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.
“Making the Hit Live with Grupo Frontera”
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”
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”
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”
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”
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.
