LAMC
Now in its 25th year, the Latin Alternative Music Conference (LAMC) reaffirms its role in showcasing exceptional music from the Americas and Spain. This year, the event was held over five days, Tuesday through Saturday (July 9-13), and featured a plethora of established Latin stars and promising emerging artists.
Attendees were treated to a wide variety of Latin alternative music, from hip-hop to urban, indie rock and flamenco. Coming to Central Park’s Rumsey Playfield on Wednesday (July 10) were Tijuana punk rocker Bruses, Colombian tropipop star Fonseca and Romani flamenco singer Israel Fernández, among others. For Saturday (July 13), LAMC once again partnered with the annual SummerStage series to collaborate with the traveling BRESH event, the “most beautiful party in the world,” according to its slogan.
S.O.B.s once again held the LAMC acoustic showcase, featuring Cheo (formerly of Amigos Invisibles), Henry D’Arthenay (of La Vida Bohème), Sebastián Llosa and others. And DROM organized several days of performances with showcases by Sony, Warner, BMI’s Indie and Sounds From Spain in Manhattan’s East Village. Performers included Bratty, J Noa, Marcelo Rubio, NSQK, Karina Sofia, Marcelo Rubio, and more.
During the day, the LAMC hosted a wide variety of panels, with topics like “Wonder Women of Latin Music,” “25 Years of LAMC: Latin Music’s Past, Present & Future,” “The Business of Songwriting,” a Q&A with Fonseca hosted by Billboard‘s Leila Cobo, a Q&A with Residente hosted by Rolling Stone‘s Julyssa Lopez, and more.
Below, Billboard Español compiles some of the most outstanding performances you could see at LAMC 2024, including from DARUMAS, Chicocurlyhead, Twanguero, Bruses, Maruja Limón and more. The list is in alphabetical order.
Akapellah
Image Credit: Karlo X . Ramos
Fonseca‘s 2023 Viajante Tour was an “ambitious” and “incredible” celebration of his 20-year career, spanning across Latin America, the United States and Europe. But the intensity of the trek also led to one of the most distressing moments he has ever experienced.
The Latin Grammy-winning Colombian singer-songwriter, whose vocal quality has been described by maestro Juan Luis Guerra as that of a “nightingale,” faced a terrifying moment when he began having problems with his voice.
“It was very crazy because I would start to sing and when I went high, I would hit a certain note where air would come out and not voice,” Fonseca shared publicly for the first time during a Q&A with Billboard‘s Leila Cobo at the Latin Alternative Music Conference (LAMC) on Thursday (July 11) in New York City. “And what’s worse is that I realized this in the middle of the tour — we still had about 18 shows to go in the U.S. and then 10 more in Europe.”
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During a visit to a laryngologist in Miami, he said, a polyp was found on his vocal cords. With insufficient time to treat it due to the imminent continuation of the tour, he had to make changes to the arrangements of his songs and take as much care of himself as possible.
“I did the tour. It was tough. I did exercises. I lowered the key of the higher songs, but the feeling of knowing that you have that, feeling it when you are singing, and also thinking, ‘Is this something that will affect me? Will this not go away?’ Oh, that was crazy!” he continued. “When I finished the tour, I went for another check-up in Bogotá, and the polyp had grown.”
With rest and with therapy, Fonseca and his doctors finally managed to make the polyp disappear. Now, he takes more care of his voice, among other things by using a nebulizer and doing warm-up and cool-down exercises before and after each performance.
“[The Viajante Tour] was very ambitious, it was incredible, but it also left me with the lesson that, at the end of the day, it’s about going to sing. So when you put so much intensity into the voice, there is wear,” the artist said.
On the eve of the Q&A, Fonseca had given a concert at SummerStage in Central Park, where he showed total control of his voice. He also celebrated Colombia’s goal against Uruguay in the Copa América semifinal from the stage. (Colombia won and will now face Argentina in the final this Sunday.)
On Thursday, during the conversation with Cobo at the 25th edition of LAMC, the creator of hits such as “Te Mando Flores,” “Eres Mi Sueño” and “Arroyito” also indulged the audience with a snippet of “Ven,” first a cappella and later accompanied by his guitarist Jairo Barón.
The Latin Alternative Music Conference is taking place this week in Manhattan with panels, interviews, concerts, and more. For a full calendar of events, click here.
The Latin Alternative Music Conference (LAMC) continues to highlight pivotal voices in the Latin music industry, as shown in its panel 25 Years of LAMC: Latin Music’s Past, Present & Future. In this discussion on Thursday (July 11) at New York’s InterContinental Hotel — which featured prominent music industry executives — the panel focused on the evolution of Latin music over the past quarter-century, capturing key trends and projecting future developments.
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Moderated by Billboard‘s Leila Cobo and presented by MTA, the panelists included Alex Gallardo of Sony Music Latin, Polo Montalvo of La Buena Fortuna, Luis Dousdebés of The Latin Recording Academy, Bruno del Granado of CAA, and Jason Pascal of The Orchard. Cobo posed hard-hitting questions about the evolving landscape of the Latin music industry, and whether the expansion of Latin music is more influenced by streaming technology, cultural shifts or demographic changes. She also delved into the nature of music contracts and artist development priorities in the current digital age.
Here are some of the best quotes from the 25 Years of LAMC: Latin Music’s Past, Present & Future panel at LAMC 2024:
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Polo Montalvo of La Buena Fortuna, on the opportunities and challenges in the industry: “Not everyone has the same success in streaming, live or on social networks, to capitalize on each one and see how it helps us reach other places. A lot of times when we talk about and see success, we think of big artists — but there are a lot of people here who are just starting out and don’t have the access that those big artists have.
For example, with [more established artists], I have some tools with them that have developed over time, because of different relationships, agreements and situations in their career. But when you start, you don’t have that availability. So, for me, it’s crucial to see how we can help all the producers and artists that are here — that if they come to this panel or to the event like LAMC, to look at how we can support them, considering that more than 90% are starting out.”
Jason Pascal of The Orchard, on adapting global strategies: “The changes and transformations are clearly seen in the growth of the business as a whole and the explosion of Latin music. At The Orchard, this was our plan from the start; we were global 20 years ago, when there wasn’t any money being made. There are people who are still with us now who were with us back then, like Laura in Argentina and Albert in Spain. They believed in this model and worked for us, and maybe made $3,000 in an entire year from their work at The Orchard.
The plan was to have people on the ground all over the world, to be ready when streaming exploded. So, the fact that streaming and music exploded is the transformation. We’re very fortunate to have had the leadership prepared for this, starting to put all these elements in place early on.”
Alex Gallardo of Sony Music Latin, on success in the music industry: “The artistry, that in which there really is an artist capable of moving, is definitely a key point — and something that I am detecting today is that even the biggest artists find it hard to keep putting out hits. And the ones that I see doing the best are the most focused, the most disciplined, the ones that every day go to the studio, the ones that every day call colleagues to collaborate, and those whose impulse comes from an internal will of ‘I want more, I want to do it well.’
On the other hand, there are those who sit back, waiting for opportunities to come on their own. And I feel that, right now, with so much competition and so much volume, those who are more passive and wait for things to come to them are screwed.”
Luis Dousdebés of the Latin Recording Academy, on the importance of music creation: “It all starts with the creation of a song. When you’re competing with 100 or 1,000 songs a day that are uploading on Spotify alone, I definitely believe that creating good music is the key to everything. The message, the beat and what you’re conveying. Once the listener gets that vibe, that emotion of the art, it naturally starts to go viral — logically, with the help of label promotions and streaming. But if it’s not good music and it doesn’t transmit anything, it’s not going to happen.
What happens is that many people either like it or don’t like it. That’s the art; it’s the subjective part of grading. I think that if the numbers are there and there is a following [on social networks], it means that someone is liking it — and that’s what’s important on the track, knowing who is liking it and how it’s going to reach these people.”
Bruno del Granado of CAA, on the economic impact of the Latino community: “There are over sixty-five million Latinos here. We keep growing. The other thing I always say is about undocumented immigrants. They consume. They don’t come to take from this country. They go to concerts, buy sneakers, and buy iPhones […] Twenty-five years ago this summer, we were celebrating a Latin explosion with Enrique [Iglesias], Ricky [Martin], Shakira, Marc [Anthony] and Chayanne. That was a period where there was a clear before and after.”
Celebrating its 25th anniversary, the 2024 edition of the Latin Alternative Music Conference includes a Q&A with Fonseca, moderated by Billboard‘s Leila Cobo; a Q&A with Residente, moderated by Rolling Stone‘s Julyssa Lopez, panels on the Business of Songwriting, Publicity and Social Media, New Releases and Catalogs, Bridging Music and Money, Tours and More. To see the full LAMC guide, click here.
About 40 minutes into Fonseca‘s concert at Summerstage in New York on Wednesday night (July 10), a fan near the stage signaled him wildly, waving his phone enough to catch the Colombian star’s attention. “Colombia scored!” the person shouted.
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Fonseca, the consummate professional, didn’t miss a beat of his hit “Envuélveme.” But as soon as there was a break in his vocals, Fonseca tossed his head back and shouted, “Gol, hijueputa! [Goal, son of a b–ch!]
The goal was Colombia’s against Uruguay in the first half of the semi-final of Copa América, the men’s soccer tournament that includes teams from North, South and Central America and the Caribbean.
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“This is the first time in my life that I’ve been singing at the same time la selección [my team] is playing,” Fonseca told the crowd when the song was over. “Thanks to my friend who showed me his phone,” he gestured to the crowd. “Apologies for the bad words, but for those of you who aren’t from Colombia, we’re used to celebrating goals together with that word,” he said with a laugh.
The fact that the Colombian national team was playing its most important match of the year so far was no deterrent for the nearly 6,000 fans who showed up for Fonseca’s show, part of the LAMC (Latin Alternative Music Conference) schedule and with Israel Fernández and Bruses serving as opening acts.
Fonseca’s set spanned his career, including his recent “Si Tu Me Quieres” — originally recorded with Juan Luis Guerra — and ending with his now iconic hit, “Te Mando Flores,” which he began a capella –showcasing one of the most beautiful voices in Latin pop — and ended in an impromptu party after the clock ran out on the 1-0 victory.
As for the Colombian team, it was a seminal moment. They won the match, their 28th win in a row. On Sunday (July 14), they’ll play in the final against Argentina.
The Latin music landscape is undergoing a bigger transformation where women are not only stepping into the spotlight, but also reshaping the industry through leadership, innovation and a commitment to diversity and inclusion. This was demonstrated by top female executives and industry members at the Wonder Women of Latin Music panel, which kicked off the Latin Alternative Music Conference (LAMC) on Wednesday (July 10) morning in New York.
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Moderated by Billboard‘s Griselda Flores, the panel featured Kemelly Figueroa-Mouriz of Loud And Live, Yasmin Muller of Spotify, Fabi Kulick of Live Nation, Rocio Guerrero of Amazon Music, Isabel Paz of the Latin Recording Academy, Gabriela Urquiza of GlamRock Agency and Celia Saez of The Orchard, all female Latin music wonders who took to the microphones at the InterContinental Hotel for a candid conversation about why female solidarity and representation is critical in the music industry.
“Having female leadership has been crucial for my professional development, because we understand each other and know the challenges we face, such as the glass ceiling,” said Saez of The Orchard, for example.
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Here are some of the best and most memorable quotes from the Wonder Women of Latin Music panel at LAMC 2024:
Kemelly Figueroa-Mouriz of Loud And Live on diversity initiatives: “I have a lot of experience in mentorship. I think that has forced me to go outside of my circle and find the solution to allocating voices. Going outside and seeking them has been so amazing — seeing that support, and receiving that support. I think it’s important to see that not only are we all here together to have the conversation but also to celebrate. This generation coming in, it’s important to seek and establish relationships, nurture these student-mentor connections.”
Yasmin Muller of Spotify on artist development: “I’ve been involved in curation and programming, and a big part of our job is to discover new artists and help them gain exposure. We’re always asking, ‘Why are we passionate about this artist, and why should you give them a chance?’ However, I often consider the [flip] side: finding an artist with talent and working with them in a meaningful way, utilizing my experience. Working with artists is incredibly challenging; it’s a job that never stops and requires constant thought. But it would be fascinating to apply all my experience to support a talent I truly believe in, particularly women in challenging industries.”
Fabi Kulick of Live Nation on career resilience: “You should never be afraid to lift yourself up and start from scratch. This industry might look glamorous and indeed, it is fun. You get to support artists, work with talented people, and meet incredible professionals who often become friends. However, I’ve experienced my share of downturns where I’ve had to start over, even with 12 years of experience. At that time, I made an entry-level decision to join a major label. I knew that once I demonstrated my work ethic and experience, I would grow. And here I am today, eight years later.”
Griselda Flores of Billboard on supporting the next generation: “The process is crucial because it teaches you what you want and don’t want in your career, including what’s non-negotiable and what you’re willing to accept. I always advise taking whatever job you can get, because you gain so much experience from it. It’s all part of the process of reaching your goals. An important piece of advice I received, and always think about, is not just to push the door open but to hold it open. Don’t let it shut behind you; hold it for those who are coming next.”
Rocío Guerrero of Amazon Music on the influence of mentorship: “I feel like I have learned from so many people — peers, managers, mentors, team members — and honestly, from every conversation I have, there’s always something to learn. I do want to especially acknowledge my mom. She’s a music professor who not only introduced me to the magic of music but also taught me from a very early age that it is indeed possible to be a good mother while having a rewarding career. This has made me confident in the possibility of achieving both.”
Isabel Paz of The Latin Recording Academy on gender collaboration: “The most beautiful thing is that men and women can work together. When it comes to working with women, instead of competing, let’s add up!”
Gabriela Urquiza of GlamRock Agency reflects on gender challenges in the past: “In 1993, there were not many women working in the industry. I started working in a company, which was up to date for its time, and I was lucky to have bosses who did not make gender distinctions. Even though it was quite a macho industry at the time, these bosses always gave me a place and support, standing out regardless of the prevailing machismo.”
Celia Saez of The Orchard on female leadership: “I was fortunate enough to start my career in a company led by women in 1996 who encouraged female leadership, and where the top management positions were held by women. Fortunately, I had female colleagues who shared the same vision — and, although I have now been here for 12 years, I have always found myself in female-dominated environments. This has been crucial for my professional development, because we understand each other and know the challenges we face, such as the glass ceiling. For me, always being surrounded by women has been a great help. While there have been very influential men in my career, I want to emphasize the impact of this female dynamic.”
Celebrating its 25th anniversary, the 2024 edition of the Latin Alternative Music Conference includes a Q&A with Fonseca, moderated by Billboard‘s Leila Cobo; a Q&A with Residente, moderated by Rolling Stone‘s Julyssa Lopez, panels on the Business of Songwriting, Publicity and Social Media, New Releases and Catalogs, Bridging Music and Money, and a talk on 25 Years of LAMC: Latin Music’s Past, Present & Future. To see the full LAMC guide, click here.
The LAMC (Latin Alternative Music Conference) will honor a group of 22 women in the 2024 LAMC Wonder Women of Latin Music program, Billboard can announce today (March 12). Journalists, publicists and executives from multiple areas of the music business will be recognized in partnership with Amazon Music.
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Launched in 2020, Wonder Women of Latin Music is part of the LAMC and kicks off as a virtual event from April 24 to 26 before concluding with a live event taking place in New York City from July 9 to 13 (for more information, click here). Wonder Women recognizes women in all fields of the Latin industry and, to date, has honored over 100 women and celebrated them through a social media campaign.
“As we embark on the fifth consecutive year of the Wonder Women of Latin Music awards in collaboration with LAMC, I am thrilled to commemorate the remarkable achievements of women in our industry,” says Rocío Guerrero, Global Head of Latin Music for Amazon Music. “Let’s persist in acknowledging, uplifting, and expressing our deep appreciation for these pioneers, as their unwavering commitment is crucial in ensuring the lasting global influence of Latin music.”
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This year’s class of Wonder Women features several music journalists, including Griselda Flores, Billboard‘s senior editor, Latin. Past honorees have included Leila Cobo, Billboard’s Chief content officer for Latin/Español; Sigal Ratner-Arias, deputy editor of Billboard Español; Isabela Raygoza, associate editor of Billboard Español, and Florencia Mauro of Billboard Argentina. The list, which is curated by the LAMC and celebrates “women making a difference in the industry,” also includes veteran publicists like Róndine Alcalá, Lyda Bulla and Rocío Gutiérrez, among others.
Here is the full list of 2024 honorees:
Róndine Alcalá – Rondene PR
Elizabeth Aldasoro – Eli Aldasoro Mgmt, Mktg & PR
Andrea Barbosa – YouTube Music
Mariana Briceño – Universal Music Latino
Lyda Bulla – LABULLA PR Agency
Brenda Carrasco – Warner Music Latina
Kary-An Diaz – Sony Music Latin
Kemelly Figueroa – Loud And Live
Griselda Flores – Billboard
Michelle Gas – Amazon
Rocío Gutiérrez – Rocío Gutiérrez Marketing & PR
Rosa Guzman – Magnus Talent Agency
Analía Maldonado – Universal Music Argentina
Yasmin Muller – Spotify
Isabel Paz – Latin Recording Academy
Ana Poluyan – Agencia Apa!
Anaid Quijada – WK Entertainment
Celia Saez – The Orchard
Ana Rosa Santiago – Universal Music Publishing Group
Gabriela Urquiza – Glamrock Agency
Veronica Vaccarezza – Sony Music Publishing
Carla Varona – Sin Anestesia/RLM
It’s a silver jubilee for Latin alternative music.
The Latin Alternative Music Conference has set dates for both its 2024 virtual and in-person events, Billboard Español can exclusively announce, and will celebrate 25 years.
The LAMC, known for showcasing Spanish-language alternative music, alongside a roster of rock, hip-hop and electronic acts, is slated to make its virtual return from April 24 to 26. The in-person conference, spanning five days, is slated for July 9 to 13 at the Intercontinental New York Times Square.
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“It’s been gratifying to see the overall Latin music industry come together with a deeper sense of community year after year, and especially as the industry continues to grow and reach new global heights,” LAMC and Nacional Records founder Tomas Cookman tells Billboard Español.
He continues: “The LAMC was founded 25 years ago with that very idea — creating a sense of community, learning and growing together — and we are happy to once again bring the industry together in 2024 with our virtual and in-person conferences. We hit record attendance numbers this year and look forward to a bigger and better conference experience in 2024.”
Last year, the multi-day event featured performances by Trueno, Juanes, Pedro Capó, Gale, Villano Antillano and more. Previous acts have included a luminary roster such as Ana Tijoux, Pitbull, Calle 13, Manu Chao, Nortec’s Bostich + Fusible, Café Tacvba and the beat goes on.
Both the virtual and in-person events will feature panels, workshops, showcases, and networking opportunities for attendees. According to figures provided to Billboard Español, about 681,000 unique viewers tuned in online last year.
Registration for the in-person July conference begins at $99. Registration for the virtual event is free via LatinAlternative.com, where the latest updates, option to contact the LAMC team with questions, and reserve a hotel for the in-person event are available.
The LAMC (Latin Alternative Music Conference) will honor a group of 24 women in the 2023 LAMC Wonder Women of Latin Music program. Journalists, publicists and executives from multiple areas of the music business will be recognized in partnership with Amazon Music.
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Launched in 2020, Wonder Women of Latin Music is part of the LAMC, which kicks off later this month as a virtual event; the live event will take place in July in New York City. Wonder Women specifically recognizes women in all fields of the Latin industry, and, to date, has given an award to 85 women and celebrated them via a social media campaign.
“For the fourth year in a row, it is such an honor to join LAMC in presenting 2023’s Wonder Women of Latin Music awards that celebrate the impact these women have in our industry,” says Rocío Guerrero, Global Head of Latin Music for Amazon Music. “It is so important that we continue to recognize, uplift and thank them: the global impact of Latin Music would not be the same without their contributions.”
This year’s class of Wonder Women features several music journalists, including Sigal Ratner-Arias, deputy editor of Billboard Español, Isabela Raygoza, associate editor of Billboard Español and Florencia Mauro of Billboard Argentina. Past honorees have included Leila Cobo, Billboard’s Chief content office for Latin/Español. The list, which is curated by the LAMC and celebrates “women making a difference in the industry,” also includes veteran publicists like Nanette Lamboy and Blanca LaSalle.
Here is the full list of 2023 honorees:
Isabel Quinteros from TikTok
Celia Carrillo from Universal Music Latin
Claudia Arcay from Loud And Live
Romina Magorno from Imagine It Media
Ana Martínez from Amazon Music
Ana Christina Ordoñez from Magnus Media
Leticia Ramirez from Pandora
Ashley Gonzalez from WME
Marcela Moreira from Warner Latina
Isabel Feria from Sony Latin
Claudia Ochoa from The Orchard
Nanette Lamboy from Artist Solutions
Isabela Raygoza from Billboard
Beatriz Marfa-Linley from Sounds from Spain
Gaby Herrera from WK Entertainment
Fernanda Bas from Meta
Roberta Pate from Spotify
Julyssa Lopez from Rolling Stone
Suzy Exposito from the LA Times
Florencia Mauro from Billboard Argentina
Krystina De Luna from Apple Music
Blanca Lassalle from Creative Link NY
Laura Dergal from LARAS
Sigal Ratner-Arias from Billboard Español
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