billboard‘s social media manager/staff writer Ingrid Fajardo.
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Fajarado was joined by Apple Music’s music marketing lead Andrea Portela, Dominican actress/artist Dascha Polanco, Rostrum Records president Erika Montes, and Protege Tu Música’s music & entertainment attorney Yira Santiago. During their discussion, the four panelists spoke about the strategies for overcoming challenges, building meaningful connections and thriving in a competitive landscape.
Below, find some of the best and most memorable quotes from the She Runs the Boards panel:
Andrea Portela on the power of authenticity: “Es más fácil subirte en un trend. Authenticity plays a big role in who you are as an artist. It’s easy to follow the noise. The artists who go far are those who are true to themselves. Your team is a big reflection of an artist; be authentic in every aspect. Don’t just follow the trend because there are 500 artist trying to do what you’re doing. Success doesn’t come quick and easy, invest in yourself. Know your audience is Marketing 101. Social media is such a powerful tool but it only resonates if you’re authentic.”
Dascha Polanco on the importance of the team: “The most essential thing an artist must have is a team that supports and protects you legally. Many artists have gone through problems in a contract. We believe in dreams and we are very busy being creative, seeing the vision more than you […] I’ve been working in music for eight years, time waits for no one. I have a dance project with a lot of Latin music essence. I went to Berklee College of Music online. I do my engineering and record myself. Educate yourself and invest in yourself. Letting yourself be guided, trusting the process, is a very magical thing for me.”
Erika Montes on artist development: “I look for two things when I see an artist: You have to want it more than me. Secondly, always make an assessment, what can you do well? If you’re a good songwriter, but not good at production. Know what you’re good at and look at what to build. Focus on who your audience is and not on a look. When I start with artists I let them know this is a grind. Relationships are key. We’ll do everything we can, shake hands and kiss babies. [Success] doesn’t happen overnight, be patient.”
Yira Santiago on the importance of education and transparency in music: “Opening a YouTube channel to protect your music came about when I noticed that certain information was being kept and I felt the need to share it. There were lawyers withholding this information and not sharing it on to the public. It was important for me to share this, to establish that relationship with myself and the law, and how I monetize my music. It’s also crucial to manage relationships with record labels, marketing and handlers, in addition to assistance in all other areas. To take your career to a higher level and turn it into a business, you need a team to support you. It’s essential that the team aligns with your visions.”
Latin Music Week coincides with the 2024 Billboard Latin Music Awards set to air at 9 p.m. ET on Sunday, Oct. 20, on Telemundo. It will simultaneously be available on Universo, Peacock and the Telemundo app, and in Latin America and the Caribbean through Telemundo Internacional.
Who gets songwriting credit on a song and who doesn’t can sometimes lead to an uncomfortable conversation. But at the 2024 Billboard Latin Music Week, that topic took the spotlight in the riveting (and informative) Why Are There 50 Writers On My Song? panel on Monday (Oct. 14).
Moderated by Pierre Hachar, managing partner at The Hachar Law Group, panelists included regional Mexican singer-songwriter Eden Muñoz, renowned producer-songwriter Sergio George and Colombian hitmaker Keityn. At one point during the conversation, the group reflected on why, today, even managers can get a songwriting credit.
“I think it is clear that the composers deserve the credit,” said Keityn while discussing the subject. “The credits go to the one who deserves it and that is the actual composer.”
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The conversation also touched on how nuanced the concept of songwriting credit can be, particularly when someone is in the studio who doesn’t technically write the song but contributes somehow to the idea or inspiration of the lyrics.
Below, find the best quotes from the panel:
Eden Muñoz: “The credit has to go to whoever participates in the writing process. When you’re in a studio, you know who is a composer and you know who is not. It’s something that you can almost feel. You can’t just be sitting around in the session and expect credit. It’s extremely important to set limits in the studio. It’s how I work today. I separate the songwriters and take them to a different table and they are the only ones in that room.”
Sergio George: “In my opinion, anyone who contributes to the process should have songwriting credit. I remember I was in a songwriting camp, there were like four to five people, and there was one person who gave some ideas of how the song could be. That person actually had nothing to do with my music, but got credit because if it wasn’t for her, the song would not have been made. That’s true of the arranger, because some arrangements are so emblematic and make the song. We should be fair all around.”
Keityn: “The 50 songwriters thing is not even about the artist, songwriter or producer, to be honest. Platforms like Spotify, when they do the breakdown of who gets credit on their platform, it is always based on the actual split, and they label them as songwriters. I don’t understand why everyone who is in the split [gets listed as] as a songwriter.”
Muñoz: “Today, we are in a business where managers [have the] sin of arrogance and want to be everywhere and get songwriting credit. I remember back in the day, the manager would sometimes even hide, but now it seems like they are glued to one another. Sometimes the manager acts more like the artist.”
The 2024 Billboard Latin Music Week coincides with the 2024 Billboard Latin Music Awards set to air at 9 p.m. ET on Sunday, Oct. 20, on Telemundo. It will simultaneously be available on Universo, Peacock and the Telemundo app, and in Latin America and the Caribbean through Telemundo Internacional.
Latin music has gone global and its revenues have now surpassed the $1 billion mark, which means the business of Latin music has evolved.
The New Latin Music Business panel, which took centerstage on Monday (Oct. 14) at the 2024 Billboard Latin Music Week, was moderated by Rancho Humilde’s CEO and founder Jimmy Humilde, and featured panelists Atella (producer and songwriter, head of music, Zumba and ZML Records), Cris Falcão (managing director of artist & label strategy and GM Latin, Virgin Music Group) and Txema Rosique (senior VP of A&R, Sony Music U.S. Latin).
Humilde kicked off the conversation acknowledging the globalization of Latin music, adding that labels, whether indie or not, have had to adapt to a new way of doing business with artists who now want to be more involved in that aspect and are looking for different types of deals — from record, distribution or even single-track deals.
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“Our challenge is to make the new artists understand what labels have to offer, from A&R, marketing, business development, they can make use of all those resources, that’s the challenge we have as a label now,” said Rosique. Alternatively, Atella added that “some artists arrive with the idea that the label is going to do everything for them, but the artist has to give 100% — they can’t stay at home and think that the label is going to do everything for them.”
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Falcão explained that at Virgin Music Group, they have focused on deals that are “tailor-made” for each artist. “We’re not just truck with boxes anymore, we offer something different for each partners, all types of services, depending on trends, product management or marketing.” Humilde said he’s following a similar approach. “I sit with the artist and ask what they’re looking for, what deals they feel most comfortable doing. In the near future, the artist will be making their own deals, so really we’re open to take any deal that come our way.”
The panelists also spoke about the importance of both the artist and label or management company being happy with whatever type of deal they land on. “Today, the artist is clear that their patrimony is their music, their masters, every time we see more artists that are clear about what they want to give to the company and what they don’t, and obviously that depends on the commitment from both parts. This is a business where everyone needs to be happy with the deal, all parties involved. You cannot have a depressed artist.”
The 2024 Billboard Latin Music Week coincides with the 2024 Billboard Latin Music Awards set to air at 9 p.m. ET on Sunday, Oct. 20, on Telemundo. It will simultaneously be available on Universo, Peacock and the Telemundo app, and in Latin America and the Caribbean through Telemundo Internacional.
The future of radio may be difficult to predict, but one thing is clear: Radio is in a good position and adaptable — it’s what makes it ubiquitous, says Raúl Alarcón, chairman and CEO, Spanish Broadcasting System. During a Q&A titled The Future of Radio and moderated by Billboard‘s Leila Cobo that helped kick off day one of the 2024 Billboard Latin Music Week on Oct. 14, Alarcón was candid about the status of radio in the United States and the impact it has on an artist’s career today.
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“It’s been around 100 years, and that’s not a coincidence,” the executive says categorically. “It will always be with us, it’s ubiquitous, it’s free, you don’t need an external way to receive it. Radio is in a good position.”
SBS, a family-owned company around for more than 40 years and has endured the force of the streaming era, is home to radio stations such as Mega 97.9 (New York), 97.9 La Raza (Los Angeles) and La Ley 107.9 (Chicago), to name a few. “We always have to keep adapting, fixing, refining, but radio allows us to do that more than any other medium. Radio is also super local and that’s important.”
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Below, find some of the best quotes from The Future of Radio Q&A with Raúl Alarcón.
Is there a threat to radio?
“There was, there is and there will be, so one must always be evolving. We were the first to put comedy in the morning. I remember when the morning show started, that was innovation. We took a risk, but that’s what it’s about — always evolving and, after a while, adapt again.”
Catching trends
“We can perceive trends because radio stations are hyperlocal. Like corridos tumbados or bélicos, we were able to catch that trend as it was happening, we saw indications of the trend and we were able to adapt quickly because radio is local. People will tell us right away if they like it or not — it’s one of our strengths. We adapt to what our listeners want.”
Artists still want a No. 1 on radio
“Artists have told us, ‘You makes the hits, you sell tickets, run promotions.’ People are now realizing that radio was a discarded … this medium, like it’s been discarded before when TV came, now I have noticed that there’s a resurgence. Radio is important, radio is everything, it’s the connection with the local public, it adapts to trends, it’s entertainment. It’s not just a repeater, few people can create, and creativity is adaptation.”
Does radio inform streaming or vice versa?
“The two are not mutually exclusive — what we’re implementing is just another adaptation. They are both different, but can be conjugated together. But while digital expands, it doesn’t give you that immediate local fanbase.”
A new network
“We’re launching a network over the air and digital, for that new fusion of regional Mexican with urban, because we’ve seen that the music is appealing. And La Privada is not just a station, it’s a whole network. We’re still in preparations, but in the next 90 days, we’ll launch in Chicago, New York and other major cities.”
The 2024 Billboard Latin Music Week coincides with the 2024 Billboard Latin Music Awards set to air at 9 p.m. ET on Sunday, Oct. 20, on Telemundo. It will simultaneously be available on Universo, Peacock and the Telemundo app, and in Latin America and the Caribbean through Telemundo Internacional.
With Billboard Latin Music Week 2024 fast approaching, preparations are in full swing for the event, scheduled for October 14-18 at the Fillmore Miami Beach. This exciting week will culminate with the broadcast of the 2024 Billboard Latin Music Awards on Sunday, October 20, on Telemundo.
Originally known as the Billboard Latin Music Conference, this prestigious event — now in its 35th year — is universally recognized as the biggest, most important event in Latin music. It introduced the “Star Q&A” sessions in 2000 with featuring Spanish hitmaker Enrique Iglesias. This year’s lineup promises to be exhilarating, with four “Superstar Q&A” sessions highlighted by Billboard‘s September cover stars J Balvin and Young Miko, who will each hold individual panels. Icon interviews will feature legends like Gloria Estefan, Pepe Aguilar and Alejandro Sanz, while JOP of Fuerza Regida will take the spotlight in the Sony Publishing Icon panel.
“We’re thrilled to celebrate 35 years of Latin Music Week by offering something for everyone — whether seeing intimate conversations with superstars, enriching networking events, or can’t miss En Vivo shows,” said Leila Cobo, Billboard‘s chief content officer for Latin/Español. “We are immensely proud to be the only media company that has covered and celebrated Latin music for five decades now. This amazing event is the result of many years of building, and the future is bright.”
To check out this year’s full schedule, click here.
Over the years, a host of luminaries from the Latin music world, such as Ricky Martin, Chayanne, Jenni Rivera, Juanes, Paulina Rubio, Bad Bunny, Grupo Firme, Juan Luis Guerra, Ivy Queen, and Laura Pausini, have graced Billboard Latin Music Week. The previous year saw the likes of Shakira, Thalia, Fonseca, and Manuel Turizo enriching the discussions.
In celebration of the 2024 edition, Billboard has curated a comprehensive timeline of all the Star Q&A sessions held since Iglesias first graced the stage at the turn of the millennium.
The event will mark a historic milestone where the past and future of Latin music converge. For ticket purchases and more info, visit billboardlatinmusicweek.com.
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