OVG partners with Latin music-focused SBS Ent
Oak View Group (OVG) has inked a multi-year deal with SBS Entertainment, the entertainment arm of broadcasting company Spanish Broadcasting Systems.
The deal is described as an effort to “reimagine the live industry landscape” and an opportunity to reach new markets with Latin-focused music events.
Under the terms of the agreement, SBS events such as Mega Mezcla, Amor En Vivo, and Mega Bash, which all take place across Hispanic markets, will also be produced at OVG’s recently revamped UBS Arena at Belmont Park.
Additionally, the two companies will develop new entertainment products at other OVG-managed arenas, including Moody Center in Austin, TX; newly opened Acrisure Arena in Greater Palm Springs, CA; and in the Orlando, FL area.
“We couldn’t be more excited to expand our footprint across [OVG’s] world-class venues”
After launch, the two partners expect to expand the project to other OVG venues in North America and eventually, Europe.
“As one of the largest concert producers in the nation and trailblazers for Latin music, it is our mission to continue to build upon our legacy by creating more unparalleled live music experiences for audiences across the globe,” says Alessandra Alarcón, president, SBS Entertainment. “Our partnership with the Oak View Group is the first of its kind and we couldn’t be more excited to work with them to expand our footprint across their world-class venues and connect more Latin music fans with the artists they love.”
Francesca Bodie, president of business development, Oak View Group, says: “As the popularity and globalisation of Latin music continues to rise, we’re delighted to partner with SBS Entertainment to broaden its audience, while delivering greater diversity across our business, and bringing its iconic live events to OVG’s roster of world-class arenas. This partnership represents a foundation that we plan to grow, both nationally and internationally in the coming years, and we look forward to developing more programming with Alessandra and the SBS team.”
Founded in 2015, OVG has grown to work with more than 400 venues worldwide. The deal with SBS marks the first time they’ve teamed up with a Latin company that focuses on producing and promoting large-scale live events.
For 16 years now, SBS has produced LA’s Calibash, the best-known urban Latin festival in the US that has boasted J Balvin, Daddy Yankee and Karol G as headliners over the past few years.
A number of major companies have been capitalising on the Latam boom, including Ticketmaster which yesterday announced further expansion in the market.
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Karol G stadium shows make history in Puerto Rico
Karol G has made history in Puerto Rico by becoming the first artist ever to sell out three nights at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan.
The Colombian reggaeton star drew more than 100,000 fans across the trio of shows, which includes guest appearances by Romeo Santos, Eladio, Sean Paul, Young Miko and Feid, among others.
The 10-12 March concerts were promoted by Move Concerts and Noah Assad, who also manages Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny.
“Puerto Rico has been selling out consistently and shows no sign of slowing down”
“Puerto Rico has been selling out consistently and shows no sign of slowing down,” Move boss Phil Rodriguez told IQ last year. “We co-promoted with Noah Assad three sold-out dates at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico [cap. 18,500] with Bad Bunny in San Juan that paralysed the island as the show was streamed live to 13 municipalities for free. It is estimated over 500,000 people saw the show between the Coliseo and the free transmissions.”
Move Concerts is headquartered in Miami, Florida, and has offices in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica and Peru, as well as Puerto Rico, the source of much of the current Latin music explosion.
“Our office in Puerto Rico is killing it,” said Rodriguez. “We sold out two arenas there with Karol G – over 24,000 tickets. We easily could have done two more arena dates there.”
Bad Bunny has been the most streamed artist on Spotify globally in each of the last three years
Bad Bunny usurped Ed Sheeran in 2022 as the highest-grossing touring artist in a calendar year. The rapper generated $435,388,660 for 81 shows in 2022, according to Pollstar data, surpassing the $432.4 million box office takings of Sheeran’s 94 ÷ tour dates in 2018.
Bad Bunny has been the most streamed artist on Spotify globally in each of the last three years, while fellow Puerto Rican acts Rauw Alejandro and Ozuna are also making huge strides internationally.
Puerto Rico’s Coca-Cola Music Hall, meanwhile, reported a total attendance of more than 165,000 people during its first 12 months of operation. Since its opening in August 2021, the 4,200-cap venue in San Juan has hosted 59 concerts and 43 private events by artists such as Ednita Nazario, Caramelos de Cianuro, El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, Stryper, Jesse & Joy and Louis Tomlinson, among others.
Revisit IQ Magazine‘s full 2022 feature exploring the growth of the Latin American touring market here.
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Q&A with Loud and Live’s Nelson Albareda
Loud and Live founder and CEO Nelson Albareda has given an insight the company’s global expansion plans in a Q&A with IQ.
The Miami, Florida-headquartered live entertainment and sports firm produces and manages the tours of many of the world’s biggest Latin artists, presenting more than 300 live concerts around the US, Canada, Puerto Rico and Latin America in 2022.
It has worked with the likes of Pitbull, Ricky Martin, Chainsmokers, Steve Aoki, Luis Fonsi, Calvin Harris, Roberto Carlos, Juan Luis Guerra and Franco De Vita, and moved into Europe last year with the inaugural Madrid Championship CrossFit competition.
Albareda will chair the Latin Live panel at this year’s ILMC at 3.30pm on Wednesday 1 March. Here, he expands further on Loud and Live’s international plans, reflects on its link-ups with Move Concerts and ASM Global, and considers what the future holds for Latin music…
How do you plan to grow your touring offering on a global level in 2023?
“We expanded our geographical touring focus in 2022, having launched our Latin America division, including producing shows in Colombia and Ecuador with the likes of Camilo, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Carlos Vives, Gian Marco and Ricardo Arjona. A handful of those shows took place in stadiums, including Carlos Vives and Ricardo Arjona, the latter of which included multiple sold-out stadium shows in Ecuador.
“In 2023 we’ll be doubling down on those efforts, expanding our offering even further into Central and South America. We’re also looking to initiate our European presence, with some initial shows in Spain on the back half of 2023.”
“The plan is to grow our team and presence in Madrid to expand our focus across live music as well”
Last year, you entered the European market with the Madrid Championship. Will you be making any moves in the continent’s live music scene?
“Yes, we launched this event in 2021 and we’ve been growing our footprint there ever since. The plan is to grow our team and presence in Madrid to expand our focus across live music as well.”
In what ways has your joint venture with Move Concerts been fruitful?
“Our complementary business focuses have brought together a compelling value proposition from a geographical expansion perspective, which has resulted in a broader offering and value proposition to the artists we work with. We will continue to collaborate and expand on our partnership in 2023, particularly as Loud and Live looks to continue its growth in Latin America, where Move is a leader.
“On a personal level, I continue to learn from Phil Rodriguez and his wealth of knowledge around the business, he’s truly a pioneer in live entertainment and someone I – and our team – consider a mentor.”
How do you see your partnership with ASM Global evolving?
“Our partnership with ASM has gone well and we continue to collaborate across strategic opportunities. We already have a robust pipeline of live shows lined up across their venues for 2023 and beyond.”
“Latin music has evolved and is now mainstream, and there’s a slew of Latin artists that have yet to blow up ala Bad Bunny”
2022 was a seminal year for the Latin music business, how do you see that continuing in 2023?
“Honestly, I expect the genre to continue the growth it’s had over the last two decades. Latin music has evolved and is now mainstream, and there’s a slew of Latin artists that have yet to blow up ala Bad Bunny, which will only further solidify Latin music on a global level.”
How are ticket sales going for 2023 concerts and what is selling well?
“Ticket sales are going very strong for 2023 and we don’t see any indication of that slowing down, so we expect sales to be strong again across all the type of artists we work with. That said, we have seen indications that Tropical music is making a strong comeback and sales are outperforming vs. previous tours, so that’s an interesting trend that we’ll continue to follow.”
What kind of challenges lie ahead for Loud And Live and the business in general?
“We’re coming off of a historic year of growth and our pipeline for 2023 is even stronger, so currently our biggest challenge would be managing any macro-economic factors. That said, live entertainment has proven to be a somewhat recession proof industry, so time will tell what impact, if any, those factors could have.”
“The largest opportunity we see for 2023 is continuing the growth of our market share across North America, while continuing to expand globally”
What opportunities do you foresee for 2023?
“The largest opportunity we see for 2023 is continuing the growth of our market share across North America, while continuing to expand globally.”
What will 2023 bring for Loud and Live?
“Besides continuing to forward investment across our live event side of the business, we will continue to diversify across complementary verticals.
“Among other exciting opportunities, we recently announced a partnership with booking agency Tesa Entertainment, a leading Latin-urban focused booking and management agency. The global partnership deal includes exclusive touring and booking rights for Loud And Live, in an effort to elevate the Latin urban genre to the next level. The first artist signed under the deal is Panamanian singer-songwriter Boza, who broke out in 2020 with his hit song Hecha Pa’ Mí and was nominated for best new artist at the 2021 Latin Grammys.
“Additionally, we will be investing further in live event IP, including launching and producing Miami’s premiere country music festival, appropriately titled Country Bay Music Festival. The large-scale multi-day music festival will feature A-List talent (to be announced in February), as well as emerging country acts. The festival will take place at the historic Miami Marine Stadium on 11-12 November 2023.”
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CAA promotes agents Del Granado and Krones
Creative Artists Agency (CAA) has promoted veteran music agents Bruno Del Granado and Jeff Krones to leadership positions.
Del Granado, who works with Latin artists including Maluma, Gloria Estefan, Luis Fonsi and Becky G, will serve as head of the agency’s global Latin Music touring group, while Krones, whose clients such as Dan + Shay, Twenty One Pilots, Brett Young, Needtobreathe and NF, becomes c0-head of CAA Nashville Music.
“Today’s appointments of two superbly talented new leaders attest to the tremendous momentum CAA is experiencing across our touring business,” says CAA’s head of music Rob Light. “Jeff and Bruno’s individual instincts, taste, and experience have made them world-class agents, and we look forward to them expanding their impact for clients and CAA in their new leadership roles.”
Miami-based Del Granado joined the agency in 2013 from RM Entertainment Group, which he formed in partnership with Ricky Martin. Previously, he founded Entertainment Media Factory, Inc and was president of Maverick Recording Company’s Latin Division, and VP of programming for MTV LatAm.
He has also served as a marketing advisor to Enrique Iglesias and held senior executive positions at EMI Music Publishing and CBS/Sony.
“As the reach and influence of Latin music continues to grow across the globe, I’m thrilled to work alongside the incredible artists driving the success and cultural impact of the music,” says Del Granado. “With the continued support of the broader CAA team, our Latin Music group will create even more opportunities ahead.”
I’m honoured to join my fellow co-heads in helping to build on our success in Nashville
Over the past year, the agency’s Latin music touring division has crafted a series of high-profile deals, including facilitating a lucrative brand partnership for Ricky Martin with Chilean beauty brand Kumiko, helping secure a role for Gloria Estefan to co-star in Plan B/Warner Bros’ Father of the Bride remake, and negotiating Becky G’s recently launched beauty line Treslúce Beauty.
Krones, who was elected to the board of the Academy of Country Music in 2017, began his career as an intern at CAA in 2004 and was promoted to agent in 2007. He joins Nashville Music co-heads Marc Dennis, Brian Manning and Darin Murphy in his new role.
“I’m honoured to join my fellow co-heads in helping to build on our success in Nashville,” he says. “As a team, we’re passionate about discovering, developing and serving a wide range of artists that touch many different genres and cultures. I’m fortunate to have spent my entire career at CAA, surrounded by the best agents, and I’m excited by the opportunity to help shape our future.”
CAA’s Nashville touring team of 38 agents works with a roster of country music talent including Alabama, Lady A, Zac Brown Band, Sam Hunt, Tim McGraw, Maren Morris, Willie Nelson, Shania Twain, Carrie Underwood and Keith Urban, among others.
The agency’s Nashville office also works with the likes of Glass Animals, Maroon 5, Mumford & Sons, Harry Styles, and Vampire Weekend.
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Loud and Live hires Claudia Arcay
Entertainment, marketing and media company Loud and Live has named Claudia Arcay as SVP of entertainment.
Bringing nearly 20 years of experience, Arcay will join the management team at Loud and Live Entertainment to further enhance the company’s work around touring, festivals, sponsorships and content development.
Arcay was most recently at WK Entertainment, where her successes included playing an integral role in the comeback of Latin singer Carlos Vives. As his business manager, Arcay led the development and execution of Vives’ touring and marketing strategies in the US, Europe and Latin America.
“We are excited and honoured to be welcoming Claudia to Loud and Live at this pivotal moment in our trajectory,” says Nelson Albareda, founder and CEO of Loud and Live. “As we continue to expand our capabilities and global footprint across our entertainment focus, Claudia’s knowledge, experience and work ethic will be invaluable to our continued growth and success.”
Loud and Live has undoubtedly taken a strong leadership position in the industry
Prior to WK, Arcay was director of marketing for nine years at NYK Productions, owned by South Florida promoter Arie Kaduri. Focusing primarily on Latin tours, Arcay worked with acts including Maná, Alejandro Sanz, Juanes, and Luis Miguel, among others.
“I am thrilled and proud to be joining the Loud and Live familia. The energy, passion, and talent here makes for an environment that I look forward to being a part of and contributing to” adds Arcay. “Loud and Live has undoubtedly taken a strong leadership position in the industry, and I can’t wait to be a part of its continued success.”
Loud and Live is currently working on nearly 400 shows across the US, Latin America and Spain through December of 2022. Its line-up includes tours and concerts for Latin artists including Farruko, Camilo, Ricardo Montaner, Carlos Vives, Roberto Carlos, Soda Stereo, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Daniel Habif, Ruben Blades, Diego El Cigala and Ricardo Arjona.
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Move’s Bad Bunny stadium show sells out fast
Bad Bunny’s highly anticipated hometown shows at Puerto Rico’s Hiram Bithorn Stadium sold out in less than 20 minutes, promoters Move Concerts and Noah Assad Presents have revealed.
The urban sensation’s P Fkn R show, rescheduled from May 2020, went on sale on Friday (20 August) and sold out soon after. The concerts, which take place at the 18,000-seat stadium on 10 and 11 December, will be Puerto Rico-born Bad Bunny’s first shows this year.
P Fkn R is the first announced show of a new partnership between Miami-based Move Concerts, which has an office in Puerto Rico, and Noah Assad, whose Rimas Music represents some of the world’s biggest reggaeton artists.
Everyone attending the P Fkn R show will be required to present proof of vaccination
Everyone attending the 10 and 11 December shows, which have a capacity of 35,000 each, will be required to present proof of full Covid-19 vaccination.
The Hiram Bithorn Stadium, the island’s largest, has previously hosted concerts by the likes Bon Jovi, Ozzy Osbourne, Rihanna, Shakira, Sting and Whitney Houston, in addition to its regular use as a baseball park.
Multiple Grammy and Latin Grammy-winner Bad Bunny will follow up the show with a world tour, El Último Tour del Mundo 2022, which kicks off on 9 February 2022 at the Ball Arena (20,000-cap.) in Denver, Colorado.
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LA’s Staples Center reopens after 513 days
Mexican band Grupo Firme have wrapped up a ten-night arena run in the US, seven of them at Staples Center in Los Angeles, selling more than 100,000 tickets and taking the record for the most shows in a single year at the venue by a Latin act.
The banda performers kicked off their west-coast tour at the 20,000-capacity Staples Center on 30 July – exactly 513 since the last show there, on 4 March 2020 – and returned on 31 July and 1, 4, 6, 7 and 8 August.
They then played a sold-out show at Footprint Center (18,000-cap.) in Phoenix, Arizona, on 13 August; reopened Pechanga Arena (16,100-cap.) in San Diego, California, on 14 August; and concluded with another sold-out show at Mechanics Bank Arena (10,400-cap.) in Bakersfield, California, on 15 August.
The shows, Grupo Firme’s first arena concerts, were promoted by Nederlander Concerts. With the O2 in London having reopened on 10 August, both of AEG’s flagship arenas are now back up to full capacity.
Founded in Tijuana in 2013 by Eduin Cazares and Joaquín Ruiz, Grupo Firme have risen to become one of Mexico’s most popular musical exports with their viral mix of “dance-happy norteñas, ranchera and banda music”.
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Marc Anthony plots first and only livestreamed event
Organisers of Marc Anthony’s One Night Only global livestream event are gearing up for what they hope will be the biggest Latin music live stream to date, with tickets selling strongly for the Latin superstar’s first and only virtual concert.
The seven-time Grammy award winner will take to the stage on Saturday 17 April for what is described as an intimate, personal performance that promises viewers “an an experience that cannot be duplicated, not even in a live stage show”.
One Night Only is directed by Grammy winner Carlos Perez (’Despacito’, ‘Vivir Mi Vida’) and produced by Magnus Studios, with worldwide promotion/marketing handled by Miami-based promoter Live and Loud. Global distribution will be managed by Live and Loud Studios, the promoter’s development and distribution arm.
“There is no generation that has not danced to or enjoyed Marc Anthony’s music,” says Nelson Albareda, CEO of Loud And Live, “so it gives us great pride to be able to collaborate with one of the most distinguished and legendary Latin artists of our time, in what will be his first and only virtual global concert.
“It gives us great pride to be able to collaborate with one of the most distinguished and legendary Latin artists of our time”
“Despite not being able to offer live events during this time, these virtual concerts have helped us forge ahead and bring unique experiences to our global audiences.”
“At Magnus Studios, we have set out to create unique content and entertainment experiences for worldwide audiences,” adds Magnus COO Felipe Pimiento. “Music is in our DNA and this will mark the first of many music content productions in our production pipeline; we couldn’t be prouder than starting with our own, Marc Anthony, to set the stage for what’s to come.”
Adds Anthony: “Although for safety reasons we cannot be face-to-face yet, I am sure that this concert will create an incredible magic that will allow me to connect with my audience, wherever they are, and with all those who need a touch of music to move forward; to maintain the passion for life.”
Tickets for One Night Only, which are priced at €20 + €7.24 booking fee, are available from Anthony’s website.
Latin music specialist Loud and Live, which is partnered with leading Latin American promoter Move Concerts, recently promoted Florida’s first concerts of 2021 with three back-to-back shows by ‘Gentleman of Salsa’ Gilberto Santa Rosa.
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Gilberto Santa Rosa plays three sold-out shows in FL
Latin music star Gilberto Santa Rosa played three back-to-back, sold-out shows in Florida over Valentine’s day weekend, in some of Florida’s first concerts of 2021.
Santa Rosa, known as the Caballero de la Salsa (Gentleman of Salsa), played to socially distanced audiences outside Dr Phillips Center of the Performing Arts, in Orlando, on Friday 12th and the Fillmore (3,230-cap.), in Miami Beach, on Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 February.
The shows, promoted by Loud and Live, took place in a socially distanced format, with Santa Rosa performing songs including ‘Perdóname’, ‘Conciencia’, ‘Que Alguien Me Diga’, ‘Si Te dijeron’ and ‘Sin Voluntad’ to a crowd separated into Covid-secure bubbles (Dr Phillips show pictured).
“I am very happy to have returned to the stage and received that special energy that the public gives me,” says the five-time Latin Grammy/Grammy winner. “It has been a great privilege to be able to make these presentations in Orlando and Miami after a year of totally atypical concerts.
“We are proud to have brought to the public of Orlando and Miami the live experience they’ve been missing”
“The entertainment industry must come back, and we all have to push ourselves and make the necessary adjustments to make that happen. Hopefully, my experience this weekend will be an incentive to energise our industry wisely and safely.”
Reflecting on the shows, which included guest appearances from La India, Tito Nieves, Victor Manuelle and Aymée Nuviola, Loud and Live CEO Nelson Albareda comments: “This weekend marked the return live music, while at the same time following the pertinent regulations established during the pandemic for the artists and the industry.
“We are proud to have brought to the public of Orlando and Miami – our home – the live experience they’ve been missing and longing for.”
Loud and Live, a leading promoter of Latin music in the US, partnered with Latin America’s Move Concerts at the tail end of 2019.
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¡Olé! Industry experts on Latin music’s inexorable rise
Madison Square Garden, NYC’s legendary venue, has borne witness to just about everything over the years: debauchery, madness and all manner of weird and wonderful stage shows. But until J Balvin rocked up this September for an eagerly anticipated sold-out show, it had never played host to enormous, inflatable, pop-art sculptures, a squadron of puffy, bouncy mascots that looked like sentient clouds, or a singer riding across the stage on a huge yellow duck.
“¡Por la cultura!” (“for culture!”), he declared, before departing, raucous applause and calls for another encore ringing in his ears. It was yet another milestone in the reggaetonero’s meteoric rise to arenas and the top of the charts, and something of a dream for the Colombian star. But then Latin music – música urbana – is enjoying a surge in popularity all over the globe and giving birth to a new generation of superstars.
Bad Bunny, the Puerto Rican rapper, sold out MSG back in April; Rosalía, the Spanish singer who combines flamenco with pop, has taken Europe by storm. “I believe we are experiencing the best time for Latin music ever,” says Dody Sirena, a founding partner of DC Set Group, one of Brazil’s biggest promoters.
“If you look at the 2019 RIAA mid-year report, you’ll see that Latin music is continuing to grow at a double-digit pace.”
Henry Cárdenas, CEO of the Cárdenas Marketing Network and the recently crowned Billboard Latin Power Player Executive of the Year for 2019, agrees. “Latin American music is the fastest-growing genre in the world, and it has a tremendous commercial force,” he says. “We have witnessed general market artists venturing into the Latin American market, which continues to expand and pique mass appeal.”
música urbana is enjoying a surge in popularity all over the globe and giving birth to a new generation of superstars
That’s an observation echoed by Nelson Albareda, CEO of Miami-based sports and entertainment operation Loud and Live: “Latin music has quickly become the fastest-growing genre in the global market,” he says. “As it pertains to Latin America, genres such as reggaeton, cumbia, bachata and merengue dominate in major markets including Colombia, Mexico, Argentina, Peru, Chile, Ecuador, Dominican Republic and Venezuela.”
That mass appeal means that the genre is “more popular globally than ever before,” according to booking agent Jeremy Norkin of United Talent Agency (UTA). UTA is home to both longstanding Latin music stars such as Pitbull and Sean Paul, and break-out artists like Lali, and Norkin notes that “Latin music has gained a strong presence among multi-genre events that previously haven’t featured the genre.
“For example, Spanish-speaking talent had a significantly larger footprint at 2019’s Lollapalooza festivals in South America.”
The absolute biggest artists remain those who came to prominence during the late-nineties ‘Latin explosion’ – household names who long ago crossed over to ubiquity (think Shakira, Jennifer Lopez, Ricky Martin, Marc Anthony and Enrique Iglesias). But a new generation of musical talent is selling out arenas in Latin America and beyond while racking up staggering streaming numbers and video views; J Balvin and Bad Bunny are just the tip of the iceberg.
Ozuna, Maluma, Luis Fonsi, Becky G, Manuel Turizo and Sech are the most common names cited as representing the future.
A new generation of musical talent is selling out arenas while racking up staggering streaming numbers and video views
“They have tremendous talent,” says Cárdenas, of the latter three in particular, “and they are leading the way for a new generation of stars.”
“Ozuna, Lunay, and Rosalía” are Phil Rodríguez’s choice regarding those ready to ascend to the next level internationally. But Rodríguez, founder of Move Concerts, also notes that it can vary from country to country; in Puerto Rico, for example, trap and reggaeton stars top the charts, while in the USA it’s a more balanced mix of urban acts.
Albareda, whose company recently agreed a deal with Rodríguez’s promoting powerhouse Move Concerts, cites Bad Bunny, J Balvin, Pitbull, Maluma, Ozuna, Daddy Yankee, Romeo Santos, Karol G, Nicky Jam, Farruko, Becky G and Natti Natasha as some of the genre’s biggest stars.
Fernando Moya, of Buenos Aires-based Ozono Producciones cites Maluma, Sebastian Yatra and Tini as his picks, but states, “Paulo Londra, Duki, Wos, Louta and other trap artists are pushing and changing the music charts, having more listeners than pop, reggaeton and Latin music.”
While Latin music has always enjoyed a certain level of popularity – Bruno Del Granado, an agent at Creative Artists Agency, points to Julio Iglesias and Gloria Estefan’s Miami Sound Machine “blowing the door wide open globally” in the 70s and 80s – Cárdenas points to successes by “the Godfathers, Daddy Yankee and Nicky Jam” as opening the floodgates more recently.
“I believe we are experiencing the best time for Latin music ever”
Bad Bunny, too. “You could say he is a poster child for the movement,” says Cárdenas.
And then there’s ‘Despacito’ (which, ironically, translates to “slowly” in English). The song, released in January 2017, was a phenomenon; the official video now has over 6.4 billion views on YouTube, and over 2bn streams on Spotify. It was also the first track primarily sung in a language other than English to pass the billion mark, a game changer that signified a paradigm shift – no longer was an English-language version a necessity for artists looking for hits abroad.
‘Despacito’ also underscored a change in consumer and listening habits. In this brave new world, streams outrank sales and power a model where singles, or a constant flow of new material, matter way more than the narrative and commercial build-up around traditional album campaigns.
Much like in the world of rap and hip-hop, Latin music’s rise has mirrored that of technology and social media, platforms that today’s savvy stars know how to game to their advantage.
“YouTube is the platform of choice for consumers of Latin music,” argues Michel Vega, CEO and founder of Magnus Media, a global management and representative company. “If you look at the top 25 videos globally on any given week, a disproportionate amount will be Latin music.”
“Look at Nicky Jam or Bad Bunny – before, it would have taken an artist years to gain that kind of traction”
Moya believes that radio’s local language format historically held back Latin repertoire. “Digital platforms changed the market, as the audience started to choose what to listening and not just what the radio plays,” he says.
“Before, radio [stations] only played music in English and the native language of the country – they did not experiment with new varieties or styles of music or artists of different countries, regions or cultures. Now, there are no limits. On the contrary, consumers are able to reach random options based on their tastes and have the possibility to discover new types of music, new artist, whatever they want.”
Cárdenas agrees. “Streaming has changed the landscape of the industry for new artists, as these methods of distribution make for easier consumption for the listener. Look at Nicky Jam or Bad Bunny – before, it would have taken an artist years to gain that kind of traction.”
And, as Norkin notes, while word of mouth has always been key, “the difference is that today there are a wide variety of platforms that allow recommendations to be communicated instantaneously and on a massive scale.”
“They have more options than ever to become very popular as an independent”
Such a shift has also seen the new breed of stars ripping up the rulebook and essentially creating new norms as they go. Traditional routes to the top are not as relevant, and artists know their worth.
“Most of them are not interested in advances, 360 deals or traditional media,” says Sirena. “They have more options than ever to become very popular as an independent through distributors or with a major.”
Norkin notes that within this brave new world, some artists got their start – and continue to operate – as their own publishers, record labels and producers. “Many of them even own their own masters,” he says.
A DIY ethic is also strong. While bigger stars still tap into traditional record label systems, Del Granado believes that many new talents “are cognisant that we’re living in a DIY world and so need to do things themselves. From recording to shooting videos to handling social media, they have become masters of their domain.”
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