Latin
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10/15/2024
The Mexican music superstar was accompanied by Fidel of Marca Registrada, Jasiel Núñez & Tito Double P during the Nuevo Mexicano panel.
10/15/2024
Billboard’s Latin Music Week was all about female power on Tuesday (Oct. 15), as six international artists came together for the Women‘s Panel: Global Rise: Bad Gyal, from Spain; Belinda and Danna, from Mexico; Debi Nova, from Costa Rica; Mon Laferte, from Chile; and Zhamira Zambrano, from Venezuela.
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During the conversation, presented by Ulta and moderated by Ingrid Fajardo, social media manager/staff writer for Billboard Latin, the six Latin music stars created an atmosphere of camaraderie at The Fillmore Miami Beach as they spoke about the challenges of being a woman in the industry and the advances they have seen in recent years.
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“I feel that the world is changing positively. Slowly, but it is changing,” said Mon Laferte. “When I started in music there were fewer women, not only on stage but behind the scenes. I see tech women, audio engineers, producers, and that speaks to the fact that there is a change in the world.”
While they highlighted the importance of collaborating and support each other, they noted that in many cases they have encountered men in the industry who have been their accomplices and allies.
Here are their best quotes from this year’s Women’s Panel.
Bad Gyal, on mental health and social media: “One way to handle it with more peace is to accept that insecurity is going to be there and that if one day you feel like not uploading anything, that’s fine. I’m Bad Gyal but I’m also Alba (her real name) and I live a real life. I am connected to my childhood, to my essence, and that also helps.”
Belinda, on her recent foray into Mexican music: “Three or four years ago they told me that that genre was not for women, that I would not be able to record those songs. Natanael Cano inspired me a lot […] Life changes when you do things by feeling them and fighting for what you want. Taking risks is what one has to do, and lose fear little by little.”
Danna, on female alliances in music: “They are important and necessary. We talk to each other and the world moves. Being able to turn around and know that we are colleagues and not competition […] We are making a very big change. Women are taking charge of everything. Here we are shaking the world.”
Debi Nova, on the music industry in her native Costa Rica: “Growing up there, I really didn’t have any reference in the country of women who dedicated themselves to music and now I see a whole generation of girls who are taking that leap, that challenge to say that yes it is possible, and I want to say that in part it is this generation of women who come to my country where little girls see them and say ‘if she can, I can.’”
Mon Laferte, on how she deals with haters: “I have learned to enjoy even having hate thrown at me. Sometimes I love that they think I’m the worst […] It’s the character: ‘She’s terrible, she’s bad.’ I laugh at it at home with my daughter. Maybe it’s because I’m older, age also [helps].”
Zhamira Zambrano, on how she maintains her essence despite the pressures of the industry: “I am very attached to God, to having my feet on the ground, to relying on my family, my husband, my daughter. Having that strong foundation at home is what works for me […] If you are happy and content with yourself and you are confident in yourself, you are going to radiate that to the world. We see that much more, woman empowerment, but it is never enough; “We have to continue watering that little plant.”
The 2024 Billboard Latin Music Week coincides with the 2024 Billboard Latin Music Awards set to air at 9 p.m. ET on Sunday, Oct. 20, on Telemundo. It will simultaneously be available on Universo, Peacock and the Telemundo app, and in Latin America and the Caribbean through Telemundo Internacional.
Eslabón Armado and Yahritza y Su Esencia arrived at the 2024 Billboard Latin Music Week on Tuesday (Oct. 15) for the “All in the Family” panel presented by Walmart.
During the vibrant conversation, the two charting Música Mexicana acts were joined by their managers, who also happen to be family. Eslabon was joined by their mom, Nelida Oseguera, and Yahritza was joined by Adriana Martinez, their older sister.
“We never thought we were going to have a [music] career and much less that our sister would be our manager,” Yahritza Martinez said during the panel. “She always took care of us and led us by the hand. She’s like a mother to us too.”
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For the group’s older sister, taking them under her wing, professionally, was a challenge because they had no idea how the industry worked.
“We always separated work from family and established those boundaries from the beginning,” she noted. “It was also super important to always instill the values we grew up with. I had no experience, so I asked God to guide me. Our values come first, and then everything else.”
Like Yahritza y Su Esencia, Eslabon and their family members — including their dad and young sisters — have a tight-knit business relationship.
“It’s a blessing to be together at events, at concerts,” Pedro Tovar, lead vocalist of the group expressed. “I really thank God for that, because not everyone has that. We always see the same faces but we’re very happy with that.”
“I took on the role of manager since Pedro had a dream at the age of 12. From there, my husband and I decided that we would support him and be with him,” Oseguera added. “He’s the one that said his parents would be his managers, and that’s why we are here, because of him.”
Following the heartfelt conversation, Yahritza y Su Esencia exclusively teased a sneak peek of their forthcoming single “Y qué tal si te escapas del cielo,” dedicated to their late cousin.
Over the past 35 years, Latin Music Week has become the one, steady foundation of Latin music in this country, becoming the single most important — and biggest — gathering of Latin artists and industry executives in the world. Latin Music Week coincides with the 2024 Billboard Latin Music Awards set to air at 9 p.m. ET on Sunday, Oct. 20, on Telemundo. It will simultaneously be available on Universo, Peacock and the Telemundo app, and in Latin America and the Caribbean through Telemundo Internacional.
Shakira’s chart performance proves to be unparalleled, as she achieves a record-extending 25th No. 1 among women on Billboard’s Latin Pop Airplay with her latest single, “Soltera,” which rallies 12-1 on the Oct. 19-dated ranking. The song also puts her in a tie with Enrique Iglesias for the most rulers among all acts, a record the latter has held since 2000.
“Soltera,” released Sept. 25 via Sony Music Latin, flies 12-1 in its second week with 3.8 million audience impressions earned in the U.S. during the Oct. 4-10 tracking week, according to Luminate.
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With a two-week run to the summit, it becomes the fastest jump to No. 1 since Maluma’s “Junio” soared 19-1, also in its second week, in October 2022. The latter was released Sept. 29, 2022, the last day of the previous tracking week, and debuted at No. 19 on Latin Pop Airplay with only one day of radio activity.
The new “Soltera” chart achievement arrives days after the song’s music video dropped Oct. 11, with cameos from Anitta, Danna Paola, Lele Pons, and Canadian model Winnie Harlow. The single received a high dosage of online promotion starting Sept. 16 when Shakira teased the release on her Instagram account.
In the current tracking week, “Soltera” has logged 3.4 million official on-demand U.S. streams, a 1% gain from the week prior. But it’s the songs airplay gain which moves it 13-11 on the Hot Latin Songs chart, which blends digital sales, radio airplay, and streaming activity.
Back on the radio rankings, as “Soltera” hits No. 1 on Latin Pop Airplay, Shakira collects her 25th career champ dating to April 1996, when the four-week ruler “Estoy Aquí” gave the Colombian her first crown. Adding to her wins, Shakira enters a tie with Enrique Iglesias for the most No. 1s since the tally launched in 1994, a record Iglesias has held since 2000. Plus, Shakira extends her record for the most No. 1s among women on Latin Pop Airplay, further distancing from the next female competitor, Karol G with 8 No. 1s on her chart account.
Here’s a review of the artists with the most No. 1s on the 30-year-old chart:
25, Enrique Iglesias25, Shakira17, J Balvin15, Mana12, Juanes12, Maluma12, Ricky Martin
Beyond its Latin Pop Airplay coronation, “Soltera” concurrently opens at No. 25 on the overall Latin Airplay ranking, where Shakira adds her 54th career entry, the most among women and the most among any Latin pop act.
Four Latin creatives — Kike Baez (fashion designer), Omar Courtz (artist), Saiko (artist), and Yudy Arias (celebrity coach) — gathered at 2024 Billboard Latin Music Week on Tuesday (Oct. 15) to discuss how they are actively using their platforms to uplift and inspire their community and future generations with their art.
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Below, check out memorable quotes from each speaker at the “Deja Tu Huella: Inspire Who’s Next” panel, moderated by Billboard Español’s Isabela Raygoza.
Omar Courtz: “Daddy Yankee gave me the opportunity to collaborate with him and he performed at my first massive concert. He has been a great inspiration to me since I was a kid. That’s how I leave my mark, because I want my fans to identify with me. It was important to have my idol with me so I could also inspire other artists like me.”
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Yudy Arias: “As a family, we managed to come from scratch to achieve great things, we always work without expectations. Work with love because the most important moments have been with family. There are crazy moments in fame but that’s not all. Everything comes, everything goes and everything changes but family is always there and be happy with that.”
Saiko: “When I started making music, I didn’t have any goals. This year I released an album, I’ve done stadiums and at the end of the day, I know I’m a normal kid and maybe I can inspire other artists. I’m excited to be heard in Chile, Mexico, and other countries, but there’s nothing like being crowned and being a prophet in your own city… and for me that’s the greatest thing there is.”
Kike Baez: I remained very true to my beliefs. It was going to cost me twice as much, but I wanted to achieve it in Tijuana so that a kid like me could see that it was possible. For me, it is very important to inspire, create culture, and continue creating.
Over the past 35 years, Latin Music Week has become the one, steady foundation of Latin music in this country, becoming the single most important — and biggest — gathering of Latin artists and industry executives in the world. Latin Music Week coincides with the 2024 Billboard Latin Music Awards set to air at 9 p.m. ET on Sunday, Oct. 20, on Telemundo. It will simultaneously be available on Universo, Peacock and the Telemundo app, and in Latin America and the Caribbean through Telemundo Internacional.
Five figures from the música urbana and música mexicana landscape — including singer-songwriters, producers, and rappers — shared insights into their creative processes and the paths they have navigated within the music industry during Billboard Latin Music Week.
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The panel How I Wrote That Song: The Urban and Música Mexicana Edition, presented by BMI, took place on Tuesday (Oct. 15), and was moderated by Jesús González, vp of creative, Latin at BMI. González was joined by corridos singer-songwriter Armenta, producer Caleb Calloway, Puerto Rican rapper/singer Álvaro Díaz, singer-songwriter Alexis Fierro “Chachito” and producer Albert Hype.
Below, find some of the best quotes from the panel:
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Álvaro Díaz on his creative process: “Sayonara has really been a great blessing. I fell in love with the sound, especially in Puerto Rico. Pursuing projects that have their own identity, sounding like Álvaro Díaz and not like anyone else, is crucial. At the end of the day, the artists who stand out are those who dare. Things are always changing. I always prefer to be alone, I like to enter the studio and flow with what we are feeling. Having the privilege to work with someone like Yandel or someone like Rauw, who started from scratch with us, makes it more challenging to compose by oneself. The trick should always be to continuously learn, never assume you know everything.”
Caleb Calloway on his first album Hayabusa: “It’s exciting. It’s been a process. I’ve always looked up to many people in the industry, and having my own label The New Wave Group, we did it all ourselves. I always had the vision. Be yourself. With the money we have, we need to support these artists. She [Young Miko] is now a superstar (who Calloway produces for since her foundations). Having an identity takes time. Keep pitching, keep searching for your identity; it will take you to another level.”
Chachito on his beginnings to becoming a hitmaker: “At the age of 13 or 14, when I was a soccer player, I realized that I could write songs and decided to learn to play the guitar. It became my passion; day and night, I couldn’t put the guitar down. I work with Oscar Maydon, he gives me ideas and I execute them. What I enjoy the most is starting from scratch with artists and watching them grow. In my work routine, I have a formula: at night, I clear my mind and start writing titles. Out of about 30, I choose two. For me, the important thing is the experiences; for example, the first time I saw a bottle of Dom Pérignon in a club with the words ‘Lady Gaga’ on it inspired me to write ‘Lady Gaga’ [by Peso Pluma].”
Armenta on his creative process: “Since I was 11 years old, I have been immersed in corridos, Mexican music influenced by figures like Juan Gabriel, Joan Sebastian, and Los Tucanes [de Tijuana]. Transitioning to a songwriter meant adapting to global styles. It’s important to decide the space you want to be in; the intention of the melody, whether it’s sad or happy, is crucial, although studying musical theory can be a bit boring. But you need to understand it; major tones make a melody constitute 70% of a song’s impact. Catchy hooks are essential. You have to accept that you won’t always be the best, but life gives you talent and, with dedication and hard work, you can [stand out].”
Albert Hype on connecting regional and urbano music: “I started making beats in 2015 after playing in a bunch of punk bands. A lot of my style came from playing in rock bands, and now I’m doing the Latin scene, trying to incorporate rock into it. I met Ivan [Cornejo] at a Billboard [event]; he was already on my radar. The Mexican regional genre is massive now, reminiscent of reggaetón in 2019 when there was a massive renaissance. That’s what’s happening with regional; helping push that genre forward. I feel we’re bridging the gaps that used to exist between regional and urbano.”
Latin Music Week coincides with the 2024 Billboard Latin Music Awards set to air at 9 p.m. ET on Sunday, Oct. 20, on Telemundo. It will simultaneously be available on Universo, Peacock and the Telemundo app, and in Latin America and the Caribbean through Telemundo Internacional.
Four of Colombia’s hottest acts of today joined forces at the 2024 Billboard Latin Music Week for The Explosion of Colombian Pop Music panel on Tuesday (Oct. 15).
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In a panel presented by Imagen & Mercado and moderated by Alex Sensation, Luis Alfonso, Paola Jara, Pipe Bueno, and Yeison Jimenez talked about the rise of Colombia’s most exciting new music movement. Below, read everything you should know about the musical genre.
What Is Música Popular Colombiana?
“Outside our country, there is always confusion because popular music is of all genres except classical. In Colombia, it refers to heartbreak, lack of love, and it cuts veins. I dare say that it is the cousin of Mexican and ranchera music that began in the villages and bars, but little by little spread to the cities and the rest of the country.” — Paola Jara
Why Is It Exploding Now?
“The generational change. We’re adding more professionalism, more focus, more work. We have more resources too. We are in other leagues, in other times but with the same essence and gratitude for what the pioneers did. But today it’s another level. I was a fan of Pipe [Bueno], and I bought his music. Thanks to him, I decided to go for it. At that time, Pipe connected with the youth, and ultimately connected all of us, and from there came the new generation.” — Yieson Jimenez
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Pioneer of the New Generation
“I grew up listening to popular music. I grew up loving this genre. When the time came to be a singer, popular music was the music that I felt in my blood and I was passionate about singing. When that dream began, popular music was the ugly duckling of genres, with little culture. At that time, many doors were knocked down for them to fall. This is due to the change in the genre in its exponents: how they dress, how they look … there is no longer a stereotype, and it became an aspirational genre.” — Pipe Bueno
What’s Needed for U.S. Explosion?
“A little more work, more noise. In Colombia there are tons of talents who come with a hunger to conquer the world and important musical material. We need more noise. For people to know about our music. Something I admire about reggaeton and urban music is that it is one of the biggest in the world because there is a lot of brotherhood between them. In Colombia that chip has already changed. There was a lot of ego, and today in popular music there is unity and strength. It is only necessary to light the match and for the bomb to go off.” — Luis Alfonso
Rimas Entertainment is celebrating 10 years in business and its executives — including Noah Assad (CEO), Junior Carabaño (vp) and Raymond Acosta (general manager, Habibi) — reflected on their successes in the past decade.
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During a panel that took place on Tuesday (Oct. 15) and was moderated by Billboard‘s Leila Cobo, Assad, Carabaño and Acosta gave the first public interview as a team and talked about the evolution of the company, which launched as a label with Jowell & Randy as their first signed artist, and later became a powerhouse company home to global star Bad Bunny, with new divisions including Habibi (management company home to Karol G and Grupo Frontera) and Rimas Sports.
“I do what I like to do,” a soft-spoken Assad said. “I named the company Rimas obviously because of rhythms, but it has another meaning. My brother’s name is Samir and he loves music. Rimas is Samir spelled backwards.”
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Carabaño went on to explain that the company first focused mainly on monetizing music videos on YouTube. “We started to monetize digitally, with YouTube videos, we would monitor and call each other all day. One day we made $100 dollars and another day $1,500, that’s when we said we can make a living from this.”
And the rest is history, with marquee clients Bad Bunny and Karol G going on to become two of the biggest music stars over the past four years.
Below are the best quotes from the Ten Years of Rimas Entertainment panel.
The Role of Facilitators
Noah Assad: “We started as, and still are, facilitators to our clients in all the businesses we do, but we started kind of like a back office, and we were facilitators for complaints from artists who needed help resolving these issues. We do the same thing now but on a larger scale. And back then our only income was doing shows, or from videos on YouTube, it was a new era of people making money. We were learning to go from physical to digital, we were there early on.”
Working With Bad Bunny
Assad: “Benito [Bad Bunny’s real name] was a blessing and opened a lot of doors for us to show the world what we can offer. He helped paved the way and helped us build what we have today.”
Right People, Right Time
Junior Carabaño: “More than sitting down and planning what we wanted to do, we were the right people at the right time. We saw an opportunity where we also got to share our passion with the industry. Today, we see it as 10 years ago, but it doesn’t seem like it for us because every day, we do what we want. We found there was a way to make a living working in what we love.”
The Importance of Accepting to Keep Learning
Raymond Acosta: “Fifteen years ago, I worked as a security guard at the Choliseo. Our individual journeys are important. There will come a time when you will start to criticize the work of others, even when you have not gone through what they have. But once you are willing to learn about every aspect of the business, you can understand a team member, help them and say, ‘Don’t worry because I went through that as well.’ It’s about empowering ourselves.”
Assad: “I’m 34 now but I really started when I was 15 years old. I can say today that I can do any job in the industry. Really, I can. I can help set up lights, DJ, record vocals, I have worked in every area, and that’s important for anyone who wants to work in the industry. Wanting to learn is important and accepting to learn.”
Working With Karol G
Acosta: “We’re proud of what Karol has achieved. She is a woman who works every day, she does not rest, she wants to keep growing in what she does, she opens her heart. She challenged us when she told us she wanted to do a stadium tour. All you can do for an artist like that is clear the way for them to run.”
What They Look for in an Artist
Assad: “In terms of management, Raymond tells me, ‘Here is this opportunity.’ And I respond with, ‘What do you think?’ And if he says I love them, then so do I. Sometimes I don’t see the vision, but someone else on the team will. If that person believes in an artist, we know there’s a reason. We trust that team member who identifies an artist and says, ‘I can do this for this person.”
The 2024 Billboard Latin Music Week coincides with the 2024 Billboard Latin Music Awards set to air at 9 p.m. ET on Sunday, Oct. 20, on Telemundo. It will simultaneously be available on Universo, Peacock and the Telemundo app, and in Latin America and the Caribbean through Telemundo Internacional.
There was no better way to kick off the second day of the 2024 Billboard Latin Music Week on Tuesday (Oct. 15) than with Grupo Frontera‘s Making the Hit Live!, during which the group from Texas worked its magic to create a brand new song.
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As is tradition, during Making the Hit Live!, an artist will take the entire panel time to write and produce a song from scratch. But instead, this year, Grupo Frontera — who shot to stardom in 2022 thanks to ots cover of “No Se Va” — received lyrics from the band’s go-to producer and songwriter Edgar Barrera ahead of time, and added ots signature cumbia sound to the lyrics during the panel. Unofficially titled “Ya No,” the irresistible, hip-swiveling song was indeed created in a span of 40 minutes.
“Before we met Edgar Barrera, I would write songs for the group,” Payo, the band’s frontman, said enthusiastically. “We released, like, two songs that were penned by me, and I wrote four other ones, but those didn’t come out because that’s when we met Edgar and were like, ‘OK, we’re good,’” he added with a laugh.
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Now, when they’re in the studio with Barrera, Frontera’s Juan, Payo and Beto will contribute to the songwriting process, but Payo pokes fun at his bandmates. “They just say one word hoping it sticks,” he shared. “One time, they were obsessed with the word ‘gafas’ and they just kept repeating it, like, chill bro.”
When it comes to production, that’s where all six of them contribute with their respective instruments.
Part of the process of creating a song also includes setting time to think about content for social media to complement the song’s essence. The group’s presence online, whether it’s recording a dance or acting out a scene using part of a song’s lyrics, has made Grupo Frontera go viral more than once on TikTok. “We don’t create a song thinking it will be a hit on TikTok,” Juan explained. Payo added, “When we record a song, we always think the chorus will go viral, but we always get it wrong, so we have to record all of our social media content all over again.”
While setting the cumbia rhythm for “Ya No,” Frontera shared the story of when the members recorded “No Se Va.”
“We didn’t have money to rent a studio to record, well we didn’t have money, period,” said Beto. “So when we did record, we’d have to do everything in one take — even if we made a mistake, we’d leave that in there. We recorded ‘No Se Ve’ at a friend’s apartment building and every resident there was fine with us using the space — except for this one lady who complained.”
That song scored Frontera the group’s first ever Billboard chart entry. The song peaked at No. 3 on the Hot Latin Songs chart. While they’re not sure yet if they’ll release “Ya No,” the song they created during the panel, the track has hit potential. Check out a sneak peek below:
The 2024 Billboard Latin Music Week coincides with the 2024 Billboard Latin Music Awards set to air at 9 p.m. ET on Sunday, Oct. 20, on Telemundo. It will simultaneously be available on Universo, Peacock and the Telemundo app, and in Latin America and the Caribbean through Telemundo Internacional.
On one of the most notable nights of Billboard Latin Music Week 2024, Peso Pluma presented the prestigious Executive of the Year award to George Prajin, his manager and partner, to whom he dedicated an emotional and moving speech. Prajin, founder of Prajin Parlay and co-founder/COO of Double P Records, has been instrumental in Peso Pluma’s successful career. And during his speech, the artist revealed the deep personal and professional relationship that unites them.
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After being introduced by Leila Cobo, Billboard’s content director for Latin/Español, the Mexican music superstar was moved to tears as he delivered his emotionally charged remarks during the private Latin Music Power Players 2024 event held in Miami Beach on Oct. 14. “You are the best person I have ever met in my life,” he said.
Peso highlighted Prajin’s tireless work, noting that he is a paternal figure in the artist’s life: “I told him yesterday coming into confidence, that I had, like, three dads in my life, and one of them is him. And you will always be, George. I love you like a father and you will always be that to me.”
“The talent and sacrifice that we put in is one thing, and all the doors that you have opened for us, and all the things that you have done so that we can have an opportunity to show ourselves as greats before other exponents of music and the industry, have been very important not only for me and for you as a person, but for an entire country, an entire generation,” he continued.
Billboard‘s Latin Power Players Executive of the Year award celebrates those leaders whose vision and strategies have left a significant mark on the music industry over the past year. In this case, Prajin has been recognized not only for his role in the artistic development of Peso Pluma, but also for his broader impact on Latin music. Under his leadership, Double P Records has been instrumental in consolidating new talent and creating innovative strategies to penetrate global markets, raising the profile of Mexican music.
Here is Peso Pluma’s full speech:
First, I want to thank you, George. I want to thank you for everything you’ve done for me, and not just for me, but for my family, for the whole band, for everything you’ve done for each and every one of us. The talent and sacrifice that we put in is one thing, and all the doors that you’ve opened for us, and all the things that you’ve done so that we can have an opportunity to show ourselves as greats to other exponents of music and the industry, have been very important not only for me and for you as a person, but for an entire country, an entire generation.
I just want to thank you for so much, for everything that you’ve given me. If it hadn’t been for you, I wouldn’t be where I am right now. If it hadn’t been for you, I wouldn’t have the things that I have now, and if it hadn’t been for you, many of the things that are happening to us together wouldn’t have happened. I want to let everyone here in this room know that George … I told him yesterday in confidence … it’s hard … I get nervous here with you, and I don’t get nervous when I’m in front of 20,000, 15,000 people. It’s hard not to have a broken voice when these things happen, but today is about you. Today I want to congratulate you for everything you’ve achieved in your career as a professional, not just in music, as a lawyer, as a person … you are a great human being.
You are the best person I’ve ever met in my path and in my life. You’ve helped me make the best financial, work and personal decisions. And I told him yesterday, in confidence, that I had, like, three dads in my life, and one of them is him, and you always will be, George. I love you like my father, and you always will be. Thank you very much, Leila, for giving me the space, and for giving me the time to be able to say these words. I’m not a person who navigates a script; I say what I feel and what comes from my heart at the moment. And I just want to say congratulations, George, and thank you. You are the f–king executive of the year.”