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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.”
With Hispanic Heritage Month culminating on Tuesday (Oct. 15), Fat Joe has tapped Nicky Jam as the latest ambassador for his Rewind It 10 beard dye brand. The Latin superstar’s dark brown beard dye coloring package is now available at CVS, Sally Beauty, Amazon and the Rewind It 10 website. Explore See latest videos, charts […]
The 2024 Billboard Latin Music Week is in full swing in Miami, where the 35th annual weeklong event is taking place from Oct. 14-18.The star-studded event kicked off Monday (Oct. 14) at The Fillmore Miami Beach at Jackie Gleason Theater with panels featuring Eden Muñoz, Feid, Kenia Os and Keityn, among many other Latin stars and industry leaders.
Stars like J Balvin, Peso Pluma, Eslabon Armado, Pepe Aguilar, Gloria Estefan, Thalia, Alejandro Sanz, Grupo Frontera and Young Miko are set to take the stage to speak in panels and/or Q&As this year. You can see the full schedule here.
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. Initially named Latin Music Seminar, sponsored by Billboard, the event traces back to 1990, where it kicked off as a one-day event in Miami featuring a two-artist showcase and awards show.
Throughout the years, it has taken place in Miami, Las Vegas and Puerto Rico, returning to Miami Beach for a fourth consecutive year in 2024, and has welcomed some of the biggest Latin acts including Celia Cruz, Selena, Ricky Martin, Chayanne, Jenni Rivera, Daddy Yankee, Karol G, Bad Bunny, and Romeo Santos. 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.
Below, the best photos from the 2024 Billboard Latin Music Week (updating).
David Wild, Valentina, Bastian & Corina Smith
Image Credit: Gustavo Caballero
David Wild, Valentina, Bastian and Corina Smith during Billboard Latin Music Week Panels at the Fillmore Miami Beach on Oct. 14, 2024 in Miami Beach, Florida.
Dascha Polanco
Image Credit: Christopher Polk
Dascha Polanco in the green room at Billboard Latin Music Week at the Fillmore Miami Beach on Oct. 14, 2024 in Miami Beach, Florida.
Nelson Albareda, Alex Gallardo, Leila Cobo & Alex Mizrahi
Image Credit: Christopher Polk
Nelson Albareda, Alex Gallardo, Leila Cobo and Alex Mizrahi in the green room at Billboard Latin Music Week at the Fillmore Miami Beach on Oct. 14, 2024 in Miami Beach, Florida.
La Joaqui & Kenia Os
Image Credit: Gustavo Caballero
La Joaqui and Kenia Os during Billboard Latin Music Week Panels at the Fillmore Miami Beach on Oct. 14, 2024 in Miami Beach, Florida.
KEITYN
Image Credit: Christopher Polk
KEITYN in the green room at Billboard’s Latin Music Week at the Fillmore Miami Beach on Oct. 14, 2024 in Miami Beach, Florida.
Atella
Image Credit: Gustavo Caballero
Atella speaks onstage during Billboard Latin Music Week Panels held at The Fillmore Miami Beach on Oct. 14, 2024 in Miami Beach, Florida.
Kenia Os
Image Credit: Christopher Polk
Kenia Os in the green room at Billboard Latin Music Week at the Fillmore Miami Beach on Oct. 14, 2024 in Miami Beach, Florida.
Feid
Image Credit: Gustavo Caballero
Feid during Billboard Latin Music Week Panels at the Fillmore Miami Beach on Oct. 14, 2024 in Miami Beach, Florida.
Eden Muñoz
Image Credit: Christopher Polk
Eden Muñoz in the green room at Billboard’s Latin Music Week at the Fillmore Miami Beach on Oct. 14, 2024 in Miami Beach, Florida.
Erika Montes
Image Credit: Gustavo Caballero
Erika Montes during Billboard Latin Music Week Panels at the Fillmore Miami Beach on Oct. 14, 2024 in Miami Beach, Florida.
Nelson Albareda
Image Credit: Gustavo Caballero
Nelson Albareda during Billboard Latin Music Week Panels at the Fillmore Miami Beach on Oct. 14, 2024 in Miami Beach, Florida.
Raúl Alarcón
Image Credit: Christopher Polk
Raúl Alarcón in the green room at Billboard Latin Music Week at the Fillmore Miami Beach on Oct. 14, 2024 in Miami Beach, Florida.
Alfredo Alonso
Image Credit: Gustavo Caballero
Alfredo Alonso speaks onstage during Billboard Latin Music Week Panels held at The Fillmore Miami Beach on Oct. 14, 2024 in Miami Beach, Florida.
Sergio George
Image Credit: Gustavo Caballero
Sergio George during Billboard Latin Music Week Panels at the Fillmore Miami Beach on Oct. 14, 2024 in Miami Beach, Florida.
Leila Cobo
Image Credit: Gustavo Caballero
Leila Cobo speaks onstage at the Billboard Latin Music Week held at The Fillmore Miami Beach on Oct. 14, 2024 in Miami Beach, Florida.
Unity, camaraderie and constant collaboration among Argentine artists have become a fundamental contribution to their success and globalization.
On Monday (Oct. 14) at Billboard Latin Music Week 2024, Argentine rapper and singer La Joaqui and Mexican star Kenia Os discussed the importance of friendship and support among colleagues within the industry, particularly for women.
La Joaqui and Kenia Os, who have released two collaborations together this year — “Kitty” and “San Turrona RMX” — participated in the “Entre Amigas” panel, moderated by Flor Mauro, editorial content director of Billboard Argentina.
“We are in an industry where, especially if you are a woman, media wants you to treat each other as competition — ‘Such female artist surpassed another female artist’ — when both surpassed 10 male artists,” La Joaqui said. “However, many women are making noise.”
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“It brought me a lot of relief when I collaborated with Kenia,” she added, mentioning that she was already her “No. 1 fan” when she wrote to her hoping to meet, and the Mexican artist replied that she was in the studio recording an album and immediately invited her to collaborate in it. “She opened the doors of her kingdom to me, let me enter this world so new to me. I was very afraid of these kinds of connections, but […] it was a genuine connection, that’s why I think we did so well.”
or Kenia, who also declared herself a fan of La Joaqui, collaborating with another woman was something refreshing because it doesn’t happen often among female artists in Mexico, where “the media pits women against each other a lot,” she said.
“My first collaboration was with La Joaqui […] and from day one it was a beautiful connection. It was incredible,” she said, noting that it not only gave her entry into a difficult market for Mexicans like Argentina, but led to new opportunities to collaborate, including with Mexican artists like Peso Pluma, with whom she recorded the hit “Tommy & Pamela.”
For both, authenticity is a priority in their careers. “It’s super important for artists who are starting out,” said Kenia Os, recalling that it took her a while to find her own voice because she started young in the business, going from teenager to adulthood in the public eye and being influenced by other people’s opinions. La Joaqui, who started as a rapper, said she found her authentic place in RKT, a subgenre of cumbia villera characterized by its influences from cumbia villera, reggaeton, and electronic music.
To sum up the importance of friendship in music, La Joaqui said it is “crucial” in a world where artists are constantly mistreated on social media, and called for “more friends and less business.”
“We move in an environment where there is impunity,” said the Argentine star. “Where it’s normal for people to tweet: ‘Your music is crap… I hope you die.’ It’s no longer an opinion, it’s abuse. And you are simply getting up and doing something you like.”
“There are times you pretend so much madness that you become mad and you need a friend to simply ask you, ‘How are you? Are you okay? How do you feel?’” she continued. “Most of the time I’m not okay, I cry once a week, and having friends in the industry has allowed me to cry in private. I recommend making real friendships to make songs. That integrated feeling is a sure hit.”
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. Initially named Latin Music Seminar, sponsored by Billboard, the event traces back to 1990, where it kicked off as a one-day event in Miami featuring a two-artist showcase and awards show.
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.
Three “OGs” from the Latin music industry converged on Monday (Oct. 14) at the 2024 Billboard Latin Music Week, where they discussed the challenges they face today from the perspectives of recording, management and live entertainment.
During the “Power Players: The OGs” panel — moderated by Billboard‘s Leila Cobo — Alex Gallardo, president of Sony Music Latin; Alex Mizrahi, CEO of OCESA Seitrack; and Nelson Albareda, CEO of Loud And Live, agreed that while today’s music offerings are more diverse and democratic than ever, all sectors of the business face significant challenges for this very reason.
From standing out and conquering the market, to the importance of building a career step by step, here are some of the best quotes from these Latin Music Power Players.
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Gallardo: “From the label’s point of view, something that we find very interesting now is the variety of genres that are working, that are emerging. Three years ago, there was one dominant genre which was more urban; now we see cumbia, salsa, Argentine music, regional Mexican, and I find that very interesting and a great opportunity. [But] now it is more difficult for an artist to conquer all of Latin America because, for this very reason, it becomes more local. Making that regional conquest is a bit more complex.”
Mizrahi: “I would add that, from the recording point of view, it is easier to generate a hit today more than ever because the platforms are more democratic than ever. The artist’s access to the fans is direct. From the live music side as management, the biggest challenge is that the artists reconcile their repertoire, that they generate enough hits to make their fans want to buy a ticket. Today I feel there are more successful artists than ever before and I don’t see many artists selling tickets. For me, that’s the biggest gap between recorded music and live shows.”
Albareda: “From the live point of view […] ticket sales are not what they used to be. You have 20 markets, and now not all of them sell, especially this year. Before the covid pandemic, artists didn’t have to work much, they posted something and it sold. Even the price, if we were selling a ticket at $110-120, now it’s at $80. I would say we have to work even a bit more than before the pandemic.”
Gallardo: “Twenty years ago, for an artist to access a studio there were a series of filters, a label would have to be interested, etc. Now it’s a beautiful era where any kid at home can create […] That means there are more potential artists, but also the offer is much greater. The last data I was told about is 120,000 songs a day. When there is such much offer, what does the audience stick with? That’s our job.”
Abareda: “There are so many artists, how can we give them the opportunity to play live? There is also a saturation of the live show. Streams themselves are not hurting you because you are already paying for a subscription to a platform, but when you have to pay for a ticket…”
Mirzrahi: “When people leave their house (to go to a show), they don’t go alone; they have to pay for parking, they go to eat something. The live concert is an experience. We as management have to say, ‘this artist has to have the power in the music, the personality, the speech to get you out of your house […] and bring you to this world, to this experience. And you should leave saying, ‘It was worth it.’ What is our challenge? Building the experience with repertoire, with personality.”
Gallardo: “Something that never goes out of style for an artist is to work your repertoire in the best way possible, make the best songs possible, and raise the bar. There’s more competition. How do I stand out? By raising the bar in my songwriting, and then, once I have this song, seeing how I release it, how I tell the world about it. Releasing a song is not something you can do one day to the next.”
Abareda: “We have to do a reset. Artists want to go out and sell arenas, but you have to start small, grow and build an audience. If you want the money today, you’re not building a career […] You have to build an audience, invest in a career, and take the long road.”
Mizrahi: “The role of the manager is sensibility, he has to talk to his artist. The industry is undergoing a revolution on all sides. These mega hits that are made on Spotify and Youtube with millions of streams and views […] that’s good news, but from there to be releasing 100,000 songs every Friday, wow! The algorithms (shoot up the ticket prices)… artists want more, and you have to have the sensibility to talk to the artist, explain things.”
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. Initially named Latin Music Seminar, sponsored by Billboard, the event traces back to 1990, where it kicked off as a one-day event in Miami featuring a two-artist showcase and awards show.
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 influential Latina executives from diverse sectors of the music industry — including marketing, legal, artist, and label — spoke about how they bossed up and assumed their own power in leadership roles during Billboard Latin Music Week.
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The panel She Runs the Boards took place on on Monday (Oct. 14) during the annual event, and was moderated by Billboard‘s social media manager/staff writer Ingrid Fajardo.
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Fajarado was joined by Apple Music’s music marketing lead Andrea Portela, Dominican actress/artist Dascha Polanco, Rostrum Records president Erika Montes, and Protege Tu Música’s music & entertainment attorney Yira Santiago. During their discussion, the four panelists spoke about the strategies for overcoming challenges, building meaningful connections and thriving in a competitive landscape.
Below, find some of the best and most memorable quotes from the She Runs the Boards panel:
Andrea Portela on the power of authenticity: “Es más fácil subirte en un trend. Authenticity plays a big role in who you are as an artist. It’s easy to follow the noise. The artists who go far are those who are true to themselves. Your team is a big reflection of an artist; be authentic in every aspect. Don’t just follow the trend because there are 500 artist trying to do what you’re doing. Success doesn’t come quick and easy, invest in yourself. Know your audience is Marketing 101. Social media is such a powerful tool but it only resonates if you’re authentic.”
Dascha Polanco on the importance of the team: “The most essential thing an artist must have is a team that supports and protects you legally. Many artists have gone through problems in a contract. We believe in dreams and we are very busy being creative, seeing the vision more than you […] I’ve been working in music for eight years, time waits for no one. I have a dance project with a lot of Latin music essence. I went to Berklee College of Music online. I do my engineering and record myself. Educate yourself and invest in yourself. Letting yourself be guided, trusting the process, is a very magical thing for me.”
Erika Montes on artist development: “I look for two things when I see an artist: You have to want it more than me. Secondly, always make an assessment, what can you do well? If you’re a good songwriter, but not good at production. Know what you’re good at and look at what to build. Focus on who your audience is and not on a look. When I start with artists I let them know this is a grind. Relationships are key. We’ll do everything we can, shake hands and kiss babies. [Success] doesn’t happen overnight, be patient.”
Yira Santiago on the importance of education and transparency in music: “Opening a YouTube channel to protect your music came about when I noticed that certain information was being kept and I felt the need to share it. There were lawyers withholding this information and not sharing it on to the public. It was important for me to share this, to establish that relationship with myself and the law, and how I monetize my music. It’s also crucial to manage relationships with record labels, marketing and handlers, in addition to assistance in all other areas. To take your career to a higher level and turn it into a business, you need a team to support you. It’s essential that the team aligns with your visions.”
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.