Billboard Madrid
Back in the 1980s and even the 1990s, Spanish artists like Raphael, Julio Iglesias and Camilo Sesto were hugely popular both in Latin America and among U.S. Latin audiences — a situation replicated in the 1990s and 2000s by the likes of global superstars like Mecano and Alejandro Sanz, both of whom hailed from Spain. […]
Artist managers, record label executives and music artists participated in the first Forum on Spanish-Language Music in Madrid, held at the WiZink Center, on Tuesday (March 19). The one-day, invite-only event, headlined by Argentine trap star Nicki Nicole with a Q&A and showcase performance, was presented by the Community of Madrid and powered by Billboard.
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
One of the panels of the evening, Entre Artistas (Between Artists), moderated by Billboard Espanol‘s social media manager Ingrid Fajardo, featured some of the most influential artists in the music industry in Spain — Mala Rodríguez, Paula Cendejas, Yotuel, and Maikel Delacalle — who discussed topics such as the latest trends and the digital world.
Below, read the best quotes from the Entre Artistas conversation:
Trending on Billboard
Youtel on the Power of Music
“With ‘Patria y Vida,’ we took a million Cubans out into the streets singing ‘Patria y Vida’ to defend the people’s freedom. Let’s remember that music is powerful. Let’s not look at music as if it were just something festive or sublime. Music is powerful.”
Paula Cendejas on Going Against the Current
“I believe that you have to be a bit rebellious and go against the current,” she said when referring to of the speed that new music is being released. “I think we have to re-educate the listener, because as artists, we have found a pattern, and in the end, we make empty music [with no context] and then we do it all over again. That was not the driving force [when creating music].”
Mala Rodríguez on Being a Female Rapper in Spain
“Twenty years ago, I wanted to move my music forward, and the truth is that people in my neighborhood thought it was strange. The ear was not prepared to listen to what a girl had to say. So, it was a little different, and it took me a little while to accept myself and fight for them to accept me, too. I remember that when Yotuel arrived in Spain, it was like, ‘Wow, but what is this?’ Orishas’ proposal was something like hip-hop but with a Latin flavor. It was super cool.”
Maikel DelaCalle on His Musical Influences
“When I was a kid, I used to walk out on the street with a walkman listening to Mala Rodríguez and Orishas. I think what artists like them have done has opened doors [for artists] everywhere. In my case, especially in the Canary Islands, I was greatly influenced by Celia Cruz. When she did her first tour here in Spain, where do you think she went? The Canary Islands. Don Omar? To the Canary Islands. We in the Canary Islands have had an incredible influence in Latin music.”
Nicki Nicole headlined the inaugural Forum on Spanish-Language Music in Madrid presented by the Community of Madrid and powered by Billboard on Tuesday (March 19).
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
During her 30-minute Q&A moderated by Billboard’s Leila Cobo, the Argentine artist opened up about her creative process when writing music, the importance of prioritizing her mental health, her very public break up with música Mexicana star Peso Pluma, and even revealed that new music with Alejandro Sanz is on the horizon.
Right after, Billboard Español’s latest cover star performed a nearly 20-minute showcase, where she delivered acoustic version of her hits such as as “Dispara ***” and “8 AM.”
Trending on Billboard
Additionally, the one-day, invite-only event — which sought to highlight the growing consumption of music in Spanish across continents — featured four panel conversations that included managers, executives and artists such as Raphael, Luis Cobos, La Mala Rodríguez, Paula Cendejas, Yotuel and Maikel Delacalle.
Below are the best takeaways from Nicki’s intimate conversation.
Nicki Nicole at the first Forum on Spanish Language Music in Madrid, presented by the Community of Madrid and powered by Billboard.
Jaime Massieu
On Collaborating With Alejandro Sanz
“I’m a big fan. I was recently with him in the studio and it was crazy for me. I don’t know if I could say it but yes, we made music together. His daughter’s name is Alma like my album and it was like, things are happening that are not coincidences. I also like that about music, that you can get to know your favorite artists, understand their world. Many of his songs that I thought were [created] one way, he explained to me that were made another way, and that’s also the crazy thing about music. I always play Alejandro Sanz music when I’m in my days. I really like ‘Amiga Mia.’ That’s my favorite song.”
On Peso Pluma Breakup
“I did it because I felt it. I felt that I was pretty exposed and from my part, I had to say what I felt and was going through. I like the fact that I received many messages from women, a lot of support, a lot of love. It’s a bit difficult when your personal life gets mixed up with exposure because a lot of people have opinions, and it’s hard. I was in between saying something or not, but I felt that I had to say something because it goes hand-in-hand with who I am.”
Nicki Nicole at the first Forum on Spanish Language Music in Madrid, presented by the Community of Madrid and powered by Billboard.
Jaime Massieu
On Turning Her Feelings Into Music
“I sing what I live and I live what I feel, and if it weren’t that way, I wouldn’t be myself 100 percent. I always like writing in a notebook and it helps me a lot. Beyond whether it [the song] comes out later or not, whether it remains captured somewhere, it’s already my catharsis of what happens to me. It also makes me be the artist that I am and have the fans that I have, who always know that I am going to be sincere with what I feel. I feel that new things will come from the hand of my emotions, and I feel that I will always be faithful to say what happens to me and talk about those things that make us human.”
On Mental Health
“I had a moment in 2021 where I felt very bad personally and at that moment, with my team, we decided to slow down a little and I really liked having that respect from Fede. At that moment I stopped, but today, I think differently — my personal things are my personal things, but there’s also a responsibility, which is my job, the people who pay a ticket to see me. So at this moment, I decided not to stop. I decided to continue because it’s also what motivates me, what is good for me. […] I feel that today, personally, I have quite good self-esteem, and that helps me a lot to stay grounded. But I also very much agree that if you are not good with yourself, you don’t have to do things that you do not feel capable of.”
Managers, record label executives and artists — including icon Raphael, Luis Cobos, La Mala Rodríguez, Paula Cendejas, Yotuel and Maikel Delacalle — participated in a series of conversations and panels as part of the first Forum on Spanish Language Music in Madrid presented by the Community of Madrid and powered by Billboard.
The one day, invite-only event — attended by some 500 artists, managers and industry execs — sought to highlight the growing consumption of music in Spanish across continents, and featured four panel conversations, as well as a Q&A and performance by Argentine superstar Nicki Nicole.
The singer, who made history as the first urban female artist to both enter and top Billboard Argentina’s Hot 100 chart, just finished a round of nine sold-out arena dates in her native Buenos Aires, and will perform her first sold out 15,000-seat WiZink Center in Madrid on March 21. She is also this month’s Billboard Español cover star.
Trending on Billboard
Nicki Nicole’s status as an artist who rose to popularity in her native Argentina but is now selling out arenas worldwide highlighted the forum’s focus on the new generation of cross-continent, cross-genre, cross-focus Latin acts who are now dominating the charts and the fact that Madrid is an epicenter of that fluidity.
Raphael at the first Forum on Spanish Language Music in Madrid, presented by the Community of Madrid and powered by Billboard.
Jaime Massieu
“Spain fully embraces its role as part of a new Latin music movement,” said Jorge “Pepo” Ferradas, who manages Colombian artist Camilo and Spanish artist Rels B, both of whom have had success on opposite sides of the Atlantic.
Ferradas was part of an opening powerhouse panel that also featured Walter Kolm, founder of WK Entertainment and manager of Maluma and Carlos Vives, among others; Fede Lauria, founder of Dale Play Records and manager of Bizarrap and Nicki Nicole; Alex Gallardo, president of Sony Music U.S. Latin; and Rosa Lagarrigue, founder of RLM Entertainment and manager of Rozalen and Raphael.
It was followed by a one-on-one conversation with Spanish icon Raphael, who at 80 years old said he had no plans to retire. “I don’t see myself in the role of not doing anything,” he deadpanned.
Then, artists La Mala Rodríguez, Yotuel, Maikel Delacalle and Paula Cendejas sat down for an animated discussion on the current state of music, followed by an interview with venerable conductor Luis Cobos, president of the newly minted Spanish Academy of Music, which is slated to host its first ever award show later this Spring.
The day’s grand finale was a surprisingly candid and intimate conversation with Billboard Español cover star Nicki Nicole, who opened up about how she catalyzes her personal experiences in music and also revealed she will soon release a new single with another Spanish icon, Alejandro Sanz.
Nicki Nicole at the first Forum on Spanish Language Music in Madrid, presented by the Community of Madrid and powered by Billboard.
Jaime Massieu
Nicki also performed a set of six songs in a new semi-acoustic, lo-fi format with the singer backed by a keyboard, drums and guitar, highlighting vocals that have become sultrier and broader ranging.
The forum opened on Tuesday afternoon with a welcome from Billboard’s chief content officer for Latin/Español Leila Cobo, and Mariano de Paco Serrano, Madrid’s minister of culture, tourism and sports, who underscored the importance of music to the city and its role in “fostering talent and the industry.”
-
Pages