Photo Credit: Billboard
Miami Beach, FL (October 20, 2026) – Last Night, Billboard Latin Music Week, the most prestigious and longest-running week dedicated to celebrating Latin Music, kicked off at the Faena Theater to once again serve as the 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 Buenos Dias con Miami: Where Music Lives, with IAmChino and Connie W. Kinnard (Senior Vice President, Destination Engagement for the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau), moderated by Leila Cobo (Co-Chief Content Officer, Billboard), discussing Miami’s impact as the epicenter of Latin Music.
When asked about the music that represents Miami, IAMChino pointed to “Move Shake Drop” by Pitbull and Flo Rida. He explained how Pitbull’s style of dress, the production, and the dancers in the video reflect the essence of the city. He also shared details about his relationship with Pitbull and how Pitbull’s music has been part of Miami’s nightlife since the beginning. “At that time, I lived near 67th Avenue, worked as a DJ and played Pitbull’s music. Later, Pitbull started inviting us to his events, and that’s where our professional relationship began,” recalled the producer and DJ, who also collaborated on Pitbull’s latest album, PITCOIN. Connie W. Kinnard highlighted the uniqueness of the city’s music scene: “There is no other place like Miami when it comes to music. The city gets to celebrate and tell its own story through its music, its cultural roots and the people who create it.”
The day continued with By The Numbers: The State of Spanish Language Music Worldwide with Luminate CEO, Rob Jonas discussing the growth of Latin Music on a global scale.
In Beyond the Algorithm: From Viral Moment to Global Fanbase presented by UnitedMasters, featuring Lyanno, YO GANGSTA, Maria Gracia (Head of Latin Artist Marketing, UnitedMasters), and moderator Gabo Llano (Head Music Operations TikTok Spanish Speaking Latam), discussed how to translate 15-second internet attention into a sustainable, global fanbase without traditional major label radio machinery. During the panel, Lyanno stated, “When I started my career, these platforms didn’t exist like they do today, so I focused on how to stand out among other artists and songwriters … on trying to find what makes you unique. That’s what makes you connect with the audience: being clear, being different. What works for someone else won’t necessarily work for you. Be real with your music and be different.” YO GANGSTA stated that “the important thing is to be clear on the narrative of your art, your ecosystem. When you’re clear on it, it’s going to be interesting to your audience.” Maria Gracia, for her part, said the key is “to be genuine, to be real.”
In Latin Music’s Independent Revolution Virgin Music Group executives Nat Pastor (Co-CEO), and Víctor González (EVP, President of Latin America, U.S. Latin, and Spain) joined Jason Lipshutz (Co-Chief Content Officer, Billboard) for a conversation on how independent labels and artists are the engine behind much of the global success in Latin Music.
Additionally, in Keynote: The Rise of Latin Music Globally, Alex Gallardo (President, Sony Music U.S. Latin) and Tommy Mottola (Founder and Chairman, Mottola Media Group), sat with Leila Cobo (Co-Chief Content Officer, Billboard) to discuss the global expansion of Latin music, from the moments that helped drive its international reach to the opportunities in the current market, highlighting the genre’re authenticity, artistic identity and its ability to connect with new audiences. They mentioned figures such as Ricky Martin, Shakira and Thalía, who helped open doors and laid the foundation for Latin artists’ global reach. They recalled the time Ricky Martin performed at the Grammy Awards and stars like Madonna were thrilled to see him on stage.
“Latin music has a great ability to connect with people. Gloria Estefan was my big connection to the Latin market and, of course, Shakira. It was also a blessing to meet Thalía almost 30 years ago, when Emilio Estefan introduced her to me. Seeing everything we’ve built together throughout her career has been an extraordinary experience. Thalía has been the best part of my life, a blessing and a gift from God,” said Tommy Mottola. Alex Gallardo, for his part, noted that “Mexico, Brazil and the U.S. Latin market are among the three most important music markets in the world, and today the doors are open for Latin artists. But it’s not enough to release one album after another; you have to have an authentic artistic vision, tell a story and create a connection with the audience.”
Later, in Brazil on the Rise: The Sound, Scale & Future of Brazilian Music, presented by Believe, Alejandra Olea (Managing Director, Americas, Believe), Bruno Duque (Head of Latin America and Brazil, TuneCoree), Diego Douttes (Co-Founder, Sonar Music), and artist MC Kako, joined Dan Rys (Executive Editor of Business, Billboard) to discuss how Brazil, the world’s fourth largest music market, is finding a global audience for its music in Portuguese.
The afternoon began with From Local Creativity to International Expansion: The Grupo Frontera Case Study presented by The Orchard. The co-founders of BorderTown Records and members of Grupo Frontera: Adelaido “Payo” Solís III, Alberto Acosta and Juan Javier Cantú in conversation with Miguel Ramirez, (GM, BorderTown Records) and moderator Claudia Ochoa, (SVP, México and US-MEX, The Orchard) sat down to discuss how artists build partnerships in the industry to scale their business while keeping their creative point of view.
“The first time we left Mexico and went to Argentina, with a sold-out show at Luna Park, we realized our music wasn’t something new there, because cumbia also exists in Argentina and other places. But people understand the messages in our lyrics: it’s a message that doesn’t need words,” said Adelaido “Payo” Solís III, lead vocalist of Grupo Frontera, which will soon be touring Japan.
One of the day’s most anticipated moments came with the Superstar Q&A: The Stories Behind the Songs with Kany Garcia, moderated by Leila Cobo (Co-Chief Content Officer, Billboard) where the trailblazer discussed her inspiration and creative process in her songwriting.
Among her most successful songs, Kany García highlighted her global hit “Te lo agradezco” with Carín León: “I had written the song, but I didn’t have the title or a way to start the chorus. We were at the Latin GRAMMYs and, in the middle of getting our makeup done, Carín said to me: ‘Te lo agradezco [I thank you for it],’ and he gave me the part I was missing for the song… When he heard it, he was so excited that he told me: ‘Let’s record the song now’ (it was 1 am), so then he said, ‘Come to Hermosillo and we’ll record it there.’ We recorded the song in Hermosillo, and it took over the world.” With nearly 20 years in her career, Kany recalled a difficult moment when she even thought about quitting. “I remember telling a friend: ‘I’m going to quit now,’ and my friend laughed, saying ‘You love what you do.’ Music isn’t the same as it was 20 years ago, and the challenge is how to do new things to stay relevant.” Kany closed her session by performing “La Niña Que Fui” and was surprised on stage with a Platinum record.
The Salsa Revival: Bridging Generations, presented by AARP, featured Luis Figueroa and TIto Nieves for a conversation with Bryant Pino (Senior Director, Latin Music Programming, Sirius XM) to discuss the evolution of salsa, its deep connection across generations of artists and the possibility of bringing the genre to new audiences through English-language salsa.
“I want to support young people. Luis Figueroa is no rookie; he was about 12 years old when he took a photo with me. Now, seeing him here fills me with joy.” said Tito Nieves, who also highlighted new talents such as Christian Alicea and Daniela Darcourt. He also shared why he started making salsa in English: “I made salsa in English because my son used to tell me, ‘Papi, I love your music, but I don’t understand.’ Marc Anthony recorded in English, so did La India, and many other artists have done it too. [Salsa] can be in any language.” Luis Figueroa, for his part, said, “I was born in Philadelphia, and singing in Spanish has helped me a lot, but I also didn’t want to lose the connection with the audience that knows me from singing in English. It’s not just about connecting with a new audience, but also about keeping that bond with the people who have followed my music from the beginning… If you sing a salsa song in Chinese, it’s still salsa.”
Throughout the day, as the Official Auto partner, Lincoln gave attendees the opportunity to reset, recharge, and refocus — offering sensory experiences and special perks onsite.
Billboard introduced Maybe We’re Next, Maybelline New York’s new music discovery platform, at Billboard Latin Music Week with an immersive content booth and Maybelline New York product sampling throughout the day.
Wrapping up the day’s panel, The New Urban Movement, brought together Kidd Voodoo, and Quevedo to discuss their musical roots, the evolution of their careers, and the impact of Latin urban music in new markets, moderated by Jessica Roiz(Associate Editor, Billboard).
During the panel, Quevedo said, “I heard reggaeton for the first time on the street when I was about 10 years old… But an important part of my personality comes from being born and raised in the Canary Islands. With El Baifo (his latest album), I wanted to reflect that identity… In the Canary Islands we have very unique music, and even though today you can draw inspiration from so many things through the internet, growing up there is part of who I am.” Kidd Voodoo, who highlighted the influence of Daddy Yankee and Don Omar, said, “I tried jazz, bossa nova and everything else because I didn’t want to accept that rock’s time had passed. I spent seven years making rock and never managed to get a single song to catch on. During the pandemic I started making reggaeton, and by my third song, things were already happening for me in Chile. Today, reggaeton is everything to me.”
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 Andrea Ramirez PR, BIME, EB Producciones, Fusion 4 Media LLC, KOSIGN, La Industria Inc, Plus Media Music, UnitedMasters, Universal Music Publishing Group, Tickeri, 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 at the Furia Disco Rooftop with the Billboard Latin Music Week Opening Night presented by Boombastic featuring Isabella Araujo, Amigo de Artistas, Brray, Domelipa, Ela Taubert, Erick Brian, Exti, FLVCKKA, Kidd Voodoo, Kristina, Lorna, Nailah Blackman, Ramma, andVius.
The SANTOS BRAVOS Showcase, presented by HYBE Latin America, capped off the night, where the new global Latin pop group sat down for a conversation on their first year together, followed by an intimate performance.
Looking back on the group’s first year together, Mexican-American SANTOS BRAVOS member Drew Venegas shared: “I think one thing I can say that I took from this year is learning how to be by yourself and know that sometimes you’re gonna get lonely. And no one talks about that, but it’s all a sacrifice because we know what we’re doing for this group and we know what we’re doing for the fans. We want to get to that point where we look back and it’s all gonna be worth it, you know. So I think that’s the mentality for this past year.” SANTOS BRAVOS member Kenneth Lavill highlighted one of the moments that left a lasting impression on the group: “The Fan Fest in Monterrey with Enrique Iglesias was very important to us. We’ll never forget the 87,000 people who were there.”
The festivities will continue on Tuesday with must-see panels featuring the biggest names in Latin music, including Fuerza Regida, Anuel AA, Greeicy, Ryan Castro, Rawayana, Tokischa, and more. For the full programing and more information, visitBillboardLatinMusicWeek.com.
Billboard Latin Music Week will coincide with the Billboard Latin Music Awards which will be presented LIVE Thursday, October 22 at 8 p.m. ET / 7c, on Telemundo and Peacock from the James L. Knight Center in Miami. The event will also be available on Universo and the Telemundo app, as well as throughout Latin America and the Caribbean via Telemundo Internacional. Fans can also experience the 2026 Billboard Latin Music Awards in person, with tickets now available through Ticketmaster.
Following the awards on Thursday October 22, the week will culminate with the Billboard Latin Music Week Official Afterparty: Anuel @ LIV Nightclub Miami 21+. Tickets available HERE.
Billboard Latin Music Week 2026 partners include AARP, BetterHelp, Harbourview Equity Partners, HYBE Americas, Lincoln, Maybelline New York, Shark Beauty, Sonesta International Hotels, Walmart and more.
