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New Music Latin is a compilation of the best new Latin songs and albums recommended by Billboard Latin and Billboard Español editors. Check out this week’s picks below.
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Natti Natasha, Natti Natasha en Amargue (Pina Records/Sony Music Latin)
Natti Natasha continues to explore the sound of bachata on her fourth studio album, Natti Natasha en Amargue, a 10-track set produced by the king of the genre himself, Romeo Santos. From the opening song “Desde Hoy,” through “Escasez de Besos” and “Cansada,” the Dominican singer shows off her deep, raspy voice as she addresses topics such as heartbreak and betrayal with empowering lyrics of growth and self-respect. The set includes the previously released singles “Tu Loca” and “Quiéreme Menos,” as well as a collaboration with Ozuna, “Ya No Comparto,” in which a couple decides their fate after infidelity.
Santos’ trademark is felt from beginning to end, with elegant arrangements, instrumentation and back-up vocals providing a solid framework for the singer. “All these songs are an offering of love and gratitude to the Dominican Republic and to all those who have embraced bachata, in all its forms, especially to my great friend, songwriter and producer Romeo Santos,” says Natti in a statement. The union of both artists is a success. While they’re not reinventing the wheel by any means, Natti Natasha en Amargue sounds like an instant classic. — SIGAL RATNER-ARIAS
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Xavi & Manuel Turizo, “En Privado” (Interscope Records)
For Xavi and Manuel Turizo’s first collaborative effort, you’d expect them to go either the música Mexicana or pop-reggaetón route — but never a bachata. “En Privado” (in private) is just that, a surprising fusion between the tropical Dominican genre (one that Turizo has dominated) and Xavi’s signature tumbados románticos sound. Produced by Andy Clay, the track is a dedication to “la mas chula del barrio” (the most beautiful girl in the block), with a lot of hard-to-decline invitations and exciting promises. “I’m going to steal you, I’m going to maintain you/ A night in Cancun, and the next in Dubai,” Turizo chants, while Xavi also proposes: “Everything you want, my sweetheart/ I’ll even erase the girls I have on Instagram.” — JESSICA ROIZ
Silvestre Dangond & Emilia, “Vestido Rojo” (Sony Music Latin)
Silvestre Dangond’s melodic vocals could carry the entire song without any other instruments in two, but when his voice joins the vallenato’s accordion, there’s an explosion of rhythms that make this song so catchy. Argentine star Emilia joins Dangond at the minute-mark, adding her velvet vocals to the cumbia track. “Vestido Rojo” is almost like a call and response with Dangond expressing his desire to be with the women in red who seems to be playing hard to get. But he may be overthinking it. Her response? “I didn’t want anything but now I’ll give you everything,” she sings. The Colombian artist says of his collab with Emilia in a statement, “Her way of interpreting gives a new dimension to ‘Vestido Rojo’, and together we achieved a song that we hope will connect deeply with the public.” — GRISELDA FLORES
Calle 24 x Fuerza Regida, “Como Estrella” (Street Mob/Warner Music Latina)
“Como Estrella,” the latest collaboration between Calle 24 and Fuerza Regida, captivates with its evocative blend of somber brass, warm nylon strings, and introspective lyrics. Traversing the themes of perseverance and celestial guidance, the song is layered with Diego Millán’s soaring vocal range and JOP’s impactful interjections. As the chosen theme for Netflix’s series Prison Cell 211, “Como Estrella” superbly enhances the dramatic narrative. “Being part of the Prison Cell 211 soundtrack is a very important step in my career,” Diego Millán shared in a press release. “This series portrays an intense and raw reality, full of strong emotions and personal struggles, and ‘Como Estrella’ fits perfectly with that story. It’s a song that speaks of absence, memories, and the strength left behind by those who are no longer with us.” — ISABELA RAYGOZA
Los Tigres del Norte, “La Lotería” (Fonovisa)
Los Tigres del Norte return to political-social corridos — with the double-meanings and metaphors that have characterized the group’s career of more than half a century. The song’s title is named after to a typical Mexican board game that’s similar to Bingo. Penned by Luciano Luna, the lyrics compare the characters on “la lotería” game to real-life situations and people, referring to current issues that governments have not been able to resolve. “This life is just like the lottery and there are some who play the brave/ They do everything to climb the ladder because the crown makes them influential,” Los Tigres sings in its well-known traditional northern style. The first single from the group’s upcoming album is accompanied by a very special music video: a short film made by filmmaker Sergio Arau, creator of the acclaimed documentary Un Día Sin Mexicanos, which takes on even more value in these times of uncertainty that immigrants are experiencing. — TERE AGUILERA
Check out more Latin recommendations this week below:
In our Latin Remix of the Week series, we spotlight remixes that the Billboard Latin and Billboard Español editors deem exceptional and distinct. We might not publish a review every week. This is our selection today. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Pipe Bueno has brought back one of his most famous songs from […]
What happens when Caribbean tropical rhythms meet the world of astrology, feminine energy, and spirituality? A colorful supergroup called ASTROPICAL is born.
The new band group created by Bomba Estéreo and Rawayana — two of the most beloved contemporary bands from Colombia and Venezuela, respectively — took the world by surprise just a week ago when it released the track “Me Pasa (Piscis)” while making the announcement that the song was just the first single of an entire project that was soon to come.
On Thursday (Feb. 6), Billboard Español can announce that the 12-track album — one for each zodiac sign — will be released on March 7. Or as Li Saumet from Bomba Estéreo says: “Before Mercury goes retrograde.”
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The LP, also titled ASTROPICAL, includes the songs “Brinca (Acuario),” “Siento (Virgo),” “Otro Nivel (Capricornio),” “Una Noche en Caracas (Tauro),” “Happy (Libra),” “Calentita (Aries),” “El Lobo (Cáncer),” “Llegó El Verano (Sagitario),” “Quién Me Mandó (Géminis)” and “Corazón Adentro (Escorpio)” — in addition to “Me Pasa (Piscis)” and the upcoming single “Fogata (Leo),” to be released on Feb. 20, and which Saumet feels “is going to be one of the most transcendental songs of this album.”
And they have already started scheduling live performances, beginning with the Vive Latino festival in Mexico City, where they are set to play on Sunday, March 16, and the Estéreo Picnic festival in Bogotá, where they will perform on Saturday, March 29.
In an interview with Billboard Español, Saumet and Beto Montenegro from Rawayana talked about zodiac signs, feminine energy, and the musical “child” that was born from their union.
For starters, how did this collaboration come about?
Saumet: I have an intuition, and I visualized. A little voice told me, “The time has come to make the song with Rawayana.” And I woke up and said, “I’m going to call Beto and tell him.” Since my team is close to his team as well, I asked for his phone number. And Beto got me right away and sent a track.
Montenegro: I told her yes, of course, but let’s book two days in the studio instead of one in case the first day doesn’t go so well.
Beto, were you already a fan of Bomba Estéreo?
Montenegro: I have loved what Bomba has done in their career; they are an icon and musically speaking, they are exceptional. And something was happening to me — like I was understanding the power of manifestation and discipline and work. When Li contacted me, it was one of those things. I was watching Bomba Estéreo at a sunset on a beach in Chile, in Pichilemu. We were the four Rawayanas watching Bomba and I told the guys it felt like: “Wow! It seems like this is what’s going to happen now.” And then Li contacts me a year later. We got together in the studio and in two days three songs came out, so from there we agreed: “Let’s make an EP, but let’s go to your house in Santa Marta.”
How was that process, and why is it called Astropical?
Montenegro: Li is so wonderful, full of flowers and light and spirituality. And throughout the process, the presence of the [zodiac] signs was there. It was like: “You are so Aquarius, you are so Capricorn”… her and her friends. So I tell her, “We have to do something that has to do with the stars,” because we had the whole process with this theme. And I tell her, “Honestly, I don’t follow astrology much, but I find it very interesting.” And it didn’t take long for her to say, “How about Astropical?” And I said, “Wow!”
When did all this happen?
Saumet: In January last year. I mean, a year — we literally had a child. In January he impregnated me, or I impregnated him, because from here you don’t know who impregnated who. And now the kid is coming out. And it’s nice because I’m lucky enough to coincide with people with whom I complement with musically and things come out, always trusting also in my intuition, which is accurate in the sense that I can complement something or contribute something nice and organically. I feel it has been incredible to work with Beto and the guys, because their energy is wonderful. He is Aquarius! I mean, my husband is Aquarius. Aquarians are beings that move me a lot because I am Capricorn and I am earth, I am always working and I have many ideas. But he takes those ideas of mine and complements them. When that comes together, it creates a wonderful mix.
Add to that that my birthday (Jan. 18) and his birthday (Jan. 21) are close, so there are the signs. Then the planets align. I mean, it’s all very crazy, even to me as someone who believes in that. I feel that everything that is happening is organic, we haven’t planned it. Of course, there is a general plan, because fortunately, we are very clear about what we want and we have good ideas, but it has been very organic and very nice. It has been like a complement not only vocally, but also lyrically. I feel that the whole image and the whole concept has been complementary and it has been nice because he says he has learned a lot from me, but I have learned a lot from him too.
How do you complement each other?
Saumet: Well, Beto is a millennial, and I am timeless. [Laughs.] I am very open to changes, and he is very aware of what is happening. That was one of the things that attracted me a lot to this new process with Rawa, it inspired me like, wow! Because artists are always reinventing themselves, it’s not something you do or you don’t — you have to do it as an artist. But what people from younger generations have a lot, more and more, is that they reinvent themselves all the time: One day they are one thing or the other o everything at the same time.
They don’t let themselves be typecast…
Saumet: No, they don’t. And that has always caught my attention, because in a way, when I started making music, I did that. I made music that no one else was making and it was weird and people said, “What is this? Or I don’t know, a haircut or something. I mean, very atypical things at that time, because I have always been very atypical and I feel that he has a very good intuition at the work level and he is also very logical, he has like a very masculine energy, which is cool. The Aquarian is always a being who is between heaven and earth, that is, someone who is a bit made to do great things. And well, I am very spiritual, but also very hardworking, very disciplined, so I feel that we complement each other in that: intuition with thought.
What have they learned from each other?
Saumet: I’ve learned to listen, to trust. I’ve learned a lot! From the way he treats work, which I always had at a certain level and now I see from a different perspective, like interacting more. I don’t know how to explain it. Something I’ve seen from Beto in these months that I have been with him, is that he opens up a lot, and I have always opened up a bit but closed, very much respecting my space. I feel that it shouldn’t be like that, that there should be a balance.
I feel that this interaction makes things move forward as well, because it’s always an exchange of energy, and he is very good at that. He takes the leadership and he goes out and he makes it happen. I’m a bit shyer sometimes. When I’m on stage it’s another thing, but in terms of — I don’t want to say the word, lobbying, I’ve learned from him that when you open up, other things open up for you as well.
Montenegro: What happened to me, in the moment I am personally living now, is that the arrival of Li has been like an encounter with spirituality. It’s like a rain of flowers mixed with a strong feminine presence. I mean, I feel super feminine in this process. I have been working with men for many years, and working with a team of girls, where we are debating things or making decisions, I am delighted.
I think God is sending Li to me so I can connect with that, with spirituality. In the creative process, I tell my team: “Here the boss is Li. We are here; let the feminine power take over us.” And I really like that she is a person who has managed to design a life full of colors. She says she is reserved, but she shows a very interesting openness. And I think maybe the mix works because of that. I also think, when you hear her voice, it’s an explosive thing and maybe my voice is a bit sweeter. You can feel that in terms of sound.
Any fun anecdotes from this last year working together?
Montenegro: Well, our birthdays celebration was crazy.
Saumet: Ahhh, it was great! We went to San Sebastián in Puerto Rico, where we were actually doing a listening of the album, and we celebrated every day.
Montenegro: It was like a That was like a fair. We danced… The cultural interaction has been very interesting, but I feel that if we weren’t singers, Li [still] would be my friend. We like similar things. I mean, we celebrated our birthdays and I felt like when parents bring two little kids together to share a birthday, with the same friends. Our friends [ours and hers] are all alike. We are different nationalities, but we are all the same specimen.
Saumet: It was lovely. We did karaoke, salsa lessons. We had a great time.
What can we expect next?
Saumet: A song that I really like, called “Fogata (Leo),” which I feel is going to be one of the most transcendental songs of this album. It comes out on Feb. 20. It also has a beautiful video. I feel that when we made it — I don’t remember if I was on mushrooms or not, I don’t think so. But I remember that it was something magical; that song generated a super nice energy for me.
What is it about?
Montenegro: Well, “Fogata” is like a request of what we want for when we are not around anymore.
And when is the full album due?
Montenegro: March 7th.
Saumet: Before Mercury goes retrograde!
It’s the fifth week of 2025, and Argentinians La T y La M and Malandro de America have held strong atop the Billboard Argentina Hot 100 as their first collab, “Amor De Vago,” adds a fifth week at No. 1 on the chart dated Feb. 08. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See […]
Gabito Ballesteros is proud to be part of a Super Bowl LIX broadcast on Sunday (Feb. 9). The Mexican artist will appear in a video singing alongside Puerto Rican urban star Anuel AA just before the game begins on FOX Deportes.
“It’s Mexican music and Latin culture within this great event that is seen by millions of people,” Ballesteros tells Billboard Español. “Thank God they will know our music, our history, and it fills us with pride to be here.”
It was not specified which song they will perform. The video will serve as the opening for the channel’s broadcast of the most anticipated sporting event of the year in the U.S.: the NFL Super Bowl. This year, it’s the Kansas City Chiefs vs. the Philadelphia Eagles at the Caesars Superdome stadium in New Orleans.
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According to FOX Deportes, the collaboration between the Mexican music singer and the Puerto Rican trap and reggaetón performer was recorded in December in Mexico City and “maintains the tradition of connecting with diverse audiences through music, culture and sports.” In the past, other prominent Mexican figures — such as Los Tucanes de Tijuana, Los Tigres del Norte and Banda MS — have similarly inaugurated the channel’s Super Bowl telecast.
About his participation alongside Anuel AA, Ballesteros says he was “excited to be able to share this experience with these type of people who are an important part of Latin music” — adding, “I felt a great connection with him, and I look forward to something in the future.”
When asked if he was a fan of American football, he replied that he was a big fan of all sports and the discipline that comes with being an athlete. “In general, I admire all the teams. I look up to them and I know they will offer a great game,” he says.
Originally from the Mexican state of Sonora, Gabriel “Gabito” Ballesteros is recognized as a key figure in the corridos tumbado music movement. He has topped the charts with hits such as “Lady Gaga” with Peso Pluma and Junior H, and “AMG” with Peso and Natanael Cano, two songs that made it onto the Billboard Hot 100 across all genres in 2023. Last year, he debuted on multiple charts with his album The GB. Most recently, he signed with George Prajin‘s Double P Management.
Emmanuel Gazmey, better known as Anuel AA, rose to stardom in the reggaetón, rap and trap genres. Among other chart achievements, four of his albums have reached No. 1 on Top Latin Albums, including Real Hasta la Muerte (2018), Emmanuel (2020), Los Dioses (2021) with Ozuna and Las Leyendas Nunca Mueren (2021).
It’s been only two weeks since Karol G entered the record books with an unmatched 26 weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s Latin Airplay chart with “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido.” Now, the Colombian superstar is setting yet another new record over on the Tropical Airplay chart (dated Feb. 8).
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“Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido” adds a 30th week at No. 1 on the tropical radio ranking, marking the most weeks atop 30-year-old chart for any song.
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“Si Antes,” released June 21, 2024 via Bichota/Interscope/ICLG, reaches the record despite a 7% decline in audience impressions; that’s 8.8 million earned in the U.S. during the tracking week of Jan. 24-30, according to Luminate.
With 30 weeks at No. 1, Karol ends a historic run for Prince Royce, who previously commanded the chart for 29 weeks when “Carita De Inocente” capped its reign on the October 17, 2020-dated ranking.
As “Si Antes” resets the longest-leading run on Tropical Airplay, here’s a review of the songs with the most weeks atop, since the chart launched in October 1994.
Weeks at No. 1, Title, Artist, Peak Date30, “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido,” Karol G, July 20, 202429, “Carita de Inocente,” Prince Royce, March 28, 202022, “De Vuelta Pa’ La Vuelta,” Daddy Yankee & Marc Anthony, Jan. 2, 202118, “Inmortal,” Aventura, April 20, 201918, “Danza Kuduro,” Don Omar & Lucenzo, Nov. 13, 201015, “Bailando Bachata,” Chayanne, August 5, 202315, “La Mejor Versión de Mi,” Natti Natasha & Romeo Santos, Oct. 26, 201915, “Centavito,” Romeo Santos, Oct. 13, 201815, “Dile Al Amor,” Aventura, Jan. 2, 201015, “Perdidos,” Monchy & Alexandra, Nov. 6, 2004
Elsewhere, “Si Antes” cedes the throne to Bad Bunny’s “El Clúb” on the overall Latin Airplay chart, after a record-extending 27 weeks at No. 1.
Bad Bunny adds his 26th No. 1 on Billboard’s Latin Airplay chart with “El Clúb,” which lifts 2-1 to lead the Feb. 8-dated ranking. It’s the first song from Debí Tirar Más Fotos to top the overall radio ranking. “El Clúb” reigns after a 5% gain in audience impressions, to 9.2 million, earned in the […]
From career milestones to new music releases to major announcements and those little important moments, Billboard editors highlight uplifting moments in Latin music. Here’s what happened in the Latin music world this week.
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Fonseca Surprises Newlywed Couple in Colombia
Colombian singer-songwriter Fonseca serenaded a newlywed couple in Colombia with this song “Qué Suerte Tenerte.” The surprise was captured on video, where he explains how and where he met the bride.
“I met Isabela about 10 days ago on a flight to Bogotá,” Fonseca explains in the clip. “She came up to me, told me that my music meant a lot to her and said ‘I’m getting married in eight days and your song ‘Qué Suerte Tenerte’ is going to be my official wedding song, the one I’m going to dance to.’ I know it’s going to be an unforgettable and very special moment because since we wrote this song with Elena Rose we always dreamed of a situation like this, not only for them, but for us it’s going to be unforgettable and very special. So, here we go.”
Watch the special moment below:
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Peso Pluma Performs at FireAid Concert
Mexican star Peso Pluma was among the many artists who performed at the FireAid benefit concert in Los Angeles on Thursday (Jan. 30). The música Mexicana hitmaker performed “La Bebe,” his reggaetón hit with Yng Lvcas. He took the stage at the newly opened Inuit Dome wearing an all-white ensemble and an L.A. blue baseball cap.
Jenni Rivera Love Foundation Gives Back
The Jenni Rivera Love Foundation hosted a charity event last week in Santa Ana, Calif., to help raise funds to support families affected by the wildfires in Los Angeles. Jenni Rivera’s children, Jacqie Rivera, Johnny López and Jenicka López, attended the event in the spirit of solidarity.
“Immediate help is essential during times like these,” Jacqie said in a statement. “We’re here to carry on our mother’s work, as she was deeply committed to her community. This event is a way to honor her legacy and give back to the people she cared about so much.”
Pitbull Gives Shout Out to SLAM! Students
During his ‘Vegas After Dark’ concert at Fontainebleau Las Vegas on Jan. 25, Pitbull gave a special shout out to the students of Sports Leadership and Management of Nevada (SLAM! Nevada), a charter school founded by Pitbull and supported by the SLAM! Foundation. The hitmaker highlighted SLAM! Nevada’s mission to empower future leaders and his personal connection to the school.
“We’re up to 12 schools around the United States of America, there’s one right here in Las Vegas and I want to tell them congratulations on doing such an amazing job and being one of the top schools in the state of Nevada,” he expressed while on stage.
This week, Billboard’s New Music Latin roundup and playlist — curated by Billboard Latin and Billboard Español editors — features fresh new music from artists including collaborations by Trueno and Feid, and Bomba Estéreo with Rawayana, as well as exciting albums from Christian Nodal, Pedro Capó, and Joaquina.
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Nodal kicked off 2025 with the second EP from his “PA’L CORA” series. The six-track PA’L CORA EP.02 further solidifies his distinct mariacheño sound — a subgenre fusing mariachi’s strings and horns with the norteño accordion — with other rhythms such as tropical (“Contigo al Cielo”) and dance (“Botox en el Cora”). Vulnerable yet protecting his heart, Nodal stamps personal experiences into themes of love, loss, and redemption in the lyrics.
Meanwhile, Capó’s new album, La Carretera, is feel-good, reflective, and charged with life lessons. Sonically, the 14-track set is powered by pop-rock melodies, soft ballads, and even a country-tinged cumbia as heard in the Carín León-assisted “Existo”—born during “Making the Hit, Live!” panel at the 2023 Billboard Latin Music Week.
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“This is the most honest and comfortable album I’ve ever created,” Capó said in a press statement. “Life is a journey, and like any road, it has its turns, ups, downs, good and bad times. The highway reminds us that it is not about the destination, but about the path we travel. Every experience, every step, defines us.”
Other new releases this week include Elena Rose and Morat’s “Un Beso Menos,” Daddy Yankee’s “En El Desierto,” and Jerry Rivera’s “Volver a Enamorarnos,” to name a few. Who should win this week? Give these new releases a spin and vote for your favorite new Latin music release here.
In our new “The Stars Behind the Stars” franchise, Billboard Latin and Billboard Español editors share stories that have yet to be told, directly from those who aren’t often in front of the spotlight. Think “todo lo que no se ve detrás de cámaras,” or “everything that happens behind the scenes.” These unsung heroes are essential to an artist’s team and its foundation. Today, we highlight Marlene Maseda, a Miami-based music publicist whose agency Fusion 4 Media celebrates 10 years this month.
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In the early 2000s, Marlene Maseda was one of the first publicists to work the reggaetón genre, when she was independently hired by the Machete Music label to represent its roster of artists — which included Don Omar, Hector El Father, Magnate y Valentino, Glory, and Luny Tunes, among others.
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“I was pretty much the first publicist who worked in the urban market,” she tells Billboard. “I had it tough, because at the time, none of the media outlets wanted to support urban music. They didn’t understand it. However, I was the first publicist putting these artists on popular shows like Sabado Gigante and Despierta America.”
Today, she’s the founder and COO of Fusion 4 Media, a publicity and marketing agency based in Miami, Fla. that’s celebrating 10 years since its launch this month. Her current roster includes Ivy Queen, Baby Rasta y Gringo, Pimpinela, J Alvarez, Paloma San Basilio and former Grupo Mania member Oscarito.
As a Cuban-American-Lebanese businesswoman, she also takes a lot of credit for supporting and helping shape the Cuban music scene in Miami. Most notably is her former client Osmani García, whom she worked with for almost 10 years. García, known as one of the pioneers of Cubaton (or Cuban reggaetón), gained international success via Pitbull’s “El Taxi” in collaboration with Sensato and Lil Jon. The song peaked No. 13 on the Hot Latin Songs chart in 2015.
But prior to working as a publicist, Maseda, 51, worked at concert venues such as the James L. Knight Center, where she booked shows for Tina Turner, Sting, Whitney Houston and Stevie Wonder. In her early 20s, she landed her “dream job” at Sony Discos, where she worked closely with music executives Alba “Albita” Eagan and Jorge Pino. And for eight years, she ventured into television, as part of the booking and production team of Alexis Valdes’ Esta Noche Tonight show.
“It hasn’t been easy, it’s not a walk in the park, but it’s worth it,” she says of her career today. Below, learn more about this month’s “Star Behind the Stars,” our first of 2025.
Ivy Queen and Marlene Maseda
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After so many years working in touring, record labels, and television, what made you want to branch out to build your own PR agency?
I feel that I had a good reputation and that people liked me. I had gained a lot of contacts and built many relationships when I worked on the Alexis Valdes show. It was the No. 1 show in the industry at the time. We had the biggest artists go to the show, but at the same time, I wanted to be on the other side of that — I wanted to be the one who takes the artists to these shows and sees their dreams come true. I felt that it was the moment. There wasn’t a certain time, but it was a feeling. I felt that I was ready, and I’m glad that I took the chance. It’s been 10 years of maintaining myself and proving that I could do it. It hasn’t been a walk in the park, but it’s worth it.
You’ve worked with notable artists such as Ivy Queen, Justin Quiles, El Tri, and Pimpinela, but you’re also known for representing a lot of the artists in the Cubaton and Reparto music scene.
We [Fusion 4 Media] were the first ones who started working with Cuban artists, because a lot of people didn’t want to get involved with their genre. Divan, Osmani, Los Van Van, Chacal y Yakarte — and then it became a trend. I feel that I take chances and it pays off. Look at the movement today. Now I’m working with Bebeshito, one of the hottest Cuban acts right now, who’s doing amazing things.
Do you face any challenges as a publicist for Cuban stars? And what change would you like to see in the movement?
Yes! Cuban artists are very misunderstood. They come from a country that’s oppressed. They don’t have access as we do to social media. They have a different mentality. In Cuba, you can be the No. 1 artist, but when you come to Miami, you’re one in a million. It’s a culture shock. I feel that someone needs to open the doors and give them a chance.
There’s definitely a market for it. I’ve never seen the craziness as I do with Bebeshito at his shows. The Cuban community sees it, he’s made an impact. The media is very powerful, and with the media support of these Cuban artists, a lot of great things can happen and a lot of doors will open for them. That’s what we need more of, the media’s respect.
What would you say is your proudest career moment until now?
Taking these Cuban artists to television networks like Telemundo and Univision for the first time. I’m making their dream come true. Another proud moment was securing Osmani Garcia a spot to sing at Times Square in New York City during New Year’s Eve in 2023. He was on live television on Telemundo, performing right when the ball dropped. That was a huge moment for me, because I’ve worked his career since he came to Miami — and to see someone who’s worked hard and perform at an international stage was incredible for me.
Looking back at your career in the Latin music industry, what do you owe your success to?
I had the best mentors. I had the people that I needed to have by my side to help me excel in this career. They saw something special in me, they invested their time in me. The most important thing is taking advice from the people you admire and who you know want to see you grow. I’m so proud that as a woman in the industry, I did everything with my own merit. Everybody is different and has their own way of getting things done, but from day one, I knew that I’m intelligent, focused, and wanted to leave a mark.
Marlene Maseda
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