Miami Beach, FL
Billboard Latin Music Week, the most prestigious and longest-running week dedicated to celebrating Latin Music, returned to the historic Fillmore Miami Beach to once again serve as a dynamic platform celebrating the heartbeat of Latin music and culture. The first day of the vibrant event was packed with exclusive panels, discussions, and networking opportunities spotlighting the biggest names in Latin music and the industry’s top experts.
The day kicked off with The Power of Independence presented by Platoon, where Lenny Tavárez, Pinky Mordan, Yan and Yon MadMusick joined moderator Ingrid Fajardo to discuss the artist journey from A&R to release, spotlighting how independence enables creative control and authentic storytelling.
“I started my career with MadMusick, we had three dollars, we had nothing… and today we’ve been together for 17 years. Along the way, I became really disillusioned with the business when I realized how little value they placed on the artist. At that time, Peter la Anguila was given a million dollars, and I was offered 40 thousand to sign. That’s when I saw the value of the independent world,” shared Lenny Tavárez about the challenges he faced at the beginning of his career, before becoming an independent artist. “The positive side of being independent is that they don’t try to change the DNA you want to project. Today, thanks to social media, we can show ourselves as we are, we can say ‘no,’ and that doesn’t feel so harsh anymore. Independent labels are preserving the artist’s mental health and giving them their true value.”
Meanwhile, writers and producers Yan and Yon MadMusick added, “Nowadays, the most important thing is social media, but you have to know how to use it. Many independent artists don’t use it to their advantage, while major labels demand it. The mistake is using social media just to sell music, when what really builds a fan base is showing your personality.”
The energy and high-value information continued with BRESH & Zumba: Dancing Up the Charts, featuring Atella of Zumba, Bröder of BRESH and moderator Isabela Raygoza. Together, they explored how lifestyle brands have become influential tastemakers and powerful promotional platforms driving cultural movements worldwide.
In Let Your Music Speak Louder, presented by Rimas Publishing, Emilio Morales, King Savagge, Machael, and Michelle Maciel joined Pamela Bustios for a conversation on building deeper fan engagement and sustainable careers. The panel offered a behind-the-scenes look at songwriting, production, performance, and the crucial business of royalties.
Mexican superstar Carín León and his manager and business partner Jorge Juárez took the stage for The Power Duo, a candid conversation with Leila Cobo on building a global brand and breaking both cultural and economic barriers. “I was heavily criticized for the way I sang, the way I dressed, and more, but that’s the emotion,” said Carín León. “They criticized me for being different and new, but we created a signature, a personality by staying true to ourselves. Genres sound like limits to me, because before, you couldn’t put an accordion in something pop… at the end of the day, it’s all music. I started following my heart and leaving the rules behind.” León also took the opportunity to announce that he will soon be releasing a country music album.
“With Carín, everything was very organic from the start. We were always talking about music. The first time I heard him, I said: ‘This is a superstar, and I’d love to work with him.’For me, the most important part of an artistic career is the music, not the genre; when you work from the heart, that’s what really matters,” said Jorge Juárez, Carín León’s manager and business partner. “We decided to create a company as shareholders, with transparency in the numbers and long-term decisions to reach the next level. Carín isn’t just a regional Mexican artist — he’s a global artist,” he emphasized.
Later, in Breaking a New Artist, presented by SONAR, Matt Louis, Slow Jamz, and Siggy Vázquez sat down with Juan J. Arroyo to share real-world strategies on standing out in today’s competitive music landscape and turning early momentum into lasting success.
The afternoon began with The Influencer Effect, presented by L’Oréal, where creators Karime Pindter, La Segura, Mario Ruiz, and Pao Ruiz joined Gabo Llano of TikTok to unpack how influencer culture has become central to modern music marketing. “We, the content creators, are that bridge that helps the world know what music they should be listening to. But the best part of promoting a song is genuinely liking it. If a song doesn’t connect with me, the campaign doesn’t happen. I usually listen to the song and look for the creative angle—figure out the path we can take to bring the song to the audience. What’s important is to take risks and always offer something different,” explained Colombian content creator La Segura.
Speaking on the impact a music campaign can have when collaborating with influencers, Pao Ruiz gave an example: “I remember the promotional campaign with Grupo Niche. I told the label, ‘I’ve got the script.’ I made a video where my mom kicked me out of the house because I didn’t know how to dance salsa, and the video got 17 million views. I mixed something organic with the drama of a Latina mom and her Latina daughter, and it was a total success. Thousands of people recreated the trend, and that translated into streams for the song.”
One of the day’s most anticipated moments came during In Conversation with Anuel AA and DJ Khaled. The two global superstars shared insights on collaboration, crossover, and the continued global expansion of Latin music.”
“When I started in trap, I used to listen to Eminem and I thought: if he could do it in English, I can do it in Spanish. My music grew fast because my life was always public,” shared global artist Anuel AA. He also announced that he’ll be releasing a new album soon and revealed what drives him every day: “I’ve been working on it for two years and it’s my favorite… my motivation will always be my family.” He also spoke about Bad Bunny’s impact and his upcoming Super Bowl appearance: “When JLo and Shakira performed, everyone loved it, right? So we should feel very proud that Bad Bunny is going to perform at the Super Bowl.”
Meanwhile, an energetic DJ Khaled lit up the panel: “Viva los Latinos! I’ve always loved Latinos. It’s a blessing to see my brother Anuel where he is now. I love Latin music. It’s hard being a producer because I’m also a fan. I’ve worked with J Balvin — there’s still so much more for us to do together. We even recorded a song at my house. I also love reggae. Tego Calderón opened many doors for what’s happening today, and Fat Joe paved the way for Latino artists everywhere.”
In The Globalization of Latin Touring, presented by Live Nation, Jorge Garcia, Leizer Guss Guss, Mac Clark, and Griselda Flores explored how Latin artists are expanding their touring footprint beyond the U.S. and Latin America — and how the region has become a key stop for international acts around the world.
Attendees also had the opportunity to connect directly with executives and thought leaders during intimate roundtable sessions. Representatives from Billboard’s U.S. and international teams joined partners including Boombastic, Bravas Entertainment, Frost School of Music, Live Nation, UnitedMasters, Symphonic Distribution, Tickeri, Viña del Mar Festival, Starlite, ModeT, Andrea Ramírez PR, and more. These sessions fostered direct dialogue and provided practical insights on everything from distribution and touring to media strategy, branding, and international growth.
The night shifted into performance mode with the Emerging Artist Showcase presented by Platoon at Stardust Lounge, featuring standout sets from Jheral, Golden, and MadMusick.
The celebration continued at Mad Club Wynwood with the Opening Night Showcase presented by Boombastic — a high-energy lineup featuring Bröder, GALE, J Álvarez, Lauty Gram, Los Ricos, Luck Ra, Mateo Eraña, Yami Safdie, Yas, and more.
To cap off the night, Duetti hosted an exclusive Miami party at Dante’s HiFi, where guests enjoyed a DJ set by MUTIS and an open bar, bringing together artists, executives, and tastemakers to celebrate the start of an unforgettable week.
The festivities will continue tomorrow with must-see panels featuring the biggest names in Latin music, including Laura Pausini, Kali Uchis, Goyo, Ozuna, Venesti, Ivy Queen, and more. For more information, visit BillboardLatinMusicWeek.com.
