Latin
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The new docuseries Reggaeton: The Sound that Conquered the World reunites some of the biggest hitmakers in the genre — including Daddy Yankee, Ivy Queen and Bad Bunny — to tell the story of how it went from underground music to a style that went on to reign supreme. Set to premiere Oct. 3 on […]
If Latin music exploded in 2023, it consolidated in 2024. According to Luminate’s 2024 Midyear Music Report, it is now the fastest-growing core genre in the United States, and Spanish is the second-most-consumed language in music both stateside and globally, behind only English.
This year, Billboard Latin Music Week celebrates it 35th anniversary Oct. 14-18 at the Fillmore Miami Beach, with a wide range of acts from around the world that reflects the genre’s versatility both musically and as a business. The festivities will include the Billboard Latin Music Awards (airing on Telemundo on Oct. 20) — plus these highlights. (For a full schedule of events, go to billboardlatinmusicweek.com.)
“From Viral Hits to Billboard Charts: The Power of Content Creators”
Content creators have become increasingly prominent in raising awareness of Latin music and artists — and now, many of them are signing recording deals of their own. In the past six months, Mexican influencers Yeri Mua and Domelipa signed with Sony Music, and Mario Bautista, another Mexican influencer, signed to Warner. At Latin Music Week, Mexican TikTok powerhouse Kunno — who has close ties to many Latin music stars and has also dabbled in music — will moderate a conversation between Mua, Domelipa and Bautista, along with internet personality Sophia Talamas and Venezuelan comedian Marko.
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“Making the Hit Live with Grupo Frontera”
Grupo Frontera
Eric Rojas
For a fourth consecutive Latin Music Week, this groundbreaking session will host artists as they develop a hit in real time. This year’s panel features the norteño band that has earned more than 20 No. 1s on the Billboard charts since 2022, as its six members showcase their knack for adapting songs from other genres into their personal style. Two previous tracks created at Latin Music Week have been commercially released: Blessd and Ovy on the Drums’ “Billboard” and Pedro Capó and Carín León’s “Existo.”
“From Clubs to Stadiums”
Feid
Christopher Polk for Billboard
An unprecedented number of Latin acts, including Bad Bunny, Karol G, Grupo Firme and Feid, have toured stadiums in the past year. But their road to massive ticket sales began with their ground-up development: For instance, Colombian star Feid’s remarkable run culminated in July with his first-ever stadium concert at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium. Feid joins his manager, Luis Villamizar, and Hans Schafer, Live Nation senior vp of global touring, in a frank conversation about how to build a touring career that sells out major venues globally.
“The Winning Combo of Sports and Music”
Anitta
Pedro Vilela/Getty Images
Latin artists are developing closer ties than ever to the sports world, with ventures ranging from team ownership (Anuel AA, Ozuna, Bad Bunny, Marc Anthony) to sports-related gigs like Anitta’s recent halftime performance at the first NFL game in Brazil. This summer, Copa América, the soccer tournament that was played in the United States and featured steady cross-promotion between athletes and musicians, demonstrated the sport’s close ties with Latin acts — which will be the focus of a conversation between music stars and soccer stars Igor Lichnovsky and Leonardo Campana, moderated by Latin sports manager-agent Daniella Durán.
“The New Latin Music Business”
Latin artists, distributors and labels are becoming increasingly innovative in their deal-making, crafting everything from catalog deals to one-offs. Rancho Humilde, the label founded by entrepreneur Jimmy Humilde, has been a trailblazer in this regard, joining forces with different majors and distributors, and also making new label deals with its own artists. Humilde leads a conversation with Txema Rosique, vp of A&R for Sony Music U.S. Latin; Cris Falcão, managing director of artist and label strategy/GM of Latin for Virgin Music Group; and producer Atella, who is head of music for Zumba and leads the newly launched ZML Records.
“The Legacies Panel”
Chiquis Rivera
Alexander Tamargo/TELEMUNDO/Getty Images
Tradition runs deep in regional Mexican music, with many of its current top stars carrying on the musical legacies of famous parents and even grandparents. This once-in-a-lifetime panel will for the first time unite Chiquis Rivera, daughter of late banda legend Jenni Rivera; Camila Fernández, who is following in the mariachi tradition of her father, Alejandro, and grandfather Vicente Fernández; Lupita Infante, upholding the legacy of the iconic ranchera singer and actor Pedro Infante; and Majo Aguilar, representing the golden age of Mexican cinema through her musical heritage from grandparents Antonio Aguilar and Flor Silvestre. Sponsored by Smirnoff Ice, the discussion will delve into their individual and familial contributions to their rich cultural traditions.
“The Sony Music Publishing Icon Q&A With JOP (Jesús Ortiz Paz)”
The mainstay Latin Music Week Q&A this year spotlights the leader of Fuerza Regida and founder of Street Mob Records. Introduced by Jorge Mejia, president/CEO of Sony Music Publishing Latin, and moderated by Leila Cobo, Billboard’s chief content officer of Latin/Español, this session will provide deep insights into the band’s industry achievements and the expansion of its record label. Fuerza Regida became the first Latin band ever to top Billboard’s 2023 year-end Top Artists — Duo/Group list, and the act continues to innovate, introducing a blend of Jersey club and corridos (dubbed “Jersey corridos”) on the group’s 2024 eighth studio album, Pero No Te Enamores.
“The Icon Q&A With Gloria Estefan”
Gloria Estefan
Jesus Cordero
Fresh from receiving the Legend award at the 2024 Billboard Latin Women in Music celebration, the Cuban American superstar will sit for an intimate conversation about her four-decade career. Estefan — who rose to fame in the 1980s as lead vocalist for Miami Sound Machine, alongside her husband, Emilio, and changed pop music forever by infusing English-language pop with Latin flavor, while singing en español as well — became the first female Latin artist to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2023. The Broadway musical telling her life story, On Your Feet!, is being adapted into a feature film.
This story appears in the Sept. 28, 2024, issue of Billboard.
The Billboard Latin Music Awards are approaching in October, where Karol G leads the list with 17 entries in categories including artist of the year, tour of the year, and top Latin album of the year for Mañana Será Bonito (Bichota Season).
The Colombian superstar is followed by Bad Bunny and Peso Pluma with 15 entries each. The former competes for artist of the year, global 200 artist of the year, and tour of the year. While the latter is also up for artist of the year, global 200 artist of the year, in addition to songwriter of the year, and regional Mexican album of the year for Éxodo.
The first wave of performers confirmed are Fuerza Regida, Grupo Niche, Luis Alfonso, Maria Becerra, Xavi and Yandel, all set to bring their latest collaborations and hit singles to the awards ceremony.
Meanwhile, 15 acts are first-time finalists at the coveted ceremony this year, including Chilean newcomers FloyyMenor and Cris MJ, who spent 14 consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Hot Latin Songs chart with their viral “Gata Only.” Música Mexicana breakout star Xavi, who also topped the chart with “La Diabla,” is a first-timer at the awards. (Check out an extensive list below.)
The 31st annual ceremony will be broadcast at 9 p.m. ET on Sunday, Oct. 20 via Telemundo. It will simultaneously be available on the Spanish entertainment cable network Universo, on Peacock and the Telemundo app, and in Latin America and the Caribbean through Telemundo Internacional.
The Billboard Latin Music Awards — the only awards that recognize the most popular albums, songs and performers in Latin music, according to Billboard‘s weekly charts — coincide with Billboard Latin Music Week, which returns to Miami Beach Oct. 14-18 with a roster of star speakers including J Balvin, Alejandro Sanz, Young Miko, Feid, Gloria Estefan, Peso Pluma, Thalia, and many more. Get your tickets today for the Billboard Latin Music Week 2024 here.
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A trailblazer in fan communication, Dear U has officially begun the expansion of its messaging platform, Bubble, into the Western market with J Balvin and Peso Pluma.
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Billboard can exclusively share that starting Sept. 30, the Latin music powerhouses will be the “first of many artists outside of Asia” to engage with fans through Dear U’s newly launched U.S. version of the platform. The duo joins a large number of K-pop artists using the Bubble platform (also known as “the bubble”) to share private messages, voice notes, video content, and behind-the-scenes moments with subscribers including chart-toppin acts like Stray Kids, (G)I-DLE, BLACKPINK‘s Jisoo and Lisa, as well as a handful of Korean actors, athletes and content creators.
Since launching its artist-to-fan messaging service in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic era of social distancing, Dear U’s various Bubble apps have become a top marketing and social tool in the K-pop and Asian entertainment industries, currently connecting more than 600 artists to communicate directly with some of their most dedicated fans. With the company reporting over 73 percent of its two million paid subscribers living outside of Korea, introducing these two chart-toppers mark a significant shift to expand its offerings to the Western landscape successfully.
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“While the entertainment market continues growing, the service industry leveraging fandoms has not received as much attention,” Chong-oh An, the CEO of Dear U, tells Billboard. “In Korea, where fandom culture is fully established, Dear U has built a business model to harness this culture. Our aim is to introduce a fresh perspective to the global entertainment landscape and bring new excitement to fans around the world.”
While platforms like HYBE’s Weverse launched services like Weverse DM as a paid messaging service in 2023, Bubble was first to market in 2020 in launching the service for a slate of artists under the SM Entertainment roster. Dear U’s major shareholders are SM Entertainment (home to groups and Bubble users like NCT, aespa and Lucas) and JYP Entertainment (J.Y. Park, TWICE and ITZY), with the companies also featuring some of their international acts like SM’s China-focused boy band WayV and JYP’s Japan-based girl group NiziU partaking in the platform.
With a combined 13 No. 1s on the Hot Latin Songs chart, 50 Billboard Hot 100 entries between them, as well as highly dedicated fan engagement across their social media accounts, J Balvin and Peso Pluma are seen as ideal partners for Dear U’s next phase with Bubble.
“For me, it has always been important to be connected to my fans, La Familia,” says current Billboard cover star, J Balvin, in a statement. “I love reading comments and conversations so it’s exciting to communicate with fans no matter what their first language might be. This is why the Bubble is the perfect platform to keep in touch.”
“Peso Pluma wouldn’t exist without our dedicated fans who have supported us since the very beginning,” the 25-year-old Mexican rapper-singer adds. “Even though we don’t speak the same language, our music is crossing borders and I’m always excited to find new ways, such as through this partnership with Bubble, to connect with them.”
Teasing that Bubble’s services will “continue expanding into different genres across Western markets with major superstars,” the international, U.S. app can be downloaded here or for Android here. Fans can subscribe to an artist’s Bubble platform, which costs $4.99 per month per artist. Read on for more insight into Bubble’s big moment from Dear U’s CEO Chong-oh An.
Billboard: Congratulations on the latest news about the expansion and new offerings with Dear U. What does this moment signify for the company?
Chong-oh An: This moment signifies Dear U’s global expansion to the Western market. While the entertainment market continues growing, the service industry leveraging fandoms has not received as much attention. In Korea, where fandom culture is fully established, Dear U has built a business model to harness this culture. Our aim is to introduce a fresh perspective to the global entertainment landscape and bring new excitement to fans around the world.
Why were J Balvin and Peso Pluma the right partners to kick off the expansion?
Both of these artists are extremely popular, beloved, and influential. But they also bring unique cultural significance and strong fan engagement to the table. J Balvin and Peso Pluma frequently interact with their followers on social media, creating a sense of community and loyalty that aligns perfectly with Dear U’s mission to enhance artist-fan communication.
J Balvin and Peso Pluma are huge names in the Latin market and community. Was there a specific reason you wanted to team with Latin artists after primarily focusing on Asian and K-pop talent?
Our goal is to help connect artists with their loyal fans around the world, regardless of genre or market. Latin music has truly gone global over the past few years, and we are providing a platform to connect these passionate fanbases. J Balvin’s contributions to the global reggaeton movement and Peso Pluma’s fresh influence in regional Mexican music will help the platform cater to not only a large number of fans, but also a wide array of music tastes, languages, and cultural backgrounds. They will help us break barriers with fan connection.
Dear U’s story is interesting because it launched Bubble in 2020 when the digital conversation was so prevalent, yet the company continues to expand today. What did the pandemic teach you?
The pandemic required us to create innovative ways to connect artists and fans that we’ve continued to use today. Because artists have fans across the world and can’t always be physically present to engage with them, we’re proud to help bridge that gap and create connection.
In your opinion, what’s a very special or highly engaging moment an artist can have on their Bubble compared to traditional social media platforms?
Artists see their bubble subscribers as true superfans. With bubble, they can share intimate moments – from behind-the-scenes photos, selfies, and audio messages to polls about dinner or outfit choices. Even during [professional] breaks, artists can maintain this closeness by sharing personal snapshots, like photos from family trips. More than public social media, this exclusive content fosters a more personal and intimate connection, allowing fans to feel included in their favorite artist’s life.
During a routine process of conservation and digitization of tapes, Sony Music Mexico audio engineer Edson R. Heredia discovered “Ya No Pienso en Ti,” an unreleased track by José José, out Saturday (Sept. 28) exclusively through Spotify Singles, on the fifth anniversary of the beloved Mexican singer’s passing.
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“It was a magical moment,” says Heredia, who then set out to research more about the recording, finding that it was made on Nov. 9, 1978, in England, with David Hunt as the sound engineer and Tom Parker as the producer.
“Ya No Pienso en Ti” — which means “I No Longer Think of You” — is a heartfelt ballad about heartbreak in which José José, with his exquisite interpretative quality, sings about his recovery process after a breakup. “I’ve convinced myself that a long long time ago, I lost you/ I’ve resigned myself to not counting on your love’s support/ I’ve gotten used to not seeking you when I miss your warmth,” he sings in Spanish.
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For the release, Latin Grammy-winners Edson R. Heredia and Memo Gil did a new mix so that the voice of the dubbed Prince of Song could be revived in 2024 as a gift for his fans five years after his departure.
“These are the kinds of discoveries that they keep sending us from heaven,” actor and singer José Joel, the son of José José, exclusively tells Billboard Español. “It’s something very beautiful that allows us to continue remembering my father despite his passing. We are very grateful to the company (Sony Music Mexico) because they keep finding ways to perpetuate José José’s legacy.”
“We as a family also do it every year at the place where he grew up,” he adds. “This Sept. 28, we will be at Parque de la China, in the Clavería neighborhood of Mexico City, paying tribute with my mother Anel Noreña and me, along with the fans who have always supported us.”
José Joel, who is currently on tour in Mexico performing songs from his repertoire and that of his father — with whom he shares a great vocal resemblance — will sing for the first time at the event “Sangre de tu Sangre,” which he describes as a response to the unforgettable “La Fuerza de la Sangre” that father and son recorded for the 1994 album Grandeza Mexicana.
José José is undoubtedly one of the most important references in Spanish-language music. Known for hits like “El Triste,” “40 y 20” and “Amar y Querer,” he sold millions of records and filled iconic venues such as the Madison Square Garden and the Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Throughout his over 55 years career, he recorded 36 albums, released 30 greatest hits compilations, as well as conceptual projects.
His records sold, according to his label, more than 100 million copies, receiving multiple gold, platinum, and diamond certifications. He also received some of the most important awards in the industry, among them the Billboard Latin Music Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013, a Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004, and the Person of the Year Award of 2005 from the Latin Recording Academy. He also unveiled his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2004.
On the Billboard charts, he placed 20 hits on Hot Latin Songs, 13 of them in the top 10 and four at No. 1, including “Soy Así”, “Y Quién Puede Ser,” “Amnesia” and “Quién Como Tú,” which spent 10 weeks at the top in 1989. He also had 20 entries on Top Latin Albums, reaching the top 10 in 2003 with El Príncipe Con Trío Vol. 1, which peaked at No. 7.
The star, whose real name was José Rómulo Sosa Ortiz, died on Sept. 28, 2019, at the age of 71 after having confirmed in March 2017 that he was suffering from pancreatic cancer. His music continues to be a part of the lives of thousands of fans around the world, as evidenced by his 10 million monthly listeners on Spotify.
Listen to the newly released song by José José “Ya No Pienso en Ti” below:
Codiciado has launched the second leg of his Ando Enfocado tour, marking his first visit to the East Coast. The Mexican singer-songwriter is performing his heady repertoire since kicking off in 2016 with Grupo Codiciado. The songs ranges from “Ni Mis Padres Saben Qué Rollo,” to his solo fan-favorites like “Golpes de la Vida,” “Ando Enfocado, “Vamos Aclarando Muchas Cosas,” and a few classic covers, including Los Tiranos del Norte’s “Hasta La Piel Amarga.”
The tour’s first show took place on Friday (Sept. 27) at the 2,700-capacity Brooklyn Paramount in New York City. Accompanied by a nine-piece ensemble, including a brass section (a tuba and trumpets), guitarist, bassist, drummer, tololoche and an accordionist, Codiciado arrived to the stage wearing his characteristic durag, Adidas jumpsuit, and his huge sparkly diamond-encrusted chains. The Tijuana-born star opened with “Bélico el Asunto,” setting the tone for pure revelry and la belikeada.
Throughout his two hour set, which started at 8:45 p.m., Codiciado kept the Latin crowd, mostly Mexican — many of them lofting the Mexican flag — lit, spanning from his early hits with his previous band Grupo Codiciado with albums like 2018’s Miro Lo Que Otros No Miran to his 2023 solo album Golpes de la Vida, as well as collaborations with other artists.
He also passed out roses to the fans on the front row and flirted with the women in attendance. “I’m very sad,” he said, leaving the fans in suspense about what he was going to say next. “But there’s a problem, I’m married. So my wife doesn’t understand that I want to have many girlfriends. I really like the güeritas with blue eyes, and the blanquitas with black hair, and the morenitas with curly hair.” He then presumed to invite a batch of women on stage to dance with them, one by one, to the excitement of many females.
Codiciado continues his Ando Enfocado Tour until the end of October, followed by stops in Rosemont, Ill.; Houston; San Jose, Calif.; and wrapping in Reno, Nev.
Below, see the complete setlist from his first show in New York’s Brooklyn Paramount. The song list is subject to changes in each city.
“Bélico el Asunto”
Metallica continued its tribute to Mexican bands during their trek in Mexico on Friday (Sept. 28). On their third of four shows in the capital city, the metal legends honored legendary rock band El Tri by performing a unique cover of their famous song “A.D.O.,” once again with bassist Robert Trujillo doing the vocals.
Just as last week, Trujillo and guitarist Kirk Hammett surprised the 65,000 spectators gathered at the GNP Seguros Stadium, according to figures from promoter Ocesa, with their own version of a classic from the Mexican popular songbook. On the first night (Sept. 20), Metallica paid tribute to the norteño music group Los Tucanes de Tijuana by playing the song “La Chona.” Two days later (Sept. 22), they honored the rock band Caifanes with their cumbia hit “La Negra Tomasa.”
“A.D.O.,” by the band led by veteran rocker Alex Lora, refers to the Autobuses de Oriente (ADO) central bus station, one of the largest in the country.
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“Mom, turn on the recorder because #Metallica is singing A.D.O. Long live rock and roll!” tweeted user @Orlas33 on X, paraphrasing Lora, along with a video of the moment.
On Sept. 21, during a private talk by photographer Ross Halfin with a group of Metallica fans attended by Trujillo and Hammett, the bass player of Mexican descent hinted at the possibility of including a song from El Tri as part of the covers they would perform during their shows in Mexico City.
With 55 years of history, El Tri is one of the pioneering bands in the Mexican and Latin American rock scene. It has sold more than 30 million records over the years, and has received four Grammy nominations for best latin rock album. In 2022, Lora received a Latin Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award.
Metallica’s history with Mexico began three decades ago with the tour of their 1991 self-titled album (often referred to as The Black Album), which included five dates at the Palacio de los Deportes in 1993. Since then, the band has maintained a very close relationship with the country, where they recorded their live DVD Orgullo, Pasión y Gloria (2009), which portrays three spectacular nights at the Foro Sol (today GNP Seguros Stadium) in June 2009.
Their fourth and final show in Mexico City as part of their M72 World Tour, which brought them back to the Latin American country after seven years of absence, is Sunday (Sept. 29).
From career milestones to new music releases to major announcements and those little important moments, Billboard editors highlight uplifting moments in Latin music. Here’s what happened in the Latin music world this week.
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Matisse Celebrate 10 Years
Matisse — composed of Melisa, Román, and Pablo — celebrated its 10th anniversary this week at the Auditorio Nacional in Mexico City, where they performed their hits such as “Todo Nada,” “Fuerte No Soy,” “Eres Tú,” “Luis Miguel” and “No Disponible,” to name a few. Pedro Capó and Isabel Lascuraín from Pandora were the night’s special guests. With the latter, the Mexican pop group performed the iconic 1985 hit “Como Te Va Mi Amor.” “It’s a dream we always had from the beginning,” Román said in a press statement. “When I passed in front of the National Auditorium, I thought: ‘someday, someday I’m going to be there, someday we’re going to fill it.’ Today we are here and we have achieved it.” The anniversary concert occurred just days after Matisse wrapped their 14-date debut U.S. Bella Nostalgia tour.
La Musa Awards 2024
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The Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame (LSHOF) announced its 2024 inductees and honorees to be recognized at the 2024 La Musa Awards on Nov. 12 in Miami. Hosted by Erika Ender, this year’s inductees are: Puerto Rican hitmaker Luny (real name: Francisco Saldana); Colombian producer & songwriter Julio Reyes Copello; and Mexican artist Saul Hernández of famed rock band Jaguares and Caifanes. The following artists will be honored with special awards: Draco Rosa (Living Legend Award); Ella Bric (La Musa Elena Casals Award); Kathy Spanberger (Ralph S. Peer Publisher Award); Luis Figueroa (Premio Triunfador); Luis Fonsi (Icon Award); Olga Guillot (La Musa Medal of Freedom, posthumous); and Gloria Estefan & the Miami Sound Machine’s “Conga” will be honored as The Song of All Time.
“Our mission is to elevate the voices of Latin music creators whose stories and songs have touched the hearts of millions around the world,” LSHOF chairman/CEO Rudy Perez said in a press statement. “This year’s inductees and honorees have not only defined Latin music but have also paved the way for future generations of songwriters. And we are proud that what was once an ambitious dream to establish this Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame and an annual awards ceremony….has not only become a reality but also a prestigious home for the best in our business.” For more information, click here.
Tainy’s Baby News
Earlier this week, Tainy (real name: Marcos Efraín Masís Fernández) revealed that he’s going to be a dad. The Latin hitmaker — known for creating some of Bad Bunny and Daddy Yankee’s biggest hits, among other reggaetón bangers — shared the news on his Instagram account in a joint post with his girlfriend, Yasi Ayala. A simple caption that reads, “3” shows two black-and-white photos of the couple. The first one is a close-up of both of their hands gracing Ayala’s baby bump. The second one a photo of the soon-to-be parents smiling. See the sweet baby announcement below.
Belinda & Anitta at Paris Fashion Week
Belinda and Anitta demonstrated a beautiful act of sisterhood during Paris Fashion Week. During the L’Oreal Paris Fashion Week show, where both artists strutted the catwalk, Belinda suffered a fall. She was able to gracefully recover thanks to the Brazilian artist, who helped her get up from the floor and even helped Belinda fix her outfit. “It doesn’t matter how many times you fall, what matters is how many times you get up. Thank you, Anitta,” the Mexican pop star immediately shared on her social media account following the incident.
Belinda is set speak at the 35th anniversary Billboard Latin Music Week, which will feature exclusive panels, conversations and performances by Latin music’s biggest stars. Tickets are available now here.
This week, Billboard’s New Music Latin roundup and playlist — curated by Billboard Latin and Billboard Español editors — features fresh new music from artists including new releases from Ryan Castro, Shakira and Rauw Alejandro, to name a few. Ryan Castro teams up with newcomer Hamilton for “A Poca Luz.” Produced by The Prodigiez, the track is a departure from Castro’s signature perreo and dives […]
MarÍa Becerra announced a break from social media on July 30 amid the European run of her world tour. Despite positioning herself at the forefront of Latin pop over the past year — including scoring her first two No. 1s on the Billboard Argentina Hot 100 and selling out River Plate Stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in record time — the 24-year-old simultaneously needed a hiatus from the scrutiny that she, and many of her peers, face online every day.
“I understand that social media is necessary for our careers,” she says. “But the limit is reached when they start taking away my joy.”
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Why did you decide to take a social media break?
It was doing me wrong to read so much hate — I was really affected by comments that only had the intention to harm [me]. The attack on women’s bodies who are part of the [music] scene is constant: If I’m too skinny, if I’ve had a boob job, if I train too much, how I do my makeup, how I dress… We struggle internally trying to please everyone without losing our own identity. Do you know how draining that is? Then, I said, “Enough. I’m tired, this hurts.” Instead of enjoying a tour that I dreamed so much about, I was suffering because of someone who writes from behind a screen.
What advice would you give to artists who feel similarly?
I’m currently in the process of learning to take care of myself. Going to therapy is beneficial for me; it helps me to think about what my limits are, what I want to share about my private life and what I want to keep for myself. I am a public figure, and those who listen to my music expect to know about me and see me beyond the shows. With my team, we seek a balance so that this ecosystem functions.
How could the entertainment industry better support artists?
I don’t know if [the problem] is the music industry. Everything I said before about what’s expected of female artists affects our self-esteem and puts an overexertion [on us] that ultimately generates a very large emotional imbalance. But the social media phenomenon has produced something where everyone needs to give their opinions. People express whatever they want, whenever they want, and while I greatly respect freedom of speech, this has turned into both a personal and social compulsion.
What can be done to create more open discussions on this topic in the industry?
The problem is not about talking; it’s what we do about it. How do we raise awareness of what is going on? What tools do people have to ask for help? I have the privilege of being able to pay for a psychologist, a health plan. But what about young people who are victims of cyberbullying and have no one to turn to? Who helps them? Talking about this in the media with responsibility could be a start, but I don’t have the formula. I’m just now learning to take care of myself and protect myself, and all of that is a long process.
This story appears in the Sept. 28, 2024, issue of Billboard.