State Champ Radio Latin
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Trending on Billboard Stars like Peso Pluma, Carlos Vives, Xavi, Kapo, Goyo, Santos Bravos and more walked the Billboard Latin Music Awards 2025 red carpet ahead of the ceremony, airing Thursday night (Oct. 23) on Telemundo. Bad Bunny leads the list of finalists with 27 nods in categories including artist of the year, Global 200 […]
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Rawayana transformed the M2 Miami club into a massive after-party for the 2025 Latin Music Week Billboard En Vivo on Wednesday night (Oct. 22).
Joined on stage by about 70 people — including friends, music industry figures, models and influencers — the Venezuelan trip-pop band created a celebratory atmosphere with a dazzling production that featured a stimulating display of lights, colorful visuals, confetti and smoke columns, delivering a one-of-a-kind experience.
Both the special guests on stage and the audience vibed to the rhythm of the 14-song setlist, which opened with “Dame Un Break” and continued with hits like “Feriado,” “Hora Loca,” and Rawayana’s latest single, “La Noche Que No Había Uber.” One of the standout moments was the appearance of Puerto Rican singer Rafa Pabön, who joined Rawayana’s vocalist Beto Montenegro to perform their hit collaboration “Miel.”
Have you played Billboard’s Latin Music Week Crossword?Play now!
The Grammy and Latin Grammy-winning band closed the set on a high note with their mega-hit “Veneka,” a burst of adrenaline that had all their fans jumping to the beat.
Rawayana’s performance was preceded by a set from Venezuelan singer Corina Smith, followed by fellow Venezuelan DJ Mr. Pauer. The newly formed boy band Santos Bravos, which was scheduled to perform live for the first time after winning this week Hybe Latin America’s reality show of the same name, was unable to perform due to logistical issues that caused delays to the arrivals of three of its members. The quintet will instead make its red carpet debut at the Billboard Latin Music Awards, which will air live tonight (Oct. 23) on Telemundo.
With over 30 years of history, Billboard Latin Music Week is the largest gathering of Latin artists and music industry executives worldwide. This year’s lineup also included Aitana, Anuel AA, Bebeshito, Carlos Vives, Carín León, Danny Ocean, DJ Khaled, Emilia Mernes, Ivy Queen, Gloria Estefan, Grupo 5, Kapo, Laura Pausini, Luck Ra, Netón Vega, Olga Tañón, Óscar Maydon, Ozuna, Pablo Alborán, Suzette Quintanilla, Tokischa, Xavi, Yailin La Más Viral, and more.
Watch a clip of Rawayana’s Billboard En Vivo performance below.
Billboard’s Live Music Summit will be held in Los Angeles on Nov. 3. For tickets and more information, visit https://www.billboardlivemusicsummit.com/2025/home-launch
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Gloria Estefan and Emilio Estefan headlined an “Icon Q&A” panel on Wednesday (Oct. 22) at Billboard Latin Music Week 2025 in Miami, where they reminisced about their beginnings in the industry, reflected on some of their major achievements and shared their views on topics such as the conservative backlash to Bad Bunny’s selection for the upcoming Super Bowl Halftime Show and the strict immigration policies of the Trump administration.
Presented by BMI, the panel was moderated by Jesús González, vice president, creative, Latin, at the music rights organization, who introduced the power couple as the artists who achieved “truly the first Latin crossover” and “the pillars that this industry has been built upon” after revolutionizing pop music in the ’80s with their Miami Sound Machine.
“I have worked on three Super Bowl Halftime Shows, three Olympic games and produced for six U.S. presidents with 48 events at the White House,” said the No. 1 Latin music producer, noting that he is neither a Democrat nor a Republican. “But … we need to have opportunities. For example, Bad Bunny, who has incredible success and was already part of the Super Bowl with Shakira and Jennifer [Lopez in 2020], has been the subject of major news coverage. I’m very happy with what he has done for Puerto Rico, for his country [with his recent residency at the Coliseo]. And we must have opportunities in different languages. It’s a normal thing.”
“The most important thing for me is that people see the value of Latinos who came here to contribute, to work, and the gratitude we have for being in the best country in the world,” he added, as a Cuban immigrant who truly achieved the American Dream. “I don’t want a child to think they don’t have opportunities in this great country.”
Meanwhile, Gloria expressed her concern over the current government’s aggressive deportation campaign and the loss of respect for other people’s opinions. “We’re human beings, and we’re kind of split down the middle on probably everything that exists. But one thing that’s always inspired me about this country that I deeply love and respect is the fact that there’s always been respectful discourse, and after every debate, people shook hands. And it scares me to see that changing,” the legendary singer-songwriter said.
Have you played Billboard’s Latin Music Week Crossword?Play now!
“And the freedoms we share must be defended, mi gente. There is no reason to be cruel to people. Yes, we absolutely need our border to have a legal process. But there’s no need to take someone that has put years of work into this country, that has sacrificed … They are not criminals!” she continued, receiving a roaring applause from the audience at The Fillmore Miami Beach. “It scares me to see what we’re seeing. It scares me. And I will always speak up because freedom must be defended.”
This year, Gloria Estefan is celebrating five decades in music and four decades of “Conga,” the megahit by Miami Sound Machine that launched her to stardom. Meanwhile, Emilio Estefan just topped the list of the Top Producers of the 21st century on Billboard‘s Hot Latin Songs chart, with 14 No. 1 hits between 2000 and 2024 as a producer for artists including Carlos Vives, Paulina Rubio and, of course, Gloria Estefan.
With over 30 years of history, Latin Music Week is the largest and most important gathering of Latin artists and industry executives worldwide. The event coincides with the 2025 Billboard Latin Music Awards, which will air on Thursday (Oct. 23) on Telemundo and Peacock, and where Bad Bunny will be honored as the Latin Artist of the 21st Century.
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In a historic panel, Daddy Yankee returned to the 2025 Billboard Latin Music Week for a candid conversation with Billboard’s Leila Cobo for the “Superstar Q&A” panel on Wednesday (Oct. 22).
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During the one-hour-long conversation, the Puerto Rican artist opened up about his personal and professional rebirth; his latest album, Lamento en Baile; as well as God’s purpose with him.
“I feel reborn, reenergized, and truly joyful with everything I’m experiencing,” he told Cobo. “The personal, spiritual, and faith-based change certainly feels good in my heart. Each person has a different purpose and design. Everyone has a purpose to fulfill in their lives, and mine was this path: to forefront popular culture, announcing the Kingdom — that’s a challenge. My father is so strategic that he’s calling many people.”
The Puerto Rican artist also reacted to his uplifting song “Sonríele” reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Latin Airplay chart this week.
“I never imagined it would have the huge impact it has had because music is different now,” he expressed. “Seeing it reach people’s hearts fills me with joy because that purpose is being seen. This song is medicine… it’s celebrating life. That’s the true No. 1.”
And though he “feels reborn with new energies and very happy” with his personal and spiritual change, he admits that it’s still a learning process for him.
“I’m still under construction,” he said. “I’m far from perfect. I’m vulnerable, I have weaknesses, I’m going to make mistakes, but I know my faith is in the Lord, and that he’s in control of that.”
Spanning 36 years, Latin Music Week is the single largest gathering of Latin artists and industry executives in the world. This year’s event — which also features Carín León, Daddy Yankee, Ivy Queen, Gloria Estefan, Kapo, Laura Pausini, Netón Vega, Ozuna, Pablo Alborán, and Xavi, among others — hosts panels, marquee conversations, roundtables, networking and activations, in addition to its celebrated Billboard En Vivo showcases.
Latin Music Week also coincides with the 2025 Billboard Latin Music Awards, set to air Thursday, Oct. 23, on Telemundo and Peacock, where Bad Bunny will be honored as Top Latin Artist of the 21st Century.
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During the third day of activities at 2025 Billboard Latin Music Week, the new stars of regional Mexican music discussed the changes the genre is experiencing as it captures global attention. During the panel “The Future of Regional Mexican Music,” presented by Walmart and moderated by Isabela Raygoza of Billboard Español, five of the talents revolutionizing the genre came together: Xavi, Netón Vega, Estevie, Oscar Maydón and Codiciado.
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Fusions have been one of the main factors driving the shift in sounds for the new generation. Netón Vega — who gained recognition as a composer of corridos tumbados — has experimented with trap and reggaetón, releasing his album Mi Vida Mi Muerte this year, which is nominated for eight Billboard Latin Music Awards. “The lyrics can be about romantic themes, like in my case, but the sounds of a song with charcheta are very different from those of an urban sound. That’s where creativity comes in, knowing how to use the voice and experiment with the rhythms,” explained the artist, who was born in La Paz, Baja California Sur.
Maydon, who rose to fame through his collaborations with Peso Pluma, Natanael Cano, Junior H, and Fuerza Regida, is also part of the corridos tumbados wave. Like his peers, he has had to adapt his music due to restrictions placed on the genre in some Mexican states. “We, as the new generation, grew up listening to things like trap. Before, with singers like Vicente Fernández, everything was different,” he said. “But now we can collaborate with anyone. In corridos, you have to be a bit more careful about how you say things, whereas in reggaetón and urban music, for example, you can be more open.”
The new faces of Mexican music have also grown up in the U.S., though they carry in their veins the heritage of the country in which their parents were born, inheriting those traditions and musical tastes. That is the case for Estevie, who is making waves with her unique style of performing danceable music. “In 2021, I listened to ‘Ay Papasito’ by Alicia Villreal and realized there wasn’t music like that, but with more modern beats, and that’s when I created my first cumbia called ‘Canela,’” she explained about the path she chose for her career.
For his part, Xavi, born in Phoenix and known for revolutionizing social media with his hit “La Diabla,” shared his formula for writing successful songs: “The most important thing is to reflect what comes from the heart; the message you convey through your music is what makes you connect with people,” said the artist, who has caught the attention of major stars like Grupo Frontera and, more recently, Manuel Turizo, for collaborations.
The most experienced participant on the panel, Codiciado — part of the generation that emerged in Tijuana during the pandemic that predates the corridos tumbados movement — shared valuable advice with his peers. “You must always believe in yourself. If you fall, you get back up,” said the artist, who is about to release his first album in three years. “A career is built by being genuine and working hard every day. The most important thing is to find what you can contribute to music and the industry. We can ride the waves and do well, but there’s nothing like stirring the waters.”
With over 30 years of history, Latin Music Week is the most important and largest gathering of Latin artists and industry executives worldwide. The event also coincides with the 2025 Billboard Latin Music Awards, set to air on Thursday (Oct. 23) on Telemundo and Peacock, where Bad Bunny will be honored as Top Latin Artist of the 21st Century.
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Billboard Latin Music Week 2025 is bringing the biggest Latin music stars to Miami for a weeklong conference, including Ozuna, Tokischa, Yailan, Aitana, Pablo Alborán, Yami Safdie, De La Ghetto, Silvestre Dangond and many more. The artists – who spoke at panels and/or performed at showcases – also posed for Billboard’s photo booth.
Puerto Rican hitmaker Ozuna spoke at the Afrobeats panel alongside Goyo, Kapo, Humby and Venesti who talked about fusing their signature sound with Afrobeat. “I didn’t know much about the rhythm, but I was interested in learning, I was into reggaetón, and this rhythm opened doors for me,” Ozuna said.
Meanwhile, Tokischa sat down with Ivy Queen for a one-on-one conversation about feminism, sexuality and music. Toki also spoke about her upcoming album. “I finished my album mid-year. I worked on a super intimate project, spending seven months in the studio all day,” she said. “[On the album] I’m talking about my story — beyond being Tokischa la perra, la bellaca, I’m raw and honest, in terms of all the traumas I’ve overcome, from my years as an addict. I had an unstable moment because I had to uncover all those traumas and record. In my career, I’ve had to start over from scratch twice.”
Artists including Daddy Yankee, Laura Pausini and Kali Uchis took centerstage for Superstar Q&As. Other returning panels included Making the Hit Live!, this year featuring Pablo Alborán and Julio Reyes Copello, and the Women’s Panel with artists Aitana, Silvana Estrada, Yailin, Ela Taubert and Yami Safdie.
Latin Music Week also coincides with the 2025 Billboard Latin Music Awards, set to air Thursday, Oct. 23, on Telemundo and Peacock, where Bad Bunny will be honored as Top Latin Artist of the 21st Century.
See some of the best photo booth gems captured backstage throughout Latin Music Week.
Image Credit: Ysa Pérez
Tokischa photographed on October 21, 2025 at The Fillmore Miami Beach in Miami Beach, FL.
Image Credit: Ysa Pérez
Goyo photographed on October 21, 2025 at The Fillmore Miami Beach in Miami Beach, FL.
Image Credit: Ysa Pérez
Jay Dee photographed on October 21, 2025 at The Fillmore Miami Beach in Miami Beach, FL.
Image Credit: Ysa Pérez
Humby photographed on October 21, 2025 at The Fillmore Miami Beach in Miami Beach, FL.
Image Credit: Ysa Pérez
Ela Taubert photographed on October 21, 2025 at The Fillmore Miami Beach in Miami Beach, FL.
Image Credit: Ysa Pérez
Yami Safdie photographed on October 21, 2025 at The Fillmore Miami Beach in Miami Beach, FL.
Image Credit: Ysa Pérez
Kapo photographed on October 21, 2025 at The Fillmore Miami Beach in Miami Beach, FL.
Image Credit: Ysa Pérez
Aitana photographed on October 21, 2025 at The Fillmore Miami Beach in Miami Beach, FL.
Image Credit: Ysa Pérez
Pablo Alborán photographed on October 21, 2025 at The Fillmore Miami Beach in Miami Beach, FL.
Image Credit: Ysa Pérez
Riza photographed on October 21, 2025 at The Fillmore Miami Beach in Miami Beach, FL.
Image Credit: Ysa Pérez
Ozuna photographed on October 21, 2025 at The Fillmore Miami Beach in Miami Beach, FL.
Image Credit: Ysa Pérez
Silvana Estrada photographed on October 21, 2025 at The Fillmore Miami Beach in Miami Beach, FL.
Image Credit: Ysa Pérez
De La Ghetto photographed on October 21, 2025 at The Fillmore Miami Beach in Miami Beach, FL.
Image Credit: Ysa Pérez
Silvestre Dangond photographed on October 21, 2025 at The Fillmore Miami Beach in Miami Beach, FL.
Image Credit: Ysa Pérez
Soledad photographed on October 21, 2025 at The Fillmore Miami Beach in Miami Beach, FL.
Image Credit: Ysa Pérez
Jowell photographed on October 21, 2025 at The Fillmore Miami Beach in Miami Beach, FL.
Image Credit: Ysa Pérez
Tokischa photographed on October 21, 2025 at The Fillmore Miami Beach in Miami Beach, FL.
Image Credit: Ysa Pérez
Venesti photographed on October 21, 2025 at The Fillmore Miami Beach in Miami Beach, FL.
Image Credit: Ysa Pérez
From left: Pablo Alborán, Riza, and Julio Reyes Copello photographed on October 21, 2025 at The Fillmore Miami Beach in Miami Beach, FL.
Image Credit: Ysa Pérez
Yailin photographed on October 21, 2025 at The Fillmore Miami Beach in Miami Beach, FL.
Image Credit: Ysa Pérez
Carlos Arroyo photographed on October 21, 2025 at The Fillmore Miami Beach in Miami Beach, FL.
Image Credit: Ysa Pérez
Julio Reyes Copello photographed on October 21, 2025 at The Fillmore Miami Beach in Miami Beach, FL.
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Podcasters Leo Rojas (Venezuela), DimeloKing (Colombia), and Jorge “Molusco” Pabón (Puerto Rico) shared some secrets for making podcasts a successful and profitable product on Wednesday (October 22) at Billboard Latin Music Week 2025.
During the panel “The Power of Podcasters,” moderated by Dominican journalist and host Tony Dandrades, the three experts discussed the benefits they’ve found in this audio format, which has become a powerful content generator for different sectors, including the music and entertainment industry, as it explores new forms of monetization.
Podcasts “give a voice to those who previously had no voice,” Pabón opined. “Before, breaking into radio was almost impossible; today, anyone who can buy a microphone, a camera, and understand how to create good content can do so.”
Rojas emphasized that podcasts now allow artists to tell a story to their fans and explain why they make their music. “It allows them to be more real, more human,” said the Venezuelan, who hosts the podcast “Escuela de Nada” with Chris Andrade and Nacho Redondo.
Here are five lessons we learned from these famous podcasters:
1. Know Your Audience
“El Molusco” Pabón believes that to make a podcast successful, you must know the audience you will be speaking to, as well as come up with a concept for it. “That video that will change your life will always come along.”
2. Someone else’s success won’t always be yours
DimeloKing points out that some people expect what’s successful on other podcasts to be successful on theirs as well. Some “hope their content will go viral, but you have to put in the work to make that happen.”
3. Take elements from the internet that add to your content
Leo Rojas recommends taking everything you find online that adds to your content. “If you want to be successful, you have to be present on everything that exists on the internet,” he points out.
4. Short Content
DimeloKing says that short content is much more functional. “Of my three Facebook accounts, I have a team for each account.”
5. Recruit superfans
“A superfan is someone who consumes your content on all platforms. They’re someone who consumes everything you do, so you’ve got a percentage of their consumption,” says Rojas about recruiting followers who follow you on all your social media platforms.
Spanning more than 30 years, Latin Music Week is the single-most important and largest gathering of Latin artists and industry executives in the world. The event also coincides with the 2025 Billboard Latin Music Awards, set to air Thursday, Oct. 23, on Telemundo and Peacock, where Bad Bunny will be honored as Top Latin Artist of the 21st Century.
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Tropical music stars from different styles and countries came together on Wednesday (Oct. 22) at Billboard Latin Music Week 2025 to discuss the cultural impact their respective genres have had on new generations and how they have embraced it. The panel included iconic Puerto Rican merengue singer Olga Tañón; legendary Peruvian cumbia and merengue band Grupo 5; Puerto Rican singer Guaynaa, who has experimented with urban music, salsa and more; emerging Cuban reparto musician Bebeshito; and Argentine cuarteto star Luck Ra.
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In the panel “The Cumbia and Tropical Music Explosion,” presented by Andrea Ramírez PR and moderated by Jessica Roiz of Billboard, Tañón and the members of Grupo 5 recounted their first experiences in music; Tañón in the 1990s, when she thought an audition she attended was to be a Spanish-language rock singer; and the South American group in the 1970s, when they began with ballads and later adopted cumbia as their sound to liven up local parties.
“I didn’t want to be a merengue singer; I’m a merengue snob,” said the artist nicknamed “Woman of Fire.” “I started out doing ballads, Spanish rock, and you used merengue at home to sing and dance, but when they auditioned me, I thought it was for a Spanish rock band.” She recalled that the band’s leader told her that anyone who sings well can sing anything, so she prepared, auditioned, and was chosen, beginning her love affair with the Dominican genre.
In a fluid dialogue, the artists shared with the audience their opinions on how new Latin stars have reinvented salsa, such as Bad Bunny on his acclaimed album Debí Tirar Más Fotos, a musical genre that had its heyday in the late 1960s, marked by legends like Celia Cruz and Willie Colón.
Below are some of the best quotes from the discussion:
Olga Tañón, on the expiration date of a genre: “The musical DNA of a country, which is the culture of a country, will never die. Never. Not merengue, not salsa, not cumbia.”
Christian Yaipén (Grupo 5), on how to make music transcend fads: “We’re always focused on making music in the best way possible to bring it to the audience’s hearts, not just thinking about trends and passing things. My brother Elmer taught me that songs don’t catch on overnight; songs don’t reach No. 1 the following month.”
Guaynaa, on why new generations are experimenting with tropical music: “The first angle is the record label, systematically; and the second is the angle of the street, of the people [who demand it]. The question at the time of creating is how we can impact culture.”
Bebeshito, on the genre of reparto and its success coming from a country like Cuba without digital platforms: “Reparto is made internationally by Cubans (…) This support doesn’t come digitally from the island, but the support from the heart does.”
Luck Ra, on cumbia and cuarteto as the common thread of his work: “There are new [musical] schools that come with a lot of hunger. It’s something that brings you joy, that makes you dance. Cumbia and cuarteto are something that can be heard anywhere in the world.”
Spanning more than 30 years, Latin Music Week is the single-most important and largest gathering of Latin artists and industry executives in the world. This year’s star-studded lineup includes Aitana, Alofoke, Anuel AA, Bebeshito, Carlos Vives, Carín León, Danny Ocean, DJ Khaled, Daddy Yankee (DY), Emilia Mernes, Ivy Queen, Gloria Estefan, Grupo 5, Kapo, Laura Pausini, Luck Ra, Netón Vega, Olga Tañón, Óscar Maydon, Ozuna, Pablo Alborán, Rawayana, Suzette Quintanilla, Tokischa, Xavi, and Yailin La Más Viral, to name a few.
Latin Music Week also coincides with the 2025 Billboard Latin Music Awards, set to air Thursday, Oct. 23, on Telemundo and Peacock, where Bad Bunny will be honored as Top Latin Artist of the 21st Century.
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Carlos Vives, Emilia, Wisin and Xavi — the artists behind the 2026 Telemundo World Cup anthem — discussed their process during “The Music of the World Cup” panel at the 2025 Billboard Latin Music Week on Wednesday (Oct. 22), moderated by sports anchor and lead premier league host, Carlota Vizmanos.
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“This song is for the family,” Carlos Vives said of the official song for the FIFA World Cup 2026, that will premiere at the Billboard Latin Music Awards on Oct. 23. “In a world where war and hatred are the norm, soccer is the complete opposite. What a great opportunity for this song to speak to that and for Telemundo to be the message that brings it.”
During the discussion, all three of the panelists shared their own personal connections to the sport. “I’m grateful for the opportunity; I’m happy to represent Mexico,” Xavi added. “Honestly, [this opportunity] fell on me like a bucket of water. I’m still processing it. Despite being from different worlds, we all have something in common — and that’s soccer, and that’s why it’s about unity.”
“Soccer unites us,” Vives added. “It’s brotherhood, it’s friendship, it’s love. Even though it’s competition and rivalry, it’s fair play. That’s why it unites us all.”
Have you played Billboard’s Latin Music Week Crossword?Play now!
“It’s truly something I remember on Sundays: getting together with friends and family, having a barbecue, and waiting for the game. It was a ritual,” Emilia noted.
Meanwhile in Puerto Rico, soccer is “growing tremendously,” said Wisin. “It’s a door that opens to work internationally and have another chance to do something great.”
Spanning 36 years, Latin Music Week is the single largest gathering of Latin artists and industry executives in the world. This year’s event — which also features Carín León, Daddy Yankee, Ivy Queen, Gloria Estefan, Kapo, Laura Pausini, Netón Vega, Ozuna, Pablo Alborán, and Xavi, among others — hosts panels, marquee conversations, roundtables, networking and activations, in addition to its celebrated Billboard En Vivo showcases.
Latin Music Week also coincides with the 2025 Billboard Latin Music Awards, set to air Thursday, Oct. 23, on Telemundo and Peacock, where Bad Bunny will be honored as Top Latin Artist of the 21st Century.
Billboard’s Live Music Summit will be held in Los Angeles on Nov. 3. For tickets and more information, visit the Live Music Summit website.
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Selena Y Los Dinos is Netflix’s upcoming documentary on the legacy of the Tejano star, but it’s also the band — fronted by the icon Selena — that revolutionized Latin music and one of the first global acts. At Latin Music Week 2025, fans and conference attendees not only got to see exclusive clips from the film, slated to premiere Nov. 17, but heard directly from Suzette Quintanilla and the documentary’s director Isabel Castro.
Moderated by Billboard‘s Jessica Roiz, the Selena Y Los Dinos panel on Wednesday (Oct. 22) broke down the significance of this new documentary, the band’s legacy and the family values that fueled the global act.
The new Netflix documentary first premiered in the Sundance Film Festival, capturing Selena Y Los Dinos’ rise to stardom. Throughout Selena’s music career, seven of her studio albums hit No. 1 on Top Latin Albums, including Amor Prohibido (1994), which reigned for 20 weeks, and Dreaming of You (released posthumously in 1995), which topped the chart for 44 weeks. The latter set also made history as the first bilingual album to debut at No. 1 on the all-genre Billboard 200. In 1993, Selena won a Grammy for the best Mexican American album for Selena Live!, becoming the first female Tejano artist to win that award.
Below, five takeaways from the Selena Y Los Dinos panel at Latin Music Week:
Approaching Isabel Castro for the Project
Suzette Quintanilla: “Four or five years ago, I wanted to create this documentary to tell our family story, directly from our family to the world, and find somebody that could do this. I did a Zoom with Isabel and I instantly knew she was going to be the person to be able to tell the story for us. She’s an amazing person, she’s Latina and I’m glad she’s leading this for us.”
Why Castro Said Yes to Directing
Isabel Castro: “I’m Mexican, I came to the U.S. and to me, Selena was really the person that taught me to be proud about having a bicultural community. I found solace in her and the family’s music. It made me understand myself. When they reached out I was like, ‘Everyone stop everything, hold the phones.’ It was obvious this was important to me. It’s been an honor of a lifetime.”
Have you played Billboard’s Latin Music Week Crossword?Play now!
The Process
Castro: “The family has a vault and when I opened that door and the light came through. It’s like a medium-sized storage unit, packed from floor to ceiling of bookcases with thousands of VHS tapes, flash drives. The beginning of that process was interesting because we were so honored but it felt like a huge sense of responsibility. We reviewed it all and once we digitized it, then came the editing process and it was important that the archive told the story. All of the footage is valuable, but the material that moved me the most was the material that was shot behind the scenes that was mostly shot by Suzette. What’s in the film is as much as we could include.”
How This Will Be Different From Other Selena Films
Castro: “We had conversations about this, both I and Suzette, and the family wanted this to feel like the most authentic version of [the family’s] story and wanted it to be told by the them. We also wanted it to be told through the archive.”
Quintanilla: “The [1997] movie was sprinkled with Hollywood glitter, but this documentary is the opposite of that. This is our family, Chris, my mom, my father, A.B., myself, bandmates, telling the world our story: We started from that and created this. A lot of people want to separate Selena from our band, but other elements that made her were our band and family.”
What Fans Will Take Away From Selena Y Los Dinos
Quintanilla: “I want them to feel the energy and what we were all about. People have a perception, and they’re entitled to their opinion, and how my father was. We are a normal family that started a band and became global. Selena is not here, but we are celebrating what we did and created so many years ago. And this documentary reflects the power of who we are as Latinos, this is a global launch in 190 countries and 32 plus languages. I’m very proud of that.”
Spanning more than 30 years, Latin Music Week is the single-most important and largest gathering of Latin artists and industry executives in the world. This year’s event once again hosts panels, marquee conversations, roundtables, networking and activations, in addition to its celebrated Billboard En Vivo showcases.
This year’s star-studded lineup includes Aitana, Alofoke, Anuel AA, Bebeshito, Carlos Vives, Carín León, Danny Ocean, DJ Khaled, Daddy Yankee (DY), Emilia Mernes, Ivy Queen, Gloria Estefan, Grupo 5, Kapo, Laura Pausini, Luck Ra, Netón Vega, Olga Tañón, Óscar Maydon, Ozuna, Pablo Alborán, Rawayana, Suzette Quintanilla, Tokischa, Xavi and Yailin La Más Viral, to name a few.
Latin Music Week also coincides with the 2025 Billboard Latin Music Awards, set to air Thursday, Oct. 23, on Telemundo and Peacock, where Bad Bunny will be honored as Top Latin Artist of the 21st Century.
