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Marcelo Figoli is no stranger to big numbers. As the founder and owner of Fenix Entertainment — the Argentina-based conglomerate that encompasses live shows, amusement parks, soccer teams and media — Figoli has offices in eight countries, produces more than 100 live events per year and has successfully promoted tours by the likes of Ricardo Arjona, Ricky Martin, Romeo Santos and Shakira.
But Figoli capped 2024 with his biggest tour ever: namely, the Luis Miguel 2023-24 Tour — co-promoted alongside Henry Cardenas’ CMN — which became not only the highest-grossing Latin tour of the year but also the highest-grossing Latin tour of all time, according to numbers reported to Billboard Boxscore.
In December, when Billboard published its top tours of the year recap, the Miguel tour had reported more than 2 million tickets sold over 128 shows, generating a gross income of $290.4 million in 2024 alone. That number doesn’t include the 2023 figures or Miguel’s final Mexico City shows.
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“I was very emotional [when I heard the news],” Figoli tells Billboard of his record. “I felt immense happiness, for the artist and for the work we did.”
Below, Billboard speaks with Figoli about the stunning success of the Miguel tour and how it broke all records.
Despite its size, Fenix is an independent company. How do you distinguish yourself from other promoters worldwide?
We offer something different. We do more artisanal work, if you will, and put more thought into each of the artists and the products. I throw myself into it. I’m passionate, I go crazy, I review sales numbers every day, I’m a workaholic. I’m very calm when it comes to handling the stress generated by these massive events that I organize, but I’m very nervous in the day-to-day work leading up to achieving success.
We can provide a plus in markets like Latin America and in some cases — as with Luis Miguel and Arjona— in the entire world. Also, Fenix has partnered with CMN in recent years, and that consolidation continues to open a space for us.
Had you worked with Luis Miguel before?
We did countless concerts with Luis Miguel, but we had worked in the South American markets. Never a global tour like this one. But we’d worked very well because we have great respect and great admiration for his career. For us, he is one of the greatest artists in the world in any language, and we firmly believe in his career and that is why we bet on his tour. I thought the tour was going to be big, solid, strong. It may have exceeded my expectations, but I did know that this tour was going to do what it did. Initially, we were going to partner with CMN only in the United States and we ended up partnering for everything.
There’s a big leap from a “solid” and “strong” tour to the most successful in history. What do you attribute it to?
For me, the key to success was, first, how high we aimed. And second, how we planned the tour launch at the same time at a global scale, rather than market to market. We launched the global tour on the same day. The same day we put all the cities up for sale, and on the same day, with the same launch, we created a global explosion. We were able to get hundreds of thousands of fans around the world talking about it at the same time. We had billboards up in every city that went on sale, and we had digital and radio campaigns in each of those cities from day one. It’s the kind of launch that I have only seen for mass-consumer products. It was important to show that confidence and aggressiveness in the tour, and positioning it as a global tour, not a local tour. The way we framed it made it go viral.
How was working with CMN?
A lot of coming together, a lot of pre-production before launch. We work very well with the CMN team and the artist’s team. Plus, Henry is a legendary promoter.
It strikes me that Luis Miguel didn’t even have a new album or single…
But he was having a good personal and artistic moment, and that had an influence. Also, the launch strategy around the tour. In addition, we did a great job with our marketing teams, influencers, etc. But the basis is in the greatness of the artist. I’ve worked with so many artists, and I can’t think of many who could pull off a tour [of this magnitude and stamina]. He has demonstrated extraordinary professionalism and courtesy.
How do you see next year for Latin tours?
Excellent. We’re trying to convince Ricardo Montaner to do a farewell tour. Obviously we are negotiating for Ricardo Arona’s global tour. And with artists in development, we’ve had extraordinary success with Emilia Mernes and her 10 Arenas Movistar in Buenos Aires, where she played to over 290,000 people. I think Emilia is going to be a big deal in 2025.
Shakira closes off 2024 regaining the throne on the Billboard Latin Airplay chart with “Soltera,” marking her 24th No. 1 on the tally. With this feat, the Colombian global star extends her record for the most No. 1 hits among women, dating to the chart’s 1994 inception. Karol G is the closest female contender, amassing […]
Sometimes, understanding the full impact of your work happens only when someone else points it out. Producer Ernesto “Neto” Fernández recalls the moment that brought him that realization: “Did you know Peso [Pluma] is now global?” someone told him after Fernández debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 in early February 2023 with Peso Pluma and Natanael Cano’s “PRC.”
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“That’s how you start realizing it, but you keep getting wrapped up in work, and sometimes you don’t fully assimilate it,” he tells Billboard Español.
But that changed when he was named Producer of the Year at the 2024 Billboard Latin Music Awards.
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In an astonishing breakout year, Fernández amassed 26 production credits on the Hot 100. He is also a mastermind behind 20 Hot 100 hits by Peso Pluma, three by Xavi (“La Diabla,” “La Víctima,” “Corazón de Piedra”), one by Junior H (“Y Lloro”) and three by Tito Double P (“Rosones,” “El Lokeron,” “Dos Días”).
However, this is far from his first successful year. Fernández’s influence dates back to the ’90s quebradita explosion — a period defined by a booming regional Mexican dance style and music. He started his career creating songs for Jessie Morales, known as El Original de la Sierra, and Los Jilgueros Del Arroyo. It was then that he initiated a longstanding collaboration with George Prajin, who worked with those artists and who now leads Prajin Parlay Studioz and co-founded Double P Records with Peso Pluma. Under Prajin’s management, Fernández’s productions have solidified his role as a pivotal voice in modern-day Latin music.
2024 marked a milestone for Fernández, as he won the Producer of the Year award and topped the Hot Latin Songs Producer year-end chart, outpacing super producers such as Edgar Barrera and MAG. His rise mirrors the seismic shift in the regional Mexican music landscape, establishing Fernández as a key producer to watch.
Read on to learn more about Fernández and his work in his chat with Billboard Español below.
Congratulations on reaching No. 1 on the Hot Latin Songs Producers list. Did you expect this achievement given the success of many hits you’ve created this year?
I wasn’t expecting it. When I found out, I was like, “Wow!” This year has been very blessed — a lot has happened. Thanks to all the artists who have also been part of all this.
Let’s talk about some of the hits you produced, for example, “La Diabla” by Xavi. What was the creative process like?
Xavi is a very talented young man with many great ideas. All the musicians were here in the studio working on the song “La Diabla.” It’s a very friendly environment and a smooth vibe. We all work very comfortably that way; everyone gets along and chats. I think that is also reflected in the music. [The management] did new things with Xavi and it was very successful. In part, Xavi’s music helped with being named on the charts.
George Prajin is good friends with Nir [Seroussi] from Interscope. So, Xavi started coming here [to the studio] earlier to record some songs he was just starting. He liked working here, so we continued collaborating with him until he started doing all the new stuff, “La Diabla,” “La Víctima” and all that.
You also have many hits with Peso Pluma, more recently “Gervonta” and “La Durango,” among others. Can you tell me about one of your favorite tracks with Peso?
Choosing a favorite is very difficult. But what I like about working with Peso is different ideas come out. For example, in “Bruce Wayne,” we added a piano, which I played. In “Gervonta,” we did something very different at the beginning, you start listening and you’re like: “Oh, what’s going on here?” Little things and new ideas we try together; everyone contributes ideas. Besides, I’m also the musical director of Peso Pluma. As for the musicians, we all work as a team.
Tell me, which other artists do you collaborate with?
Right now, we are working with Jasiel Núñez, Los Dareyes de la Sierra, Tito Double P, new artists like Estevan Plazola — who sang “Hollywood” with Peso Pluma — and another we call el Chivo. We have worked with Luis R. Conriquez, and Junior H, among others. But right now, new things are coming from Los Dareyes de la Sierra, who’s preparing his new album.
Could you tell us more about your beginnings in the industry and how you became a producer?
I was born in El Paso, Texas, but I was brought to Los Angeles when I was three years old. My dad is also a musician; he plays piano and keyboards. I also play music, specifically the piano, and then a bit of drums, bass and guitar. In ’89, ’90, my dad took me to a recording studio with a friend of his, and that’s where I started learning the engineering of recording and producing. During the ’90s, the quebradita movement exploded. I experienced that whole era: banda, norteño, mariachi. And over the years, [I continued] producing and recording that way.
Like in ’99, 2000, I met George Prajin with whom we started producing Jessie Morales El Original de La Sierra, Los Jilgueros [Del Arroyo] and other artists of that era. From there, we started working banda and norteña music. As the years went by, everything was changing, and evolving. Currently, like in 2018, we started with Prajin here in the studio, and in 2021, I began producing Peso Pluma and other artists that George handles. It has been a long process. We’ve been in the industry for a long time, but what happened with Peso was a complete game-changer.
Ernesto Fernández
John Rodríguez
Given this new chapter in your career, how did you experience the recent Mexican music boom along with the rise of Peso Pluma?
When it all started, one could hardly believe it. But what happens is that there comes a time when you’ve been working so long that sometimes you don’t even realize everything that’s going on outside. And just when you least expect it, they tell you, “Did you know that Peso is now global?!” and that’s how you start realizing, but you keep working and getting wrapped up in work, sometimes you don’t fully assimilate it. It wasn’t until I was informed about the Billboard [Latin Music] Awards when I was named Producer of the Year. That’s when you get it, you’re like: “Wow, this really is happening.” This movement does have an impact. You don’t realize it until you begin to look around and see how much impact the movement has had and what it has done. Many artists are behind it, including Nata (Natanael Cano) and Junior H, who opened the doors, and Peso took it to another level. It opened up the market further. It’s such a pride to be part of this movement.
After reaching No. 1 on the Hot Latin Songs Producer chart and earning the Producer of the Year award, what’s next for 2025?
This coming year, we are going to release new music with new artists and try different things in an effort to broaden the genre in terms of different sounds and styles, and try to make regional Mexican music more global.
Bad Bunny released the music video for his latest single, “Pitorro de Coco”, on Tuesday (Dec. 31), just as everyone is gearing up for the New Year’s Eve festivities.
The video, directed by Benito Antonio himself and Robinson Florian, features the Puerto Rican star decked out in a baby blue suit, sunglasses and a winter trapper hat, in a festively decorated marquesina — a space traditionally used for social gatherings in Puerto Rico. The setting is vibrant — with hung straw hats, candles around, an occasional woman that stops by to twerk and a sign that reads “Aquí te espero Boricua” (“I’ll wait for you here, Boricua”) — however, Benito’s demeanor seems a bit down.
“Another Christmas in which I asked you/ Another Christmas that you’re not here/ Happy New Year but not so happy/ You got a kiss at 12 o’clock/ And it wasn’t me who gave it to you,” he sings melancholically.
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The single, released Dec. 26, taps into the holiday spirit, named after a festive Puerto Rican rum drink and set to a jíbara rhythm, a genre rooted in Afro-Caribbean tradition. “Pitorro de Coco” delves into themes of loneliness and nostalgia during the festive season, with an interpolation from a song from Chuíto el de Bayamón’s Música Jíbara Para Las Navidades; the track was produced by MAG, Tainy and La Paciencia, with heartfelt lyrics penned by Bad Bunny.
This release follows “El Clúb” and “Una Velita,” and continues Bad Bunny’s trend of holiday drops, including X100Pre on Christmas, YHLQMDLG on leap day, Las Que No Iban A Salir on Mother’s Day, and El Último Tour del Mundo on Thanksgiving.
The single will be a part of Bad Bunny’s upcoming album, Debí Tirar Más Fotos, set to release on Jan. 5.
Watch the video for “Pitorro de Coco” below:
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Netflix is set to release a documentary feature on Karol G in 2025, the Colombian powerhouse and the streaming service announced on Monday (Dec. 30). The project will be helmed by Emmy Award-winning director and producer Cristina Costantini. The “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido” singer took to social media to share a few words about the upcoming […]
In the wake of the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, an unexpected cultural phenomenon is unfolding. Luigi Mangione, the 26-year-old accused of the fatal Dec. 4 shooting in New York, has become the subject of several regional Mexican ballads posted online.
In recent years, regional Mexican music — which encompasses corridos, norteño mariachi and more –has experienced an unprecedented global revival, particularly with the emergence of corridos tumbados in early 2019, pioneered by Natanael Cano. This genre was further popularized by artists such as Fuerza Regida, Junior H and Peso Pluma. The style quickly spread across the Internet on platforms such as SoundCloud and TikTok, and by the end of that year, it had impacted the Billboard charts and continues to do so. And now, a wave of new songs has emerged on various platforms, seeking to cast Mangione within the corridos tradition.
These corridos — historically used to narrate tales of revolutionaries and rebels that date back to the Mexican Revolution of 1910 — are now casting the accused killer of the health insurance CEO as a complex figure caught between villainy and vigilantism. This musical portrayal is igniting discussions about justice, corporate ethics and the makings of modern antiheroes amid a backdrop of deep-seated societal discord.
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While a developed country, the United States still grapples with health care access and affordability disparities. Despite boasting cutting-edge medical technologies and treatments, people often face prohibitive costs and inadequate coverage. This paradox has fueled a national discourse on health care injustice and attempts to overhaul the health care system, with some sympathizing with and/or glorifying the accused killer, who is facing federal murder and stalking charges. Separately, the Manhattan district attorney, in addition to multiple murder charges, also charged Mangione with murder as an act of terrorism; he has pleaded not guilty to the state charges. If he’s convicted on the federal charges, Mangione could potentially face the death penalty, while the state charges could mean a maximum of life without the possibility of parole.
On Dec. 22, a SoundCloud user named Alan Rendon posted an accordion-led track called “El Corrido de Luigi Mangione,” which goes, “In the cold December morning in New York, his law was laid/ A man on a bicycle crossed with a plan that lived in his mind/ On 54th Street his fate was met, Brian Thompson fell by the bullets/ Justice Luigi wanted to serve.” The song continues, “In his message, he left his reason/ He did not seek riches or fame, only justice for his nation/ Today his name travels the streets, a dark message he left/ The industry he blamed so much, his own sentence he signed.”
The corrido frames Mangione as a dark symbol of resistance against corporate misconduct, and some have compared the accused to the antihero from V for Vendetta.
Artist Gabriela MC echoed this sentiment in a TikTok posted Dec. 15, singing, “One day, Dec. 4, it is said that the businessman had a meeting pending/ With high-ranking people, when three precise bullets snatched his life/ People are not moved by the rich man slain/ ‘Deny,’ ‘depose’ and ‘defend’ — keys to the murder/ And although he died suddenly, the meeting was not canceled/ Do not believe that for millions [of dollars] you have bought your life/ He was dedicated to that and could not secure it/ How life turns around, and karma claims it.”
She cites the three bullets found on the crime scene with the engraved words “deny,” “defend” and “depose.” According to The Associated Press, those three words are often used to describe insurance companies’ practices when denying claims. The phrase also mirrors the title of Jay M. Feinman’s book Delay, Deny, Defend: Why Insurance Companies Don’t Pay Claims and What You Can Do About It. Published in 2010, this tome provides a critical look at the practices commonly used by insurance companies that negatively affect policyholders.
“Six days after his death they came upon the Italian/ A sharp young man graduated from Pennsylvania,” she sings. “He was playing Monopoly/ Don’t insult the intelligence of those American people/ His mother asked for clemency, as many were denied/ Luigi ran out of patience and adjusted them.”
During the initial manhunt after Thompson’s murder, a backpack containing Monopoly money believed to be the killer’s was found abandoned in Central Park on Dec. 6. According to a law enforcement bulletin obtained by The AP, Mangione was carrying a handwritten note at the time of his arrest on Dec. 9 in Pennsylvania, and the document slammed “parasitic” health insurance companies.
A TikTok user going by the name Cruzistojose1978 posted a corrido introducing a first-person perspective of Mangione’s narrative. “I am a young, intelligent man, I graduated from Penn/ Life gave me its tests, and fate has collected them/ Today I find myself behind bars, but my motive is marked,” he sings.
While he awaits trial, Mangione’s story as depicted in corridos could challenge listeners to confront realities about the power imbalances within society — or, at least, that’s what the origin of corridos claim, if Américo Paredes’ 1958 book With His Pistol in His Hand: A Border Ballad and Its Hero can be applied to this case. The title is about Gregorio Cortez, a Mexican-American outlaw who killed a sheriff in self-defense against racism and injustice in the late 1800s. This incident sparked the creation of corridos that celebrated his deeds as a symbol of resistance against the discriminatory actions of the Anglo authorities toward Mexican-Americans in Texas. The book argues that the origin of corridos such as those about Gregorio Cortez served not just entertainment, but powerful expressions of protest against oppression.
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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Myke Towers, Lyke Miike (One World International)
Following La Pantera Negra and its deluxe version, both released this year, Myke Towers surprises with a third album dubbed Lyke Miike. Released on Christmas Eve, the 23-track set (in honor of his idol Michael Jordan) is a gift to the faithful fans who have supported him since his Soundcloud days over 10 years ago. The set marks his return to the roots: trap and rap.
Lyke Miike kicks off with the Eladio Carrion-assisted “Qué Quieres De Mi?” on which he asks the haters, “What do you want from me?” In the track, the two Puerto Rican stars spit bars about leading the pack, being authentic and not depending on anyone else to create their own hits. In “Brillo,” an ‘80s-inspired funk-infused hip-hop tune, he teams up with Venezuelan rapper Akapellah to flaunt all their blessings. Though the set is entirely trap and hip-hop, with some R&B tones, Towers included an experimental number alongside Argentine artist L-Gante. “Los Depuro” is an innovative fusion between cumbia RKT and reggaeton.
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The album is accompanied by 23 visualizers filmed in Towers’ hometown of Quintana, San Juan, and includes collaborations with Jon Z, Miky Woodz, Clarent, Pressure 9×19, and Neutro Shorty. — JESSICA ROIZ
Bad Bunny, “Pitorro de Coco” (Rimas Entertainment)
With holiday cheer and heartache, “Pitorro de Coco” offers a unique blend of festive spirit and introspection. Encapsulating a Caribbean Christmas through the celebratory yet sobering lens of Puerto Rican culture, this song — named after a holiday coconut rum drink — is expertly paired with the modern beats of producers MAG, Tainy and La Paciencia, and written by Benito himself. The interpolation of 1900-born Chuíto el de Bayamón’s music helps bridge a generation gap, bringing the rustic charm of jíbara music from his native island to the global Latin pop scene. — ISABELA RAYGOZA
Hamilton y Andy Alaska, “Besitos Dulces” (Cigol Music Group)
Emerging artists from Cartagena, Colombia, Hamilton and DJ Andy Alaska merge their talents in the single “Besitos Dulces.” Over a base of Afrobeats with melodic and romantic overtones, Hamilton deploys a warm interpretation with a direct confession to a girl he is interested in, inviting her to put excuses aside and surrender to the desire to be together. The production enriches the song with an enveloping rhythm that combines Afro-Caribbean rhythms with subtle details that accentuate the lyrical narrative and invite you to let yourself be carried away by the music. — LUISA CALLE
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Aventura’s Cerrando Ciclos has been crowned the best Latin tour of 2024 by Billboard readers, earning more than 44 percent of the votes.
The trek — which once again reunited Romeo Santos with group members Henry, Lenny and Max — is followed by Santos’ solo stint La Formula Vol. 3 tour. Meanwhile, Karol G’s Mañana Será Bonito tour and RBD’s Soy Rebelde tour landed at Nos. 3 and 4, respectively, on the fan-based poll.
A week ago, Billboard published a poll with the Top 10 Highest-Grossing Latin Tours of the Year, including Luis Miguel, who topped the list, grossing $290.4 million across 128 shows, according to figures reported to Billboard Boxscore. Bad Bunny’s Most Wanted tour, which grossed $211.4 million across 49 concerts, was also on the poll, in addition to Peso Pluma’s Éxodo tour, Don Omar’s Back to Reggaetón tour, Fuerza Regida’s Pero No Te Enamores tour, and The Trilogy Tour featuring Enrique Iglesias, Ricky Martin and Pitbull.
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In Cerrando Ciclos, produced by CMN Events, the timeless group known as the “Kings of Bachata” performed all of the fan favorites, including “Mi Corazoncito,” “Obsesión,” “Enséñame a Olvidar,” “Dile al Amor,” “Amor de Madre” and “Por Un Segundo,” to name a few classics.
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About the tour, Romeo Santos said in a statement: “This year there is something I must accomplish and conclude. I want you to join me on a journey where I will be definitively closing cycles. Because it is not the same to remember beautiful times as it is to be a prisoner of the past. We cannot stagnate in the nostalgia of yesterday, but rather move forward, discover new horizons, and show other facets.”
The 20-date trek kicked off May 1 in Sacramento and wrapped in Dallas on June 11, with two additional dates in Canada.
See the poll results below:
Spanish singer Raphael has been diagnosed with primary brain lymphoma while hospitalized at the 12 de Octubre University Hospital in Madrid, according to a report the medical center his manager shared with Billboard Español. Per the document, the “El Tamborilero” singer has begun treatment, which he will continue as an outpatient after he is discharged. […]